CNN reports that Caracas Venezuela has topped of a very dubious list.
Foreign Policy magazine said in September that Caracas tops the list of five murder capitals of the world, with an official tally of 130 homicides per 100,000 residents.
The article mentions that the numbers are somewhat lower than the reality. No prison murders are included and no police-brutality killings are included.
To put it into perspective, London is supposed to have 2.4 per 100,000 and the overall U.S. figure is 5.5. Those numbers, which I included in a previous post, were quite illuminating because I'd been so often told the UK has worse troubles than we do in America, in spite of, or on account of, their strict gun laws. As usual though, common sense prevails. Fewer guns means fewer murders.
But what about Caracas? What could possibly explain such an incredible number of murders? The month ending today saw 510. And we thought Tijuana was bad. What could it be about Caracas Venezuela?
The government is co-responsible for there being so many firearms. There is no good gun control, there are no permits and there is no good control over the militias.
Now, I realize my gun-loving friends are going to poke more holes in those statements than you'll find in an Amarillo road sign, but once again, I appeal to your common sense. In a society where there are lots of guns, you're liable to have lots of murders. Am I right?
I'm also wondering if some of those 130 per 100,000 murders were really defensive gun incidents swept up into the general stats. Or would they be over and above the 130? Imagine if we counted all the "justified" killings, all the police murders and all the prison deaths. That is some city!
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
"Now, I realize my gun-loving friends are going to poke more holes in those statements than you'll find in an Amarillo road sign, but once again, I appeal to your common sense. In a society where there are lots of guns, you're liable to have lots of murders. Am I right?"
ReplyDeleteIf you had more solid arguments then we'd have a harder time poking holes in them.
Let me appeal to your logic, Mike. If More Guns = Murders, then why isn't the United States, which is easily has the most guns per-capita not the #1 Country for Murder?
Why was there more murder during the dark ages before gunpowder was even invented.
Logical questions, Mike, what's your answers?
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI'm confused (of course that is my natural state), I thought it was primarily the easy availability of weapons that caused problems.
Shouldn't the country with the greater number of firearms have the greater number of murders?
According to this article, the country of Venezuela has about 6 million firearms out of a population around 25 million. That is only 2.5 firearm for every 10 people...America has about 7 or more for every 10 people.
Yet, strangely Venezuela has the much, much higher per capita murder rate.
Love the quotes here
But Mármol also raised some important critiques. “It is important to add that there is no doubt that delinquents are not going to be included in the plan, nor are they going to voluntarily turn in their weapon,” Mármol said, a situation which some fear could facilitate the work of delinquents, because it will be easier to assault their victims because they will not be armed.
Isn't this the same thing you are proposing for America? Disarming the law abiding?
By the way, that article was from 2 years ago....how is the disarmament working out for them?
Mikeb302000
DeleteMy Opinion:
ReplyDeleteWhen in Caracas, have an armed security detachment and carry a gun.
Mom's cousin was a VP for Latin American operations for a big three automaker until he retired recently.
That was how he rolled in ALL of Latin America. I haven't seen as much of the continent as he has, but that's what I went with, minus the armed guards.
tom's FOREIGN TRAVEL WITH GUNS TIP No.2:
This one is for people flying into Latin America. DO NOT FLY INTO BRAZIL, they WILL try to confiscate your guns even if you are just passing through on the way home from an African hunting trip. Not so much of a problem anywhere else on the continent. Rio isn't exactly a peaceful city inspite of that, either.
Mikeb302000
DeleteLatin America is also one of the regions most affected by armed violence in peace time, (not in a context of war). According to the 2005 Small Arms Survey (SAS) report, the region is responsible for over 40% of the homicides by firearms worldwide....
ReplyDeleteLatin American nations are also world leaders in gun control. Brazil’s Disarmament Statute and Chile’s Gun Control Law limiting the access to guns in the civilian population are significant examples along with other nations adopting similar laws such as Argentina, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and others in Central America...
Venezuela approved a Disarmament Law in 2002... so only police can buy guns legally.
Doesn't seem to be working.
Mikeb302000
DeleteAnd ONE MORE TIME FOR THE WORLD!, in the words of the great Frank Zappa:
ReplyDeleteYour two next-door neighbors were simultaneously awakened by strange noises at 2AM. Initially finding nothing wrong, they both drifted into their kitchens looking for a snack. Both are suddenly confronted across their identical breakfast bars by knife-wielding methfreak burglars. Both decide to engage their "guest" in brief pleas for nonviolent resolution of the situation. One punctuates his verbal points by gesturing with an Italian-made biscotti pastry. The other punctuates his by pointing with an Italian-made Beretta pistol. Which one is more likely to succeed?--4.2008-John Connor
Is that a NWO raincoat or an Italian raincoat?
When do you segue into "Dancing Fool", Mike? I heard the credenza and you seem to have fallen flat on your face in keeping up with the band!
I'll feed you words because I'm a nice guy "one of my legs is shorter than the other and..."
Remember the refrain, as it's what you are.
Internet entertainment for people that laugh at you while you adopt a smug air about yourself. It's also fun to have turned your anti-firearms blog into a pro-gun blog.
For the record, I call you a pussy for not accepting a $40USD gift, considering postage of a DVD that could explain the true meaning of the Second Amendment.
Probably stole it off of limewire...
Italian punks...
Mikeb302000
Deletebonne annee mike,
ReplyDeleteI was in Caracas in the early 80's under very bizarre circumstances. Let's just say, I was paid by a cultural exchange program to play anarchistic political punk rock for rich kids of goverment officials.
While there, I saw the upfront the brutal oppression that kept the poor in abject poverty and preserved the elite.
I think the situation in all of Latin America is rapidly evolving and changing.
Chavez is Chavez...he is the instrument of change and is influenced by the forces that try to stop the inevitable.
Caracas is a huge urban jungle, so are the cities of Columbia and Brazil. Brazil has some of the biggest urban areas on the planet.
Under the repressive class/caste systems that ruled these countries in the past, urban gangs and defacto thug societies became the true law of the poor.
This is a world in evolution and the forces which govern the evolution are different than the forces which might govern urban violence in Chicago or New Orleans or London.
Mikeb302000
DeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteJust saw this story on Fox News.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Danish police say they have arrested a man suspected of shooting and wounding two Israelis at a shopping mall.
Police spokesman John Jacobsen says without naming the suspect that he is a 27-year-old Dane born in Lebanon of Palestinian parents.
A court on Thursday ordered the suspect held for up to four weeks while police investigate.
Police say the suspect has denied attempting to kill the Israelis but acknowledged carrying a gun Wednesday at the mall in the central Danish city of Odense.
Jacobsen says the two Israelis had been selling hair-care products when they were attacked. He says they were hospitalized in stable condition; one man was shot in the arm and one man in the leg.
Now, is this a "gun crime" or a hate crime?
Is the availability of the firearms the predominant factor in this situation or is it the religious factor that is predominant?
Denmark has a high rate of firearm ownership, but low crime rates....doesn't that contradict your 'easy availability of firearms theory?
Mikeb302000
DeleteWeer'd asked, "If More Guns = Murders, then why isn't the United States, which is easily has the most guns per-capita not the #1 Country for Murder?"
ReplyDeleteThe answer is that obviously other factors play a part. What I object to is your stubbornly refusing to admit that gun availability is one of those factors.
Mikeb302000
DeleteMicrodot, That sounds like a fantastic trip you had to Venezuela. Given your first-hand witnessing of the conditions there, would you agree that the problem is gun control laws, as Sevesteen suggested. Other commenters have said it too, that laws only affect the law abiding therefore the stricter the laws the worse becomes the proportion of guns in the hands of criminals. Do you think that's the problem in Central and South America?
ReplyDelete"The answer is that obviously other factors play a part. What I object to is your stubbornly refusing to admit that gun availability is one of those factors."
ReplyDeleteSoftware issue, not a hardware one. If all guns vanished tonight, I don't think our murder rates would change much.
I've killed nobody in my life. I have all the tools and the know-how (I suspect my comparative anatomy classes keep me in the know where LOTS of vital bits live, give me a gun, a knife, or a pipe)
Why? I have no desire to kill.
Now somebody with the desire to kill, they'll do the deed with whatever they have on hand.
Also if "Availability of Guns" is a factor, I'd suspect that Gangs wouldn't need Commuinal guns, and our police would have some feathers in their cap to tote our manditory gun registration system.
Those facts really lay serious doubt to that theroy IMHO Mike.
Mikeb302000
Deletehttp://massbackwards.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-years-trivia.html
ReplyDeleteA little evidence to support my statement.
And remember for it's population New Hampshire is VERY heavily armed.
Mikeb302000
DeleteMikeb302000
DeleteOh found another. I'm sure there's lots more...I won't spam your blog with every other one I find.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2009/01/02/but-guns-cause-murder/
Mikeb302000
Delete