His parents immigrated from Bangladesh in 1976 and settled in Brooklyn NY. Reihan Salam calls himself a "lifelong Brooklynite" because he still lives there. He's a second generation immigrant who never felt limited by his ethnicity, but rather learned from his parents that he could get ahead by being thoughtful, conscientious, kind, and by putting in the work.
Both his father and Reihan himself have been victims of crime (mugging, burglary). Personal experience has led him to believe that safety is the foundation of freedom. Makes sense.
"When you have safe streets, you have community, you can build relationships with strangers and go beyond your group. When you have violence, people retreat-- they look on their neighbors with suspicion," not seeing them as potential friends or business partners.
If we want integration, civic harmony, friendships, diversity and inclusion, people must feel safe; if someone is a danger to the family or neighborhood, that person must be dealt with appropriately.
"We need a cultural message: if you put yourself in harm's way to protect public safety . . you should be celebrated . . . We have under-invested in our criminal justice systems for too long."
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