Trump claims the national guard makes cities safer. Birmingham halved its homicide rate all on its own

‘Fewer people are being shot dead in Birmingham, but people are still regularly getting shot.’ Photograph: Adam Freine/Alamy

The national conversation about crime is being driven by rhetorical attacks – and national guard call-ups – by Donald Trump, who routinely demonizes places like Chicago, Washington DC, Portland and even New York City, which has a lower homicide rate than Orlando, Florida, home to Disney World.

Somehow, we don’t talk about Birmingham.