Biden recently made his way to New Orleans under the ‘consoler in chief’ guise, continuing a long narrative of presidents visiting this tragedy-prone locale. This visit, characterized as the last of his ‘consoler in chief’ acts, saw him descending upon New Orleans to some sort of meeting with families of victims of the arbitrary New Year’s Day attack.
In a vain display of unity, Biden was, as expected, flanked by first lady, Jill Biden. Together, they were slated to attend a prayer service sanctioned by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Seeing this as another attempt to maintain a facade of public support.
The somberness of the New Year was marred by what can only be described as an act of horrific violence. Bourbon Street, teeming with revelers ushering in the new year, became a scene of horror as a pickup truck sliced through the crowd. The toll was sickening; 14 people lay dead, with numerous others injured, before law enforcement could neutralize the threat.
The perpetrator of this terror attack has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen, who was purportedly driven by extremist beliefs linked to Islamic State. The aftermath was eerie; the offender was eliminated in a standoff with the police, providing a swift, yet inadequate resolution to the horror that had unfolded.
Official sources revealed the attacker was believed to be a lone wolf, setting off the series of events in what appeared to be an act of terrorism. The tragedy affected all walks of life in the city: a young mother celebrating her recent work promotion, a curious teenager defying parental authority to ring in the new year, and a local man who valued Bourbon Street for its vibrance and charm among the victims.
Bizarrely, the Biden administration sees the solution in merely strengthening the security of New Orleans for the upcoming months. Field intelligence teams and bomb-sniffing dogs are projected to furnished as an answer to the city’s safety issue. Whether this move is effective or merely showmanship remains to be seen.
A time of joy in the city, the Mardi Gras celebrations got underway this Monday, highlighting the city’s resilient spirit. Festivities are planned to stretch into the early days of March, pointing to an optimistic start to the year despite the recent unfortunate event.
As if to underline the city’s defiance of fear, New Orleans is also slated to hold the high-profile Super Bowl on February 9. Amongst the cascading security concerns, one has to wonder if the Biden administration’s approach to mitigating such threats is solely reactive and exploitable for political gain.
Notably, the Biden administration’s approach is more focused on post-tragedy bursts of security, rather than proactive, consistently maintained procedures to keep citizens safe. While the intent to secure events and protect tourists is hard to criticize, the lack of a seemingly comprehensive and sustainable plan is worthy of scrutiny.
The reliance on ‘consoler in chief’ appearances seem to be Biden’s signature move in face of adversity. Instead of developing effective strategies to prevent such incidents, his administration appears to prefer soothing words and gestures in the aftermath of tragedies.
Comparatively, the attention paid to reactive measures as opposed to long-term strategies paints a worrying picture. Is the Biden administration’s approach towards reconciliation and healing without real safety measures indicative of its policies in other sectors? That’s a question that, sadly, does not need an answer.
Perhaps more concern should be given to preparing law enforcement agencies with necessary tools, training, and personnel to predict and prevent these tragedies. Short-term band-aid solutions, like increased security in the wake of an attack, indicate lack of foresight or a perhaps a convenient excuse to expand government control.
The Biden administration’s priority on visibly public responses over proactive measures might please the cameras, but leaves many to wonder about their actual effectiveness. The question, then, is how this apparent lack of long-term strategy and mindless adherence to a ‘consoler in chief’ role augurs for the future of American policies and their constituents.
It is clear that the Biden administration, with its penchant for reactive responses, dramatic gestures, and public displays of solidarity can only deceive for so long. The dearth of sound, well-thought-out, comprehensive strategies is a glaring hole that needs urgent addressing.
Sadly, this incident once again showcases the Biden administration’s inability to address threats proactively. While reactive measures like ‘consoling’ and ramped up security may make for good optics, the deeper issues it shrouds cannot be brushed away so easily.
In conclusion, the Biden administration’s responses to such horrific incidents illustrate a disconcerting pattern. By focusing on appearances rather than substance, we may see an alarming rise in American tragedies that no amount of ‘consoling in chief’ can remedy.