U.S.is exporting crime and terror to Canada

[Zero Sum 305]

Bingo!

You're right. It's quite obvious very few, if any, of the people posting in this thread gave any thought to the issues being explored in the OP article.

Regardless of how one feels about guns, gun laws, the Second Amendment, or the fact that each society is distinct and should live by its own laws and customs, there are some stunning statistical facts to consider.

There were 179 shooting deaths in all of Canada in 2009. Canada’s Population was almost 34 million people. There were 376 shooting deaths in Chicago in 2009. The population of Chicago was less than 3 million.

Everything else being equal, who wouldn't want to reduce those 376 shooting deaths? Who wouldn't find that statistic shocking? I'm not saying I have the recipe: more guns, less guns. Stricter gun laws, laxer ones. I'm just saying that if 376 people were gunned down in one large US city in 2009, maybe there's a problem here.

Here is the last installment in the WBEZ series, this one regarding the political aspects of NRA lobbying in US vs. Canada.

It's obvious to me.

Does Burlington have slums, ghettos, projects, hoods, crack spots, heroin spots, prostitution, drug infested neighborhoods, and gang infested neighborhoods?

If you really want to know then travel to the most run down part of Burlington, and take a walk, talk to the people, hang out for a day.

Then go to the worst part of Chicago, hop out, and do the same...You'll get your answer (if you make it out alive!!!)

Sometimes its pure psychology to drive thru Englewood on the way to Midway. Or bus through. Still here.

[slim 1,530]

The Constitution isn't a Fundamentalist text that is to be taken literally-

Really? If that's the case, then why would the founders have made it so simple and plain?

I cringe each time I hear an elected official say, "Well, that's why they wrote it like that, so we could interpret it to mean this." Appalling, really.

and reading it makes it clear where a legal framework is established to apply its principles. Public safety and the common good are part of that application.

Absolutely. But, I'm not sure where you're getting the "we can interpret it to mean this." Everything in that document is clearly spelled out in simple, easy to read words that common people of that day (and this) could understand.

The only people who seem to misunderstand that are those who are "smart enough" to look for alternative meanings.

You're asking him to read something and try and understand the context of it? You silly lib, Slim is immune to your librul speak of logic and comprehension!

Or I'm just open to literal meaning and application instead of, "this is how I see it."

[Zero Sum 305]

South Chicago and Gary, Indiana...two places to avoid.

A new velodrome is being built along US-41 in South Chicago. Its looking beautiful. And the old steel mills there are being slowly returned to service. Some really good Mexican hole-in-the-wall establishments as well. Never have had a problem in that area.

As for Gary... a very sad sight for these eyes. The Jackson house is pretty depressing to see. Miller beach has some really nice and surprisingly safe lakefront rentals. Obviously its different to live in the ghetto parts, particularly in Gary. But every time I go to the Dunes I drive through and have never had any problems. Maybe part of it has to do with the attitude and outlook we import into those areas as visitors (and sometimes residents).

[Zero Sum 305]

Really? If that's the case, then why would the founders have made it so simple and plain?

I cringe each time I hear an elected official say, "Well, that's why they wrote it like that, so we could interpret it to mean this." Appalling, really.

Absolutely. But, I'm not sure where you're getting the "we can interpret it to mean this." Everything in that document is clearly spelled out in simple, easy to read words that common people of that day (and this) could understand.

The only people who seem to misunderstand that are those who are "smart enough" to look for alternative meanings.

Or I'm just open to literal meaning and application instead of, "this is how I see it."

No slim, public safety is pretty clear to interpret to mean we should do rational things to keep dangerous weapons whose only use is to deprive living things of life out of the hands of people whose purpose is to do exactly that to other people. Sadly, we fail in the prevention end when we let ourselves get caught up in Constitutional semantics in order to take a 'right' to an unhealthy extreme.

This is not an example of reading a 200+ year old document literally, its about using some common sense, with some very easy logic.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

A new velodrome is being built along US-41 in South Chicago. Its looking beautiful. And the old steel mills there are being slowly returned to service. Some really good Mexican hole-in-the-wall establishments as well. Never have had a problem in that area.

As for Gary... a very sad sight for these eyes. The Jackson house is pretty depressing to see. Miller beach has some really nice and surprisingly safe lakefront rentals. Obviously its different to live in the ghetto parts, particularly in Gary. But every time I go to the Dunes I drive through and have never had any problems. Maybe part of it has to do with the attitude and outlook we import into those areas as visitors (and sometimes residents).

Gary is a beautiful city, needs a bit of sprucing up and some way to stop the gun violence. Not sure what it is, I can remember Evanston going through that "phase" but Brown's Chicken Massacre wasn't a one-off I fear.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

No slim, public safety is pretty clear to interpret to mean we should do rational things to keep dangerous weapons whose only use is to deprive living things of life out of the hands of people whose purpose is to do exactly that to other people. Sadly, we fail in the prevention end when we let ourselves get caught up in Constitutional semantics in order to take a 'right' to an unhealthy extreme.

This is not an example of reading a 200+ year old document literally, its about using some common sense, with some very easy logic.

Firearms and cars have roughly the same kill rate +/-15 per 100,000 in a year.

But when you subtract suicides firearm deaths drop to about 8.

IMO, firearms are not dangerous enough to ban.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

No slim, public safety is pretty clear to interpret to mean we should do rational things to keep dangerous weapons whose only use is to deprive living things of life out of the hands of people whose purpose is to do exactly that to other people. Sadly, we fail in the prevention end when we let ourselves get caught up in Constitutional semantics in order to take a 'right' to an unhealthy extreme.

This is not an example of reading a 200+ year old document literally, its about using some common sense, with some very easy logic.

What about the preamble, doesn't it count for anything? Provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare and all that. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness might have something to do with not getting shot.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Gary is a beautiful city, needs a bit of sprucing up and some way to stop the gun violence. Not sure what it is, I can remember Evanston going through that "phase" but Brown's Chicken Massacre wasn't a one-off I fear.

Gary and south Chicago is nothing that can't be fixed by a army of D9 bulldozers.

[^_^ 5,021]

Gary and south Chicago is nothing that can't be fixed by a army of D9 bulldozers.

In your bulldozer fantasy, do the residents of those areas get to leave first?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

In your bulldozer fantasy, do the residents of those areas get to leave first?

I'm going to take the 5th on that one.

[^_^ 5,021]

I'm going to take the 5th on that one.

That you could not get yourself to say you'd let them leave first has been duly noted

[The_Dude 1,142]

I'm going to take the 5th on that one.

It's not like your response is anything new. I suppose next, you'll join paul in suggesting eugenics as a social modification tool.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Firearms and cars have roughly the same kill rate +/-15 per 100,000 in a year.

But when you subtract suicides firearm deaths drop to about 8.

IMO, firearms are not dangerous enough to ban.

More people die from heart attacks than from gun violence but it's not the same. Let's use your comparison. Cars have what purpose? To function as conveyances. What is the purpose of a gun? To function as weapon, you really can't hammer nails with a gun. We have strict regulations for operating motor vehicles and unsafe drivers and vehicles can easily be discovered. Guns can be concealed and due to their portability are much more likely to be used in the commission of a crime. Tracing a car isn't too difficult, you can't hide it in your pocket, that's not true with a gun. I don't know if banning firearms is the solution but something's got to be done.

[Zero Sum 305]

Gary is a beautiful city, needs a bit of sprucing up and some way to stop the gun violence. Not sure what it is, I can remember Evanston going through that "phase" but Brown's Chicken Massacre wasn't a one-off I fear.

Brown's... what a tragedy that was! Palatine, I think it was. Last I drove up there, quite a lot of McMansions.

Evanston is on the lake, but as far as I remember (save for the parts south of Dempster towards Chicago city limits) had a bit of a reputation that are mostly gone due to new construction and better public services that have offered better housing options all-around. Now what were once seedy drug houses are Northwestern student coops.

Gary does have its cute parts, ironically. Northwest Indiana is odd like that. Steel mill, old prohibition safehouses, and beautiful lakefront and inland parks that don't have dead bodies or car parts waiting to be discovered.

Firearms and cars have roughly the same kill rate +/-15 per 100,000 in a year.

But when you subtract suicides firearm deaths drop to about 8.

IMO, firearms are not dangerous enough to ban.

Totally agree. The don't need to be banned. We need to mature up and target the criminals and people most apt to use them in a way contrary to public safety.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Gary and south Chicago is nothing that can't be fixed by a army of D9 bulldozers.

CAT is opening up a bulldozer plant in the area, that's great news.