After another surge in crime across the state, it’s time for California to finally stop its crusade against legal gun owners and make it easier for Californians to defend themselves against violent crime. But based on recent recommendations made by officials in one of the state’s most dangerous towns, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon.
This summer, California headlines constantly told of egregious crime sprees in Oakland, California. Ranked by NeighborhoodScout as the 40th most dangerous city in America in 2023, Oakland is currently experiencing a violent crime rate of 12.57 assaults per 1,000 inhabitants, with a total of 5,452 violent assaults a year. According to a report by the Oakland Police Department in June, violent crime was up 15 percent compared to last year. Residents are scared, and they have good reason to be.
The city is a shell of its former self: Many commercial properties are abandoned, ATMs have been gutted, store windows are boarded up, and even the police department’s precinct is barricaded, with no clear entry point. Meanwhile, criminals and thugs assault and kill people for their belongings. Residents, alongside Oakland’s NAACP branch, have demanded the city council provide protection. In response to this plea, city police have recommended that people carry air horns with them at all times, in order to deter would-be criminals and to alert neighbors.
To add insult to injury, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price joined a community forum where she effectively downplayed residents’ concerns by emphasizing the Oakland Police
