Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl
Blueash?
My grandfather was a police officer in Ohio for 37 years and never once fired his gun. I don't recall knowing anyone who was murdered growing up. I was discussing this issue with Sweetie that there were more murders per 100K some 40-50 years ago than now and we couldn't believe it. He had the same memories. Do you suppose there were more gang and mafia killings in the super big cities that caused these figures to be higher? Is someone a student of this kind of statistic that could explain this?
Why do you think raising the minimum wage would cause things to be better in this particular issue? If you don't want to work for eight dollars, you probably won't want to work for fifteen.
I see new residents here from Mexico working so hard in terrible heat and I think, watch out, these folks are gonna make good lives for themselves.
I so admire people who are willing to work for a living. Even a meager living. You have to start somewhere.
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Great questions. I can't really offer real data, as I prefer to do, when asked for information so all I have to offer is possibilities. The murder rate is about half of what it was in the 30's. There is no information I could find on who the victims were and whether murders were connected to organized crime. I didn't know anyone murdered as I grew up in Western New York, and I have known no one who has ever been murdered in my life. Mrs BA however had a uncle murdered in the 60's in his store in Dayton OH, no suspect ever caught.
I think many have the sense that there are more of these crimes for the simple reason that we have CNN, Fox, MSNBC, TOTV etc. with a propensity to bring any horrible events to our attention. In the past we had 25 mins of national news which focused on the big issues of the day both national and international and local news was 10 minutes news, 10 minutes weather, and 10 minutes sports. So we didn't hear about murders in Oklahoma or kidnappings in Aruba, or have Nancy Grace and Gretta finding the attractive white female victim or suspect of the day to broadcast into our consciousness 60 minutes a day.
I don't know that this is the right thread for discussion of the pros and cons of raising the minimum wage and what impact it might have on crime. Crime occurs in all socio-economic groups (Bernie Madoff) but "street" crime is more common in lower SE groups. Envy or hunger, lack of role models, lack of education, or myriad other factors whatever the triggers crossover to crime is more likely to happen when there is hopelessness. When you and I were kids the country believed in upward mobility. Then if you got a job at Ford or in the steel mill or as a teacher you would be paid a wage that would support a family on one income and included fringe benefits and maybe even a pension. There are plenty of people here in TV living well on government or private industry pensions who came from poverty and had the great fortune to be born into an economy that had that kind of opportunity. Stay out of trouble and be willing to work hard and you will be well cared for by the structure of the nation. That economy is GONE. Even for college graduates, even with masters and doctorates there is no clear path to success.
Immigrants have always been a great asset to America. The people who are willing to travel across oceans or across borders are risk takers, hard workers, dreamers willing to take risks for the possibility of improving their lives and thereby the lives of their family and our community. Please let them keep coming. I certainly agree that if every American had the work ethic and gumption of our immigrants that would be a great thing. But it is not a realistic option. We are getting some of the best of the best willing to live here under minimum living standards and putting up with a foreign culture and language and by the way the highly negative attitude of a segment of our nation toward them, to have a chance. Suffice it to say that if we make our poor starving poor, hopeless poor, sick poor, desperate poor then the number who will turn to crime will only increase. "Only two of the 33 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) devote a smaller share of their economic output to programs that help poor families make ends meet than the United States – Mexico and South Korea." We are not over helping our disadvantaged. Too long a post. sorry