Senseless Degenerates...

[MissJacksonCA]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20230167/?GT1=10252 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20238693/ In local Charleston degenerate crimes... a guman robbed a Taco Bell early in the afternoon with several customers inside ...he didn't get enough money because later in the day went on to rob another business. Two pizza delivery men were robbed at gunpoint as well. For the first time ever... I agree with Michael Moore... if gun ownership actually makes a country safer we should be the safest country ... but we're not... so we must look to economic and social problems for the motivation behind senseless acts and crime problems in general.

[SgtSteve]

Cime occure not because there are guns out there but because criminals have no fear of the penalties that their crimes would cause on them. It is not because of socio-economic oppertunities are lacking. It is because it is easier to commit a crime then to get a real job. And the criminal ALWAYS has a justification ofr what they did.

[MissJacksonCA]

I wasn't suggesting that crimes occur because of guns being so easily attainable I was suggesting that guns dont make our country safer or more protected from crime. I do agree that a good lot of Americans are lazy S.O.B.'s who find it much easier to rob for a living but I do feel that a great motivation for rising crime is economically and socially related. We have a serious problem in this country with rising cost of living and a stagnant minimum wage that isn't even a living wage. People resort to crime to make up the difference. Wal Mart is a terrific example. They rob their employees by having them eke out a living on a crap wage, cut their hours regularly in order to staff their stores only during peak hours whereas they used to have regular staffing schedules whether peak hours or not and in doing so they reduced staff loyalty to a point where they commit crimes against their employer and/or look the other way at customers and staffers stealing from their employer as well. A crime of any magnitude is still a crime. Not all criminals justify their crimes or even truthfully justify what they have done but when you look at countries with a reduced crime rate or even cities with a lower level of crime the quality of life is often a factor. Its hard for people to beat the cycle of poverty especially in a country where the wealthy are the only ones who stand to benefit from taxes they pay. Ironically they're more suceptible to violent crime or crime in general because if you're not a complete idiot you rob the people who have something worth taking. If our government took a closer look at improving quality of life and education I do firmly believe that we could reduce crimes and addictions across the board.

[SgtSteve]

I wasn't suggesting that crimes occur because of guns being so easily attainable I was suggesting that guns dont make our country safer or more protected from crime. I do agree that a good lot of Americans are lazy S.O.B.'s who find it much easier to rob for a living but I do feel that a great motivation for rising crime is economically and socially related. We have a serious problem in this country with rising cost of living and a stagnant minimum wage that isn't even a living wage. People resort to crime to make up the difference. Wal Mart is a terrific example. They rob their employees by having them eke out a living on a crap wage, cut their hours regularly in order to staff their stores only during peak hours whereas they used to have regular staffing schedules whether peak hours or not and in doing so they reduced staff loyalty to a point where they commit crimes against their employer and/or look the other way at customers and staffers stealing from their employer as well. A crime of any magnitude is still a crime. Not all criminals justify their crimes or even truthfully justify what they have done but when you look at countries with a reduced crime rate or even cities with a lower level of crime the quality of life is often a factor. Its hard for people to beat the cycle of poverty especially in a country where the wealthy are the only ones who stand to benefit from taxes they pay. Ironically they're more suceptible to violent crime or crime in general because if you're not a complete idiot you rob the people who have something worth taking. If our government took a closer look at improving quality of life and education I do firmly believe that we could reduce crimes and addictions across the board. I remember when I was younger and had all the answers. 1) It is not a business's job to give an employee a great job. The business is there to make money. If the job you want is not paying enough, then get another job. If you can't get another job with better benifits then make it or move to where you can. If Wal-Mart as an example you give is so horrible then why are so many people trying to get jobs there. Do not look for anyone other than yourself to fix your prolbems. 2) Crimes do not just occure to rich people by poor people. Crimes usually occure in the area that the ciminal lives in. That is a fact from the Uniform Crime Report the the FBI puts out. 3) Side points here but the minimum wadge was never ment to be a living wage. It was ment foor teens getting their first job. BTW I have supported myself at lower than the current minimum wage without resorting to stealing. I just did without the luxturies and did as much work as I could. I maintain (and I know what I'm talking about here) that crime is occring because people want things without waiting for them or working for them. As a society (and not just the U.S.) people have become self centered and narsocistic (spelled wrong I know) that we are breaking down. Honestly I don't know how much longer we can last.

[MissJacksonCA]

Any country that believes itself to be so far superior to other countries should have a quality of life for all its citizens and not just the ones with the fat wallets. Our country doesn't take care of its citizens. Sure we have welfare... that promotes laziness. We breed laziness. It makes a lot of wealthy people even more so. I know why we dont fix our problems... it would cost too much but in the long run the cost to the citizens is an even greater one IMHO. As a person who was formerly wealthy I can say i've been touched by crime more so than most. Cars stolen. Home robbed numerous times. Personally i've been held up a lot. And i've been in two count'em two armed bank robberies. And that's just crime motivated by money. As a person who doesn't live in a well to do area any longer... I'm not touched by crimes motivated by money as often... though there's a lot of crime here in Charleston. I agree... it isn't the responsibility of a business to give someone a great job but it is the responsibility of cities and employers to give their citizens liveable wage jobs. That's a personal belief but by creating a higher standard of living you're in turn creating a more economically sound enviroment where in turn the cost of living, cost of money, everything would then rise because it then becomes a more desireable place to live, work, vacation, whatever. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford to move. Poverty is cyclical and its damn hard to beat. I personally have moved a lot in my short life but its not cheap and its sure as hell not easy. You have to afford to move whatever you may own. You need to either transfer with a job or find a job. Have enough money for housing. And frankly our job market isn't stable enough to promote moving to any paticular area for any better chance at a job. Not to mention your educational background would greatly dictate where you can live or work. If you're of limited education means you can't exactly move for another crap job. If you're educated sure you have a better chance but you're still up against so many other job applicants. Its dog eat dog right now. Just look at the guy who used to stand in the middle of the of a freeway onramp with his resume typed onto a poster looking for work. He was a picture perfect example of how hard it is to actually get a job. I've supported myself on minimum wage or less jobs too... but hey its not easy and I'm fortunate because I have no children, and no family to support at that time. I had an equally difficult challenge in that I dont even have the advantage of credit cards. But having no family to turn to if things turn to crap for me financially I have to live my life flawlessly. If I get robbed or lose my money I was up the river without a paddle. I do find a lot of people who make min wage or crap wages often squander their money and that people have a difficult time managing what money they make. And working with people are that wage I learned a few things... (at least I feel I did) A lot of people are on drugs and they'll do whatever they have to in order to get money to buy drugs... or even alcohol. And then there's people who are just out to get money by whatever means they have to they're going to get it. I've known a guy who lobbed off part of his finger to sue his boss for unsafe working conditions just to get like 15-20k. But I also know how hard it is to actually advance from those ranks. People I've met in Charleston for instance. The school system here sucks. High schoolers that actually get to college having taken CP or even AP classes attend their university classes and find themselves grossly unprepared by high school for higher education. Not because they're idiots but because you know your school system sucks when the memos to the high school teachers has to be in 4th grade English so the teachers can all understand them *(a real example btw). So a lot of them can't complete college they get so bogged down by being beneath their peers from other places. They also dont teach proper sex ed here its highly abstan only sexual education so a good lot of teenagers end up with children. They're brought up in families that are low or middle class and dont learn about how to manage money. So they're already burdened. It takes an amazing drive for these kids to press onward. But... growing up here... they falter and begin doing drugs or they're essentially forced into doing what it takes to survive. I see our country heading into a dangerous path. The wealthy do as well that's why they live in guard-gated communities and send their children to private schools. Its not all about appearances its also becoming necessity. I see a lot of people who also work three and four jobs to send their kids to private school just to get them the education necessary just to have a chance at success in the future. But our country doesn't do enough to promote acheivement. They have a welfare system that says 'no no dont get up off your duff please by all means have children and sponge off us' ... instead of developing a system where people need to learn and/or work to get their welfare checks. Our Welfare-to-Work program is a total scam... as a manager with hiring capabilities our WTW employees got LESS than those who had the same employment background and weren't with that program. It was like a total scam for companies to hire government slaves. I get that not everyone wants to work for money. God knows... I dont wake up in the morning and go WHOOPEEE I GET TO WORK TODAY... I like what I do but y'know... somedays I just cancel all appointments and say fuggit. Not everyone has that privilege. Its also important to understand that not everyone has the same advantage as everyone despite being born in our country. Economic factors affect people on a variety of levels and can prompt a lot of crimes. Not everyone lives a life of crime to live like Ken Lay. Some people have to choose between electricity for their family or food on the table and that prompts crime too. Additionally our society has reached a level that peer pressure is at an all time high... if you dont have this you get made fun of... if you dress like that prepared to be beaten up daily... and parents struggle to give their kids what they want in order to just fit in on a small level... different kids strike back and often violently. We have a problem here in the states... the solution is within our reach but are we prepared to actually go for it? Prolly not.

[SgtSteve]

Where to begin..... A person can move out of a bad area. It may take them some time. They may have to save up to do it but it can be done. Just because it does not happen immediatly does not mean that it cannot happen. Again this is something that I have personally done. Your comment of how it is the governments job to get people jobs with good wages grates on my nerves a little. A person should not look any farther than themselves to improve their situation. Yes government should make it easier for business to do their thing but then they are blaimed for being in the pocket of the business. A catch 22. When a local government invites a business into its area so jobs would be available, say Wal-Mart....... As far as someone stealing to pay the needed bills, never seen it. I've never seen the down and put out parent who has been working hard but just can't seem to feed their children so they steal a loaf of bread. Every thief I come across, it is either their job or they stole some kind of luxury item. I won't respond to the rest of your comments J because you wrote so much that I can't remember all of it. Your heart is in the right place but problems can't be solved by feelings. They need solid logical thoughts. BTW thanks to my wife for catching some of my spelling errors.

[MissJacksonCA]

I realize I can hope in one hand and crap in the other and see which gets full first but the government has a responsibility to its citizens to prevent crimes. Come to think of it aside from saying 'its wrong, dont do it' they dont bother to do much to prevent crime. Its not like you go to school and they say theft and assault nets you (just an example) 4 years good hard time in the clinker with a person bigger than you that wants to use you as a port-o-potty... The government just doesn't do enough to protect us... if they spent good money to research crimes we'd be on our way to a safer society with a better quality of life etc etc etc... Its like how the government outta put graphic pictures of what smoking cigarettes will do to your body and such in order to prevent more people from smoking. I pay good tax dollars and for what? I really dont see a return in my investment and any financial advisor would reccomend I drop this stock FAST. I'm not just complaining... I'm sincerely demanding a solution to a growing problem and suggesting a few myself... I think there's no use in simply bitching about problems... its necessary to suggest solutions if you have such a problem with anything that you're willing to complain about it...

[flyboy]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20230167/?GT1=10252 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20238693/ In local Charleston degenerate crimes... a guman robbed a Taco Bell early in the afternoon with several customers inside ...he didn't get enough money because later in the day went on to rob another business. Two pizza delivery men were robbed at gunpoint as well. For the first time ever... I agree with Michael Moore... if gun ownership actually makes a country safer we should be the safest country ... but we're not... so we must look to economic and social problems for the motivation behind senseless acts and crime problems in general. a crack addict no doubt? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20230167/?GT1=10252 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20238693/ In local Charleston degenerate crimes... a guman robbed a Taco Bell early in the afternoon with several customers inside ...he didn't get enough money because later in the day went on to rob another business. Two pizza delivery men were robbed at gunpoint as well. For the first time ever... I agree with Michael Moore... if gun ownership actually makes a country safer we should be the safest country ... but we're not... so we must look to economic and social problems for the motivation behind senseless acts and crime problems in general. in this little village where i live a man walked in to the local post office,robbed it and walked off in broad daylight! then 2 weeks later the same guy walks in to the building society across the road,(a mini bank),and robbed that too!! he was caught 12 months later 240m miles away.good. he was caught by a undercover policeman we in the uk call c-i-d,whom i was in the same class as him at school,and the same age me i do know him he was stood outside the crime scene.

[MissJacksonCA]

Everyone here's a crack addict... cept for me For real even the trasurer was arrested for drug charges and then smeared everyone in town by telling the world how into drugs all people here are... its crazy...

[MissJacksonCA]

Classifieds Automotive Real Estate Careers Shopping Login to Comment or Register Home News Sports Business Entertainment Features Blogs Editorial Story Index Your Lowcountry Web extras Lottery Weddings Obituaries Games Forums Today's Events E-Edition SUBSCRIBE Local News Your Lowcountry Columnists State / Region World / Nation Offbeat Archives GMLC Special Reports Obituaries Local Sports High School National Sports Columnists Local Business Business Review Real Estate Automotive Columnists Preview Book Reviews Events Restaurants Movies Music Columnists Games Kinship Arts / Travel Home / Garden Your Health Family Life Food Get Out People Faith / Values GMLC Spoleto Today Lowcountry Blogs Friday 5 Fun / Games Ask Elsa The Daily Meds Letters to the Editor Commentary Boy, 14, held in slaying By Noah Haglund (Contact) The Post and Courier Thursday, August 16, 2007 Leaders express shock, dismay at age of suspect News that a 14-year-old boy was being held in connection with a fatal weekend shooting in North Charleston's Waylyn neighborhood shocked some local leaders who have tried to stem city violence. Larry Thomas Jenkins, 22, of North Charleston died at the scene early Saturday. On Wednesday, the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office confirmed that a suspect in the crime was being charged as a juvenile. It wasn't clear whether others were involved. Hearing about such a young suspect bothered North Charleston City Councilwoman Dorothy Williams, whose district includes the Waylyn area. "I'm assuming in the 20s, the upper 20s or something, but not 14," Williams said. "That really hurt my heart." North Charleston police did not reveal details on the arrest or any possible motive in the shooting. The suspect's name was not released because of his age, and a Family Court hearing is scheduled for this afternoon. Prosecutors were petitioning the court to charge the youngster with voluntary manslaughter, Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said. Family Court handles cases involving juveniles charged with crimes. A judge will decide whether to grant the petition. On the morning of the shooting, officers arrived at 2719 Constitution Ave. around 2:10 a.m. to find Jenkins lying motionless in the back seat of a car. His family members said he was leaving a birthday party at a cousin's house nearby. His older sister, Renee McCants, remembered him always laughing and cracking jokes. He had straightened himself out after spending time on the streets as a teen, she said. "He worked two jobs," she said. "Within the last couple of years he got himself together." For several months he had been a cook for Johnsons Pub and Pizzeria on Cumberland Street downtown. Co-workers plan to host an event in his memory in the coming weeks. Patrick Burns, the pub's general manager, described Jenkins as "very kind hearted, energetic, fun-loving." "Everybody liked him;" Burns said. "He was a very hard worker." Kitchen manager Blake Heron knew the cook by the nickname "Mo." "Not one person I know had a problem with him," Heron said. "That's why I was shocked." Although Jenkins worked 30 to 40 hours at the pub, he had recently taken a second job at a restaurant next door, Heron said. The slain man's mother was collecting signatures asking the legal system to seek the harshest penalty possible in the case. By Wednesday, Rhonda Major had collected 54. The solicitor said an adult charged with voluntary manslaughter could face two to 30 years in prison if convicted. The range is substantially less for a youth. "A juvenile can't be imprisoned beyond age 21," Wilson said. County Councilman Henry Darby, who founded the Citizen Patrol Against Drugs, said he thinks adults need to play a more active role in steering youths away from crime. "These (juveniles) need more guidance from adult men," Darby said. "I'm of the opinion ... that the men of the community need to be accountable for these types of tragedies."

[Arco]

I maintain (and I know what I'm talking about here) that crime is occring because people want things without waiting for them or working for them. As a society (and not just the U.S.) people have become self centered and narsocistic (spelled wrong I know) that we are breaking down. Honestly I don't know how much longer we can last. Howdy everybody! New to the board, hope to contribute. I think the above quoted statement is wrong. I'm not saying I'm the man on this issue or anything, but I have had some dealings with a great number of people who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. You would have been correct if you said that SOME crime occurred because of selfishness and narcissism, but to claim that all crime is caused by that is a lazy generalization. If you want to generalize about the causes of crime, then look no further than hopelessness, confusion, improper scholastic and moral education (Poorly handled by both parents and learning institutions), and mental illness. Those are the reasons for crime. Generally speaking. Oh, and zombies are almost more awesome than porn. Just thought I'd throw that in there since this is The Homepage of the Dead and this is my first post. Arco!

[Yojimbo]

Oh, and zombies are almost more awesome than porn. Just thought I'd throw that in there since this is The Homepage of the Dead and this is my first post. Arco! Welcome, Arco. Glad to have you here and I agree with your statement, except I think zombies beat porn on a lot of levels. Of course, maybe I only have access to lame porn, but even so, zombies still rule.

[MissJacksonCA]

Hmmm WELCOME TO THE BOARDS MAN zombies or porn zombies or porn zombiessss or porn... obviously you've never seen Resident Sex... just kidding zombies rule and nothing beats them... I said goodday sir!