Our Threatened Freedom

Why Is Crime a Growth Industry

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Political Studies

Lesson: 81-169

Genre: Conversation

Track: 081

Dictation Name: Vol. G - Part 03 - Why Is Crime a Growth Industry

Location/Venue: Unknown

Year: 1980’s – 1990’s

[Dr. Rushdoony] Why is crime a growth industry? This is R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.

In a world where the city streets are becoming dangerous and a house is no security, freedom does become very limited. According to New York Magazine, New York City has around 13,000 convicted killers loose on the streets. Some of these have served up to 30 years in prison, others only a few months’ probation. The article, by Michael Daily, was titled ‘Double Jeopardy’. But all of us are in multiple jeopardy today because of crime. Daily cites cases such as one of a murderer released as a fairly well prepared man to rejoin his community, after serving two months, who, two months and twenty-seven days after his release, killed another man. Across the country, such horror stories can be repeated over and over again.

We can recognize that some serious problems in law enforcement exist, and that our courts are a part of the problem.

Having said this, we must look elsewhere for the problem. 40 years ago, despite a depression, the streets of New York and other places were clearly safer. Many smaller communities had very few policemen, and these officers had very little to do. Why is the United States so much more crime prone today, why is it that even the public schools are a high crime area?

I do believe that some of the blame must be laid at the doors of the public schools, with their humanistic value system and their inadequate ability to educate.

Most of the responsibility, however, belongs neither to the courts nor the public schools, bad as they are, but to the churches. They are no longer providing the solidly biblical teaching and training, which is their responsibility. As far as some churches are concerned, these are the last places to go to find some honestly biblical faith.

George Washington in his farewell address warned us all against expecting any public morality without the foundation of a solidly religious training and education. It was, he held, not possible to have the one without the other. Public life is a reflection of religious faith. Our public life today is the reflection of a hedonistic humanism, of a belief that it is a dog eat dog world, and that every man should claw and grab to get what he wants. Our police did not make these problems, and our courts, however incompetent, did not create the lawless populace. Countless churches, by their moral and religious waywardness and delinquency, have helped create a lawless generation.

Now that our streets and homes grow less and less safe, freedom from God, sexual freedom, and freedom from disciplines of learning and life seem less and less like freedom, and more and more like the prelude to a new slavery.

We may still have the freedom to vote, but how much is that freedom worth if the walk to the polling booth is not safe for many elderly citizens?

This has been R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.