Montgomery Reacts To RNC Theme Make America Safe Again
Republicans from across the country are in Cleveland tonight for the start of the Republican National Convention – which has already see chaos on day one.
But today’s overall topic is Make America Safe again, something that’s on the minds of many after a number of deadly police involved shootings.
With everything happening nationwide, safety is on the minds of many.
But just how much of a role does the office of the president play when it comes to calming down the violence?
While GOP members converge on Cleveland to make their choice for the Republican presidential ticket, safety of the nation remains a top concern.
After Sunday’s deadly shooting left three police officers dead, some say no matter who becomes the next commander in chief, it’s up to the communities to make the change a reality.
“It’s the people. The president cannot make that much of a difference. I don’t think it’s the president’s leadership. We already had umpteen presidents and everything is still the same. It’s gonna be the same until the people,” said Randy Hooks.
“We all have an important role. Our leaders in particular have a role to play, especially in the climate we’re faced with today to you know, ask for peace,” said Cheryl Blake.
President Obama addressed the nation and asked for just that, hours after the Baton Rouge shooting.
Montgomery Public Safety Director Chris Murphy says he appreciates what the president had to say, but there’s more more work to do.
“It’s got to start local. Just like when you have a crisis it starts local and goes. The feds cannot fix everything and I was a fed for a long time. That’s not the answer. The answer is local communities investing in each other,” said Murphy.
He says in the age of social media and instant reactions, it’s easy for people to get fired up and expect things to happen right away.
But he says that’s also part of what’s fueling the violence across the country.
“We all need to be careful about what we say and how we say it. I’m very thankful that in this community we are not seeing that as much but with our background we could be a target and that concerns me,” said Murphy.
