Everyone is wondering why the increase in crime in Charm City since the riots ("Monday shooting victim is Baltimore's 36th May homicide," May 27). The reason for the violence is quite simple. It can be directly attributed to the Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's indecision in a time of crisis. It showed a total lack of leadership. She said that she was preoccupied with meetings. What meeting could preempt a riot? It reminded me of Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned!
For myself, and I suppose everyone else who followed the news, it appeared to the most casual observer that she wanted the "thugs," as she referred to them, to have a head start before she acted.
Did she not know as a mayor of a large city that one cannot mobilize at a moment's notice? That it takes hours and even days for the National Guard to mobilize? Most of the members of the National Guard and some first responders have other jobs and have to leave work and maybe have to drive for hours to get to their posts. It is not like you can throw a switch and they are there.
Allowing a crowd to destroy city property, completely demolish police and other city vehicles, throw sticks, rocks, stones, bottles and other debris at the police and first responders boosts the confidence of rioters and makes them less afraid of the "men in blue." So now they feel bolder and are shooting and robbing at will. It is human nature that they no longer fear police officers and are less tolerant of the law.
Several of the mayor's key staff have left their posts, knowing all too well that she is no longer effective. It would come as no surprise if Police Commissioner Anthony Batts was the next to leave, as members of the clergy have suggested. He probably would if not for the salary he is drawing. I guess that he figures he can put up with the insubordination as long as it does not affect him — or his paycheck.
I am also wondering why didn't Baltimore deploy more fire fighters? A good dose of cold water from a high pressure hose can usually stop most rioters in their tracks. If they had parked a fire truck outside of the Mondawmin Mall, they could have prevented everyone from entering the mall and pilfering the mall stores.
There have been a number of calls for investigations, both internally and externally, but no call for an investigation of Mayor Rawlings-Blake's behavior. I believe that Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh ought to hold an investigation into her action or inaction! Why should the person responsible for the mess escape unscathed? The mayor claims that the city has come so far but yet she has set it back 100 years.
Bob Culligan, Glen Burnie