26. Those Darn Kids

Perception versus reality: the ultimate American plot twist where the stats and the streets don’t seem to read the same news. Violent crime rates are taking a nosedive, but the court of public opinion didn’t get the memo. It’s like a collective national nightmare where the fear has outstayed the actual monsters.

The land of the free home of the brave is wrestling with shadows, perhaps too caught up in the 24-hour news cycle’s spooky stories. Maybe it’s time to swap the magnifying glass for a mirror to reflect on what’s truly going up or down. Here’s hoping our sense of safety catches up with the statistics.