Ah, Charlotte, North Carolina, where the local public transportation is apparently the hotspot for, shall we say, less than ideal encounters. The recent incident involving Iryna Zarutska is a tragic reminder that the revolving door of justice seems to be spinning faster than ever—especially for those we fondly call “violent repeat offenders.” Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., with a rap sheet as long as a CVS receipt and about as much remorse as your average supervillain, decided to add to his previous arrests by committing a gruesome crime that shocked the nation.

Now, for all of Governor Outthere’s calls to increase the police presence, it’s not the number of uniforms on the street that’s the issue. What’s really cracking the American society foundation is the combination of woke judges handing out “get out of jail free” cards and the tragic absence of father figures in too many communities. It’s a double whammy, setting the stage for stories that litter our news feeds like confetti after a parade nobody wanted to attend.

Take for instance, the sad story of a beloved veterinary professor who met her end in the most terrifying way while simply enjoying a walk in the park. Dr. Judy Guard was going about her business when she became another statistic in this epidemic of senseless violence. The despicable actions of Harold Rashad Dabney III, charged with her murder, make one thing clear: If the victim’s skin color was flipped, the media would be in an uproar, melodrama levels pushed to a fever pitch. But since it doesn’t fit the narrative, we’re left relying on the few brave enough to tell it like it is.

Meanwhile, Chicago’s Loop isn’t faring much better. Kathleen Miles’s attack by a repeat offender highlights the sheer insanity of letting criminals walk free after committing heinous acts again and again. This world seems like it’s flipped upside down when acts of violence are swept under the rug unless they conveniently fit a specific storyline. And let’s not even mention the bizarre GoFundMe efforts that tried to make a martyr out of a criminal simply because of his race. Thankfully, some level-headed folks ensured those funds were on a fast train to nowhere.

As if charging massive crime rates were not enough, another layer of this debacle is the seemingly endless cycle linked to fatherlessness in certain communities. With a staggering number of children growing up without dads, the repercussions echo through society like a too-loud alarm clock nobody really wants to hear. Yet, stepping into this lion’s den and addressing the roots of these issues is something only a select few dare attempt. At least there are still figures like President Trump focusing on enforcing the law and signaling support for victims like Iryna and Kathleen.

So here we are, contending with this seemingly unbreakable chain of injustice. Dare we hope for a better future? Only time will tell, as long as the narrative doesn’t get lost in translation. For now, we can only shake our heads, send thoughts to the grieving families, and, most importantly, demand more robust consequences for the real menaces skating by under the guise of progressive justice. It’s a tall order, but then again, some might say it’s about time.