Violence in America

[Olomi_811 130]

I have lived in Philadelphia for the last 6 years. I go through spurts where I don't watch the news, because it's predictable. Someone shot. Someone robbed. Someone in the hospital as a result of violence. My husband asked me months ago if people just go around shooting others as he has seen on the world news. I couldn't tell him no, because compared to what his life experiences are it is true. Also didn't tell him no due to Philly usually reigning in the highest number of homicides.

Thankfully, I have not encountered violence, but I worry from time to time about the safety of my husband once he is here and starts to venture out on his own. I know he's Lagos streetwise I'm praying he will be Philly savvy as well.

For those who are new to the US, what was your impression of the violence in America? Have you experienced misfortune while here? To the USC, have you given thought to this issue? What precautions have you taken for your spouse/intended?

[Calicolom 266]

Yea old dangeres Philly, at least when you get shot, you dead, in Africa they don’t shoot you, they just cut your arms and legs off with a Machete.

[Darnell 8,479]

suggest you take your husband to a gun range, get proficient with a pistol.

[Iyawo Ijebu 157]

I have lived in Philadelphia for the last 6 years. I go through spurts where I don't watch the news, because it's predictable. Someone shot. Someone robbed. Someone in the hospital as a result of violence. My husband asked me months ago if people just go around shooting others as he has seen on the world news. I couldn't tell him no, because compared to what his life experiences are it is true. Also didn't tell him no due to Philly usually reigning in the highest number of homicides.

Thankfully, I have not encountered violence, but I worry from time to time about the safety of my husband once he is here and starts to venture out on his own. I know he's Lagos streetwise I'm praying he will be Philly savvy as well.

For those who are new to the US, what was your impression of the violence in America? Have you experienced misfortune while here? To the USC, have you given thought to this issue? What precautions have you taken for your spouse/intended?

Lagos boys no dey carry last, he'll be fine I'm sure We have some downright alarmingly dangerous areas and elements in Lagos too.

The only thing I would be careful for is to make sure he knows the 'hoods and where not to venture into.

For example, the city I live in, Monrovia, California, is as crime free as they come in SoCal but East LA, Compton, Watts are just a quick 20 minutes and a wrong exit off of the freeway away by mistake.

As Africans and especially Nigerians we're very friendly and he'll just have to be careful but not overly cautious on a paranoid level.

My greatest issue was the first time I was called the N word.

Re Guns, it's not for everyone and for sure not for a new entrant, IMHO. We're not a gun crazed society in Nigeria, it's actually outright illegal to posses a firearm so I'll be careful on that. I mean we didn't grow up with Uncle Bob and his gun collection, firing ranges, etc like the average USC.

[Olomi_811 130]

Yea old dangeres Philly, at least when you get shot, you dead, in Africa they don’t shoot you, they just cut your arms and legs off with a Machete.

LOL...so wrong for this

[Olomi_811 130]

Lagos boys no dey carry last, he'll be fine I'm sure We have some downright alarmingly dangerous areas and elements in Lagos too.

The only thing I would be careful for is to make sure he knows the 'hoods and where not to venture into.

For example, the city I live in, Monrovia, California, is as crime free as they come in SoCal but East LA, Compton, Watts are just a quick 20 minutes and a wrong exit off of the freeway away by mistake.

As Africans and especially Nigerians we're very friendly and he'll just have to be careful but not overly cautious on a paranoid level.

My greatest issue was the first time I was called the N word.

Re Guns, it's not for everyone and for sure not for a new entrant, IMHO. We're not a gun crazed society in Nigeria, it's actually outright illegal to posses a firearm so I'll be careful on that. I mean we didn't grow up with Uncle Bob and his gun collection, firing ranges, etc like the average USC.

I won't have a gun in my home so no worries there.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I have lived in Philadelphia for the last 6 years. I go through spurts where I don't watch the news, because it's predictable. Someone shot. Someone robbed. Someone in the hospital as a result of violence. My husband asked me months ago if people just go around shooting others as he has seen on the world news. I couldn't tell him no, because compared to what his life experiences are it is true. Also didn't tell him no due to Philly usually reigning in the highest number of homicides.

Thankfully, I have not encountered violence, but I worry from time to time about the safety of my husband once he is here and starts to venture out on his own. I know he's Lagos streetwise I'm praying he will be Philly savvy as well.

For those who are new to the US, what was your impression of the violence in America? Have you experienced misfortune while here? To the USC, have you given thought to this issue? What precautions have you taken for your spouse/intended?

There is virtually no violence in Vermont. We walk everywhere, anytime we want. Very clean and almost no crime.

Alla

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I live in a safe neighborhood in southern California. My son and I are ok with gun and other methods of personal protection. My husband fusses about how everyone has guns. In Nigeria only the criminals have guns, which is safer ? I lived in Arizona for a few years and there everyone can open carry and you didn't see the type of ill mannered youth that you do in southern California. In Lagos I would hear guns almost nightly. Here I hear them on the forth and New Years.

[TBoneTX 45,918]

Common wisdom in the news business is, "if it bleeds, it leads." This means that the most graphic stories get the headlines and the air time.

(You wouldn't often see "Crime Shortage Grips City" as a headline, no man.)

[feli114 65]

I live in New Mexico. You can sleep with your doors open and no one will bother you. My fiance is used to big cities and crowds. He likes the hustle and bustle. I don't. So we will have to discuss, and I mean discuss, moving. I have a sister in Philly and I only go there for reunions. I'm just praying that he will like it here and not want to move.

[Kehinde 45]

Yea old dangeres Philly, at least when you get shot, you dead, in Africa they don't shoot you, they just cut your arms and legs off with a Machete.

Dammit Man I hope these people go to jail for life. I think I"d rather you

just kill me cos i would not want to live like that.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Olami

[Iyawo Ijebu 157]

I live in a safe neighborhood in southern California. My son and I are ok with gun and other methods of personal protection. My husband fusses about how everyone has guns. In Nigeria only the criminals have guns, which is safer ? I lived in Arizona for a few years and there everyone can open carry and you didn't see the type of ill mannered youth that you do in southern California. In Lagos I would hear guns almost nightly. Here I hear them on the forth and New Years.

Easy answer, the USA. If you were on the ground during the Subsidy protest then the answer would be clear to you too

Here in the USA, we have a well trained and professional Police force, that coupled with the fact that most citizens can legally buy a Gun then I'll take my chances here in the US.

In Nigeria I fear the Police with AK47 (not the thugs) and I can't avoid them, in the US I fear the gang members with AK47 (not the police) but I can avoid them.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Iyawo Ijebu

[Iyawo Ijebu 157]

Dammit Man I hope these people go to jail for life. I think I"d rather you

just kill me cos i would not want to live like that.

Nope they won't. It's called jungle justice, not in favour of it as I like due process of justice.

[Kehinde 45]

I have lived in Philadelphia for the last 6 years. I go through spurts where I don't watch the news, because it's predictable. Someone shot. Someone robbed. Someone in the hospital as a result of violence. My husband asked me months ago if people just go around shooting others as he has seen on the world news. I couldn't tell him no, because compared to what his life experiences are it is true. Also didn't tell him no due to Philly usually reigning in the highest number of homicides.

Thankfully, I have not encountered violence, but I worry from time to time about the safety of my husband once he is here and starts to venture out on his own. I know he's Lagos streetwise I'm praying he will be Philly savvy as well.

For those who are new to the US, what was your impression of the violence in America? Have you experienced misfortune while here? To the USC, have you given thought to this issue? What precautions have you taken for your spouse/intended?

Everybody talks about Lagos like bad, but i have been there 3 times in the Ogun state area and nobody ever bothered me or my little boy. At night if we wanted to go out we went as a group (never alone). I think as long as you play it safely you will be safe. I never saw anybody hurting anybody. But I did see a few people in homemade wheel chairs.

[kate&javi 26]

Honduras is WAY more dangerous than from where I'm from in the USA. Here, homes always have gates, barbed wire, etc. I told my fiance that my parent's house doesn't even have a front gate or fence, that people can just walk up to the door and ring the doorbell. He responded to me by saying that the first night, he probably won't sleep too well. People here are used to the violence, used to locking everything up, used to being paranoid walking on the street because you never know who will walk or drive by you and if they have a gun or not. It's not like that where I live in the US, and I'm so thankful for that. Hopefully my fiance can adjust to it

Common wisdom in the news business is, "if it bleeds, it leads." This means that the most graphic stories get the headlines and the air time.

(You wouldn't often see "Crime Shortage Grips City" as a headline, no man.)

Seriously, that's the very FIRST thing that I learned in Journalism school. No joke. It was the first sentence out of my Journalism professor's mouth!