3 ms·

There was an earlier comment wondering where the letters author might move to, since Illinois is an average state in terms of violence and crime. Ironically?,

by wffurr 3y ago

There was an earlier comment wondering where the letters author might move to, since Illinois is an average state in terms of violence and crime. Ironically?, Massachusetts would be one of the safest states in the country for him to move to if he’s concerned about gun violence, but we also tend to elect progressive reform minded prosecutors that he thinks are the problem.

plagiarist 3y ago
If he goes to Texas it would confirm the impression I got from reading that.
ap99 3y ago
Culture and wealth levels have a bigger impact on crime, in my opinion, than progressive or conservative local politics.
robertlagrant 3y ago
> Massachusetts would be one of the safest states in the country for him to move to if he’s concerned about gun violence, but we also tend to elect progressive reform minded prosecutors that he thinks are the problem. Utah looks better [0]. Higher gun ownership %, but lower gun death rate than Massachusetts. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States_by_state https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_Sta...
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
  Strange, the CDC has Massachusetts as having lower gun death than Utah. The lowest in fact: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/... Utah is ranked just ahead of Florida. Oh, I see, your numbers don’t include suicides, which is the majority of gun deaths.
  - robertlagrant 3y ago
    > Massachusetts would be one of the safest states in the country for him to move to if he’s concerned about gun violence It would be very odd indeed to include suicides in stats of how dangerous it is to live in a state.
    - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
      Parent comment specifically said: > Utah looks better [0]. Higher gun ownership %, but lower gun death rate than Massachusetts. They didn't say > Utah looks better [0]. Higher gun ownership %, but lower gun homicide rate than Massachusetts. That isn't a very pedantic distinction. Conservative states suffer poorer mental health services and support networks, but more gun ownership rates also play a role in higher suicide rates. Many would argue that personal safety includes risk of not feeling like and having the ability to end your own life.
      - robertlagrant 3y ago
        > Conservative states suffer poorer mental health services and support networks Given the main support network is friends, family, acquaintances and colleagues, how is this measured? > Many would argue that personal safety includes risk of not feeling like and having the ability to end your own life. This is passing facts through too many layers of abstraction to be useful and clear. I think trying to force this point through is a mistake. The main danger to worry about is homicide. If someone is on the edge of genuine mental health collapse to the point of suicide then that seems a much more niche case than the general danger posed in states/cities with high numbers of criminals willing to attack you with a gun (or any other weapon).
        wffurr 3y ago
        >> seems a much more niche case The numbers don’t seem to hear that out.
        3y ago

by wffurr 3y ago

plagiarist 3y ago

If he goes to Texas it would confirm the impression I got from reading that.

ap99 3y ago

Culture and wealth levels have a bigger impact on crime, in my opinion, than progressive or conservative local politics.

robertlagrant 3y ago

> Massachusetts would be one of the safest states in the country for him to move to if he’s concerned about gun violence, but we also tend to elect progressive reform minded prosecutors that he thinks are the problem. Utah looks better [0]. Higher gun ownership %, but lower gun death rate than Massachusetts. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States_by_state https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_Sta...

seanmcdirmid 3y ago
Strange, the CDC has Massachusetts as having lower gun death than Utah. The lowest in fact: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/... Utah is ranked just ahead of Florida. Oh, I see, your numbers don’t include suicides, which is the majority of gun deaths.
- robertlagrant 3y ago
  > Massachusetts would be one of the safest states in the country for him to move to if he’s concerned about gun violence It would be very odd indeed to include suicides in stats of how dangerous it is to live in a state.
  - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
    Parent comment specifically said: > Utah looks better [0]. Higher gun ownership %, but lower gun death rate than Massachusetts. They didn't say > Utah looks better [0]. Higher gun ownership %, but lower gun homicide rate than Massachusetts. That isn't a very pedantic distinction. Conservative states suffer poorer mental health services and support networks, but more gun ownership rates also play a role in higher suicide rates. Many would argue that personal safety includes risk of not feeling like and having the ability to end your own life.
    - robertlagrant 3y ago
      > Conservative states suffer poorer mental health services and support networks Given the main support network is friends, family, acquaintances and colleagues, how is this measured? > Many would argue that personal safety includes risk of not feeling like and having the ability to end your own life. This is passing facts through too many layers of abstraction to be useful and clear. I think trying to force this point through is a mistake. The main danger to worry about is homicide. If someone is on the edge of genuine mental health collapse to the point of suicide then that seems a much more niche case than the general danger posed in states/cities with high numbers of criminals willing to attack you with a gun (or any other weapon).
      - wffurr 3y ago
        >> seems a much more niche case The numbers don’t seem to hear that out.
        3y ago