The propaganda blast is beginning, again. Given the nature of propaganda campaigns, you can expect this stuff will be featured in the '08 election:
Experts said these increases buttress reports from the FBI and many mayors and police chiefs that violent crime is beginning to rise after a long decline. Bush administration officials expressed concern but stressed that it was too soon to tell if a new upward trend in violence had begun.
Last year, there were two violent gun crimes for every 1,000 individuals, compared with 1.4 in 2004, according to the department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. There were 2.6 robberies for every 1,000 persons, compared with 2.1 the year before.
"This report tells us more the serious events — robbery and gun crimes — increased and the FBI already told us homicides increased," said criminal justice professor James Alan Fox of Northeastern University.
The noise is present here in Milwaukee, too--ironically, the loudest drums are being beaten by the Conservative talkers...
Fortunately, John Lott provides measures which are grounded in reality:
...so that you can see that since the last full year of Clinton's administration, the violent crime rate has fallen by 23 percent (15 percent since 2001). Since so much weight is put on robbery, it has fallen by 19 percent since the end of Clinton (7 percent since 2001, though again I think that it is hard to see any pattern since 2001).
How does one use the violent crime numbers reported to justify the statement that experts believe that "violent crime is beginning to rise after a long decline"?
Violent Crime Rate: 1985 45.2 1990 44.1 1995 46 1998 35.9 1999 32 2000 27.3 2001 24.6 2002 22.7 2003 22.2 2004 21 2005 20.9
Umnnnhhhh...since 1985, "Violent Crime" has dropped from 45.2 to 20.9. THIS is ominous?
One could note that in every year SINCE 1985, more States have allowed Concealed-Carry. Only Illinois and Wisconsin prohibit CCW at this time (although some other States make it difficult.)
Now THERE's a trend-comparison which would be interesting--and fact-based.
Why concealed-carry? Folk who have an urge to tote ought to have to open-carry, then the rest of us know who to avoid disagreeing with......
ReplyDeleteOK by me.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, people who "open-carry" in Wisconsin are subject to arrest under vague municipal ordinances about "disturbing the peace" or some such BS.
If agreement were reached which prohibited such arrests, then open carry is fine.
However, Karen--think of it this way: there are NO license requirements for open carry; there WILL be license requirements for CCW.
So which would you rather have? Open carry by anyone who can afford a $125.00 handgun, or CCW only by people who pass the screenings, tests, etc.?