1 dead, 3 injured in MARTA train shooting (Atlanta: schools, living in, law)

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by ekman243

Well as Forhall so eloquently stated this was on CNN,tell that to the parents of the victims about how safe it is. Matter of fact ask the two innocent kids about the deranged thug that ended their short lives

As I said to ronricks, of course we wouldn't tell them that, because it would be tacky and insensitive to the family to try and turn their tragedy into a political agenda. Especially one not backed by the numbers.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Of course I wouldn't tell them that, but that's because I have enough tact and grace to not try and use their family's tragedy to push a petty political agenda. Especially not one that is as baseless and unsupported in data as you are doing right now.

The data shows MARTA to be the second most safe transit agency in the country. It has a crime rate lower than much of the metro, including plenty of places one would expect to be pristine, crime-free havens.

Metro Atlanta has a larger population than 31 States. People need to let that sink in occasionally.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by ronricks

tell that to the family that lost someone today because of a murder at a MARTA station. They aren't going to agree with you.

Hey now, you can't just assume that they're morons. Maybe they're logical people, even in mourning.

If everybody I love died in a plane crash, I'd be an emotional wreck, but I wouldn't claim that flying isn't safe, because that would be untrue.

How risky something is has nothing to do with anything except data. Period.

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Hey now, you can't just assume that they're morons. Maybe they're logical people, even in mourning.

If everybody I love died in a plane crash, I'd be an emotional wreck, but I wouldn't claim that flying isn't safe, because that would be untrue.

How risky something is has nothing to do with anything except data. Period.

I agree. And the data shows that MARTA is extremely safe compared to most major metros.

It's the southwest side of Atlanta that is a problem. As soon as I saw the headline I knew it was going to be in one of the stations either on the south or west side. That has to stop. The violent crime rate over there is ridiculous compared to other zones and neighborhoods.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Forhall

I agree. And the data shows that MARTA is extremely safe compared to most major metros.

It's the southwest side of Atlanta that is a problem. As soon as I saw the headline I knew it was going to be in one of the stations either on the south or west side. That has to stop. The violent crime rate over there is ridiculous compared to other zones and neighborhoods.

And 'gentrification' doesn't solve anything. It just pushes the problem elsewhere.

The real solution is not to kick out the poor people, but to actually fix the causes of crime. Tackle poverty, education, economic opportunity, etc.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

And 'gentrification' doesn't solve anything. It just pushes the problem elsewhere.

The real solution is not to kick out the poor people, but to actually fix the causes of crime. Tackle poverty, education, economic opportunity, etc.

Meh, I don't know, I disagree. I think gentrification and pushing the poor people out of the city might actually help them, and reduce crime on the whole everywhere. Because probably a large amount of the crime in the 'hood is because of the 'hood itself. It's the environment itself that's helping to perpetuate it. There's freaking piles of garbage out on the sidewalks in these areas, man. Houses with holes in the roof.

We should rescue every resident out of crime/drugs/poverty/disease/general hopelessness-infested neighborhoods like Bankhead or etc, split them all up and separate them, try to help them individually the best we can, and send them to different suburbs, other neighborhoods, shelters, clinics, whatever.

Then raze these hellhole areas to the ground, and build gentrified developments in their place. Everybody would probably be at least a little better off, and nobody would have to be stuck living there anymore.

And then the surrounding borderline decent areas would be brought up a level, instead of down a level.

By all means we as a society should try to eliminate poverty, but while we do have it, let's at least not concentrate it. That's where the crime is coming from. That's where you really are actually unsafe.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by ronricks

Those are accidents. Not purposeful malicious killings. Do you not understand the difference between the two? Not close to being the same.

Of course.

But I want to live and your best odds for that are riding MARTA

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

And 'gentrification' doesn't solve anything. It just pushes the problem elsewhere.

The real solution is not to kick out the poor people, but to actually fix the causes of crime. Tackle poverty, education, economic opportunity, etc.

Why not do both? I firmly believe in establishing safety nets. We need affordable healthcare, education, etc. Losing your job shouldn't mean ending up homeless without lifesaving medications. In a country where people have to choose between food and medication, is it any wonder people turn to crime?

That said, it shouldn't be concentrated. Gentrification mixes wealthier, more affluent people into bad neighborhoods. Their kids go to school with the resident kids and act as a good influence on them. They show them the path of college and honest living vs joining a gang and ending up in prison. It's a good thing. Do some get priced out to cheaper places? Yes, they do, but it's clearly the best answer out of many "bad options". Keeping a bad neighborhood as it is doesn't help anyone, and only perpetuates the cycle.

[cqholt]

This is not a MARTA issue, but a larger issue of national gun violence. This could have happened anywhere, a grocery store in East Cobb, a roadway in Gwinnett, a gas station on the Southside. The victim and suspect knew each other, it was not random homicide.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by cqholt

This is not a MARTA issue, but a larger issue of national gun violence. This could have happened anywhere, a grocery store in East Cobb, a roadway in Gwinnett, a gas station on the Southside. The victim and suspect knew each other, it was not random homicide.

We certainly have a gun culture problem in this country. Sadly, many people in Georgia and in the south think the answer to gun violence is 'more guns' which to me just adds to the problem. Regardless, there has been in the last year a disturbing pattern of not only gun violence but physical violence at MARTA stations. The citizens of Atlanta have the right to be able to go to their job or wherever on MARTA safely and not have to deal with stuff like this. It is simply unacceptable.