More For Michigan
First the Wolverines and Lions both choke and now this.
Michigan has the first and third most dangerous cities in America. Detroit (#1 in something finally) and Flint (#3). A local radio station this morning said that Saginaw received an "honorable mention" on that list, and I have no trouble believing it, but I cannot find any links verifying Saginaw's place.
While there is some dispute as to how accurate this is, I know I can watch ABC12 News out of Flint and it always seems that someone has been killed or there has been an attempted killing. I listen to a radio station from Saginaw and it's the same old story. People killing people.
Some blame this on the economy and perhaps to a point it is, but more importantly, it is one more difficulty that Michigan has to overcome to attract business. I mean who wants to build a factory in a neighborhood whose primary businesses seem to be Meth and Murder.
I have to question those who say that poverty is the main cause of this. Poverty may drive some to steal to survive, but to kill? How does that help one financially? We need to get control of crime and recognize that the main source of crime is not poverty, but a disregard for one's fellow man.
Secondly, let's suppose it is bad use of statistics. This doesn't change anything. We cannot change the perception without changing the reality behind it. Even if these cities are not 1 and 3 respectively, there is still entirely too much killing going on in these towns. Even if the they're actually #10 and #30 in the rankings, that is still too much violence. Even if Detroit is barely in the top 100 cities, it still has too many murders.
It's not the guns. I live in a city that is a concentration of privately owned firearms and murder by gunfire is very rare here. (The last three murders in this town were a bludgeoning, a strangling, and a homicide by arson and have happened over several years - - there was also a stabbing in that time period but the victim survived.) In spite of more guns per square mile in my county than most army bases, gun violence just doesn't happen a lot here. (I did not say it never happens. Come to think of it, about 10 years ago a local troublemaker was holding a 20 yo girl hostage with a gun and a borrowed SWAT unit arrived and finally caught him - - his gun turned out to be a BB gun! A bit of an embarrassment for our city's finest.)
Back to the subject. If we want businesses to come to Michigan, whether are cities are #1 in violence or not, we need to reduce crime in our cities.
Michigan has the first and third most dangerous cities in America. Detroit (#1 in something finally) and Flint (#3). A local radio station this morning said that Saginaw received an "honorable mention" on that list, and I have no trouble believing it, but I cannot find any links verifying Saginaw's place.
While there is some dispute as to how accurate this is, I know I can watch ABC12 News out of Flint and it always seems that someone has been killed or there has been an attempted killing. I listen to a radio station from Saginaw and it's the same old story. People killing people.
Some blame this on the economy and perhaps to a point it is, but more importantly, it is one more difficulty that Michigan has to overcome to attract business. I mean who wants to build a factory in a neighborhood whose primary businesses seem to be Meth and Murder.
I have to question those who say that poverty is the main cause of this. Poverty may drive some to steal to survive, but to kill? How does that help one financially? We need to get control of crime and recognize that the main source of crime is not poverty, but a disregard for one's fellow man.
Secondly, let's suppose it is bad use of statistics. This doesn't change anything. We cannot change the perception without changing the reality behind it. Even if these cities are not 1 and 3 respectively, there is still entirely too much killing going on in these towns. Even if the they're actually #10 and #30 in the rankings, that is still too much violence. Even if Detroit is barely in the top 100 cities, it still has too many murders.
It's not the guns. I live in a city that is a concentration of privately owned firearms and murder by gunfire is very rare here. (The last three murders in this town were a bludgeoning, a strangling, and a homicide by arson and have happened over several years - - there was also a stabbing in that time period but the victim survived.) In spite of more guns per square mile in my county than most army bases, gun violence just doesn't happen a lot here. (I did not say it never happens. Come to think of it, about 10 years ago a local troublemaker was holding a 20 yo girl hostage with a gun and a borrowed SWAT unit arrived and finally caught him - - his gun turned out to be a BB gun! A bit of an embarrassment for our city's finest.)
Back to the subject. If we want businesses to come to Michigan, whether are cities are #1 in violence or not, we need to reduce crime in our cities.
posted by shoprat at 8:02 PM
7 Comments:
The only way this will be achieved is via a strong, anti-crime Mayor and/or city council.
Giuliani did a great job of cleaning up N.Y., using such venues as the Street Crimes Unit. They were heavy handed, which was necessary for them to achieve success: PC doesn't go over well when dealing with gang bangers and related flotsam, as they are violent people who only respect the same.
Lions & Pack on Thanksgiving. Who ya goin' for?
BZ
It's the culture of poverty, Shoprat, especially among the depressed ethnic communities. I swear, it's politically incorrect to say it, but sometimes I don't think some of these groups are on the same planet when it comes to moral values.
Good posting!
I agree with DD: it's the culture, but not really of poverty. It's the culture of those neighborhoods and the residents who condone the violence and erect a wall of silence against the police. There's a reason more black Americans are in prison than any other group - it's the culture in which they are raised. Change that and you will change the numbers, too.
Seth The mayor of Flint (who's white) is no nonsense man of great self-importance and little integrity who does not get along with the city council. We all know about Detroit's mayor.
bz Lions. Remember they can beat the best and lose to the worst. That's just how they are.
More of culture of lawlessness.
Benning. I agree.
I always enjoy your reasoning. You are absolutely right about this.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I could say it's because you live in the wrong peninsula of Michigan, but that would be piling on and I feel sorry enough for all you trolls as it is.
LOL
My parents are from Marquette...
Post a Comment
<< Home