Failure of Biden administration in preventing Minnesota Tragedy

A recent tragedy unfolded in Minnesota when innocent lives were taken at a local church by a mass shooter, Robin Westman. It has become dauntingly apparent that despite access to massive resources, Domestic Terror Prevention programs have been downright negligent and ineffective, particularly in the state of Minnesota. What amplifies the tragedy is the sad irony that the backward decision to cut funding for such programs in Minnesota came just a month before this heart-rending event took place. The grant cuts were part of an $18.5 million revision by the Trump administration, aimed at removing funding for programs deemed both partisan and unproductive.

Jacob Ware from the Council on Foreign Relations has expressed views about the deteriorating ability to tackle domestic terror, revealing a trend that the focus on domestic terrorism prevention appears to be slipping. While the remark was predictable in its criticism of the Trump administration, it failed to acknowledge the underperformance and inefficiency of the programs under scrutiny.

Even more damning, the shooter himself, Westman, indicated in his journals that he should have been considered a potential threat. In one entry, Westman writes, ‘Should be harder for people like me to carry out these attacks’, clearly outlining ineptitude by the authorities to detect him as a potential threat in due time.

In another entry Westman wrote, ‘I have been showing signs for a while, I need to be stopped! I don’t want to abandon my plan, but I really want to be stopped for the sake of my family.’ This heartfelt confession highlighted his desperate need for attention and the desire to avert his destructive path.

The defunded grants, managed by the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CPPP) and contributed to local initiatives administered by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. In July, the CPPP drew back the funds, amounting to approximately $800,000, allocated to these local bodies.

A letter from the CPPP shared with CNN underscored that the funds had been funneled towards partisan and politicized organizations. The evident failure to prevent the deadly Minnesota shooting only validates this reallocation, as it clearly highlights the inefficacy of these organizations.

Authorities are examining extensive journal entries left by Westman, probing into whether early warning signs could have been identified and acted upon. Even if such red flags existed, the supposed prevention programs have categorically failed to prevent this ghastly event, further illustrating the failure of their modus operandi.

From the diaries, it was noted that Westman had recently ended a long-term relationship, bought multiple firearms within a month, frequently visited gun ranges, and had resigned from a local marijuana dispensary. This sequence of events, spiked with clear warning signs, undeniably calls the efficiency of these partner organizations into question.

In one entry, Westman shared, ‘I have dropped a few warning signs to a few people. Nothing crazy, but if I did something, they would say it was obvious in hindsight.’ The prevention programs failed glaringly to pick up these cues, indicating an alarming lack of efficacy and readiness.

Organizations such as CPPP assert that they can teach local communities to recognize these warning signs, yet criticism persists about their actual effectiveness. Perhaps the Biden administration should have heeded to the critics before launching the initiative in 2021.

When the program was announced under the Biden administration, it was decried by an American Civil Liberties Union attorney as ‘ineffective, discriminatory and harmful to Muslims and communities of color.’ However, there was no substantial action taken based on these just criticisms.

Despite this criticism, law enforcement agencies and other groups have continued to demand funding through the program. This reinforces that such programs are nothing more than a way to funnel taxpayer money into questionable initiatives.

In a DHS report last year, 178 organizations applied for funding presumably far exceeding the available resources. Curiously, the same report outlined various incidents where the programs were supposedly helpful, bordering on self-praise and glossing over their widely acknowledged failures.

However much these programs may boast about their successes, including cases where a neo-Nazi was directed to mental health services or a troubled student was referred to a support clinic, the lack of effectiveness in preventing real-world tragedies is glaring. It suggests a desperate need for serious reconsideration and reformation.

As evident, public safety organizations failed to prevent the Minnesota tragedy, yet they continue to demand funding and shirk responsibility. Their complacency and inability to adapt require urgent intervention and reaffirm their lack of adequate response before and during such devastating events. The truth remains that these underperforming programs have left us woefully unprepared to tackle domestic terrorism and their systemic failures continue to cost lives.