New generation of US violence

[Thap]

The 10-year-old son of a divorced American couple shot his father dead as he was being picked up from his mother's home in Texas, police say.

The boy reportedly fired from the back seat and then from outside the car, using his mother's gun.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3609598.stm

Now why 'only in America', what is being done to curb gun ownership and eradicate this culture of violence in the US?

[Madhanee]

guns dont kill people.... everyone in switzerland owns a gun.

[armughal]

errrmm....
the government is trying to educate the people not to kill their own people but rather go and kill afghanis and iraqis????

[Madhanee]

and Bengalis....by the dozens. oopss..by the millions i mean.

[Thap]

Originally posted by Madhanee:
guns dont kill people.... everyone in switzerland owns a gun.

So why are 10 year olds in the US shooting their fathers?

Whatsis the difference apart from the lakes and Alps concentrated in a small geographic area?

[Seminole]

Re: New generation of US violence

Originally posted by Thap:

Now why 'only in America', what is being done to curb gun ownership and eradicate this culture of violence in the US?

You make it sound as if sweeping stretches of US tterritory are wildlands where extremists run wild, sectarian violence kills hundreds annually and American leaders are under constant assasinations attempts. Really, it's not that all bad or the only country experiencing a 'culture of violence'.

[MyStiCaL_MisS]

Originally posted by Madhanee:
everyone in switzerland owns a gun.

if thats true, then why do they own guns..

Some Stats.. Top 5 countries with the highest criminal records..

Crime: Total crimes (Top 100 Countries)

Country Description
1. United States 23,677,800 (1999)
2. Germany 6,264,723 (2000)
3. United Kingdom 5,170,831 (2000)
4. France 3,771,849 (2000)
5. South Africa 3,422,743 (2000)

[Thap]

10 year olds shooting their fathers, and apparently not just accidently by the gun going off.

This sort of thing just doesn't happen often thank God but why at all? Guns around and easy to obtain, culture of violence (American projects gun boat politics abroad and this is now seen as acceptable recourse to settle disputes at home too?) or what?

A 10 year old!

[Madhanee]

Check out the stats,,, guys USA in terms of Total Crime per capita is below that of United Kingdom. Eye opening I must say.

I don't see Thap highlighting the fact that UK is ahead of USA in terms of Total Crime per Capita.

[Gamma Dilation]

Originally posted by armughal:
errrmm....
the government is trying to educate the people not to kill their own people but rather go and kill afghanis and iraqis????

there is a difference between eradicating domestic violence and eradicating terrorism. Freedom must prevail.

[armughal]

Originally posted by Gamma Dilation:


there is a difference between eradicating domestic violence and eradicating terrorism. Freedom must prevail.

am sure iraqis and afghanis r not very amused by the idea of freedom which must have them bombed and shot down by foreigners in their own homes....

[ak47]

Amerikka has a violent culture which leads to violence against women against neighbours and anyone else lets face it.

You have got Canada the neighbours of the US of da A who probably have the same amount of guns per household but i doubt very much the same level of gun violence!

Shows the mentality of the amerikkans compared to the Candians, one set just don't get on with people while the others do!

[M]

^This was all discussed by Micahel Moore in his documentary, Bowling for Colombine.

I think its mainly to do with the culture of fear.

[Mamaof3]

I watched "Bowling for Columbine" and while Mr Moore makes some very valid and alarming points about our society here in the US, I think he missed the boat on the root cause of this increase in violent children.

Since the 1960s when women started really persuing careers, the family has become less and less important. The all-important theme of life has become career and money, money money. And more money. Dump the kiddies off at daycare. Buy them off with expensive toys. "Quality" family time doesnt exist anymore. Vacation time in US of a is 2 weeks, 4 if you're a professional. Work weeks are typically 60 hours. Children no longer feel important to their parents - how can they? Parents are too busy. It has to be this way for most, and for others its a chosen path. Sad. Divorce is common, kids are alone, neglected even in upper middle class homes. Columbine was caused by 2 screwed up "latchkey" kids whose parents were split up or working and had absolutely NO IDEA that their kids were screwed up. The 10 year old was in the middle of a nasty divorce. I can name other school shootings where the same applies. Kids need their parents, not expensive toys.

This goes not only for americans although I think americans are the most guilty. But europeans get 4 to 6 weeks of vacation, take 2 hour lunches and have much shorter workdays than americans. They have time to enjoy their lives a little more. Same with canada, austrailia etc etc. Americans are too busy to stop and enjoy.

[CorruptAngel]

^^ so true!!

This thread reminds me, a couple of weeks ago I was harassed about my hijab by a bunch of 12 yr old girls and when I answered them back I got beaten up...It was quite bad, my head was bleeding and one of my hands was really injured...I'm still shocked at their ignorance...I wonder what their parents taught them about Muslims? American parents are becoming more and more careless about raising their children. Plus the messed up juvenile law system is helping underage kids get away with big crimes. They're just merciless!