Reply #58: Too easy!

[one-eyed fat man]

"Socio economic factors contribute to development of any child."

Then the spoiled rich kids raised with every possible material advantage by indifferent and uncaring parents will always be wonderful, sober, socially conscious, well-adjusted,low-carbon footprint adults.

The offspring of hard-working, engaged, loving, involved, nurturing, motivated, but economically disadvantaged parents will be knocking over liquor stores in junior high.

You do not have to look hard to find rich people who raised bad kids or poor people who raised good kids.

Color's only role in the argument is that, for better or worse, the negative influences and peer pressures are more prevalent in "da 'Hood" than elsewhere. Some (such as Bill Cosby and Cynthia Walker) feel that societal and cultural "pressure" to conform to a "gansta" mentality in African American communities is destroying youth (particularly young males) and creating broken households. The truth of these observations is seen in the biting satire of comedian Chris Rock.

THUG CULTURE IS A CANCER DESTROYING BLACK AMERICA

At some point, the individual, CHOOSES to be a thug or not. If all your friends are thugs, your heroes have always been thugs, your music, literature, and culture celebrate thugs, while your momma dates a string of thugs, the pressure to become a thug would be a lot to overcome. That the "gang wannabe" behaviors are seen in affluent black suburban youth indicate cultural influence and peer pressure outweigh economic advantage or disadvantage.

But in the end, criminals are cancer on society. The analogy goes further, plenty of people get lung cancer who never smoked a day in their lives. Certainly, those who puffed a couple packs of non-filter Camels for forty years are at higher risk, but some of them never devleop cancer. Once a person is diagnosed with cancer, it makes no difference where it came from, they just fervently want it GONE!

Likewise the killer or killer(s) in Tempe. I don't care what path they took to get to where killing some kid over an I-pod and a laptop seemed like a fun way to spend an evening. I want them stopped!

Until then, I feel that adult who is permitted under Arizona law to carry concealed for self-defense should be accorded the opportunity to make their own choice without the hyperbolic pandering about drunken, testosterone-laden, frat boys with guns.