After years of declining violent crime, several major American cities experienced a dramatic surge in homicides during the first half of this year.

Milwaukee, which last year had one of its lowest annual homicide totals in city history, recorded 84 murders so far this year, more than double the 41 it tallied at the same point last year.

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said the mounting homicide toll in his city of 600,000 is driven by Wisconsin's "absurdly weak" gun laws – carrying a concealed weapon without a state-issued concealed carry is a misdemeanor in the Badger State – as well a subculture within the city that affirms the use of deadly violence to achieve status and growing distrust of police in some parts of the city.

Milwaukee is not alone.

The number of murders in 2015 jumped by 33% or more in Baltimore, New Orleans and St. Louis. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the nation's third-largest city, the homicide toll climbed 19% and the number of shooting incidents increased by 21% during the first half of the year.

In all the cities, the increased violence is disproportionately impacting poor and predominantly African-American and Latino neighborhoods. In parts of Milwaukee, the sound of gunfire is so commonplace that about 80% of gunshots detected by ShotSpotter sensors aren't even called into police by residents, Flynn said.

"We've got folks out there living in neighborhoods, where . . . it's just part of the background noise," Flynn told USA TODAY. "That's what we're up against."

The Mayor of Baltimore is Stephanie-Rawlings Blake (D), the Mayor of Chicago is Rahm Emanuel (D), the Mayor of Houston is Annise Parker (D), the Mayor of Milwaukee is Tom Barrett (D), the Mayor of New Orleans is Mitch Landrieu (D), the Mayor of New York City is Bill de Blasio (D), the Mayor of Philadelphia is Michael Nutter (D), and the Mayor of St. Louis is Francis G. Slay (D).

Rise above your silly posturing and realize that each of these situations is terrible and complicated.

Do you know about the issues with the police union and the virtual cessation of policing following the Freddie Gray fallout?

Not the point Jeff and precisely why I posted it. It's the hypocrisy and political bs agenda that prevails in this nation. They are ALL just a equal in being fked up. Not one is worse than the other as so many political groups these days are claiming that they are in order to perpetuate their agendas.

The "guns" issue only gets brought up when an event occurs that a legally acquired and registered weapon is utilized. But never when this type incident happens, a totally illegally acquired and used gun. Never. Which is far more than the other. Far more.

Again the total political hypocrisy of it all.

Edit: This particular event strikes home. It was a close Shipmates Brother that was executed.

I made my case about the issue of cultural causes that have nothing to do with race and the lack of difference between white gang violoence and black gang violence. They should be treated exactly the same and taking to the streets isn't really responsible action at this point. Let the law do their work and either come up with some actually useful ideas or just stop - the more you post, the dumber and more incoherent it sounds.

I have worked locally mentoring at risk youth. I haven't worked with inner city anti-gang programs.

Your thread could be the definition of a thread that deserves to be nuked

I also never used the word oppression or anything like it

In the cases with rioting, all those things were true in favor of the white officer.

it is NOT an equal and equivalent situation.

donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado

Aug 31, 2015 - 07:00am PT
There is a great crag near Moab called "Stupid White Men." I'll probably be reminded of this thread every time I go there.

"Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."

""It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."