U.S. rated 83rd as Safest Country to Live In

[Raye7r]

Move over, unlucky Iceland. New Zealand is now the safest country in the world | World news | The Guardian

"The United States has clawed its way up six places to 83rd – still weighed down by two foreign wars, a high prison population and the general availability of guns. Its slight rise was attributed to the number of years since 9/11 that the country has avoided a terrorist attack, and the relative decline of other countries."

 

[CarmelHP]

The index was collated by the Economist Intelligence Unit for a new thinktank called the Institute for Economics and Peace. It uses a weighted mix of 23 criteria, including foreign wars, internal conflicts, respect for human rights, the number of murders, the number of people in jail, the arms trade, and degrees of democracy.

In order words, a political index favoring that of which the authors approve. "The arms trade," apparently, is frowned upon. "Degrees of democracy," I'm betting that's measured objectively, right?

 

[Raye7r]

I heard this on the radio this AM and only reasons cited (on the radio 98.5 Terre Haute) were our involvement in 2 wars and "availability of guns".

 

[Tryin']

So let's pull out and destroy our weapons. Isn't that what a "civilized society" would do?

Another political index for the MSM to tout.

 

[jbombelli]

I don't care if we're LAST on that stupid list.

Freedom has a price. That price is, and always has been, blood. Once we're no longer willing to pay that price, we're no longer free. The more freedoms we have, the more dangerous it is. And that's fine with me.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

You're reading this all wrong. Without two foreign wars, a high prison population, and the general availability of guns we would have been in last place behind Iraq.

Move over, unlucky Iceland. New Zealand is now the safest country in the world | World news | The Guardian

"The United States has clawed its way up six places to 83rd – still weighed down by two foreign wars, a high prison population and the general availability of guns. Its slight rise was attributed to the number of years since 9/11 that the country has avoided a terrorist attack, and the relative decline of other countries."

 

[Mike H]

I disagree. I feel perfectly safe and in control of my destiny. Thank you 2A!

 

[cosermann]

Point 1: I see we're rated 'medium' according to the PDF map linked in the article. Fine by me.

Point 2: This is some concocted "peace" index, not a "safety" or "violence" index. Read the article. So the title of this thread is misleading. The idea of "peace" is a complicated one, and allows them to fudge the numbers a bit by defining the index to suit their agenda. IMHO, "peace" is more than simply the absence of conflict. Also, the global peace index (GPI) referred to in the article is a product of the Institute for Economics and Peace, headquarted in ... wait for it ... Sydney, Australia - another gun-banning island nation, and they partner with the UN Global Compact. 'Nuf said.

Point 3: The whole "availability of guns" part is LOL stupid. With respect to real, on the ground violence in a country I wonder how they explain Jamaica, which has been in the top 5 most violent countries for a LONG time, and yet guns are banned. Or, I wonder how they would explain the relative safety of Switzerland, where virtually all adults of service age have access to firearms. Or, I wonder how they explain that the UK itself has become the violent crime capital of Europe since their most recent gun banning efforts. Physician, heal thyself!

UK is violent crime capital of Europe - Telegraph

FOXNews.com - Jamaica's Bloody Lesson On Guns

 

[SSGSAD]

I don't care if we're LAST on that stupid list.

Freedom has a price. That price is, and always has been, blood. Once we're no longer willing to pay that price, we're no longer free. The more freedoms we have, the more dangerous it is. And that's fine with me.

I agree, just another "liberal" Anti whatever list, probably made up by some stupid political no nothings...

 

[rambone]

Presumably the best way to move up on the list is to sacrifice more of our liberties for security. No thanks.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

Crap. There are people below us on this list which means some people have more guns than us! We cannot let this stand! Time for everyone to go out and buy more guns!

 

[6birds]

Crap. There are people below us on this list which means some people have more guns than us! We cannot let this stand! Time for everyone to go out and buy more guns!

Yes! That's a stat I'd like to see. "A gun behind every blade of grass", how many guns per capita, bullets per person. I bet it would look alot like the red and blue state charts we see aroung election time.

 

[NordicHeathenVinlander]

Move over, unlucky Iceland. New Zealand is now the safest country in the world | World news | The Guardian

"The United States has clawed its way up six places to 83rd – still weighed down by two foreign wars, a high prison population and the general availability of guns. Its slight rise was attributed to the number of years since 9/11 that the country has avoided a terrorist attack, and the relative decline of other countries."

I speak to quite afew Icelanders, and it is a practical paradise.

But my objection to this is the availability of guns.

Guns dont commit the crime, it's the humans who use them - More focus on that ought to be the issue of the day, and not the guns themselves.


Take away the guns, and Im sure a spike in cutting weapons, or blunted weapons or other forms of weapons to be created and used.

 

[cosermann]

... I speak to quite afew Icelanders, and it is a practical paradise. ...

Cross-country comparisons are always difficult because of many factors, including cultural ones.

Therefore, it's not difficult to find examples of low violent crime rates in both countries with very few firearms (i.e. Japan) and free private firearms ownership (i.e. Switzerland) as well as high violent crime rates in countries with very few firearms (i.e. Jamaica).

Something that makes the UK and Australia such good case studies is that they are both island nations with comparatively easy to control borders for which the before and after results can be examined (which factors out cultural factors).

In both cases more guns = less violent crime whereas, less guns = more violent crime. Just as data in the U.S. has indicated for states before/after passing “shall issue” concealed carry legislation.

The straw man often reported in such countries is that “gun related crime” is down. Sometimes that’s true (if the stats are handpicked). Sometimes it’s not (ex. there’s been no difference in firearms related robberies in Aus - surprising eh? not to me.). What’s conveniently ignored by the gun control crowd is the overall violent crime rate. Isn’t that what’s important? A murder victim doesn’t care if a gun, knife, baseball bat, etc. was used.

I suspect the situation in Iceland (a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there ) is due mostly to cultural and demographic factors. It's a pretty homogenous society, 64% of the population lives in a single urban center, 93% of the population is Icelandic, 80% of the population belongs to the National Church of Iceland, etc, etc.

Such things do make a difference.

 

[IndyBeerman]

That report has to the one of the biggest piles of skewed data ever assembled.

 

[E5RANGER375]

wait who was this ranking researched for criminals??

high prison numbers and availibility of guns pretty much says its unsafe for criminals, unless they move to california, new york or chicago. all criminal friendly cities.

 

[irishfan]

I can go anywhere in my town and not feel unsafe at any time. Also, most places I go in a bigger city like Indianapolis I feel completely safe as well. Some places are obviously less safe than others and I know that which is why I usually avoid them like anyone with common sense should. However, another reason I feel safe in unfamiliar places is that I have the ability to protect myself and my family because I have the right to carry a weapon for personal protection.

 

[NordicHeathenVinlander]

wait who was this ranking researched for criminals??

high prison numbers and availibility of guns pretty much says its unsafe for criminals, unless they move to california, new york or chicago. all criminal friendly cities.

Or D.C.


Cant believe you missed that one. I believe they've experienced afew drive buy shootings, in the past few months.

I wonder how many Lawful gun owners commit drive-bys

cosermann

Cross-country comparisons are always difficult because of many factors, including cultural ones.

Therefore, it's not difficult to find examples of low violent crime rates in both countries with very few firearms (i.e. Japan) and free private firearms ownership (i.e. Switzerland) as well as high violent crime rates in countries with very few firearms (i.e. Jamaica).

I suspect the situation in Iceland (a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there ) is due mostly to cultural and demographic factors. It's a pretty homogenous society, 64% of the population lives in a single urban center, 93% of the population is Icelandic, 80% of the population belongs to the National Church of Iceland, etc, etc.

Such things do make a difference.

How do you define "Cultural" factors?

Due to my own ignorance, I was unable to understand what "Homogenous Society" meant.

I googled, and yahoo answers came up with this.

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

A society comprised soley of members of the same Race. Races are extended family groups - and culture emerges from Race.

Japan is a homogeneous society. Hardly a myth. The USA was 90% White, prior to the 1965 Immigration Horror, perpatrated by Commies. The USA was totally successful ,prosperous, and functional, when primarily White.

Homogeneous societies are the most stable, and successful, as the members literally "speak the same language" - and understand the collective social mores. Iceland is a current excellent example of the benefits of homogenity.

Contrary to "Liberal" myth - "diverse" societies are very stressful, and dysfunctional. People disengage socially, huddle in, and avoid each other. A major study was founded by Jewish Professor Robert Putnam, from Harvard University, that proved the horrible effects, across all racial and ecomomic lines, of "diversity". He shocked the academic establishment by repressing the results of his study, for almost 5 years, because his results did not conform with the current social fad/mass insanity of "multi-culturalism". His suppression was VERY dishonest, and cowardly, and he should resign.

The USA is already Balkanizing - splitting apart along racial/ethnic lines. Horrible consequences are already showing up. Blacks and Hispanics are murdering other - SIMPLY DUE TO RACE - in major cities like Los Angeles, and Miami - because different groups cannot "get along".

Global Elites are attempting to create One Eorld "government", in order to pursue their own selfish ends. All they are doing is creating chaos. Racial nationalism is actually breaking out all over the globe. All over - every Continent. -and it's only going to get worse. It's all about turf - and it will ALWAYS be about Race. ALWAYS.

Most who read my words will insult me, and call me cliche names - but stick around boys and girls. You'll find out all by yourselves, whether you like it or not - and you aren't going to like what's coming, at all.

At which point, it doesnt seem to make sense to me, considering, one can easily look at homogenous societies and see strong violent cultural norms.

Aside from the rest of the spill from this individual from yahoo answers, I dont know where she got her info from.