The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, often known for its more liberal leanings, pulled a surprise move recently by siding with the President on sending in the National Guard amidst chaos. This may shock those who still harbored any illusion that Molotov cocktails and makeshift battering rams could somehow be part of a peaceful protest. These judges unanimously concluded that the President acted within his powers when deploying the Guard to handle the disorder. It’s puzzling to think of how one might argue against stopping rioters who were practically auditioning for a role in a demolition derby rather than a protest.
Meanwhile, a California senator seems to be playing a different tune. Senator Padilla suggests there’s no denying the need to crack down on the so-called obvious villains—those drug dealers and violent criminals. Yet, when it comes to those who wandered across the U.S. southern border for reasons that surely include but are not limited to the looming American Dream, he finds room for debate. Maybe it’s lost on him and others that advocating for sanctuary policies while claiming to stand against crime is like trying to dry off while standing in the rain.
The irony is thicker than a San Francisco fog when one realizes that the same folks who champion sanctuary cities inadvertently make it harder for law enforcement to catch the “bad guys” where it would be most sensible—in jails. Thanks to these muddled policies, federal officers are left playing a game of hide-and-seek in neighborhoods, while politicians like Padilla offer support that’s more symbolic than practical. The notion that the National Guard could be considered a threat comparable to the chaos-makers they were sent to control is perhaps the most colorful twist in this saga.
The folks trying to enforce our laws deserve a little more than the disdain currently being heaped their way. It’s a dangerous job made even riskier when those at the helm of state governance appear more interested in vilifying federal intervention than addressing the root causes of violence. It seems California’s political elite are eager to rid communities of the very protection they hypocritically demand during natural disasters, like wildfires.
In the end, the real present danger isn’t just the fiery chaos caused by lawbreakers, but the scorching hypocrisy that thwarts effective law enforcement. With elected officials making life harder for those tasked with maintaining order and safety, one can only hope that common sense will eventually prevail. Until then, it seems Californians are left navigating policies as unpredictable and tumultuous as the state’s infamous earthquakes.
