From podcasts to documentaries to Netflix series, Americans are obsessed with murder mysteries. Whether we’re reading Agatha Christie or watching Knives Out, we can’t seem to get enough. But we’re currently encountering a new kind of murder mystery that’s sweeping across the nation — and given our reputation, it’s threatening the American way of life. The case being presented to us today goes something like this: People aren’t murdering as much anymore. In fact, violent crimes are down almost everywhere. That includes places where there are more police on the street, and places where there are fewer. The country is experiencing “a once-in-a-lifetime improvement in public safety despite a police-staffing crisis. In August, the FBI released its final data for 2024, which showed that America’s violent-crime rate fell to its lowest level since 1969, led by a nearly 15 percent decrease in homicide—the steepest annual drop ever recorded. Preliminary 2025 numbers look even better.” Henry Grabar in The Atlantic (Gift Article): The Great Crime Decline Is Happening All Across the Country. “There are many plausible explanations for the recent crime downturn: sharper policing strategy, more police overtime, low unemployment, the lure of digital life, the post-pandemic return to normalcy. Each of these surely played a role. But only one theory can match the decline in its scope and scale: that the massive, post-pandemic investment in local governments deployed during the Biden administration, particularly through the American Rescue Plan Act, delivered a huge boost to the infrastructure and services of American communities—including those that suffered most from violent crime. That spending may be responsible for our current pax urbana.” 2We Are Not AloneUsually, the phrase We are not alone refers to the search for other intelligent life forms somewhere out there in the universe. These days, it feels like we’d be lucky to find intelligent life when consuming the daily news. But we are not alone. There are many people, including many leaders, who feel the same as you do when it comes to the attacks on American values. So let’s take note when they speak out. Today, Jack Smith testified in front of Congress. “If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Democrat or Republican. No one should be above the law in this country.” (Believe it or not, that is still mainstream opinion.) Here’s Smith’s opening statement. “President Trump has sought to seek revenge against career prosecutors, FBI agents, and support staff simply for having worked on these cases. To vilify and seek retribution against these people is wrong. Those dedicated public servants are the best of us, and it has been a privilege to serve with them. After nearly 30 years of public service, including in international settings, I have seen how the rule of law can erode. My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in our country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted. The rule of law is not self-executing. It depends on our collective commitment to apply it. It requires dedicated service on behalf of others, especially when that service is difficult and comes with costs. Our willingness to pay those costs is what tests and defines our commitment to the rule of law and to this wonderful country.” 3No Checks on Kash“When Kash Patel was nominated, we all knew in our bones that the bureau was going to be a very different environment than any of us had experienced before. He regularly referred to us as government gangsters. He was also the author of three children’s books in which he’s a self-styled wizard who saves King Donald Trump from the evil forces of the Justice Department.” The NYT Magazine goes deep with forty-five current and former FBI agents on the changes that are undermining the agency and making you less safe. A Year Inside Kash Patel’s F.B.I. 4The Handwriting is On The WallI spent many afternoons during third grade being forced to practice my terrible penmanship on the chalkboard in Mrs. Mitchell’s classroom. At one point, I paused and remarked, “Isn’t this punishment just making me better at doing cursive on a chalkboard when the real issue is that I’m not good at doing it with a pencil on paper?” The result? I spent many moreafternoons during third grade being forced to practice my terrible penmanship on the chalkboard. This is all a long way of saying to the children of New Jersey: I feel your pain. Cursive Makes a Comeback in New Jersey Schools. “Proponents of cursive cite studies that link handwriting to better information retention and writing speed, and say ... that knowing script can help people read the original U.S. Constitution.” (Maybe we should have that translated into block text, fingerpainting, hieroglyphics, or whatever it takes to get it back into the mainstream...) 5Extra, ExtraSchoolyard Bullies: The federal government is going after the worst of the worst criminals ... at your local primary school. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained a 5-year-old on his way home from school on Tuesday and used him as ‘bait’ to knock on his front door to see if anyone was home.” (Feel safer?) Meanwhile, 2 Women Arrested Over Protest of Minnesota Pastor Linked to ICE. Sadly, things are likely to get worse before they get better. NYT (Gift Article): ICE Said Agents Can Enter Homes Without Judicial Warrant, Group Claims. 6Bottom of the NewsNeed more motivation to keep those New Year’s resolutions alive? Do it for the airlines! “As Americans slim down with the help of weight-loss drugs, U.S. airlines could be among the surprise beneficiaries, a new report suggests. That’s because the lighter a plane is, the less fuel it requires — and fuel is one of an airline’s biggest costs.” (It’s even more helpful if you can slim down enough to fit in an overhead compartment...)
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Thursday, January 22, 2026
Murder Mystery
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