New in PJ Media:
In the once-fine city of Oakland, California, these days, we can all watch how a nation can move from the first world to the third world, right under the noses of its elected officials and most of its people, while hardly anyone dares to talk about what’s going on.
Great civilizations can be destroyed in a day. The conquest of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, marking the end of the Roman Empire after over two thousand years as a continuous polity, is a case in point. More often, however, once-powerful empires expire gradually, becoming a shadow of their former selves little by little, without attracting much notice, until it is undeniable that the former glory is gone, never to return. A case in point for that is the demise of the Western Roman Empire, which according to the historians fell in 476, yet without anyone much noticing until decades later. And in our own age, the decline of the United States of America in these dark days of the Biden regime can be seen vividly in Oakland.
For several years I lived a short drive from Oakland, and went there often. Although it had its bad areas, it was for the most part a delightful place. There was the zoo, and Jack London Square, where the greatest jazz artists in the land could be seen at Yoshi’s. There were the Oakland Athletics and Raiders, as well as the Golden State Warriors. Oakland had beautiful weather, lovely scenery, and world-class attractions. Now the Raiders and Warriors are gone, and the A’s are woeful and despised and on their way out as well. Yoshi’s is still there and still first-rate, but every day it gets harder to justify wanting to spend an evening in downtown Oakland.
The reasons for this are the usual effects of far-left rule. They can be seen all over America, but in Oakland they’re as bad or worse as they are anywhere. Fox News reported Sunday that “violent crime in Oakland increased 22% this year, according to the most recently available police data, which also show a nearly 10% increase in commercial burglary.” Even in the far-left Mecca that is Oakland, many business owners are fed up: “In September, over 200 business owners shut down their stores to strike against the government’s handling of public safety amid rising crime. The protest was held days after city officials admitted to missing a deadline to apply for state funding to fight retail theft.”
And now the city is taking down traffic lights. Oakland, Fox News explains, “has been experiencing high crime and theft, including people stealing copper wires and the city’s infrastructure.” The city tried to stop this by putting up cement barriers around electrical boxes, but the brigands proved resourceful enough to overcome that. And so now the wise Communists who rule the city have “taken to removing the traffic lights at a busy intersection and replacing them with stop signs.”
There is more. Read the rest here.
Beneath The Veil of Consciousness says
Something to Consider:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEIQpF1Tspw
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Even back in the day, on the occasions I actually drove through Oakland, I rarely went off the Nimitz, McArthur or the Eastshore Freeways. Rarely got off to surface streets: even at that time Oakland had a horrible reputation, especially at the dockyards. Only reason I’d go would be to visit some student friends at Berzerkley, or sometimes to shop at Ikea in Emeryville
gravenimage says
Oakland was actually much improved over the past 30 years or so–until “Occupy” and BLM. Now crime is skyrocketing again.
tharmon says
My hometown has really gone downhill.
gravenimage says
I didn’t know you lived here too, tharmon. An inept mayor and–worse–“Defund the Police” County DA Pamela Price do not help–there is a recall coming up on the next ballot for the latter–I hope she’s out then.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
The threshold for taking someone out is pretty high, which is why we saw Comrade Chesa Boudean’s recall work, but George Gascon’s recall fail. Even Boudin’s recall barely worked, if I recall right
gravenimage says
Agreed, Infidel. But I am glad to see a recall *at all*–and there is a *lot* of support for it:
“Recall campaign has outraised District Attorney Pamela Price by millions”
https://oaklandside.org/2024/05/08/pamela-price-recall-campaign-outraised-district-attorney-by-millions/
40 rounds says
Don’t feel bad for these idiots, the politicians and constituents, you get what you get. Hopefully none of this shit leaks into the countryside like if there ever is a food shortage, loss of power and water, etc. Stay far away from big metro areas if you can.
gravenimage says
Not all of us voted for these fools–I sure haven’t.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
In California, it’s leaked everywhere. I have friends in Hemet, CA, which is in Riverside county and pretty remote from even Los Angeles and San Diego. A few years ago, I was shocked to hear in a news story of one of those flash mobs, infamous in San Francisco, doing their number in a Marshall’s store in Hemet
This theory might work in purple states, but don’t try it in California. Or going forward, NY, IL or even NJ
somehistory says
Crime….and fighting it, according to pretend senator warren, the pretend Native American,…is racist.
In some cities, there are microphones which are placed to pick up the sounds of gun fire…”shots ringing out”…so the cops can quickly go and arrest the bad guys while rendering aid to the injured and dying. The idiot trouble-maker warren says these microphones are ‘racist.’ Because they are placed where gun shots are often heard and likely to keep being heard. Everyone knows which hoods…er, places…. these are and it’s not racist to know.
So oaklanders can expect an increase in the crime warren supports from her cushy seat someplace else.
Keith O says
Those are the same shot detectors that were employed in South Africa a few years ago when the crime rate went through the roof after the ANC took power.
Now, the traffic lights are being removed in a lot of cities and towns in the country.
The common factor in both these locations is that they are left wing paradises.
somehistory says
Out of oakland
“FIRST ON FOX – A California city official tasked with fomenting an inclusive environment as part of her role has past remarks that criticize White people and Christians, describing Jesus Christ as a symbol of “capital gain.”
Carina Lieu, who uses the pronouns she and they, is an Inclusive Community Engagement Officer at the Oakland administrator’s office. She started this role in February 2023. The administrative office oversees the day-to-day operations of all city departments in accordance with the goals and policy directives of Mayor Sheng Thao and the city council.
Lieu’s past remarks reflect views steeped in critical race theory, specifically that the United States is systemically oppressive and that people “must get uncomfortable about examining implicit biases because this is the inflection point where change occurs.”
In a 2019 Medium post, Lieu articulated her animus against “White America” — believing the racial group to has a “superiority complex” and a “pathology” — as well as the Christian religion as part of her argument to integrate “Ethnic Studies and Culturally Relevant Science” into K-12 schools.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/california-dei-officer-blasted-jesus-as-a-capitalist-exploiter-claims-white-people-have-pathology/ar-BB1mNkGG?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=470989d284434914a06e860a0b6dd91c&ei=29
40 rounds says
Yes they are OCD on race aren’t they
somehistory says
Seems about right; the woman has an “implicit bias”….and chooses to ignore it, while claiming Jesus is the problem.
gravenimage says
Thanks for that link, Somehistory.
somehistory says
Yw, g.
gravenimage says
Oakland Removes Traffic Lights as It Continues Its Slide Into the Third World
……………………………………..
Yes, I’ve heard about this insanity–I live here. Why arrest the perps when you can just make driving–and crossing the street–so much more dangerous instead? Insanity.
Bernie says
If you look at most major cities along the West Coast of North America, it’s a similar thing. L.A., San Francisco, Oakland, Portland (Oregon), Seattle (Washington State), up to Vancouver, Canada, and maybe even down to Tijuana ,Mexico, similar situations. Massive homelessness and narcotics problems, rapidly increasing crime, decrepit infrastructure and services, combined with skyrocketing cost of living. Additionally, most if not all of those places have strong Leftist administrations over a period of many years.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I recall a segment on Tucker Carlson (during his FNC days) when he interviewed someone from Tijuana, who was protesting all those migrant caravans that had encamped there in preparation to cross into California. He complained about how those “migrants” were trashing the area, and how the locals wanted them out
Somehow, I think Tijuana is far more liveable than any of the coastal cities to its north. The next liveable coastal city to its north would be Anchorage, AK, which, much to my surprise, is a Republican city.
Mike says
Infidel: thanks for your reply. It’s possible that Tijuana might not be as bad as some people say, but it apparently has a murder rate of just over 100 deaths per 100,000 people, making it one of the top-ten most dangerous cities in the world in terms of violent crime.
James Lincoln says
Message to Oakland government “leaders”:
Put the traffic light back up, have 24 hour video recording, arrest the perpetrators – and put them in jail.
Once word gets out, the problem will be fixed.