Why now?

[406dn]

To much the same effect, I think George Floyd's murder has had such an impact because of its timing. Many other black men have been egregiously murdered by cops before this, and yet, this time, much more than any other, there was this huge and lasting huge effect on society. Why? I don't really know, but I think, perhaps, the news was ready for something else to replace whatever had been the current topic of the moment then.

Just some random thoughts from fly-over country.

The crucial factor in the reaction to George Floyd's murder was that it was all on video. Absent the video, the police tell their version of the event, and life goes on.

I just noticed that VikingsGuy made the same point earlier.

 

[BrentD]

The crucial factor in the reaction to George Floyd's murder was that it was all on video. Absent the video, the police tell their version of the event, and life goes on.

I just noticed that VikingsGuy made the same point earlier.

Sadly, there are many videos that seem pretty hideous to me. I generally try to avoid them all, and have succeeded in Floyd's case so perhaps that one is somehow worse. Certainly none sparked quite the same response. I still contend that timing is the most critical factor.

 

[Poke 'Em]

Removing God has consequences.

My opinion on why everything is going the way it is

Just pulled some data real quick...

 

[VikingsGuy]

Just pulled some data real quick...

View attachment 224827

Yup -- none of the proposed causes in the list I provided above clearly correlates with increased mass violence, except gun numbers.

 

[drexal]

I think they're calling it "mass shooting contagion theory" now and it definitely parallels other copycat type behavior like the whether effect. We know that there are future mass shooters out there, the problem is how to identify them. In regards to school shootings, the FBI has data that shows 75% felt bullied and/or threatened. A vast majority of the time, at least 1 other person (usually a peer or sibling) knew of the plan. The data also shows that almost every single time, others had prior concern about the shooters behavior. The question is... how do the right people recognize and rectify the problem before it becomes a crisis. There are a lot of children who grow up bullied and threatened and in subpar conditions. They are not all future mass shooters, but they can all be helped.

 

[Poke 'Em]

Yup -- none of the proposed causes in the list I provided above clearly correlates with increased mass violence, except gun numbers.

Yeah, except a loss of religious beliefs actually correlates NEGATIVELY with an increase in gun violence. That was the point of my chart. That chart pretty clearly shows a positive correlation to holding onto religious beliefs and gun violence.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Yeah, except a loss of religious beliefs actually correlates NEGATIVELY with an increase in gun violence. That was the point of my chart. That chart pretty clearly shows a positive correlation to holding onto religious beliefs and gun violence.

Be curious was the R on that is.

 

[3855WIN]

Homicide numbers have soared across the country the past two years, but based on cities with at least 100,000 population, Jackson’s per capita murder rate is the highest in the United States.

Neighborhood official: ‘There’s something wrong when Jackson’s murder rate is higher than Atlanta’

Homicide numbers soared the past two years, and Jackson has the highest per capita murder rate in the U.S. based on cities of at least 100,000.

mississippitoday.org

In 2016, Jackson had an unwed birth rate of 73%.

 

[longbow51]

Just pulled some data real quick...

View attachment 224827

Actually, this is neither here nor there. The hypothesis was that shooters lack a solid moral compass, which traditionally in this country has been based on Judeo- Christian values, instilled in the past through not only church/synagogue, but Boy Scouts, etc.

The data that we need is how many of the shooters, not just school, but all mass killers, say, in the last 30 years or so, attended church/synagogue regularly. And please let's not spin this off into cults like Jim Jones/Manson nor the Boston bombers. I think we can agree those are not representative.

So nothing about this addresses the actual shooters; that's the data we need.

 

[PrairieHunter]

I saw some alarming statistics on road rage shooting incidents across the country. Way up recently.

Seems like even little stuff like messing up a fast food order causes people to get violent, pull guns, etc... these days.

 

[JLS]

And then you have men of the cloth like Greg Locke. I’m sure his messages don’t drive violence and overall societal discourse.

Maybe it’s just a population density thing.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Let’s not forget all the folks willing to physically assault teachers, store clerks, flight attendants and others who were just trying to do their jobs during COVID and ask people to wear a mask.

The reality is violence has become an acceptable response to even the smallest perceived slight these days throughout our society. And in my experience, church-going folks are no better in this regard than the rest of the population at large.

 

[longbow51]

And then you have men of the cloth like Greg Locke. I’m sure his messages don’t drive violence and overall societal discourse.

Maybe it’s just a population density thing.

Maybe Chi/NYC, Baltimore, but Uvalde doesn't have many people. Anyway, pretty much beat this one to death.

 

[DouglasR]

Let’s not forget all the folks willing to physically assault teachers, store clerks, flight attendants and others who were just trying to do their jobs during COVID and ask people to wear a mask.

The reality is violence has become an acceptable response to even the smallest perceived slight these days throughout our society. And in my experience, church-going folks are no better in this regard than the rest of the population at large.

Maybe it’s not a flight attendant, teacher or store clerks job to tell someone to cover their face?
Maybe we have too many rules?
If you introduce a new rule and suddenly people start fighting each other... maybe it’s the new rules fault?
I’m pretty sure vikingsguy himself questioned the efficacy of masks at one point on here.
Too many rules.
Gotta let the people be free.

 

[Cheesehead]

My sense is the shootings will continue until they make the McRib a permanent item in the menu

 

[4ohSick]

Alight I'm going to come from left field and throw out an idea that's pretty much formulated in my half-conscious brain in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. So it's got some holes, but maybe will provide a welcome, if brief, diversion from the same old talking points being thrown around.

This plays off the ideas that have been brought up, but puts a different twist on them. I'm postulating that income inequality is a significant factor in the rise of mass shootings. The growth in the gap between median income and GDP corresponds roughly with the rise in mass shootings, as shown in this chart:


The majority of mass shooters seem to be suicidal, but it seems the desire to take as many people with them is a relatively new phenomenon. I think it's hard to argue that there's a desperation that is prevalent in the country, as so many people see no realistic path out of their current predicament. My half-baked theory is that part of the anger driving mass shooters is at the system that's made it so difficult to achieve upward mobility, so they wish to disrupt the system in the most extreme way they can.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

We see Social Groups rioting in the streets, destroying billions of Dollars of Real Estate in our cities. For the most part we are by-standers to all of this. Yet corporate contributions to BLM were in the 10s of Million and they called for the breakup of the Nuclear Family, one of the most mentioned causes for these crimes. The disrespect shown to all branches of Police, whether it is Police, Boarder Patrol is off the charts today. If you get caught a Soros DA will let you out or not press charges! If you don't show up at the local levels and vote to rid the system of the people pushing for these radical ideas, all you have to do is look in the Mirror to find the cause. John

 

[Randi]

Maybe it’s not a flight attendant, teacher or store clerks job to tell someone to cover their face?

It is, if whomever they work for, tells them that masks are required. If you dont like the rules dont fly with them, dont beat up a flight attendant and put all the other passengers in danger because you refuse to follow the rules that you knew about before you boarded ( or should have )

Also lets not forget how many MORE law enforcement deaths there were in 2021. If the 73 that died via a gun, knife, vehicle--19 were AMBUSED, compared to 6 in 2020. We need more police on the streets, and the judges need to let these people know that they will spend time behind bars if they commit a crime, not be out on the street the next day.

I am sure the mother and baby ( that was in a stroller ) who were deliberately hit by a car, hope the recall effort for the Los Angeles D.A. is successful, this time.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Maybe it’s not a flight attendant, teacher or store clerks job to tell someone to cover their face?

The fact of the matter is that it WAS those people’s job to ask, because their employers made it their job. They had zero say in making up the rules.

If you introduce a new rule and suddenly people start fighting each other... maybe it’s the new rules fault?

So people have no responsibility for their actions? I will point to that as another factor in our current societal problems.

I’m pretty sure vikingsguy himself questioned the efficacy of masks at one point on here.

I don’t think masks are effective either. Neither here nor there.

Too many rules.
Gotta let the people be free.

Freedom does not include resorting to violence just because you are offended.

 

[JLS]

Maybe Chi/NYC, Baltimore, but Uvalde doesn't have many people. Anyway, pretty much beat this one to death.

Except population density isn’t just that of where you live. In the digital age, we all can feel a great affect of population density as it’s amplified through online communication. It’s far easier to find and hear the angry folks of the world.