Response to "Inequality and Violence in the U.S" Chapters 1 and 2

        As I read through the beginning of this book, I came across a fact that struck me. In discussing the different patterns of violence, it was noted that "Poor minority neighborhoods have high rates of crime" (p. 13). As I read this, I wondered why this is true. Why do people in a lower economic class commit more crimes than people who are wealthier? Perhaps they are more driven to anger because they're unhappy with their disposition in life. Maybe they resent people that are more fortunate out of jealousy. This jealousy causes an inner rage that perhaps is bottled and later released during moments where the person committing the violence feels it is justified. 

        Next, I began thinking about the deep rooted causes of this kind of violence. Jealousy is just the surface of the issue; the bigger issue is rooted in the neglect of the needs of these poor neighborhoods. Inadequate housing, food, and healthcare is causing people to be both malnourished and sick. This is not a good recipe for a content disposition in life. This would be true for anyone, regardless of class, ethnicity, and gender. 

        After realizing this, I began wondering why people are resorting to violence to solve their personal problems. One theory is that we are genetically disposed to protect ourselves in a violent manner at times. It is not something that is learned over time, but more a natural reaction to threatening situations. I feel that in some cases this is true, especially in moments of self defense, such as being raped, fighting off a person attacking you, or experiencing a break-in at your home. Another theory is that different outlets of the media are affecting children at a young age, making them more likely to use violence as they grow into adolescents and adults. Personally I feel that it is a parent's responsibility to protect their children from certain violent programs and video games. It is their duty to slowly expose their children to the violence in the world while placing an appropriate context behind it. The way kids are exposed to violence affects the way they feel about it and will deal with it in the future. It is not the responsibility of the media to censor their programs and video games so that parents can have the luxury of not explaining to their kids the context of why this violence exists and non-violent ways to alleviate these situations. People that simply blame the media for the violence in society do not usually understand that the correlation between violent television programs and video games does not prove the cause of violence. In fact, in a study between homicide in several different nations and the material the media shows, it was discovered that there was no relationship that could be unearthed (p. 31). I think that lessening violence in the U.S starts with more involved parenting. 

        As I was finishing these chapters, I started questioning whether it is even possible to eliminate violence. Humans are naturally imperfect beings and on many occasions we resort to our emotions to explain stressful situations and we react in less than admirable ways. Some people suggest that we make it harder to acquire guns in order to solve the problem. Clearly, this is not going to work, as people will surely find other avenues in which to commit violence. I think it can be agreed that violence comes about when people feel neglected and oppressed. If we can get to the root of these emotions, we can further begin to understand how to alleviate them.

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