Larry Gude
Strung Out
Wash Post today:
'Flash Point' Killings: Murder Most Casual
Police See Petty Spats Leading to More Slayings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/16/AR2006031602213.html
It doesn't occur often but the Post actually gets bored of Bush bashing and bird flu hysteria once in awhile and runs some stories that are truly important.
You're a 26 year old male and a stranger in a liquor store snaps the suspenders of your female companion to get her attention. You politely tell him that is not...polite. He politely blows you away, kills you. Leaves. Then, after running away, comes back and shoots her as well.
A 19 year old kid tries to diffuse some tense words with a neighborhood acquaintance inside a convenience store, "Ah, y'all a clown." It's over. Except for the part when, 30 minutes later, you walk to your car and the neighbor puts 6 bullets in the back of your head and is heard to say "Who's the clown now?".
More:
All three perps were convicted.
Motivation: Drugs? No. Robbery? Nope. Fighting over women. Not even. This has a name now; 'Flash point' killings. Anger. Rage.
PG County says of 169 homicides investigated last year some 43 were motivated by 'argument'. It's nothing new but the story says it is dramatically on the raise as the violence associated with the crack epidemics of the late 80's and into the 90's has largely subsided.
Causes?
Now, common sense tells us that guns, no matter how easy they are to get, have nothing to do with the actions of the individual. You could buy a Thompson sub machine gun in the hardware store back in the 1920's and 30's. People weren't shooting each other over hand skakes.
Style, culture, now you're talking. People respond to fashion; what's in. What's cool. What movie is good. Restaurant themes and styles. Cars. Home furnishings. Tennis shoes. Jackets. You name it.
Pathological need for respect.
Any male can relate to that on some level. But ladies?
We've also heard about the two young girls at the high school football game and their tussle last fall that led to murder. You're hip to, women!
So, respect.
More reasons:
Wouldn't it be nice if it were so neat? Just blame kids and rap and move on. Who cares?
Well, the Post does a nice job:
He crashed into him, got out and then killed him. Beat him to death.
And...
Not exactly fitting the profile.
Didn't even know each other.
Most of the case, however, do pretty much fit the stereotype of young and angry.
More commentary:
Yeah. Way back in the day...when we had a whole hell of alot less gun laws AND they were easier to get.
The story speaks about this as a nationwide problem, which is pretty easy to accept. My interest is in a problem like this that has way more impact on way more peoples day to day lives getting more attention than the latest attempt at political advantage on the front page. Today the Post is trying to make this operation Swarmer stuff look like the Normandy landings. "Biggest assault since 2003, air armada, ya da ya. Then, they tell us there are 1,500 troops and 50, count 'em, 50 aircraft involved. Wow. Things must be bad over there, huh?
You want violence? You want to report on a real problem with real impact? It's right here at home and, if the story holds, of the 16,000 or so total annual nationwide homiceds, with some 30% or almost 5,000 a year, being symptoms of a cultural cancer, well, stay with it Post, stay with it.
'Flash Point' Killings: Murder Most Casual
Police See Petty Spats Leading to More Slayings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/16/AR2006031602213.html
It doesn't occur often but the Post actually gets bored of Bush bashing and bird flu hysteria once in awhile and runs some stories that are truly important.
You're a 26 year old male and a stranger in a liquor store snaps the suspenders of your female companion to get her attention. You politely tell him that is not...polite. He politely blows you away, kills you. Leaves. Then, after running away, comes back and shoots her as well.
A 19 year old kid tries to diffuse some tense words with a neighborhood acquaintance inside a convenience store, "Ah, y'all a clown." It's over. Except for the part when, 30 minutes later, you walk to your car and the neighbor puts 6 bullets in the back of your head and is heard to say "Who's the clown now?".
More:
All three perps were convicted.
Motivation: Drugs? No. Robbery? Nope. Fighting over women. Not even. This has a name now; 'Flash point' killings. Anger. Rage.
PG County says of 169 homicides investigated last year some 43 were motivated by 'argument'. It's nothing new but the story says it is dramatically on the raise as the violence associated with the crack epidemics of the late 80's and into the 90's has largely subsided.
Causes?
Now, common sense tells us that guns, no matter how easy they are to get, have nothing to do with the actions of the individual. You could buy a Thompson sub machine gun in the hardware store back in the 1920's and 30's. People weren't shooting each other over hand skakes.
Style, culture, now you're talking. People respond to fashion; what's in. What's cool. What movie is good. Restaurant themes and styles. Cars. Home furnishings. Tennis shoes. Jackets. You name it.
Pathological need for respect.
Any male can relate to that on some level. But ladies?
We've also heard about the two young girls at the high school football game and their tussle last fall that led to murder. You're hip to, women!
So, respect.
More reasons:
Wouldn't it be nice if it were so neat? Just blame kids and rap and move on. Who cares?
Well, the Post does a nice job:
He crashed into him, got out and then killed him. Beat him to death.
And...
Not exactly fitting the profile.
Didn't even know each other.
Most of the case, however, do pretty much fit the stereotype of young and angry.
More commentary:
Yeah. Way back in the day...when we had a whole hell of alot less gun laws AND they were easier to get.
The story speaks about this as a nationwide problem, which is pretty easy to accept. My interest is in a problem like this that has way more impact on way more peoples day to day lives getting more attention than the latest attempt at political advantage on the front page. Today the Post is trying to make this operation Swarmer stuff look like the Normandy landings. "Biggest assault since 2003, air armada, ya da ya. Then, they tell us there are 1,500 troops and 50, count 'em, 50 aircraft involved. Wow. Things must be bad over there, huh?
You want violence? You want to report on a real problem with real impact? It's right here at home and, if the story holds, of the 16,000 or so total annual nationwide homiceds, with some 30% or almost 5,000 a year, being symptoms of a cultural cancer, well, stay with it Post, stay with it.
that these arseholes 
