Democratic Club

By Mary Larson

LW Contributor

This week’s report from the Democratic Club focuses on the COVID-19 epidemic as well as the growing call for reform of police departments across the United States.

Experts are now saying that California is a new epicenter of COVID-19. The Orange County Health Care Agency reports their case count has risen to 20,225 as of July 8, with accumulative deaths now 376. Of concern to our vulnerable residents in Leisure World is that, at last report, more than half of these who have died have been nursing or assisted living facility residents.

Fortunately, most of us in LW continue to follow guidelines issued by the Governor and GRF. However, there is increasing concern that recent claims that the virus is “totally harmless” to 99 percent of people who get the disease could negatively influence other people’s behavior, like people who come into LW on a daily basis, as well as those with whom Leisure Worlders interact when shopping for supplies or keeping appointments.

Unfortunately, in some cases even wearing masks has become a tense issue. The Orange County Register on July 5 reported that, “In Southern California alone, the evidence of conflict over masks is everywhere: viral videos of public tantrums and confrontations, partisan bickering and shaming on social media, political tirades at public meetings — even death threats.”

The Democratic Club is also concerned about hearing negative comments related to the growing support for the necessity of taking a fresh look at policing in the United States. Some people worry that recommendations that being made by Black Lives Matter movement supporters will result in more crime, including murders. However, The Bureau of Justice Statistics announced in 2010 that the homicide rate had reached a four-decade low. According to the Marshall Project, researchers and experts couldn’t agree on exactly why it happened.

If a larger police presence and new policing tactics were the main drivers in the decline in crime, dramatic city-by-city differences based on which cities had implemented the new tactics should have been expected. However, there wasn’t much variation. According to the same report cited above, three cities that experienced large crime declines—Washington, D.C., New York City and San Diego—pursued vastly different policing strategies.

The July 5 issue of the Los Angeles Times includes an extensive analysis of a decade of LAPD logs outlining the possibilities and challenges of redefining policing. In the June 30 issue of the Sun, Seal Beach Police Chief Phil Gonshak describes his department’s platforms and social programs. Both reports are worth reading. Those interested can email mlarson.telfords@gmail.com for copies. •••• The report on the campaign to discredit the safety of voting by mail has been postponed. Email mlarson.telfords@gmail.com to subscribe to the Democratic Club’s electronic newsletters.