I'd also like to add that there are areas in the US that
simply don't have public transportation reasonably available.
Its about 35 minutes to drive into work. I've certainly had longer commutes. That being said, the nearest bus stop would be a 30 minute drive and its not like it has a well lit secure parking lot... I would have to park on the curb in front of someone's residence in an area that has historically had issues with poverty and crime, and not just property crime, violent crime as well. I worked in that area when I was younger, and I've had enough guns drawn on me that it doesn't seem to phase me anymore, at least in that context. They want the take from the till of a dollar store, they don't wanna kill someone.
Its just not reasonable to think public transportation is a valid option in the US. Its not necessarily about public transport being for the "poors," it just simply isn't accessible for some.
You say we don't need more policing, but I have a point to interject.
I was completely sober while my wife was decidedly.... not. She had just struck me and it would produce a black eye later.
I called the police, aside from the abuse, my wife was experiencing a mental breakdown and was on the verge of suicide. When I say verge, I mean I had hidden or destroyed anything she could hurt herself with, including my own psych meds that I need for my own mental health issues. She still tried, though ineffectual. We needed professional help. We wanted an ambulance. We requested an ambulance from 911. The pigs showed up, of course.
I had a swelling eye, a witness, and a dramatically unstable wife and was almost arrested.
The police do not care about your well being. "Serve and protect" has been stricken down by the Supreme Court. The police serve the 1%, and deal with us plebians as easily as possible... that is to say, they will ruin your life because it is easier than taking care of the actual offender.
We need a support agency for health, especially mental health, crises. A mentally unstable person can cause a lot of damage, either to their own life, or others. That includes death.
End statement. TL;DR; we need a public agency that helps people who are having a mental health crisis and doesn't treat them as violent extremists.
Due to my job I was a mandatory reporter for suspected child abuse.
This means I was legally liable to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. I could lose my job, face a fine, and/or face jail time.
I had to call CPS for a friend's kid.
The friend was not the problem, her ex husband was.
Long story short, the kid is fine, and the friend now has a different spouse and many more kids with the new spouse, lol.
It was the right thing to do, even though the friend didn't want to involve a government agency to handle it. Just caused a strained friendship for a while.
I worked for a dollar store in the ghetto, and we got held up repeatedly at gun point.
Corporate wouldn't do anything for our safety.
Store manager lined up a better gig, and all but two employees decided to quit, because he spent his free time up there, not working but guarding us. More people at the front, bigger deterence - plus him being an MMA fighter helped.
It was timed for black Friday for maximum impact. Finding another minim wage job wasn't too hard at time, we just had all worked together in the past and liked each other, so we stuck around each other.
Wait, I've heard of oxtail as a delicious southern dish, but never had the opportunity to try it.
Is it really just a generic cow tail?
English is stupid, and I say that as a native speaker.