A Better East Texas: San Francisco decline

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - There are a load of quotes and wise sayings about consequences. One that applies today is that – “When you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action.”

Certainly, that is true with what is happening in one of America’s formerly great cities – San Francisco. In recent years, local leaders have reduced enforcement of some crimes. They have reduced or even eliminated criminal detentions and arrests and ultimately looked the other way when the law is broken.

Well, there are consequences in those choices and policies. In one telling consequence, a brand-new Whole Foods supermarket, one of the largest in downtown San Francisco, has been closed. The store had been open only a year and was touted as their flagship location, but the company has decided to close the location citing employee safety concerns. Rampant shoplifting, drug use and paraphernalia in the store left the company no choice.

It is hard to imagine this happening in America, but it is, and San Francisco is not the only city; however, it is becoming the face of lawlessness along with other west coast towns. And the responsibility rests with the local governments in those areas that have gone soft of crime.

Obviously, there is a mental health component as well and you can’t just address one without the other but a once great city is now spiraling into a gutter because of the decisions made there. One would have to hope that other cities and even states that have made similar declarations of criminal tolerance will have to take notice.

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