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2014-05-05 08:45 by Karl Denninger
in Social Issues , 1944 references Ignore this thread
The Real Gun Violence Issue *

Take away the astroturf games like the so-called grassroots organization(s) that sprung up (by magic!) out of Newtown and you wind up with a truly ugly truth when it comes to gun violence in this country: Most of it is gang-related, most of the gangs are in our inner cities, and our President, along with the rest of the so-called "mainstream media", simply refuses to address any of it.

Take a recent shooting in Chicago.  The media pictures of both shooter and victim are radically inaccurate measured against their own social media postings.

The truth about that particular shooting?  The gun, originally claimed to be stolen, wasn't.  It instead passed through a number of hands, at least one of them on probation and a second person who allegedly took the weapon to the shooter knowing it was going to be used to commit violence, a 30ish old aunt who allegedly went for the show (seriously!) someone who unjammed the gun after it malfunctioned and gave it back to the girl who had just tried to murder the victim but the weapon failed to fire.

Nor is that all.  We have another case where a "cute little charter-school graduate" (as presented by the family and the media) appears to have a bunch of social-media postings of her bearing weapons of all sorts, including a rather-large revolver that looks right out of a Clint Eastwood movie and a pump-action shotgun.  Oh, and this angel apparently capped at least two people before being killed herself.  She was 17.

Are we ever going to address this instead of playing Astroturf games with kids who are drugged up on various psychotropic meds and then go insane -- a rare but obviously far-too-common event? 

Probably not.

Why not?

Because our Black President won't talk about it.  Our liberal media won't talk about it.  And we won't talk about it either, nor will we bring to the forefront the fact that we have essentially invented this problem out of whole cloth by generating a welfare and police state that empowers gangs by giving them the fuel (money) on which they rely.

And how did we do that?  We declared various self-destructive behaviors among and between consenting adults unlawful, generating an entire second economic system under the carpet that was then used to justify a "war" that we ourselves created and then declared. 

The result has not only been a monstrously-high prison population it has also been an explosion of violence, without which we would be far down the list when it comes to the abuse of guns and property crimes.

Instead of admitting our stupidity in this regard just as is the case with the medical industry and its monopolist scams in the general case we have instead grown an entire industry around arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning huge numbers of people, most of them minorities. 

What's worse is that we are also watching them murder each other with wild abandon, while we sit in our chairs and refuse to talk about the statistical facts.

Indeed, if you take out black-on-black homicide in the major cities from our so-called "blood-red streets" that Bloomberg and others claim as our emblem of "endemic gun violence" you find that a number shockingly approaching three quarters (that is, well more than half) of all gun murders disappear.  

There is a basic principle when it comes to solving problems in the general sense, and it applies here as with most issues: 80% of any particular problem is easy to solve, and reasonably cheap.  The last 20% is both expensive and hard.

But we won't talk about the 80% or how it gets generated.  We don't want to talk about the fact that we create these gangs by giving them an underground economy fueled by what appears to be an innate desire of man to addle his own mind, and which we can actually track back to the animal kingdom generally!  

In the early part of the 20th Century we allowed power-brokers who were trying to protect their own industries to play on now-documented racism and false claims when it came to various drugs, with the now-iconic Reefer Madness being one of the poster children for that era.  We banned alcohol sales and created, almost overnight, an entire criminal class that shot up our cities and reaped huge amounts of profit from the desire of people to simply have a drink. The Depression effectively forced the end of Prohibition, but only for booze.

Today we have the worst of both worlds.  On the corner about two miles from my home is a store that has more forms of a popular drug in it than would be necessary to kill platoons of men, yet I can buy and consume as much of it as I desire.  In the gas station and grocery store I can buy still other forms of the same drug, again, limited only by my wallet.

At the same time in the nearest big city (and probably in my "nice" small town) there is a thriving underground economy.  Police officers with whom I'm acquainted tell me of the crack houses they bust with crude labs that threaten to blow up entire buildings -- not through terrorist action but rather because the "chemists" inside don't know what they're doing or don't care because they're too stoned to be concerned with reasonable safety precautions.  The mind-altering substances they produce are addled with God-knows-what, the ingredient list likely driven by whatever is cheapest to get as a diluting agent so as to "stretch" what they're producing for sale.  Some percentage of those drugs, along with mass-produced quantities in Mexico and elsewhere, stream into our major cities where the trade in them generates huge profits and massive amounts of violence, all aimed at "protecting" the highly-profitable trade in same.

Have we ever asked if the people who get hooked on meth and similar monstrously-destructive drugs would use them absent this pipeline of illegal supply and coercive sales capacity?  If those people could walk into any pharmacy and simply buy whatever you wanted, having only to prove they're of adult age, being supplied not only their drug of choice but also a pamphlet describing exactly what was in the package were buying and its expected long and short-term effects, would they? Would they rob and mug people if the price of maintaining their addiction was one tenth of what it costs today via illegal routes of supply?

Or would they choose to try something else -- perhaps a bottle of liquor or a pack of 20 Class A joints?

I don't know and neither does anyone else, but what we do know is that plenty of people were addicted to opiates and other drugs before the "War on Drugs" was launched, and a very significant percentage of them were able to hold down jobs and lead reasonably-productive lives.  Oh sure, they eventually got sick and some died, but what we didn't have was 17 year old kids shooting each other over insults, real or imagined, trumped up by what amounts to a trade war within our own borders.

I understand why Obama, Rahm and Bloomberg don't want to entertain this debate.  If they were to do so with someone like me they'd be in a very tough spot, because I'd put facts and figures in front of them and the audience might conclude that we've created not only a prison industry and siphons off tens of billions of dollars, not only have we destroyed the earnings power of millions, most of them minorities with these same policies, but in addition we have a more than 50-year history that says we cannot win this war nor do we give a good damn about those who die as a consequence of our puerile and outrageous policy pronouncements in this area, most-especially the young people of color who are overwhelmingly both victim and perpetrator.

Indeed, some people might conclude that our President and the rest of the drug-warriors are in fact racists of the highest order in that they're complicit in the murder of far more black people in a single year than the KKK ever hung from trees through its entire sordid history.

This much I'm absolutely certain of -- our black community organizer-cum-President surely doesn't want to face his rank hypocrisy on this issue.

Nor, for that matter, do the rest of the so-called Progressives.

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Comments on The Real Gun Violence Issue
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Archie 41 posts, incept 2014-02-11
2014-05-05 10:02:09

I say surround every major city with impenetrable 20-foot wall a-la Snake Plissken movies, allow the saner - i.e. those capable of holding skilled jobs and surviving a month drug-free detox - residents to leave, and supply the rest with enough food and ammo to last them a decade. Then go in guns a-blazing and reclaim what's remaining of the sites. That's what a real <i>War on Poverty</i> would look like...
Swampwoman 702 posts, incept 2009-12-06
2014-05-05 10:07:41

Lets also talk about the fact that both the black and white youth that did not graduate high school used to be able to work in manual-labor type jobs. Those jobs have been taken by illegal immigrants. Employers do not have to pay overtime or holiday pay or even minimum wage to illegals. No insurance. No workmen's comp.

Am I faulting the employers? *sigh* No. I know what it's like trying to comply with all the varying state, federal, and county regulations and still turn enough of a profit to stay in business.

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A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody." --Thomas Paine
Tickerguy 198k posts, incept 2007-06-26
2014-05-05 10:06:20

One Former Commenting Idiot wrote..
I say surround every major city with impenetrable 20-foot wall a-la Snake Plissken movies, allow the saner - i.e. those capable of holding skilled jobs and surviving a month drug-free detox - residents to leave, and supply the rest with enough food and ammo to last them a decade. Then go in guns a-blazing and reclaim what's remaining of the sites. That's what a real <i>War on Poverty</i> would look like...

So what you're saying is that if someone chooses to engage in a consensual adult behavior YOU DISAGREE WITH that they should be fenced in (that is, imprisoned) and subjected to whatever violence follows after YOU first initiate violence against them?

inline

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"Anyone wearing a mask will be presumed to be intending armed robbery and immediately shot in the face. Govern yourself accordingly."

Atlasrocked 833 posts, incept 2009-03-23
2014-05-05 10:13:19

Google "White Girl Bleed a Lot" for the whole story. Colin Flaherty is doing killer reporting on the race riots in the urban areas and their fringe.
Swampwoman 702 posts, incept 2009-12-06
2014-05-05 10:41:30

Jacksonville's mayor is promoting "waterproofing" Jacksonville, which is swimming lessons for the urban youth. The folks around here note that since most of the urban youth die from lead poisoning, the mayor should be "bulletproofing" Jacksonville instead.

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A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody." --Thomas Paine
Markreed99 705 posts, incept 2007-08-13
2014-05-05 11:03:02

Quote:

Lets also talk about the fact that both the black and white youth that did not graduate high school used to be able to work in manual-labor type jobs.


Young poor whites (including hispanics who also notoriously have a gang problem) have a tenth the homicide rate of young blacks. These blacks don't need to work because of the welfare state. It doesn't matter if there were more jobs for them. Also remember that youth unemployment is much worse in Europe without this gun violence demographic.
Reluctantdebtor 328 posts, incept 2010-03-05
2014-05-05 11:12:56

Major banks that have been conclusively identified as money launderers for drug cartels - and occasionally lightly slapped on the wrist for their crimes - must exert some of their considerable influence to maintain the "drug war". It's serious, savage, cynical Morlock/Eloi business.

Godzillaman 174 posts, incept 2010-06-10
2014-05-05 11:19:23

I think Archie was feeling so alive after attending the White House Correspondents Dinner yesterday.


Welcome to the REAL party pal.


Inline
Wwwild 81 posts, incept 2011-07-11
2014-05-05 12:19:40

"If those people could walk into any pharmacy and simply buy ... [at] ... one tenth of what it costs today via illegal routes of supply?"

But, based on the govt.'s taxing of Marijuana in CO won't they look at any such initiative as another way/excuse to strip mine the citizenry for more taxes?

Based on the anecdotal evidence I've read, which I'm not assuming is reliable, but in any case isn't there an illegal business opportunity for a black market to arise based on being able to avoid taxes, etc. and undercut the official channels? Also, wouldn't we run into the same problem with the Big Pharma monopoly protections, or are we hoping/assuming any sanity that would come in the illegal drugs arena might attack this area of low-hanging fruit too.

Appreciate your honesty in tackling this, but I also think we can all see how unlikely it is the govt. and entrenched PTB are going to give up the status quo (i.e. their money, power, etc.) willingly.
Tickerguy 198k posts, incept 2007-06-26
2014-05-05 12:20:11

So your answer is to either ignore the problem, applaud the problem (!!) as many of our politicians do, or.... what, exactly?

I'm quite serious in this request, by the way. One thing that I'm getting very short on tolerance with around here and in my life in general is those who say "well, that's hard and <X> won't do <Y>, so let's just bitch."

Fine, but bitch somewhere else 'cause I'm tired of hearing about it.

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"Anyone wearing a mask will be presumed to be intending armed robbery and immediately shot in the face. Govern yourself accordingly."

Geoffreyt 45 posts, incept 2011-08-18
2014-05-05 12:34:48

As for me, I'm going to ignore the whole mess. America understands the issues here. But I do thank those who spill ink exposing the situation. It gives congress something to think about.
Imhotep 950 posts, incept 2013-07-18
2014-05-05 12:52:32

The social media posts that law enforcement (solicitors/judges) ignore around here has been documented by www.charlestonthuglife.net for about 2-3 years.

Just a few from recent times...the "thugs" are now aware of the blog/website and some have started to tone down the idiotic pictures online
http://charlestonthuglife.net/2014/04/27....

http://charlestonthuglife.net/2014/04/25....

http://charlestonthuglife.net/2014/04/23....

http://charlestonthuglife.net/2014/04/22....

http://charlestonthuglife.net/2014/04/21....

http://charlestonthuglife.net/2014/04/05....

Mannfm11 8k posts, incept 2009-02-28
2014-05-05 12:58:00

This is the corporate state at work Karl. Get rid of the corporate state, the game changes.

I recall Detroit in the 1970's. Seems one year in the mid 70's, there were 1000 murders there. Detroit has been hollowed out, so Chicago is taking its place.

I think a lot of this problems starts with the welfare state and those trapped looking for a way out, coupled with a declining middle class based economy. Note it is the Wall Street elite that are waging this war. The very group that has played a huge role in passing competition restricting regulations and the center of asset stripping in the US.

I remember hearing around 1970 that Waco Texas had the highest murder rate in America. That was pretty wild territory, home of the Baptists. Waco had alcohol and it had beer joints. You couldn't get liquor by the drink in Texas at that time, except maybe in a private club. The cowboys from the country all carried guns. I think you had to go to Dallas to get a beer if you didn't go to Waco and everything west of there was dry. So, you had a saloon full of hicks from miles around, many of them armed. The first time I went to Waco, I was stunned as to how many bars were there.

All the bullcrap we are hearing on the social side of America, save the gay nonsense, revolves around the welfare state that entrapped black people. Seems if you oppose it your are racist, if you talk about it you are racist, if you want to try something else you are racist.

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The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable.---John Kenneth Galbraith
Tweell 68 posts, incept 2013-11-24
2014-05-05 13:06:28

Ah, but that War On (some) Drugs provides the government with a handy boogeyman and allows them powers that would not be granted otherwise.

As a libertarian I endorse the legalization of drugs. We have made prescription pain medication both expensive and hard to get, the illegal kind is readily available and much cheaper. Like Prohibition, this needs to end.

One caveat - providing addictive drugs to minors should be punished harshly. Anyone doing so for the purpose of sex... death penalty.
Mannfm11 8k posts, incept 2009-02-28
2014-05-05 13:07:48

(sorry that posted before I was done)

Karl is correct. I have felt for close to 30 years they should drop the drug laws and put together pictures of recent casualties and put them in the paper. Put Meth under one picture, Bourbon under another, Heroin under another. Unfortunately, there isn't a young readership of newspapers, so maybe they have to be popup ads on the net.

Automobiles and alcohol kill a hell of a lot more people than guns in the US. Merely detoxing off alcohol kills people. Heroin doesn't kill you this way. Yet the idea of banning alcohol and automobiles is foreign.

The political landscape is going to have to move a long way to solve this problem. I believe DC has to move back within its Constitutional bounds. They need to end the wars. War on drugs, war on crime, war on poverty, war on everything else. Much of this has been discussed here. Go back to appointment of Senators. It is fat cats like Bloomberg that gain power from these elections. I can only hope he pushed the wrong button on the elevator when he claimed to earn his position in heaven. When you have arrogant assholes like that with power, we may all end up in hell.

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The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable.---John Kenneth Galbraith
Tickerguy 198k posts, incept 2007-06-26
2014-05-05 13:08:39

Quote:
I can only hope he pushed the wrong button on the elevator when he claimed to earn his position in heaven.

Anyone audacious enough to make such a pronouncement is someone I expect to meet again -- as we both greet the man in the Red Suit.

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"Anyone wearing a mask will be presumed to be intending armed robbery and immediately shot in the face. Govern yourself accordingly."
Godzillaman 174 posts, incept 2010-06-10
2014-05-05 14:02:05

Wwwild ask N.Y.. They bitch when people smoke, then when people use their freedom of choice and find other means of purchasing smoking products"e-cigs, out of state or just people quitting" they bitch they lost revenue that was to go into research on tobacco related illness but ended up going into general funds.

They can't survive unless they do this song and dance of hypocrisy.

Let's play fantasyland Wwwild (By the way is what you are saying). If everybody stopped smoking your taxes would go up. And before you say well medical costs will go down (another fantasy by current model) it would be offset by that money has already been spent and people would live longer, thus sucking more life out of S.S..

Just like male enhancement products such as Viagra have increased your taxes because we all heard the studies that say people who have sex, live longer.

Stop thinking that drug use by consenting adults is the scourge and frankly it's none of your business what people want to ingest (as stupid as it may be) and pretty sick of hearing "what about the children?". Then stop having kids knowing dam well the world we are in. Ya I'm sure not showing Osama Bin Ladin's body would offend children more than drone striking innocents (Children).

It's people like you who are the real drug dealers and turned my nation into a prison by promoting no legal recourse of liability and just sitting there eating Cheetos because you believe you are worthless. Thus consenting to this mess.

Oh by the way Alcohol is drug. Everyone please stop using the term Alcohol and drugs. It give a false sense that there is difference.

100% of drug dealers and promoters (Justice system) do NOT want drugs illegal. You know why?
That means no more BMW's, staying up late, getting up late, and actully have to work in a shitty environment like the rest of us.

Did anyone hear about the cop in AZ. That was pushing out of his car and protecting certain dealers territories.

Ya remember Robocop of Schenectady N.Y.?

The list goes on and on and on.

Meth manufactures don't have to comply to OSHA but you do.

Inline
Mannfm11 8k posts, incept 2009-02-28
2014-05-05 14:02:37

God has died and Bloomberg has taken his spot. That is how fascists are.

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The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable.---John Kenneth Galbraith
Godzillaman 174 posts, incept 2010-06-10
2014-05-05 23:10:13

Imhotep, love the posts. I bookmarked it about a month or so ago.
I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Are these people that dumb not realizing that the whole world has access to what there shenanigans?

Did I just say shenanigans?

At least make someone work for the info! GOD!

Shooting in a barrel I say.



Thank you Imhotep. Pile it high and deep!


Inline
Davidcrue 391 posts, incept 2011-07-23
2014-05-06 06:52:42

Quote:
But, based on the govt.'s taxing of Marijuana in CO won't they look at any such initiative as another way/excuse to strip mine the citizenry for more taxes?

Based on the anecdotal evidence I've read, which I'm not assuming is reliable, but in any case isn't there an illegal business opportunity for a black market to arise based on being able to avoid taxes, etc. and undercut the official channels?

An ounce through a dispensary in CO will cost around $160, for what today is considered a medium level of "medical quality" (and twenty years ago would have been considered the most fantastic stuff ever). You'll pay quite a lot more for the same amount, of much poorer stuff, in most of the country. And the MJ from the CO dispensary was taxed. Colorado took in 3.5 million in taxes on marijuana in January of this year.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillip....

Currently, the situation is that Colorado can levy a variety of state and local taxes that translates to anywhere from 13% up to just over 21%, and it is still a great deal easier and cheaper to get marijuana than most other states. And you'll be getting better weed to boot.

Since Colorado took down most of the onerous restrictions, growers have been actively competing for some time to develop new, better, stronger (more attractive, but people are weird) strains. People can now quote you the THC percentage in their favorite "brand". I was in Colorado during the last few years, and it was so odd to watch.
Ckaminski 7k posts, incept 2011-04-08
2014-05-19 07:11:47

This article caught some air-time over at http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/problem-....

Tickerguy 198k posts, incept 2007-06-26
2014-05-19 07:13:39

Oh, this guy wants a new asshole?

I'll be happy to provide that.

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"Anyone wearing a mask will be presumed to be intending armed robbery and immediately shot in the face. Govern yourself accordingly."
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