The New York Times has developed a well-deserved reputation for gaslighting its readers by scorning narratives that don’t fit its increasingly left bent. Once considered the foremost news organization in the country and possibly the world, it has descended into a woke blog whose stories more often seem to emanate from a fledgling college student rather than from actual expert reporters. 

To wit, I received the following newsletter in my email recently: “We’re covering claims of a shoplifting boom… Viral exaggerations.”

Really, NY Slimes? It’s the right-wing media who are concocting this crisis out of thin air, we’ve “pounced on it," as they love to say—it’s not actually a serious consideration?

Don’t worry about it, they report:

Target and other retail chains have warned of widespread theft. News outlets have amplified the story. On social media, people have posted videos of thieves looting stores.

But the increase in shoplifting appears to be limited to a few cities, rather than being truly national.

Oh, okay. Live in New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco—bummer for you. But for the rest of y'all, look away, it’s all part of the progressive deal, live with it, and PLEASE, stop calling attention to it. You're annoying us. 

Los Angeles Leads 2023 National Shoplifting Spree. We’re number 1! What an accomplishment. We could not have reached this milestone without #GeorgeGascon and #GeorgeSoros. #LASD #LAPD #LosAngeles ⁦@ceceswoods⁩ https://t.co/MO7ccY4v3d

— LASD Chief Patrick Jordan (Retired) (@LASDJordan) November 26, 2023

“Why has the issue nonetheless received so much attention?” the Times asks.

Overall, shoplifting incidents were 16 percent higher in the first half of 2023 than the first half of 2019. When New York City is excluded, however, reported shoplifting incidents fell over the same time period. Out of the 24 cities, 17 reported decreases in shoplifting.

The shoplifting problem “is being talked about as if it’s much more widespread than it probably is,” said Sonia Lapinsky, a retail expert at the consulting firm AlixPartners.

Well, bully for you if you don’t live in NYC. But I can tell you, as a resident of Los Angeles, people are routinely walking out of stores with shopping carts full of stolen stuff, and businesses have put many of their goods under lock and key, forcing shoppers to buy online. I’m not about to spend 20 minutes tracking down some CVS employee for a razor when I can simply get the same item with two clicks on the 'net.

Nothing to see here:

Acc. to the @CouncilOnCJ, shoplifting in Los Angeles spiked by a STAGGERING 109% during the first half of this year, compared to the first half of 2022. This marks the highest rise of any US city. PROGRESSIVE POLICY= NO ARRESTS= CRIMINAL SHOPPING SPREE. https://t.co/lVqx8eZWZA

— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) November 26, 2023

Although the overall tone of the latest gaslighting from the Times tries to suggest that everything is normal, even they are begrudgingly forced to present some basic facts:

The notion that the U.S. is enduring a period of higher crime in some areas is not wrong. Car thefts are up by more than 100 percent since 2019. Murders are on track to be 10 percent higher this year than they were in 2019.

Nothing to see here, folks. "Murders are on track to be 10 percent higher this year than they were in 2019," but please don't make a thing of it. It's the right-wing press that's pushing these stories, what the NY Times calls "the Noise." Don't believe your lyin' eyes, it's all just a "narrative":

Retailers have an interest in spreading the shoplifting narrative because it can suggest that disappointing profits are beyond their control.

 Oh, that's it, it's a plot by retailers. Guess they missed this little tidbit from Investors Business Daily:

Retail theft losses swelled to $112.1 billion in 2022, up 19% from $93.9 billion the year before. Those somber numbers come from the 2023 National Retail Security Survey, released in late September by the Loss Prevention Research Council and the National Retail Federation. 

One hundred and twelve billion. That's an absolutely staggering number. Enough to buy islands, yachts, historical French estates, entire countries. Yet, the Times and their ilk would rather you didn't notice because it betrays their leftist narrative. Progressive policies are working, don't you see!

Except that they're not. And anyone with two eyes who lives in one of these cities knows it. RIP, NY Times. You lived a full life—until you didn't.

Once again, they betrayed their former slogan, "All the news that's fit to print." Now, "it's all the progressive ideology we can squeeze into one article."

Shame.