What, no white men?

[The Tourist]

tribal militias

I think there's a huge difference between a Neighborhood Watch program and a militia.

Yikes, I have enough trouble sitting in a burger joint with a bunch of guys I ride with.

The focus here is men taking a bit of responsibility for the places where they live. It's a wake-up call for the crimes committed right under their noses. It's a dramatization that they had better start caring.

Here's a troubling fact. My wife is a teacher, and she asked me one day what the best way is to lengthen a black man's life. I was shocked to hear the answer.

Put him in prison.

He has less chance to dies violently, although many do. He has better health care. He might turn his life around with a spiritual awakening, or simply learning a trade.

Our entire country ought to be ashamed of situations like that.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I think if you look at the statistics, even metro Virginia immediately surrounding D.C. has a significantly lower crime rate. No one is saying that gun laws are the only factor, but the only scientific causation studies have borne out a correlation between the ability and willingness to engage in self defense and the crime rate. I would refer you to John Lott's research.

I can confirm that. Interestingly enough "north" Arlington (where I used to live) had a run of high crime statistics. Funny that NorthArl was also an entrenched node of "high-minded liberalism". When you mapped it out, the crime spree "dots" came across the bridges from DC, puddled in NorthArl and then ended along a line that coincided almost exactly with the property lines of the neighborhoods considered to be "conservative".

Hrmmmmm

 

[BillCA]

When I first read the headline I thought "Is crime in Philly so bad that they're now stealing the streets?"

Then I remembered that this is the city that dropped a bomb from a helicopter on the Move house in 1985, burning down an entire city block.

The police chief is right, however. It IS time for black men to stand up and say "no more" to the "gangsta" culture in the city. Furthermore, the police, courts, city council and the state legislature have to support them.

TwoXForr nailed it:

I see it as a problem of the culture, it is acceptable, even normal to have a convicted felon in the family. No shame, no disgrace. Until to Community Stands up and says this is not the way to live, the Gansta lifestyle will continue to be a permanent situation.

Part of this comes from the "victimization" mindset that says the police pick on the blacks, throw 'em in jail for any excuse so it's just a badge that said "yeah bro, I've been screwed by 'da man' too." I just had this discussion with a brother from Chicago who was visiting relatives here. He doesn't like it either.

We could come up with a lot of "programs" to try to resolve the situation, but what it comes down to is that until the people themselves take an active role in cleaning up their neighborhoods, nothing significant will happen.

 

[Redworm]

There is less crime in the rural areas - not because the gangsta can't drive out there, but because they know that every house has a gun. - usually loaded and usually within easy reach..

That may be a reason but certainly not the primary one. Population density is a much bigger factor.

Another issue is that the gangsta looks like a gangsta, with the tattoos, the team jackets, droopy britches, gold chains, etc... They stand out in a village/rural area like a turd in the collection plate at church... No way can they just hang around for hours waiting for someone wandering by to be a victim...

You seem to be implying that said gangsta would have any reason to head out to East Bumblesville instead of staying a densely populated area with more potential victims. Sticking out like a sore thumb is also an insignificant reason for lower crime rates in rural areas.

Now let's not forget that just because there are fewer muggings that there can't be other crimes going on in greater numbers like spousal abuse and other things that rural areas would have an easier time getting away with.

 

[Crosshair]

JuanCarlos

You edited out this part:
Quote:
1998-2000 statistics (the first 3 years after the gun ban):
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cr...ers-per-capita
Which shows the UK having a homicide rate that was only a third of that in the US.

The US has a higher rate of Murder and Rape than the UK. The UK has higher rates in everything else, some rates are MUCH higher. Robbery, Home Invasion, Muggings, etc. The UK has also admitted to doctoring the statistics.

 

[Molson]

Which shows the UK having a homicide rate that was only a third of that in the US. Also with a lower rate of rape and a comparable rate of assault. Also, regarding the map link that you haven't edited out, crime rate is not the same as violent crime rate.

That last link is interesting, though. Thanks.

the info was from 98-2000 and was only for murders. i didnt notice at first, so i deleted it once i did. its a lot harder than i thought to find relevant crime rate info.

 

[CGSteve8718]

Hi again,

JuanCarlos has cojones for even mentioning his argument in a gun forum. Good thing this is one of the more educated and mature ones.

I also agree with what he is saying, which doesn't mean I'm not a supporter of the 2nd Amendment like some people would instantly jump down your throat for.

It's not a race issue in Philadelphia either, there are plenty of parts in the Northeast or in places like Kensington and Fishtown where the white people exhibit the same degenerate mentality.

It's about having a lack of personal responsibility and accountability for your actions. It's about the lack of personal respect and respect for others and their property. It's the lack of a strong work ethic. It's continuing to blame someone or something else for your misfortunes. It's about dignity.

None of the above has anything to do with color. I've seen blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos, who fall into every category above and I've seen upstanding decent people of all those "races" as well.

But, in this OP, I would much rather have it be all black people and I'm glad the Police Chief only addressed black people, because it's their own community. If they want it to change, they have to change it themselves. Things like this are not instant. They take a looong time, I hope they realize this. If they don't see instant change and give up, they are not only letting themselves down, but they are letting down every respectable and responsible black leader who fought so hard to end slavery, and Jim Crow, and civil rights abuses down as well.

However, the govt. does need to help too, and it's not doing it by throwing money at it, or by enacting laws that punish everyone isntead of the guilty/responsible parties. It's not doing it by playing with the blame issue because it just fosters more blaming others instead of teaching responsibility.

 

[longeyes]

Here's a troubling fact. My wife is a teacher, and she asked me one day what the best way is to lengthen a black man's life. I was shocked to hear the answer.

Put him in prison.

He has less chance to dies violently, although many do. He has better health care. He might turn his life around with a spiritual awakening, or simply learning a trade.

He also has a good chance of being killed by another black man, the same problem he had outside of prison.

 

[cool hand luke 22:36]

I think if you look at the statistics, even metro Virginia immediately surrounding D.C. has a significantly lower crime rate.

The rate of violent crime involving handguns in Arlington, Alexandria, and the rest of the Northern Virginia area just across the Potomac about 1/60th the rate in D.C.

And yet Mayor Fenty still claims it's the "easy availability" of handguns in Virginia that's the root cause of D.C.'s problems.