On August 11, President Trump declared a “crime emergency” in our nation’s capital and mobilized hundreds of National Guard troops around the city to “make the streets there safe again.” He said, “Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people. The city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, rejected his claims, and statistics proving that violent crime in D.C. has dropped significantly aid her disavowal. Just in the last year, violent crime dropped by 28 percent. Historically low crime rates in D.C. have triggered debate over the President’s true intention in this effort – there is no “crime emergency” occurring in D.C. Is it really about crime, or is it about the president’s lust for power and control?
Despite its distance from Bethesda, the troubling political unrest from this “crime emergency” in D.C has affected Barons who live locally but are in the city often. Koko Jenkin, a senior who works in D.C., has been subjected to the presence of the National Guard in recent weeks. “It’s gotten a lot more crowded. Even going to a baseball game, they’re literally posted up everywhere. And it’s kind of intimidating,” she said. “A lot of the time they’re just sitting there on the sides of the streets just watching, not really doing much. It’s made me feel like I can’t really be as open as I wanna be. I’m more scared to take the metro, I feel restricted,” Jenkin continued.
Many D.C. residents, especially in neighborhoods with high crime rates, hadn’t felt the city’s drop in crime rates prior to their arrival. Such residents have appreciated the quiet that has come with the sudden and looming presence of the National Guard in their neighborhoods. In Congress Heights — a notoriously crime-filled neighborhood in the Southeast part of D.C — concerned residents have shared they have been living in fear and rarely leave their homes due to worries that they’ll be the next victim of the area’s constant violent crime. Ironically, the National Guard is not present whatsoever in those areas, amping up skepticism surrounding the president’s true intentions. “If Trump is genuinely concerned about [the] safety of D.C. residents, I would see the National Guard in my neighborhood,” Karen Lake, a lawyer who has lived in Congress Heights since 2017, told the New York Times; “I don’t think Trump is bringing in the National Guard to protect Black babies in the Southeast.” Bewildering information like this elucidates the idea that President Trump isn’t really interested in stopping crime, but is doing it instead as a political move to project the image of controlling crime. Odd placements of the National Guard further validate this idea.
Mr. Celatka, a Science teacher at BCC who lives in Falls Church but spends time in D.C. regularly, has had a different experience. He usually sees the National Guard at the National Mall. “I play kickball after school there, and there I see the National Guard carrying M4’s walking around the field. They have actually interrupted our kickball game before to “scan the team”, probably on a racial basis,” he said.
Like many others, Mr. Celatka is skeptical about the National Guard’s potential achievements in an area like D.C, specifically where they’re currently most prominent. “Trump mentioned that he wants to bring this to ‘high crime cities’. The issue is he’s only focusing on blue cities. If you look at cities like [Jacksonville, FL]. They have very high crime rates, but they’re Republican run, so he’s ignoring them.” Mr. Celatka continued to say in regards to their current locations. “Honestly, I think the police force in D.C. could be bolstered. You don’t need the National Guard for that, you just need a stronger police force.”
The stance that the National Guard’s goals could be achieved by the D.C. metropolitan police has become a popular one. Many are confused about the Guardsmen’s lack of action and think they’re there just to inspire fear. Some guardsmen themselves told Mr. Celatka that they’re there for the intimidation factor and not necessarily to stop criminal action. Looking at the issue from multiple angles, the same question stays relevant: Is all of this really necessary?
Since the national guard was deployed, DC’s tourism is down significantly, and widespread feelings of resentment towards the President’s actions have led to organized protests in D.C. with thousands of people showing up to voice their anger. Psychological welfare in the city is down and President Trump’s harmful political blueprint and plans to expand the National Guard presence will only exacerbate these issues. This negatively affects citizens and communities from all across the country, including here in Bethesda. The National Guard presence will affect members of the B-CC community differently. May may be afraid that they themselves or their relatives may be at risk. Some will perceive them as being threatening. For some, it may still feel like a distant concern.
Over the last month, we’ve seen little progress in a city that the President promised would see big change, and their negative impacts far outweigh the good they seem to be achieving. While the future of federal troops remains unclear, what we, as a society that shouldn’t be living under the presence of fear and intimidation, should hope for is that their stay is short-lived.
