Rudy Giuliani, who earned his stripes cleaning up New York and standing tall after 9/11, reminded Americans this weekend that security is not a partisan slogan but a responsibility. Speaking on a national platform, he reflected on hard choices made in the past and urged that we celebrate this nation’s 250th birthday with pride rather than fear.
New York’s leaders have said bluntly that there are no specific credible threats to the Times Square festivities, but they are not taking anything for granted. The NYPD and city officials detailed a full-scale, multiagency security posture — plainclothes teams, K9s, drones, rooftop units and sealed infrastructure — because responsible governance means preparing for every contingency.
Giuliani was right to sound the alarm about the cultural rot that implants soft targets into our daily life; when left-wing radicals and lawlessness are tolerated in major cities, the security burden shifts onto everyday Americans. He has spent decades fighting crime and radical ideology, and his warnings about places ceding authority to mobs are not the ranting of an alarmist but the call of someone who’s seen what neglect produces.
This New Year’s Eve carries extra symbolism — the Times Square ball will shine red, white and blue and kick off America’s semiquincentennial celebrations, a moment to rally around our founding and the liberty it guarantees. Conservatives should embrace the pageantry while insisting that public celebrations remain safe, sober and militia-free, not co-opted by extremism or political theater.
So here’s the plain truth for hardworking Americans: demand competent security from your leaders, refuse the false comfort of wishful thinking, and celebrate our country with the seriousness it deserves. We owe it to our veterans, our children, and the brave men and women who protect us to mark 250 years not as a target, but as a triumph.
