Effects of Liberalism: Disaster by the Bay

Liberal progressive politicians and policies have destroyed the black community and family -- and nowhere is this more evident than in Oakland, Calif. The damage done has devastated the once-great city

(By Chris Field, Townhall.com) - With the start of the gold rush in 1849, Oakland became a boomtown. For those who came by ship, Oakland was the jumping-off point before heading up into the gold fields of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The city boomed again when the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Suddenly it became the terminus for all east-west rail travel, the final rail stop before travelers completed their final leg by ferry headed to the fabled San Francisco.

By 1870, Oakland was the most diverse city in the country, a temporary home to miners and adventurers from around the world and home to African-Americans, many former slaves, who worked as porters for the Pullman Company. Due to the lower cost of living at the western end of the line and Oakland's social freedom -- nearly 100 years before the passage of the Civil Rights Act -- blacks were unfettered, able to buy homes, acquire wealth and achieve civic prestige in Oakland.

But look at Oakland today. It has become known for violence and crime. What happened? Well, the radical Left has succeeded in almost destroying the black community and families -- driving Oakland to near ruin.