Comments on: Murder by the Numbers

By: Binky .357

Binky .357 — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 13:38:58 +0000

It would be interesting to cross-reference these “victims” names with their criminal records to see how many assaults, drug related offenses, etc… they’ve been charged with.

Now, that would be a revealing story. In fact, they ought to show the propensity for violence these “victims” have every time they cover their stories on the 10 o’clock news.

By: TBartel

TBartel — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:08:52 +0000

One little bit on why we included the three police shootings. They were homicides, in the strict sense of the word, although not murders. Homicide simply means the killing of one person by another. We should have been more precise in our language and titled the piece differently. Sorry.

That said, the story is about violence. Homicide is only one aspect of the violence in the city. Aggravated assaults are probably a more reliable measure of the violence than is murder.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:15:50 +0000

"Lots of assumptions there. Like, uh, single-parent families are always female-headed, and the kids never see their dads."

Only assumption I was making was that he was actually refering to father-absent households.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 23:55:08 +0000

"But those kids are just fine!"

Never said that. I acknowledged that they were at higher risk.

"(Cubbie's kid, on the other hand, is clearly fucked.) "

Never said that either. Just said that even if he's a regular Ward Cleaver, there's no guarantee that his kid won't turn out to be another John Wayne Gacy.

By: ranty

ranty — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 23:18:46 +0000

Lots of assumptions there. Like, uh, single-parent families are always female-headed, and the kids never see their dads.

But those kids are just fine!

(Cubbie's kid, on the other hand, is clearly fucked.)

Oh, and PS: Single parent families, particularly female-headed, ARE ALMOST ALWAYS poorer than two-parent families.

So yeah, economics factors in, but all of these things are connected.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 23:11:19 +0000

"As in, like, smoking a cigarette with their friends at school, or killing someone for their jersey?"

Either one. Take your pick.

By: ranty

ranty — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 23:04:47 +0000

ah, and nobody with a "good dad" who spent lots of time with the kids has EVER gone off the straight and narrow.

As in, like, smoking a cigarette with their friends at school, or killing someone for their jersey?

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 23:00:30 +0000

Oooh, name calling. At least my 1st grade nephew comes up with more interesting ones.

I've known plenty of people who grew up in single parent homes, that have turned out just fine. Sure, single family households are more at risk, but that has far more to do with the economic condition of the household.

But that wasn't the point I was making. Simply repsonding to your smug certainty that YOUR child isn't going to turn out like one of "them" because YOU'RE such a good daddy.

By: cubbie

cubbie — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:52:26 +0000

no wait, i take that back. mnblrmkrmnblr, make the argument that fathers are irrelevant to a child’s upbringing. convince me that kids who don’t know their dads are just as happy, educated, and successful as kids with strong fathers. come on, do it! ahh, never mind…it’s quittin time.

By: cubbie

cubbie — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:48:50 +0000

ah, and nobody with a "good dad" who spent lots of time with the kids has EVER gone off the straight and narrow.

nope. never. it's never happened in the history of the world. jackass.