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The crime rate for blacks, and especially violent crime, is much higher than their white counterparts. "Truth". Truth, whether or not Black Loud Mouths care to acknowledge it. Fire him, take away his livelihood? For what? Get him some earplugs and send him for "sensitivity training". At least he'll take home toilet paper for the week.
Was that the point he was making? Because I interpreted the comment as "Woonsocket used to have lower crime because it used to be whiter." And even if he made that statement after a detailed comparison of 1953 crime and demographic data vs 2024 crime and demographic data (which I sincerely doubt), I'd sure love to see something to support the implication that correlation = causation in this scenario. My assumption is that Woonsocket, like most former industrial towns, can trace the majority of its problems to the vast and rapid exodus of industry and everything it provided to the city. Not the race of the people living there.
If you want to make the race argument, it's worth pointing out that Woonsocket is more white than the national average, and about half as black as the national average. Yet it is well above the national average in terms of violent crime. So maybe having too many white people is why the crime is so bad?*
But beyond all of that, I don't have sympathy for people who post stuff like this on their personal social media accounts and have to face the consequences when it goes public. It's 2024. There's no shortage of examples of people who have lost jobs (or worse) for doing the same thing over the years. We can whine about "cancel culture" all we want, but posting stuff like this in 2024 is just plain stupid. Save it for the poker table with the boys on Saturday night.
*Yes, I'm fully aware that this is a very dumb argument and that's the point. Correlation does not equal causation. So if Joseph Morais wants to make that argument on Facebook, he should do better than "great city for crime because was white." Truth.
Was that the point he was making? Because I interpreted the comment as "Woonsocket used to have lower crime because it used to be whiter." And even if he made that statement after a detailed comparison of 1953 crime and demographic data vs 2024 crime and demographic data (which I sincerely doubt), I'd sure love to see something to support the implication that correlation = causation in this scenario. My assumption is that Woonsocket, like most former industrial towns, can trace the majority of its problems to the vast and rapid exodus of industry and everything it provided to the city. Not the race of the people living there.
If you want to make the race argument, it's worth pointing out that Woonsocket is more white than the national average, and about half as black as the national average. Yet it is well above the national average in terms of violent crime. So maybe having too many white people is why the crime is so bad?*
But beyond all of that, I don't have sympathy for people who post stuff like this on their personal social media accounts and have to face the consequences when it goes public. It's 2024. There's no shortage of examples of people who have lost jobs (or worse) for doing the same thing over the years. We can whine about "cancel culture" all we want, but posting stuff like this in 2024 is just plain stupid. Save it for the poker table with the boys on Saturday night.
*Yes, I'm fully aware that this is a very dumb argument and that's the point. Correlation does not equal causation. So if Joseph Morais wants to make that argument on Facebook, he should do better than "great city for crime because was white." Truth.
When blacks took over my grandmother's neighborhood in Brockton, her house was burglarized four times in one year. After 30 without any. If I understand your premise correctly, it was simply.......conincidental? You're a good poster but we'll have to part company on this particular issue. I have no problem whatsoever with one man's expression of a personal opinion on a social platform. And certainly not just because it happens to be 2024.
Last edited by PureBoston; 05-08-2024 at 05:42 PM..
F6
When blacks took over my grandmother's neighborhood in Brockton, her house was burglarized four times in one year. After 30 without any. If I understand your premise correctly, it was simply.......conincidental? You're a good poster but we'll have to part company on this particular issue. I have no problem whatsoever with one man's expression of a personal opinion on a social platform. And certainly not just because it happens to be 2024.
I wouldn't say it was coincidental at all. But it seems blame is being misdirected if the argument is that the race of the people living there is the cause of the increase in crime. Increased crime typically parallels increases in poverty and unemployment. When a city essentially loses its entire economy over a short span of time (like Brockton or Woonsocket did), poverty and unemployment skyrocket as the skilled workforce leaves and are replaced with a lower income population. And when there's little opportunity to make a living, crime jumps. Again, Woonsocket isn't very black at all, and Brockton's suburban neighbor Randolph is nearly 40% black with much lower crime than Woonsocket or Brockton. If there are no economic prospects, crime will typically jump regardless of the race of the people who live in that place.
To be clear, I have zero problem with anyone expressing an opinion on social media. But I also have no problem with people facing the consequences of their own actions. I'm not going to call for his head, but I'm also not going to shed a tear if the city decides that a public servant with those views might not be a good fit for a city that's less than 50% white. If you feel differently, I'm happy to agree to disagree.
I wouldn't say it was coincidental at all. But it seems blame is being misdirected if the argument is that the race of the people living there is the cause of the increase in crime. Increased crime typically parallels increases in poverty and unemployment. When a city essentially loses its entire economy over a short span of time (like Brockton or Woonsocket did), poverty and unemployment skyrocket as the skilled workforce leaves and are replaced with a lower income population. And when there's little opportunity to make a living, crime jumps. Again, Woonsocket isn't very black at all, and Brockton's suburban neighbor Randolph is nearly 40% black with much lower crime than Woonsocket or Brockton. If there are no economic prospects, crime will typically jump regardless of the race of the people who live in that place.
To be clear, I have zero problem with anyone expressing an opinion on social media. But I also have no problem with people facing the consequences of their own actions. I'm not going to call for his head, but I'm also not going to shed a tear if the city decides that a public servant with those views might not be a good fit for a city that's less than 50% white. If you feel differently, I'm happy to agree to disagree.
The argument that blacks commit crime at a higher rate than other races only because they're poorer is simply laughable. Asians, Whites and Hispanics of the same socioeconomic class commit crime at lower rates. It MUST be 2024, when else would this simple fact be so vehemently denied? I'll give you credit though, you're holding out as best you can before playing the "systemic racism" card.
Last edited by PureBoston; 05-09-2024 at 07:54 AM..
The argument that blacks commit crime at a higher rate than other races only because they're poorer is simply laughable. Asians, Whites and Hispanics of the same socioeconomic class commit crime at lower rates. It MUST be 2024, when else would this simple fact be so vehemently denied?
I haven't denied anything about the black vs. white crime rates, have I? The argument is simply that, when it comes to crime, economic opportunity is a bigger driver than race. Woonsocket isn't even very black (less black and more white than the national average with a significantly higher crime rate), so it's a pretty good example of what I'm talking about. This is obviously somewhat reductive because crime is influenced by a multitude of factors like culture, religion, family conditions, education, law enforcement, the justice system, etc. But claiming that Woonsocket was a "better city for crime because it was white" is even more reductive and definitely laughable. It's still a "white" city.
I haven't denied anything about the black vs. white crime rates, have I? The argument is simply that, when it comes to crime, economic opportunity is a bigger driver than race. Woonsocket isn't even very black (less black and more white than the national average with a significantly higher crime rate), so it's a pretty good example of what I'm talking about. This is obviously somewhat reductive because crime is influenced by a multitude of factors like culture, religion, family conditions, education, law enforcement, the justice system, etc. But claiming that Woonsocket was a "better city for crime because it was white" is even more reductive and definitely laughable. It's still a "white" city.
Because of its whiteness, or in spite of it, we can't know. Especially without a breakdown of Woonsocket crime by race. This though, we can: across similar socioeconomic demographics, and any other similar qualifiers or conditions you care to mention, inclluding lack of economic opportunity, the Black crime rate is significantly higher than White, Hispanic or Asian. Would this be so incredibly difficult to acknowledge in any year other than 2024?
Last edited by PureBoston; 05-09-2024 at 08:50 AM..
Because of its whiteness, or in spite of it, we can't know. Especially without a breakdown of Woonsocket crime by race. This though, we can: across similar socioeconomic demographics, and any other similar qualifiers or conditions you care to mention, the Black crime rate is significantly higher than White, Hispanic or Asian.
Yes, a breakdown of Woonsocket crime by race would help determine which races are committing the most crimes in Woonsocket. But we can assume Morais also didn't have that information when he posted that comment on Facebook, correct?
There are numerous regional examples of cities with less crime and a larger (as a percentage) black population than Woonsocket. So if we're trying to figure out why crime in Woonsocket would be higher than a place like, say, Randolph or Holbrook MA, we've got to look at something other than race. And the most glaring difference between those places is that Woonsocket is the shell a former industrial town with few economic prospects whereas Randolph and Holbrook are well-connected suburbs of one of the most powerful economic engines in the country. People born in Randolph/Holbrook have easy access to the Boston job market. People moving to Randolph/Holbrook are generally workers who are employed in the Boston economy. The same opportunities don't exist for the people of Woonsocket, regardless of their race. And the people moving to Woonsocket aren't typically doing so because of its proximity to good jobs.
Again, you'll find no argument from me on the black vs. other races crime data. That's pretty clear. I'm just not convinced that that's the problem with Woonsocket.
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