Opinion: The Deadliest Global City - Chicago

[X Factor 1,112]

Opinion: The Deadliest Global City

Chicago likes to compare itself to other world cities, so Ward Room thought it would find out how we rank in violence.

It turns out no one can top us.

Among what are considered Alpha world cities, Chicago has the highest murder rate -- higher even than the Third World metropolises of Mexico City and Sao Paolo.

Here’s how we rank in murders per 100,000 among cities we consider our peers, based on a projected murder total of 505 for this year.

Singapore 0.4

Tokyo 0.5

Hong Kong 0.6

Berlin 1.0

Sydney 1.0

London 1.4

Toronto 1.7

Amsterdam 1.8

Paris 4.4

New York 6.0

Los Angeles 7.5

Mexico City 8.0

Moscow 9.6

Sao Paulo 15.6

Chicago 19.4

We could be doing worse: Caracas, Venezuela has a murder rate of 130 per 100,000. But its undeniable that the Windy City is under seige.

Gun lovers are gleeful about Chicago’s deadly summer. They see it as a rebuke not just to gun control, but to the policies of Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel.

But Chicago’s murder rate is not proof that gun control doesn’t work. It’s proof that, in a country with one gun per citizen, local gun laws are meaningless.

Let’s look at Tokyo, one of the safest cities on that list, with a murder rate of 0.5 per 100,000 citizens. Japan’s constitution does not guarantee its citizens the right to bear arms. Handguns are prohibited. Semi-automatic weapons are prohibited. Automatic rifles are prohibited. The only exceptions are hunting shotguns and target-shooting pistols. The penalty for illegal possession of a gun is up to 15 years in prison. Japan has a population of 127 million. In 2006, two people were murdered with guns.

Japan starts with the principle that citizens have no right to a gun, and forces them to prove they need one. The United States starts with the principle that guns are an inalienable right, and forces the government to justify banning them.

The number-one factor in predicting crime is not guns -- or lack of guns. It is concentrated urban poverty. Because of Chicago’s history as a segregated city, we have a lot of that.

My link

[X Factor 1,112]

Chicago Mayor, enough with the Chick Fil A commments - Chicago got serious problems!

[natty bumppo 297]

Chicago Mayor, enough with the Chick Fil A commments - Chicago got serious problems!

it's called deflection and denial

Edited August 1, 2012 by natty bumppo

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

it's called deflection and denial

grandstanding is more like it.

[natty bumppo 297]

grandstanding is more like it.

that too

[SMR 368]

Opinion: The Deadliest Global City

Singapore 0.4

Tokyo 0.5

Hong Kong 0.6

Berlin 1.0

Sydney 1.0

London 1.4

Toronto 1.7

Amsterdam 1.8

Paris 4.4

New York 6.0

Los Angeles 7.5

Mexico City 8.0

Moscow 9.6

Sao Paulo 15.6

Chicago 19.4

So what's the criteria for being a city that Chicago considers one of its peers. Amsterdam, made the list with a population of only 790,000. Some global power cities like Dubai, Shanghai, Beijing, and Mumbai didn't make the list. The article is based on an incredibly arbitrary assumption.

The assertion that gun control fails to curb crime in Chicago because gun control is less stringent in other areas ignores the fact that crime is less in other areas. Why don't legal guns in Ohio contribute to crime in Kentucky?

Edited August 1, 2012 by SMR

[justashooter 430]

I can't tell you all what the problem is on this board without being banned.

but that's OK, you know what it is already.

[lostinblue 1,989]

I can't tell you all what the problem is on this board without being banned.

but that's OK, you know what it is already.

Mitt talked about culture on his overseas trip and it does matter. You have the culture of drug use,out of wedlock marriage,40-50 percent of the population will not finish basic highschool. Everything liberals support. People are getting "shot like a dog" because of a throw away culture in the cities. A failed liberal policy is responsible from the begining for this mess. Now they desire to harm the honest people for the failure of the liberal governments mistakes.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Mitt talked about culture on his overseas trip and it does matter. You have the culture of drug use,out of wedlock marriage,40-50 percent of the population will not finish basic highschool. Everything liberals support. People are getting "shot like a dog" because of a throw away culture in the cities. A failed liberal policy is responsible from the begining for this mess. Now they desire to harm the honest people for the failure of the liberal governments mistakes.

you can blame the majority of shootings on gang culture

[HeatDeath 430]

Watch or read Freakonomics. Tokyo's murder stats are going to be ridiculously minimized. The police there won't label any homicide a murder until and unless they have the perp in custody. Until then it's just an "abandoned body".

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Watch or read Freakonomics. Tokyo's murder stats are going to be ridiculously minimized. The police there won't label any homicide a murder until and unless they have the perp in custody. Until then it's just an "abandoned body".

suicide is probably more prevalent

[X Factor 1,112]

suicide is probably more prevalent

Yes suicide is a significant national social-issue with one of the world's highest suicide rate.

[Darnell 8,479]

Perhaps Chicago will lose it's 'Alpha City' designation soon? That'd be cool, really.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Mitt talked about culture on his overseas trip and it does matter. You have the culture of drug use,out of wedlock marriage,40-50 percent of the population will not finish basic highschool. Everything liberals support. People are getting "shot like a dog" because of a throw away culture in the cities. A failed liberal policy is responsible from the begining for this mess. Now they desire to harm the honest people for the failure of the liberal governments mistakes.

What the hell is "out of wedlock marriage"?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What the hell is "out of wedlock marriage"?

A clear sign of confusion.