stani wrote:
The correlation is not between diversity and guns, but between diversity and gun deaths, which is what the chart is showing. Our "diverse" communities have much higher incidences of gun deaths than our non-diverse ones. If I recall correctly in some "diverse" communities, gun deaths were one of the highest causes of mortality. Also, if you look at the gun death incidence amongst "non-diverse" people in the US, you'll find that our numbers are not that much different from those in Europe.

xplanted wrote:The violent policy center released a study the other day which said PA has the highest rate of black on black murder, when Phily was removed from the data, the rest of the state (heavily rur al with plenty of hunters) was one of the least violent in the nation.

stani wrote:
We also have a higher proportion of lawyers here (5% of the population and 70% of the world's lawyers), and maybe that has something to do with it at as well.

brewster wrote:

According to http://www.bradycampaign.org/issues/gvstats/africanamerican/ African-Americans, though with twice the national average gun death rate, account for only 1/4 of gun deaths, leaving a rate of ~3 per 100k, still way higher than any other developed nation.

stani wrote:
The correlation is not between diversity and guns, but between diversity and gun deaths, which is what the chart is showing. Our "diverse" communities have much higher incidences of gun deaths than our non-diverse ones. If I recall correctly in some "diverse" communities, gun deaths were one of the highest causes of mortality. Also, if you look at the gun death incidence amongst "non-diverse" people in the US, you'll find that our numbers are not that much different from those in Europe.

VanVorster wrote:
Netflix Bowling for Columbine. European countries are quite diverse, at least the ones I've visited have been.

SwitchboardGirl wrote:
Maybe it has to do with our poverty rate? How are our poverty levels compared to other industrialized nations?

VanVorster wrote:
Netflix Bowling for Columbine. European countries are quite diverse, at least the ones I've visited have been.

stani wrote:
From a demographic point of view, the US doesn't look like any of those countries. Most importantly, those countries are not ethnically diverse like ours. I think a better comparison would be with Brazil - a large, ethnically diverse country. Do you have those numbers?

Thank you MYBEAT..
lets hope the person who is blaming it on teachers IS NOT A PARENT

Tolerance, understanding, humanity, love, hard work, etc.... is taught at home. That is a parents' responsibilty.

A teacher can enforce that and give the child an opportunity to show those characteristics. But if when they go home, it's not a priority..it will never happen...

However, this horrific murder should not be blamed on teachers or students. I read that article.... What loving memoirs the students from McNair left.....lets not blame other people...
Lets find the person who did this...and work on improving our society. This way things like this may not happen again.


If only all people

brewster wrote:
[You conveniently ignore the fact that almost every developed nation has what you would consider draconian gun laws, with the consequence being gun murders are a rarity there and a national sport here. Our liberal gun laws make us a freak show. How can you possibly believe MORE guns will improve these numbers?!! Colombia's is at 50 deaths per 100k. Do you think they're problem is they don't have enough guns?


Gun deaths per 100,000 population (for the year indicated):
-----------------------------Homicide-----Suicide ----Other (inc Accident)

USA (2001)--------------3.98--------5.92 --------0.36
Italy (1997)--------------0.81--------1.1----------0.07
Switzerland (1998)-----0.50--------5.8----------0.10
Canada (2002)----------0.4 --------2.0 ----------0.04
Finland (2003)-----------0.35--------4.45--------0.10
Australia (2001)---------0.24--------1.34 -------0.10
France (2001)------------0.21--------3.4 --------0.49
England/Wales (2002) 0.15--------0.2----------0.03
Scotland (2002)---------0.06--------0.2----------0.02
Japan (2002)------------0.02--------0.04 --------0

Data taken from Cukier and Sidel (2006) The Global Gun Epidemic. Praeger Security International. Westport.

brewster wrote:
You conveniently ignore the fact that almost every developed nation has what you would consider draconian gun laws, with the consequence being gun murders are a rarity there and a national sport here. Our liberal gun laws make us a freak show. How can you possibly believe MORE guns will improve these numbers?!! Colombia's is at 50 deaths per 100k. Do you think they're problem is they don't have enough guns?

r_pinkowitz wrote:
Quote:

NolieOlie wrote:
Quote:

MYBEAT wrote:
Quote:

Suze wrote:
Quote:

Adonis wrote:
Quote:

Suze wrote:
Perhaps if the person who committed this crime had access to good schools, a stable community, a stable home life, and opportunities to do things like go to college, this wouldn't have happened.

What country are you living in??? I know in this country everybody has access to good schools, a stable community and opportunities to do things like go to college.

It's the choices people make regarding that access that separates decent people from the murdering pieces of sh..

And no matter how bad things get in life for anybody it's still requires a conscious decision to pull a trigger on a gun. Society doesn't force your hand on that.

No, society does not force you to pull a trigger on a gun and commit a violent act. However, the environment in which you are raised contributes greatly to whether or not you end up doing it.

Furthermore, you're incorrect in your statement that everyone has the same access to good schools. Inner city schools are terrible. They're over-crowded, short on supplies, and children do not get the attention they need to prepare them for the rest of their lives.

If you think we're all equal in this country then you're ignorant. I hope it's not willingly so.

Ah, try it all starts at home and lets stop dumping on the schools and expect the teachers to act as the defacto parent/s !

If your raised in a shit enviroment(home) and by animals, than you'll turn out to be an animal, its basic 101.

Problem is that very few politicians are willing to address that issue cause it may hurt some feelings,well I'd rather have my feelings hurt than be preyed upon by some Animal who can't make a conscience decision between right & wrong !

This can be debated till kingdom come and fact remains the system Sucks and ain't noone going to do a damm thing to change it !

Thank you MYBEAT..
lets hope the person who is blaming it on teachers IS NOT A PARENT

Tolerance, understanding, humanity, love, hard work, etc.... is taught at home. That is a parents' responsibilty.

A teacher can enforce that and give the child an opportunity to show those characteristics. But if when they go home, it's not a priority..it will never happen...

However, this horrific murder should not be blamed on teachers or students. I read that article.... What loving memoirs the students from McNair left.....lets not blame other people...
Lets find the person who did this...and work on improving our society. This way things like this may not happen again.


If only all people

NolieOlie's post: +100000

NolieOlie wrote:
Quote:

MYBEAT wrote:
Quote:

Suze wrote:
Quote:

Adonis wrote:
Quote:

Suze wrote:
Perhaps if the person who committed this crime had access to good schools, a stable community, a stable home life, and opportunities to do things like go to college, this wouldn't have happened.

What country are you living in??? I know in this country everybody has access to good schools, a stable community and opportunities to do things like go to college.

It's the choices people make regarding that access that separates decent people from the murdering pieces of sh..

And no matter how bad things get in life for anybody it's still requires a conscious decision to pull a trigger on a gun. Society doesn't force your hand on that.

No, society does not force you to pull a trigger on a gun and commit a violent act. However, the environment in which you are raised contributes greatly to whether or not you end up doing it.

Furthermore, you're incorrect in your statement that everyone has the same access to good schools. Inner city schools are terrible. They're over-crowded, short on supplies, and children do not get the attention they need to prepare them for the rest of their lives.

If you think we're all equal in this country then you're ignorant. I hope it's not willingly so.

Ah, try it all starts at home and lets stop dumping on the schools and expect the teachers to act as the defacto parent/s !

If your raised in a shit enviroment(home) and by animals, than you'll turn out to be an animal, its basic 101.

Problem is that very few politicians are willing to address that issue cause it may hurt some feelings,well I'd rather have my feelings hurt than be preyed upon by some Animal who can't make a conscience decision between right & wrong !

This can be debated till kingdom come and fact remains the system Sucks and ain't noone going to do a damm thing to change it !

Thank you MYBEAT..
lets hope the person who is blaming it on teachers IS NOT A PARENT

Tolerance, understanding, humanity, love, hard work, etc.... is taught at home. That is a parents' responsibilty.

A teacher can enforce that and give the child an opportunity to show those characteristics. But if when they go home, it's not a priority..it will never happen...

However, this horrific murder should not be blamed on teachers or students. I read that article.... What loving memoirs the students from McNair left.....lets not blame other people...
Lets find the person who did this...and work on improving our society. This way things like this may not happen again.


If only all people

Jeebus wrote:
As you pointed out, NJ makes using a firearm to defend oneself nearly impossible. That contributes to the problem given that criminals know their potential victims are likely to be unarmed. Yet the irrational among us assume that more gun prohibition laws will magically stop the criminals that are already armed from taking advantage of the law abiding citizens (and that further disarming the law abiding will help).

MYBEAT wrote:
Quote:

Suze wrote:
Quote:

Adonis wrote:
Quote:

Suze wrote:
Perhaps if the person who committed this crime had access to good schools, a stable community, a stable home life, and opportunities to do things like go to college, this wouldn't have happened.

What country are you living in??? I know in this country everybody has access to good schools, a stable community and opportunities to do things like go to college.

It's the choices people make regarding that access that separates decent people from the murdering pieces of sh..

And no matter how bad things get in life for anybody it's still requires a conscious decision to pull a trigger on a gun. Society doesn't force your hand on that.

No, society does not force you to pull a trigger on a gun and commit a violent act. However, the environment in which you are raised contributes greatly to whether or not you end up doing it.

Furthermore, you're incorrect in your statement that everyone has the same access to good schools. Inner city schools are terrible. They're over-crowded, short on supplies, and children do not get the attention they need to prepare them for the rest of their lives.

If you think we're all equal in this country then you're ignorant. I hope it's not willingly so.

Ah, try it all starts at home and lets stop dumping on the schools and expect the teachers to act as the defacto parent/s !

If your raised in a shit enviroment(home) and by animals, than you'll turn out to be an animal, its basic 101.

Problem is that very few politicians are willing to address that issue cause it may hurt some feelings,well I'd rather have my feelings hurt than be preyed upon by some Animal who can't make a conscience decision between right & wrong !

This can be debated till kingdom come and fact remains the system Sucks and ain't noone going to do a damm thing to change it !

xplanted wrote:
If less guns were the answer, wouldn't Chicago, L.A. and Washington DC be the safest areas to live while the entire south would be a bloodbath?

Seriously, obtaining a firearm in NJ is near impossible, I suggest for the entertainment that someone who thinks firearms (or even knife laws in this state) are too lax go apply for a permit to keep one in his or her home. After calls to your boss, neighbors, and family you might change your mind. The process takes roughly 5 months, and despite the heavy vetting, one is still not allowed to carry it.

The police, according to every court to address the question, have no duty to protect the individual, and as a free society the duty to protect yourself falls to you.

Be that as it may, keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals should be sought after; unfortunately, NJ has done everything it can with little effect.

The serious issue is broken families and a warped reality that accompanies growing up in a violent neighborhood. Ask a teacher in the inner-cities how parents react to fights at school; often they just tell their kid not to fight at school. It's sad, and with the economy, it's not getting better.