Black business owners are speaking out against crime, demanding accountability from politicians as violence continues to surge in many liberal-run communities ahead of the midterm elections.
Austin Gary, co-owner of RCR Consignment Boutique in Atlanta, told “Fox & Friends First” Thursday that he has to “look over his shoulder” because of the crime problems.
“Let’s get away from politics. Let’s just vote for change,” Gary said. “Let’s take racism out and let’s look at all lives matter in our communities, and it’ll make a big difference for us to have a successful business.”
Gary, who was a victim of robbery and vandalism, reiterated the need for voters to cast their ballot for elected officials who will “change” the current trend of surging violence.
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The owners of Seattle-area Black Coffee Northwest, Darnesha and Erwin Weary, also fell victim to vandalism and echoed Gary’s sentiment regarding the necessity of voting.
They urged voters to head to the polls in order to hold officials “accountable” for their policies.
“All elected officials need to be held accountable for what’s happening in our country,” Darnesha said. “We know that there needs to be change. Change needs to happen, and so we feel like all elected officials need to be held accountable, and that’s why people need to show up and vote.”
Many polls indicate crime is at top of mind for many voters nationwide, as violence in certain areas, particularly blue-run cities, continues to climb.
And even though Erwin is hopeful that change is possible, he does not think the current trends will reverse course overnight.
“I don’t think it’s going to come immediately,” he said, adding that he wants to “see what happens,” not what politicians say will happen.
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“I want to make sure that we have the right people actually in office that’s going to actually hold up justice and really look out for us, especially as Black people in really White spaces,” he continued. “We really need to have protection.”
Stacey Johnson-Cosby, founding member of the National Housing Provider Coalition (NHPC) in Memphis, said homelessness must also be addressed to bring down crime in urban areas.
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“I think it’s a matter across all races,” Johnson-Cosby told co-host Todd Piro. “Race doesn’t matter in this particular case. Crime is a problem, but I think the reason they deflect is because they don’t have an answer. We don’t see any policies that are effectively addressing crime. As a matter of fact, it’s increasing.
“Something else that I see with the elected officials that we have in place now, there’s not an answer for housing,” she continued. “And housing is… extremely important because people need to feel safe and secure. They need to know that there’s a home base in place, and with the housing crisis or the crime crisis, they go hand in hand and our leaders are not effectively able to deal with them.”