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Not always. The issue is that you have gang members and some people using guns that were obtained in, well, gun trafficking. Outlawing guns will not stop people from killing other people.
The rates aren't even as high as back in the 80's and 90's. They've declined a lot since then.
The rates have declined. However, I have sort of a mixed view on this. One the one hand, I know that murder rates have dropped alot since the 80s. On the other hand,a murder victim is still a murder victim.
Other things I have to consider is how the subject of race is being mentioned in this. I know that Blacks are the #1 murder victim in the nation, and are often being murdered mostly by other Blacks. That being said, the context in which it is mentioned is often such that one can tell that the reason is not so much to discuss crime to but to discuss Blacks, and in such a way as to say "Blacks are a menace to society". That is the context that I've noticed. One person has even said that Blacks should be banned from this nation. I'm Black. I'm a citizen of this nation. However, someone says something so ugly, it makes it impossible to have a productive discussion about crime, and about race.
Isn't it up to the members of any one particular community to shape the attitudes in the community?
These children have parents. Now, maybe they are absentee parents. Or maybe one is in prison and the other is a crackhead. Or maybe they are living with grandparents. Or maybe they are being raised by one parent who works 24/7 and is doing his/her best.
The point is . . . these kids did not just pop up on sidewalks without someone giving birth. The parents are the core of this situation IN ANY COMMUNITY. If parents are not teaching values, if they are absentee, if they are disinterested (whether b/c of mental illness, drug addiction, away at work, in prison, WHATEVER) . . . then the kids are raised on the street and by their peers. Scary thought.
Until communities step up and take care of what is going on in their own community, the rest of us can't do a thing.
The federal government came up with Headstart to get kids out of low income situations as early as possible. Then they created another program that puts kids in pre-school at age 4. I mean - come on - what else can be done, short of taking kids out of homes and warehousing them? What else are the "rest of us" supposed to do other than see our tax dollars go for all sorts of "at risk" programs?
I don't care if it is an urban phenomenon (which is typically black folks) or a rural problem (which is typically white folks). Violence starts at home. Parents model behaviors, from violence to drug addiction. And teaching children there is a different way of life starts at home. Yes, it can be reinforced at school, but the school's hands are tied as to what that child participates in once they walk out the door.
Isn't it up to the members of any one particular community to shape the attitudes in the community?
These children have parents. Now, maybe they are absentee parents. Or maybe one is in prison and the other is a crackhead. Or maybe they are living with grandparents. Or maybe they are being raised by one parent who works 24/7 and is doing his/her best.
The point is . . . these kids did not just pop up on sidewalks without someone giving birth. The parents are the core of this situation IN ANY COMMUNITY. If parents are not teaching values, if they are absentee, if they are disinterested (whether b/c of mental illness, drug addiction, away at work, in prison, WHATEVER) . . . then the kids are raised on the street and by their peers. Scary thought.
Until communities step up and take care of what is going on in their own community, the rest of us can't do a thing.
The federal government came up with Headstart to get kids out of low income situations as early as possible. Then they created another program that puts kids in pre-school at age 4. I mean - come on - what else can be done, short of taking kids out of homes and warehousing them? What else are the "rest of us" supposed to do other than see our tax dollars go for all sorts of "at risk" programs?
I don't care if it is an urban phenomenon (which is typically black folks) or a rural problem (which is typically white folks). Violence starts at home. Parents model behaviors, from violence to drug addiction. And teaching children there is a different way of life starts at home. Yes, it can be reinforced at school, but the school's hands are tied as to what that child participates in once they walk out the door.
There is one thing you must ask though. Why is there such bad parenting taking place in many poor communities? Why so many broken homes?
There is one thing you must ask though. Why is there such bad parenting taking place in many poor communities? Why so many broken homes?
CBS had a special on Chicago violence last night -- it's more about the drugs being shipped into Chicago. For some reason, Chicago is targeted by the Mexican cartels and most of the violence and deaths are due to drugs.
The cartels are allowed to destroy the lives of millions of Americans and are getting extremely rich.
CBS had a special on Chicago violence last night -- it's more about the drugs being shipped into Chicago. For some reason, Chicago is targeted by the Mexican cartels and most of the violence and deaths are due to drugs.
The cartels are allowed to destroy the lives of millions of Americans and are getting extremely rich.
It's got to be more than that. Austin is now a distribution hub for the cartels so we have lots of drugs here but we don't have what Chicago has.
CBS had a special on Chicago violence last night -- it's more about the drugs being shipped into Chicago. For some reason, Chicago is targeted by the Mexican cartels and most of the violence and deaths are due to drugs.
The cartels are allowed to destroy the lives of millions of Americans and are getting extremely rich.
Drugs are a big part of it. I can concur with that. Gangs fight over turf and money, and then the shootings occur. Same thing happened to Miami in the 80s.
Broken homes and bad parents are a part of this too. It isn't just one thing or the other. It is a multitude of issues, and all require problem-solving.
It's got to be more than that. Austin is now a distribution hub for the cartels so we have lots of drugs here but we don't have what Chicago has.
How poor is Austin compared to Chicago? How entrenched are broken homes, generational poverty, and poor education in Austin? A better question: Why do people join gangs in the first place?
It's got to be more than that. Austin is now a distribution hub for the cartels so we have lots of drugs here but we don't have what Chicago has.
Is Austin a distibution hub or a destination hub? The Mexican cartels have targetted particular regions such as the Indian reservations in northern New Mexico and the Indian youth are dying at incredible rates from suicide, overdoses and drug violence. The tribal leaders say nothing is being done at all.
Yes, I agree that there are other factors in Chicago violence like broken homes -- but then what came first? Drugs or broken homes? Drugs or drop out rates?
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