Althouse: "The National Guard are our neighbors; these are moms and dads from our communities....They are just there as a deterrent to those who might think..."

March 9, 2024

"The National Guard are our neighbors; these are moms and dads from our communities....They are just there as a deterrent to those who might think..."

".... that they can get away with committing crimes.... This is not heavy-handed.... It is nowhere near what ‘stop and search’ was — a policy I did not support. This is just for a temporary basis to calm things down and let people know they’re safe."

Said Governor Hochul, quoted in "Hochul defends deploying National Guard in NYC subways after 'war zone' backlash" (NY Post).

54 comments:

RCOCEAN II said...: On one hand, appoint DA's and Judges who refuse to punish criminals or let them out on bail over and over again.

Then, as an election year stunt, put the National Guard in the subways. The NG can't arrest people. Its just to assure people that the Government is doing something about crime. Sadly, it will probably work.; 3/9/24, 10:38 AM
Joe Smith said...: Automatic weapons can be quite subtle : ); 3/9/24, 10:40 AM
The Vault Dweller said...: Are National Guardsmen going to tackle turnstile jumpers? Are they going to tackle pick-pockets? Are they going shoot armed muggers? I can see them acting as a deterrent, but what actually are they ordered to do in different situations? What kind of training do they have to handle these possible criminal scenarios? Do they get legal protection if they do what they think is right at the moment but then someone gets hurt or even killed? That one former Marine is on trial when he tried to stop a man from harassing and threatening passengers on the subway and killed the man in the process, something which was presumably not his goal at the time.; 3/9/24, 10:49 AM
Robert Cook said...: It's all theater...the theater of political hysteria.

Crime in the subways is down from last year, and is comparable to the subway crime rate of 10 years ago,"when everybody was crowing about how safe the subway (was").; 3/9/24, 10:54 AM
Skeptical Voter said...: Well the National Guard is good for a couple of things when crime or unrest prevails. They shoot; they kill--and even in "peaceful demonstrations, your average NG grunt wishes he could fix bayonets. I can recall the sentiment in 1972 when my National Guard mechanized infantry company was on standby to go deal with rioting UC Santa Barbara students at Isla Vista.

Hochul is an idiot.; 3/9/24, 10:59 AM
tim maguire said...: It's nowhere near stop and search, it's just stopping people and searching them. Completely different.; 3/9/24, 11:00 AM
Skeptical Voter said...: Well the National Guard is good for a couple of things when crime or unrest prevails. They shoot; they kill--and even in "peaceful demonstrations, your average NG grunt wishes he could fix bayonets. I can recall the sentiment in 1972 when my National Guard mechanized infantry company was on standby to go deal with rioting UC Santa Barbara students at Isla Vista.

Hochul is an idiot.; 3/9/24, 11:01 AM
Sebastian said...: "This is not heavy-handed"

Tell it to Tom Cotton. Even better, tell it to lefties at the NYT. Then again, why bother? Prog principles are tools.; 3/9/24, 11:02 AM
bagoh20 said...: And the lawfare was just for Trump, nobody else, and slow the spread for 2 weeks, and we don't need any Republican businesses in our state...; 3/9/24, 11:06 AM
bagoh20 said...: Concealed carry would be permanent, cheaper, more American and work better.; 3/9/24, 11:07 AM
n.n said...: Our neighbors are our neighbors, thus the Second Amendment that mitigates progress of government's heavy hand.; 3/9/24, 11:17 AM
Quaestor said...: "Crime in the subways is down from last year."

There are many ways to measure the crime rate and many ways to manipulate the statistics.; 3/9/24, 11:21 AM
Gospace said...: Gee, the police are our neighbors, who live among us. In fact, most communities require the police to live within community borders.

The National Guard can be from anywhere in the state. They likely aren't your neighbors.

Is it possible for any demoncRAT politician to make a truthful statement?; 3/9/24, 11:23 AM
FullMoon said...: Cheaper than hiring more police.; 3/9/24, 11:24 AM
Rocco said...: Governor Hochul said...
"The National Guard are our neighbors"

So are the people doing the crimes.; 3/9/24, 11:29 AM
tastid212 said...: ""The National Guard are our neighbors; these are moms and dads from our communities....They are just there as a deterrent to those who might think..."" Gov. Hochul

Heck, the moms and dads being mugged or pushed onto the tracks are "from our communities", so where's the deterrence? Hochul - once again in over her head and reacting to events with political performance for her party's far-left wing.; 3/9/24, 11:30 AM
Wince said...: So, will Hochul's "assault weapons" ban pitch be diluted if these are "weapons of subways" that are toted by "your neighbors, moms and dads from our communities"? And that they are just a "deterrent"?; 3/9/24, 11:37 AM
Gusty Winds said...: If they are searching through your bags, how is it not "stop and search"? Whatever needs to done to make the subway safe is fine.

But people in NYC are morons.; 3/9/24, 11:38 AM
FullMoon said...: Comment from the link:
Ron Smith
22 hours ago

Something strange going on. Why check bags and suitcases of well dressed people most likely going to an office job? Are they searching for bombs? Muggers, deranged homeless people that are causing the crimes on the subways don’t carry handbags, brief cases. Could it be possible that they have received intel of a potential terrorist threat in the subways and using the cover of protecting riders? I’ve seen pictures on TV, here in Florida, showing young women bags being checked, men dressed in suits being checked. It’s so out of wack. Remove the homeless from the subways. Follow suspicious people. But to check what looks like law abiding citizens as they were crooks, muggers, is really strange.; 3/9/24, 11:42 AM
Leland said...: Hochul trying to downplay calling out the military to enforce laws the civilian AG and DA won’t. The fun part is New Yorkers will buy that bullshit, eat it up, and vote for her again. Keep in mind, Mayor Adam’s has clearly stated that these events are the doing of 38 people, yet every subway passenger now has to endure a search of their belongings and have self defense items seized. Good luck after you leave the subway station.; 3/9/24, 12:02 PM
Christopher B said...: It is nowhere near what ‘stop and search’ was..

Well, she's not wrong because 'stop and frisk' wasn't a general dragnet. It always based on a police officer's reasonable suspicion that the person being stopped could be carrying contraband or potentially planning to commit a crime. Of course when you stop people who potentially could be criminals you wind up adversely impacting the segment of population that has a greater proportion of criminals in it.

So now grandma's purse is gonna get searched when she wants to get on the subway.; 3/9/24, 12:05 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: I hope they are nice to the poor criminals... and Biden's criminal illegal aliens.; 3/9/24, 12:06 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Listen to the way the elite left in power are forced to talk to their idiot woke "De-fund the police!" & "oh no we iz scared about Handmaid's Tale" constituents.

If comedy were not banned - these people would be a joke.; 3/9/24, 12:09 PM
vermonter said...: The people who have concealed carry permits are our neighbors and are moms and dads too. Why not use them?; 3/9/24, 12:34 PM
Robert Cook said...: "But people in NYC are morons."

We get it: you're envious of "people in NYC" because they get to live in the nation's greatest city.; 3/9/24, 12:51 PM
n.n said...: So, what Hochul is saying, is that she presumes everyone is an illegal alien or otherwise engaged in criminal affirmative action. The light touch of inferential logic in a Democratic State. To be fair, it's an improvement over diversity and minority reports favored by her Progressive peers in liberal jurisdictions.; 3/9/24, 1:02 PM
MadTownGuy said...: How is this not Martial Law?; 3/9/24, 1:13 PM
Narayanan said...: So now grandma's purse is gonna get searched when she wants to get on the subway.
=================
hopefully pussy not grabbed! it is not Trump's NYC anymore!; 3/9/24, 1:20 PM
RMc said...: "This is not heavy-handed"

It's not heavy-handed enough. Forget these candy-ass National Guardsmen; send in Delta Force instead. Slaughter 'em all, and the Lord sort 'em out.; 3/9/24, 1:21 PM
Jersey Fled said...: "The National Guard are our neighbors….”

Who also happen to have real jobs that they have to leave to do this kind of stuff. You don’t activate them on a whim. They are not the Governor’s police force. Get more transit cops if you need them.; 3/9/24, 1:22 PM
iowan2 said...: Hochal is refusing to follow the Biden narrative. Crime is lower that its been in decades, MAN.; 3/9/24, 1:26 PM
rehajm said...: Election year. They’ll let the violent criminals resume after November…; 3/9/24, 1:31 PM
Robert Cook said...: "There are many ways to measure the crime rate and many ways to manipulate the statistics."

That is not a refutation of the statement the crime in the subways is down from last year, (and way down from years ago).

Among "the many ways to measure crime rate" are even such sloppy methodologies as "I feel skeered in the big city" and "So many people who look different from what I'm used to seeing, so they must be suspicious characters," and "Lotta (or one or two) people and politicians I like are saying crime is OUTTA CONTROL in NYC, so IT MUST BE TRUE!"; 3/9/24, 1:33 PM
iowan2 said...: Vermonter@12:34

Great observation.

That is supported by the science (tm)

Statistic show past law enforcement officers granted carry permits due to their service, are more likely to be charged with crimes involving guns, than regular citizens going through the concealed carry permit process. .; 3/9/24, 1:33 PM
Mary Beth said...: Robert Cook said...

It's all theater...the theater of political hysteria.

Crime in the subways is down from last year, and is comparable to the subway crime rate of 10 years ago,"when everybody was crowing about how safe the subway (was").

3/9/24, 10:54 AM

A link to a quotation that is buried among a page of blurbs feels like you don't care whether you waste my time. Linking to the source would have been better.; 3/9/24, 1:43 PM
Big Mike said...: The National Guard are our neighbors; these are moms and dads from our communities....

What training have they had?; 3/9/24, 1:50 PM
Joe Smith said...: 'We get it: you're envious of "people in NYC" because they get to live in the nation's greatest city.'

Formerly greatest city.

There are no truly great cities left in America because they've all been turned into left-wing democrat shitholes.

Find a nice quiet town and don't vote for communists.

You'll live a much happier life...; 3/9/24, 1:56 PM
Original Mike said...: ""The National Guard are our neighbors; these are moms and dads from our communities....They are just there as a deterrent to those who might think..."
".... that they can get away with committing crimes.."

To reiterate what Gospace said, so are the police.; 3/9/24, 2:00 PM
Original Mike said...: "Something strange going on. Why check bags and suitcases of well dressed people most likely going to an office job? Are they searching for bombs? Muggers, deranged homeless people that are causing the crimes on the subways don’t carry handbags, brief cases. Could it be possible that they have received intel of a potential terrorist threat in the subways and using the cover of protecting riders? I’ve seen pictures on TV, here in Florida, showing young women bags being checked, men dressed in suits being checked. It’s so out of wack. Remove the homeless from the subways. Follow suspicious people. But to check what looks like law abiding citizens as they were crooks, muggers, is really strange."

But that would be racist!

Seriously, that's the "logic" going on here. We can't implement a policy which would target the people actually causing the problem, because we all know what that would look like. It's the same mindset, hamstring the police, that caused the problem in the first place.; 3/9/24, 2:04 PM
Oh Yea said...: Is she too young to remember Kent State?; 3/9/24, 2:19 PM
Michael said...: Don’t need the Guard just a return to stop and frisk. It doesn’t affect normal New Yorkers any more than the broken windows actions which made the city demonstrably more pleasant. The not people troubled by these methods were some very screechey progs and the criminals themselves. The residents of S Bronx and Harlem towers were the ones hurt when the progs won and these very effective actions were rescinded.; 3/9/24, 2:50 PM
cubanbob said...: Robert Cook said...
"But people in NYC are morons."

We get it: you're envious of "people in NYC" because they get to live in the nation's greatest city."

I don't live in a city that is considered a great city, but damn, my town is being flooded with People From The Greatest City Evah!. Why can't these people believe RC and go home?; 3/9/24, 3:06 PM
cubanbob said...: Hochul should put NYC under martial law then call out the guard to shoot muggers, rapists and violent crazies and gang members. If she is going to deploy troops, deploy them properly.; 3/9/24, 3:08 PM
Mason G said...: "Hochul should put NYC under martial law then call out the guard to shoot muggers, rapists and violent crazies and gang members."

*cough*disparate impact*cough*; 3/9/24, 3:42 PM
walter said...: Shouldn't this be a job for Team Clipboard?; 3/9/24, 3:48 PM
Jack said...: There is a crime problem. Put national guard in subway to harass population. Democracy!; 3/9/24, 4:15 PM
Josephbleau said...: If Hochul is telling you publicly that she is just doing it to make you feel good, doesn’t that kind of break the spell? Who is going to be fooled into feeling safe now? Why waste the money?

We now have an emotional support army.; 3/9/24, 4:58 PM
Paul said...: what a fool Hochul is..

Checking bags won't do shit. And if the gangs want.. the could ambush them at will.

NYC is circling the drain now... another Detroit but only worse.; 3/9/24, 5:46 PM
Mason G said...: "Who is going to be fooled into feeling safe now?"

Democrats.; 3/9/24, 5:55 PM
mikee said...: So these NG are carrying nice fully automatic assault weapons, but no ammo. Seems like a great opportunity for criminals to obtain a fully automatic assault weapon or two.; 3/9/24, 6:16 PM
n.n said...: Tanks in Times Square would put the fear of Democracy in the illegal alien and criminial affirmative action minorities. Just do it.; 3/9/24, 6:19 PM
Joe Bar said...: This will do nothing to end the crime:
https://nypost.com/2024/03/09/us-news/woman-hit-by-subway-feet-severed-after-boyfriend-push-cops/; 3/9/24, 8:05 PM
Robert Cook said...: "A link to a quotation that is buried among a page of blurbs feels like you don't care whether you waste my time. Linking to the source would have been better."

Each and every one of those other "blurbs" are equally pertinent to the state of the state (and the world) today and are worth reading.; 3/10/24, 11:23 AM
Rusty said...: Robert Cook said...
"But people in NYC are morons."

"We get it: you're envious of "people in NYC" because they get to live in the nation's greatest city."

Then why aren't you living there?; 3/10/24, 12:02 PM