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Guest Essay

By Brandon Johnson

Mr. Johnson is the 57th mayor of Chicago. He wrote from Chicago.

Chicagoans love and defend our city fiercely, and for good reason. From the Garfield Park Conservatory to the South Shore Cultural Center, to our more than 600 parks, to our world-renowned research and academic institutions, our pride is justified.

It is also true that Chicago’s gun violence and crime have long been a political punchline. But lowering crime rates here does not require an occupation of our city by armed members of the National Guard, as the White House continues to threaten us with. Chicagoans, including survivors of violence, have spoken out against such an extreme measure.

Sending in the National Guard is the wrong solution to a real problem. If President Trump had listened to the city’s leaders, he would recognize that Chicago just experienced record-low homicide numbers, making this the safest summer since the 1960s, a result of effective collaboration between........

© The New York Times