On Friday, January 17, 2014 8:31:27 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/17/2014 8:09 PM, wrote:

On Friday, January 17, 2014 8:00:09 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:



50 years ago when I was about that age if I ever got caught with some

friends entering a vacant building, I'd probably be hauled down to the

police station along with my friends and all of the parents, read the

riot act by the cop on duty and then sent home to face the real

punishment at the hands of my old man.



The difference is, 50 years ago the chance of you and your friends packing heat is very low. As we've all seen, the chance of it now, with the numbing of our young by Hollywood's glamorization of violence along with video games, etc., has increased that chance many times. I'm, unfortunately, on the side of the homeowner. It's a consequence of the loss of morals by society in general.







I guess I agree although there is statistical data that would suggest

the opposite is true in terms of having access to firearms.



I found some data that covers 1973 to 2012 (39 years).



The percentage of households with one or more firearms has decreased

over that period from 49.1 percent in 1973 to 34.4 percent in 2012.

The percentage peaked in 1974 at 54 percent and the lowest was 2010 at

32.3 percent.



So, again, I put the blame solely on the lack of parenting.

I guess we're saying the same thing. It's not the number of firearms available, but rather the attitude of the people that put their hands on them. You and your friends wouldn't have thought of taking a pistol to that imaginary breakin, much less actually pulling the trigger on another human being.. Unfortunately, many people (not just the young) seem numb to the concept of killing someone being wrong. I agree that's it's lack of parenting, but also think it's repeated exposure as well.