> Why is it that Canadians feel safer?
Why is it that you think that that's relevant to the question of why a few children have shot up their schools and a few other people have shot up their churches? *********************** Mike B: Because, I think inter-personal violence in capitalist society is directly related to the amount of surplus value being pumped back into social services and the general feeling of well being which occurs when one doesn't have to worry about absolute poverty anymore. I think it is a social crime that the ruling class in the U.S. allows the homelessness, poverty and destitution that it does. All this related to how abused people feel and when people are abused they tend to abuse others--unfortunately usually not their rulers, but the weaker amongst them.
I also think that the culture of acceptance of violence towards others is part of the issue. This seems to be endorsed by the ruling apparatus via the death penalty and wars of aggression. How many people cheered when they saw Bagdhad being bombed?
Of course, I agree that this is speculation on my part. *********************** Jordan queried: Do you think that gun violence in the US is related, somehow, to whether or not people "feel safer" ...? Well, I suppose you do. But: you're way off the mark. Gun violence is, even from a cursory glance at the UCR (but moreso if you take the time to read it carefully!), largely a "violent crime" issue. Most gun violence happens in the middle of the comission of a felony. I think it would be interesting for you to further speculate about whether active felons feel, uh, "less safe than Canadians" ...
********************* Mike B: I would speculate that most non-corporate felons are social products of abuse and that most come from more impoverished circumstances than others who are not violent felons. **********************
Jordan wrote:
Do you actually know anything about gun violence in the US, other than what you saw in this movie?
************************* Mike B: I lived in the United States for 55 years and fired "expert" on the rifle range when I was serving in the Marine Corps.
**************************** Jordan asked:
I presume you mean "aren't" (Yes, thank-you, MB)... but regardless: the physical proximity, I'm guessing, seems significant to you. In a cultural way. In a, let's say, significant way.
Let me ask you this: why is the murder rate in Tijuana 20x higher than it is just a few miles away in San Diego? Could it be because, well, San Diegans feel, um, safer? ******************************* Mike B: I'd say that San Diegans feel safer because they are surrounded less by poverty and social neglect than Californians are. BTW, does Medi-Cal still exist in California?
Then again, urban Mexicans probably feel safer than Guatemalens and Costa Ricans safer than Hondurans. I'm sure that Norwegians feel safer than Americans. I'll bet that violent crime and socially psychopathic behaviours are related to the higher standards of living and social safety nets in those places.
************** Jordan continued:
> Why is it that a racially divergent Canada doesn't have
> the same violent divide as the racially mixed America?
An excellent question, which I'm sure we could all do a little research about. And yet: completely unrelated to the thread you started here. ****************** Mike B: I remember the then head of the NRA bringing that issue up in conversation with Moore during "Bowling for Columbine". He seemed to think that the racial diversity of the USA might have something to do with psychopathic shootings like the one in Littleton. That's why I brought it up. *****************
Jordan:
> I'd say it's the same reason that I feel safer in Australia
> than I did in America. You don't see cops all over the place,
> stopping people on the streets, ready to shoot at the drop of
> a hat.
Yes, I see how carefully you've looked at this issue.
*************
Mike B:
I guess you've got answers then.
Why do you think that the US has so many gun murders--especially among relatives, friends and work/school colleagues, not to mention police shootings of suspected criminals?
Why does the U.S lead the industrialized world in this category?
Regards, Mike B)
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