Daily Archives: November 14, 2022

In Philly, Crime Victims’ Families are Suing Gas Stations for Negligence

By J Robert Smith

  • Nov. 14, 2022
  • 3-min read

Crime continues to explode in the “City of Brotherly Love.” You name it. Assaults, murders, robberies, carjackings, gang shootouts in Philly’s mean streets. Philly is now the Wild West.

There are plenty of innocent victims. Families are grieving for loved ones who were killed. Victims suffered dumb luck: they happened to be in the wrong places at the wrong times.

Looks like robberies, carjackings, and shootings are on the upswing at Philly gas stations. Families of victims have decided to blame gas station owners for negligence.

Crime is getting so bad that a big c-store chain in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, Wawa, is curtailing store hours and closing stores in Philly. Continue to allow criminals to own Philly’s streets and the place will become a virtual ghost town. Businesses will shut in droves.

Reports the Philadelphia Inquirer, November 14:

While gas station owners say the uptick is simply a manifestation of Philadelphia’s broader gun-violence problem, the trend has caused several people who have been injured or lost loved ones to file negligence lawsuits. They say gas stations should have done more to protect patrons.

Again from the Inquirer article:

“I don’t think the public is aware of this because they may think of shootings usually happening at bars or nightclubs, certainly not at gas stations,” said lawyer David P. Thiruselvam, who has filed nine lawsuits against gas stations. “But it’s becoming an epidemic, and the gas station industry is aware of it because it’s in the news all the time. But they are not doing anything about it.”

Gas station owners aren’t doing anything about crime, says the trial attorney hunting for a big payday?

Set aside that gas stations are being victimized by Philly hoods, too. Since when is it the obligation of businesses to protect their patrons from criminals? Isn’t that the role of government?

Is Philly plagued by crime because business owners aren’t manning their establishments with armed guards? And if they did, imagine the lawsuits when guards gunned down thugs. Imagine the criminal felony charges that woke DAs would spin to nail not just the guards but the business owners for daring to protect their patrons and their properties.

Why is crime out of control in Philly? That isn’t hard to figure out.

Blame Democrats. Blame the “progressive” mindset that dominates policies and governance in not just Philadelphia but big cities across the country. Blame the “criminals are the real victims” view and the view that law enforcement (beat cops right up the chain) are the bad guys. Blame atrocious, criminal-loving DAs like Philly’s Larry Krasner, who’s moral compass isn’t broken because he never had a compass to break. That creep should have been impeached by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. That won’t happened now. PA Republicans lost the House to Democrats for the first time in years. They lost because of the “No Questions” mail-in balloting that they helped enact. Thanks, Republicans, for helping keep Philly’s streets safe.

Here’s the ancient, basic reason why government exists. Etch it in stone: Government exists to protect it’s citizens from harm… from predation by criminals or attack by foreign enemies. F.U.N.D.A.M.E.N.T.A.L. Not your local c-store… not your grocery store… not your neighborhood fast food hangout – GOVERNMENT.

When any government fails in this most basic duty, the people have a right to question why that government exists at all. And, whatever Democrats believe, government doesn’t exist to line their pockets and the pockets of the moochers who vote for them.

So, here’s the million-dollar question for the beleaguered citizens of Philadelphia: If your government can’t or won’t protect you, isn’t it high time to change your government?

Think about it… but not for too long.

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