To many of us Lawton is the heartbeat of southwest Oklahoma. Many of the economic engines of the city serve as the pulse for the greater region. We have a rich culture and a history to be proud of, and a military base that is among the finest the U.S. possesses, along with some of the best regional museums, nicest hotels and venues, and some of the most honorable men and women you will find.
But is Lawton the oasis her founders hoped it would be? Most certainly not. In the shadows of the artillery, delicious eats and beautiful scenery is a stifling undergrowth of crime and missed opportunity. Often when you ask “outsiders” (non-Lawtonians) what the most dangerous city in Oklahoma is, too many will list Lawton. Worse yet, they aren’t far off.
The problem isn’t confined to outsiders. Recently when I was interviewing Lawton Young Professionals for the Ledger’s 12:10 program, nearly every one of them from Lawton spoke of one of the “best and brightest” from their generation leaving Lawton. I certainly believe that cities thrive when a few of their best move to another city, garner experience and eventually make their way home. However, we cannot thrive, let alone survive, if our best and brightest believe it is necessary to move. One of the biggest blights facing our great city is our staggering crime rate. While 2019 has been one of the deadliest years in recent memory with 14 senseless murders, our crime rate has for some time stood out as excessive.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
We need actions, not rhetoric. “Lock-them-up” chants simply will not work. Locking up criminals often serves only to make them better criminals; prison is known euphemistically as “crime school” for a reason. Calls for prayer and unity are noble efforts, but we must follow through with ACTION. A little over a year ago Lawton elected a new mayor. From the first campaign speech through today, Mayor Booker has extolled the great potential of Lawton while acknowledging the crime that plagues our city. But this is not something anyone can do alone.
We must fix this together.
As a community, we must come together. We must offer solutions of our own and embrace the solutions of others. “Fixing Lawton” may seem like the start of a meme or an impossible task, but it isn’t. It is the responsibility of all of us and one that we cannot shirk. There is no cause more worthy of our time, effort and resources than stopping the needless bloodshed of our brethren.
We don’t just owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our neighbors, our friends, family and our children. We owe it to their children and the children of their children – and if that isn’t enough, we owe it to our older selves. If Lawton truly is the place you plan to retire, the place you plan to live out your final days – fix it while you still have the energy. For when the wick is burnt, you will be where you will be.
We must approve the CIP in February. It is a plan that addresses a multitude of issues facing the City and provides funding for crime prevention. After all, we cannot be successful at fighting crime if we are only going to be reactionary. We must work to address the root causes of crime – everything from vagrancy to petty larceny, from poverty to mental health issues.
As a newspaper we must do more to tell the story – we have to be quick to praise those who are a part of the solution, but we cannot forget to hold people accountable. As a journalist, I must remain true to the data. A single murder, while sad, is not sensational. It is heartbreaking and wretched for those who admired or loved the individual, but 14 murders (nearly triple the Oklahoma average per capita) is unacceptable and requires not just a law enforcement response but a community one.
As a community, we must come together and demand of each other no less than we deserve: solutions.