How’s everyone’s weekend going? Thanks for spending a portion of it with the Six.
The origins of laws in this country can be traced to the late 18th century and the founding of the Constitution.
Articles I, II, and III of the United States Constitution of 1789, purportedly establish the rights and authorities of three co-equal branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. If an individual violates a law enacted by the legislature, then a judge or jury of peers would deem appropriate punishment.
Combined, these principles formed the “Rule of Law,” a fundamental American conviction that remains in tact to this day. At least in theory.
This month, we’ve seen two violent incidents involving teenagers with completely different reactions and interpretations of the rule of law and to the notion of consequences.
In the evening of April 15, a large group of teenagers gathered in various areas around the city Chicago. Video from that night showed members of the group assaulting bystanders, destroying vehicles and one victim so scared she believed the group “was going to kill us.”
What did those in charge of the executive branch of city government have to say about these clear violations of the law?
We have no right to judge and that there will be little to no consequences for the assailants.
On April 8, a wrestling meet took place in Oak Park, just west of the city. At the conclusion of a match in the 125-128 pound weight division, an 8th grade wrestler punched another wrestler from SPAR Academy in Aurora. It was a shocking act of brutality at a moment when opponents typically shake hands as a sign of sportsmanship.
News came out this week that the parents of the sucker-punched boy are filing charges against the boy who committed the assault.
That incident appears headed towards a conclusion grounded in rule of law procedure and likely, harsh penalties for the 8th grade wrestler, an outcome just as our founding fathers desired––how violation of laws lead to consequences and how punishment should act as deterrent towards disobedient behavior.
If the parents of the victims follow through on pressing charges, that young man will lose quite a bit. He’ll likely think twice about committing assault again.
As for those kids in Chicago, who stomped around, fired guns and generally committed acts of mayhem on the streets…will they do same thing again?
Absolutely they will.
When disobedience not only goes unpunished, but affirmed, and bad actions do not result in consequences, they have nothing to lose.
(As per usual in major cities, the teen mob incident in Chicago has spurned a national conversation about crime and law enforcement. The police are being criticized for not diffusing the situation while city leadership is exposed for its dishonest governance and racial dog whistling.)
So we have two episodes of disorder, two different interpretations of what is a just response.
Expect one young wrestler to learn to control his temper and become a better sportsman and person.
Expect a violent summer in Chicago with no accountability.
Let’s proceed with the Six.
1. How New York City Became Safe.
There’s been chatter on social media of late about Chicago eventually turning into Detroit, a city that in 2013 declared bankruptcy. I don’t see that happening as long as there remains investment from the private sector. But the elected officials who run the city can learn from the events of New York City. In the 1970’s and into the 80’s, NYC was a cesspool of crime, drugs and otherwise decadent behavior. But in the decade of the 90’s, crime dropped significantly. A few preventative programs were launched and aborted. As this article via City Journal explains, “it was “only when a wide range of agencies and institutions began to work on restoring public order did real progress begin.” NYC also “owes its crime decline to a broad range of public and private agencies.” The soon-to-be inaugurated Chicago mayoral administration has publicly voiced little interest in curtailing the symptoms of crime so I wouldn’t expect a NYC redux.
2. Cherry-Picking Who Is A Child.
Watching football in the fall (no spring ball for me…can’t get into the USFL/XFL leagues) I’m often brought to annoyance by the freestyle labeling of athletes as “kids” by commentators. General rule: anything high school or below, fine, call ‘em a kid. But college players, many of whom now are in their mid-20’s? They are adults (you’ll hear the term “kid” used a thousand times by analysts at this coming week’s NFL Draft. Stop it. C.J. Stroud is a grown-ass man). All of this false labeling pales in comparison to the CDC, the government agency that categorizes a “child” as any person ages 1-19. As this article from John Kass News argues, “This grouping encompasses toddlers, preschoolers, elementary school children, adolescents and young adults. Is there any logic in combining those too young to walk with those learning to ride a bicycle with those who are driving cars?” No, there’s not and the piece is written in the context of recent mass shootings.
3. The Elite College Admissions Lottery.
April is college decision month for the majority of the 2023 graduating class. For those shooting for the moon––elite, selective universities––here’s a not-so-modest proposal for fixing the admissions process for the top American colleges: leave it up to chance. This piece from Vox vouches for setting a minimum academic requirement to receive a lottery ticket, then the school picks at random. The children of alumni or those who excel at sports will no longer receive an advantage. Selectors' subjective bias is removed. The argument against? It may not be legal.
4. The Time Thief.
A four-decades old, true crime heist story. In 1983, a burglar broke into a Jerusalem museum and stole 106 rare watches and clocks. The guards were asleep. The alarm system was broken. The police were baffled and the case remained unsolved for 20 years, until a notorious thief confessed his crimes on his deathbed in 2004. An excellent read from Smithsonian on how police cracked the case and recovered the majority of the stolen property that some how remained in perfect condition.
5. Concert Venues Shake Down Of Artists.
Anyone attempting to purchase a ticket these days knows of the exasperating practice of “fee-dom.” Everywhere, all at once––gratuitous fees for airlines, hotels, concerts, etc. with no transparency where the money is going. We are all fine tipping good service people. That 15-20% extra goes into the pocket of a waiter or cook. But an airport kiosk? That’s a machine. Where does that money go? Well, the music industry is dealing with all sorts of challenges, the biggest of which is performers getting paid their fair share for the art they create. This insightful piece in Variety reveals how challenging it is for musicians to make money off “merch”––t-shirts, hats, other apparel––which accounts for a significant amount of income for bands and singers. The reason is “most venues take a 10% to 40% cut of the artist’s merchandise sales.” That skimming off the top is a real problem with so many artists struggling to make a living in an industry with water tight margins.
6. “Jurassic Park 4” Footage Leaked.
This wins the “how did they not scream ‘oh shit!’ award” for the week. The headline may be slightly misleading but the video wildly entertaining nonetheless.
Thanks for reading everybody and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Have a suggestion for The Sunday Six? Send email to jonjkerr@gmail.com