Quoting Horse <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Hi Platt > > I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "a relationship between the > problems in Britain and our high murder rate statistics" but I assume > that you mean there's a similarity in the figures, both in the UK and > the States, that suggest that there is a disproportionately high > incidence of firearms related fatalities and injuries within the 'black > communities'. Is this roughly what you mean or am I barking up the wrong > tree?
Yes, that and the comparative value of gun control which, if I'm correct, is much stricter in England than in the U.S. > Anyway, my reaction to the article: > > I think that Blair got it both right and wrong. Right that gun crime is > not caused by poverty but wrong that it is the product of a distinctive > black culture. Both are pretty much disingenuous to those within either > area that are not involved with either guns or crime. > It looks to me pretty much like Blair is using the populist approach, > yet again, and maybe attributing a 'cultural' stereotype where one > doesn't exist. To be fair the article that you have copied says little > about which particular 'black culture' Blair is referring to so it's a > bit difficult to properly understand the article without further > information. > The figures that are quoted do indicate that there are a greater > proportion of black youths killed and injured by guns than in other > groups but then there are divisions within this label. Are they of West > Indian or African descent as there are clear cultural differences here > and even within these categories there are wide cultural differences. > Lumping them all together as 'black' is completely pointless in my view, > just as lumping 'whites' or 'asians' together is pointless. > If a clear cultural grouping can be identified within which there is the > same, or similar, disproportion then an examination of the values that > produces this problem can produce better answers and/or solutions than > using a nebulous Black/White/Asian catchall. The distinctions are not so great in the U.S. because the vast majority of blacks refer to themselves and want to be referred to by non-blacks as African-Americans. But your point is well-taken. The question of how to quell violence simmers just below the surface of many of our discussions about how to evolve to a Quality society. I find Pirsig's discussion of the issue in Chapter 24 of Lila particularly important as we look for solutions. Thanks for your comments. Best regards, Platt ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
