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 Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, right, and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis address reporters at the National Press Club.
December 14th, 2011
06:30 PM ET
Occupy 2.0? Church leaders join movementBy David Ariosto, CNN Washington, DC (CNN) - A group of African-American church leaders announced Wednesday their intention to join ranks with the Occupy movement in the nation's capital, bolstering what some consider a mutual message of condemning income inequality and social injustice. The move comes against the backdrop of evictions of Occupy protesters encamped in city parks and squares across the United States, raising questions about whether the two groups can capitalize on momentum gained by the months-long movement. "We are occupying until poverty is eradicated," pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant told reporters at the National Press Club in Washington, near where a core group of activists remains encamped. The two groups plan to gather during a national "day of action" scheduled for January 16, set to coincide with the commemoration of former civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. But could Wednesday's announcement signify that Occupy is now shifting toward more established forms of influence? "Every successful movement begins with a grievance and turns into an agenda," said Bill Galston, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution. By linking up with black church leaders, he said, the group can tap into a community with years of experience in social movements. Since September, activists have gathered to draw attention to corporate greed and the excesses of the so-called 1%, a reference to the nation's elite, who protesters say wield disproportionate influence over the rest of the country. Their message, though popular, has also been criticized for its lack of focus. But on Wednesday, church leaders outlined a more specific call to lawmakers, asking for a moratorium on foreclosures, an increase in federal Pell grants to students and added national funding for job training. In past months demonstrators have largely shunned established political figures, wary of being co-opted by outside influence. And yet outside groups have largely been involved, swelling demonstrator marches with union ranks in cities like New York, where activists first encamped in a lower Manhattan park. "When they had physical spaces, then the point was to be there," added Galston of the encampments. "But the movement has to move from occupation to something else." Last month, authorities in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia dismantled tents and arrested protesters who refused to leave city parks and squares. On Saturday, police arrested 46 people in Boston, sweeping through a downtown square to evict people rooted there since late September. "I think there is a danger" the movement could lose momentum without these physical spaces, said Elisabeth Jacobs, a Brookings fellow in governance studies. "But I'm not sure that its a foregone conclusion. "There's a pretty lively Web space for this community." But whether the movement can evolve into an "Occupy 2.0" could be key to its survival as a relevant social movement in the months and years ahead. That evolution may also require adopting more institutional forms of influence, such as lobbying and use of the courts, which protesters have often labeled corrupt. "People might be a little frustrated that the movement is taking a new shape," Jacobs said. But with the loss of landmark encampments in places like Manhattan's Zuccotti Park and Boston's Dewey Square, "I'm not sure what they're actually trying to accomplish if they don't adapt." The group's Twitter feed, meanwhile, remained abuzz with online activity on Wednesday. "How do we take back our govt from corrupt and incompetent elected officials?" read one post. "Keep the dream ALIVE," read another. CNN's Stacey Samuel in Washington contributed to this report. David Ariosto is in New York. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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This is the best thing to happen yet ... for the faith communities to come together, and even more those spanning different races and cultures. If Occupy continues to be a mostly "White thing" ... Blacks are not going to be interested in being a part that much, but with their own leaders in there, the movement could grow to be the most significant thing since Civil Rights. I have thought since it first started that they have set out on a long journey to right to the economic wrongs challenged by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I'm sure he would be happy to see there are those willing to continue the work he set out to do when he was murdered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_6PxnvaySw
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Great, just what we need. More bible thumpers in polotics.
I was gonna say "Great, just what we need, more Occupyers."
also it's spelled "politics."
We absolutely need God in politics. Otherwise we are an amoral (at best) rutterless nation adrift among others instead of the one nation under God that has made America the greatest nation on the planet. God made America great.
No George, the people of America made America great. You are forgetting that America is a secular nation, not a christard nation. No evidence of god exists, so it is only in your mind that it is responsible for making the country what it is. You need to start giving credit where credit is due...starting with the men and women who just sacrificed themselves for their country and your freedom.
this is america. everyone can say something if they want, if its religious or not. i'm ok with this
Actually, participation by Christian leaders in the OWS movement is way overdue. Just look at Leviticus 25– the Bible actually *explicitly* mandates periodic redistribution of wealth as a social safety net!
Hopefully at the next occupy protest the police will "Shoot to Kill."
As someone who has been on a march – years ago through an all-white county in Georgia – I can tell you that as you walk along you almost expect to be shot at some point. Like you have a target painted on you. It didn't help that the National Guard with their riot sticks lined the streets facing us and not our would-be assailants. As it was, two people near us were hit by bricks. One in the mouth. In situations like that you learn right away that civil disobedience can have some serious costs.
Occupy protesters have it worse. They sit in one place expecting the police in riot gear to come through at any time breaking heads and hauling people off. And yes, you could get your way on this one: there's always the possibility of another Kent State -style shooting if the cops are sufficiently crazed.
MY SON IS DOING WHAT?
Doctor this Reverend that Bishop so and so. Funny how all these phuckin Nig gers must have these grandiose names when really all they are is cons, liars, cheats and nig gers. PHUCK EM!!
Wow, Racism much? Must kill you to know Obama is the president!
@Kenneth
What's the frequency?
The frequency? I tell you what the frequency! The frequency is this *POOT* <–SMELL IT!!
obvious troll is obvious
The occupiers are nothing more than modern-day Marxists. No true Christian could support what they are doing. They want a redistribution of wealth.
Not familiar with the no true scottsman fallacy, are you George?
Funny, though, because I thought jesus espoused giving to the poor. Maybe I misread that part. Or maybe, as any 'true' Christian would point out when confront with a verse that they don't agree with, I'm just cherry-picking verses and taking them out of context.
So, Georgie Porgie, you're a spokesman for what is a "true christian"?
Us Occupy Nig gers are gonna put your white asses to work.
George – Jesus was all for the redistribution of wealth:
"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus was NEVER about FORCED redistribution of weath. And that is what the occupiers want.
It's not surprising that George would say this. He seems to be very much the conservative republican. What he doesn't realize is that communism isn't the threat here. If the corrupt politicians and business leaders have their way, the United States will be reduced to little more than a feudalistic oligarchy led by the wealthy and the church, with the majority of the population living in poverty. George is okay with that, because when he watches Fox News, they tell him this would be a good thing.
Post by George is the No True Scottsmen fallacy.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/
George,
We all know you are not very educated, but your Jeebus was arrested and executed by the Jerusalem authorities because he threatened their economic stability, (he over-turned the tables of the money-changers). We know you have never really studied your babble, but you are not the one who decides who is a "true" christian, or not. Name ONE "true christian" that disagrees with you ? ........ That's what we thought.
@Brad,
Interesting take on that. I believe, what Jesus was saying, was "How far are you willing to go to get to Heaven?" Essentially, Jesus saw that what was between this man and God was his wealth. Was he so yearning to go to Heaven that he would give up everything for God?
Money is spoken about quite a bit in the scriptures? Why? Because money is such a close thing to all of our hearts. Humans are fearful creatures, so in order to alleviate that fear, we try to gain money to help control our situation. We put our faith in money. Look at how many people thought their savings and 401ks would be able to help them retire and when it all bottomed out, how many are still working and are unable to retire? Money equals power, power equals control. Fear is a result from lack of trust. So Jesus was asking the man, "Do you trust God enough to give away all of your money and believe He will provide?" And from the sounds of that scripture, he wasn't.
@Hellbent...alright, I'll take the bait. Yesterday, you were most certainly taking scripture out of context. I called you on it. That is that. Today, however, you are in the right. You are accurately summarizing Jesus' position (and the Christian position) that we should do whatever we can to help those in need. I don't know (honestly) if that includes "redistribution of wealth," but it most certainly means that some sacrifices by those "with" be made to support those "with out."
DamianKnight I agree. Many people have a problem with wealth and its uses – probably everyone who has wealth of any kind. What I found interesting in this context though was what Jesus wanted the fellow to do with his impediment (wealth). Not burn it, or give it to someone who might manage it best, but give it to the poor.
@Brad,
It's why Jesus made the reference to it being harder for a wealthy man to enter Heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Money is our earthly security. We feel we can control our situation through money. It's definitely not easy and something all people, including Christians, struggle with. It's hard to part with our security.
First off, I don't know who is talking about scottsman. Certainly not me. I'm talking about true Christians. And yes, there are true Christians who disagree with me on a number of issues. This is not one of them.
Secondly, indeed Jesus did overturn the tables of the money changers. You know why? It's not because they were wealthy. It's because they were profaning God's temple. Pure and simple. That is what happens when unbelievers quote scripture out of context.
That proves our points. "Who's talking about Scottsmen ?" Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
They were not profaning the temple. They were fulfilling the prescriptions of the law, changing the (pagan) Roman currency of the worshipers, who had to buy their animals for sacrifice only in Jewish currency. You really do not know anything. I guess we should remember Proverbs 26:4 "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself."
how does george speak for a group he disparages...they dont want the redistribution of current wealth . just a fair playuing field so you can make some wealth too. Are you ok with corruption? are you poor because you are dumb?
What about Leviticus 25? It seems to me that the Year of the Jubilee mandates forced wealth redistribution as a type of social safety net (even though most scholars would say that it was never practiced historically).
I think someone already pointed out the Jubilee in Leviticus 25.
Sounds like a mandated redistribution of wealth to me.
So Jesus in the New Testament encourages free will giving to the poor and makes it a litmus test for the wealthy believer (i.e. as per Jesus if you are wealthy, claim to be my follower, but fail to give away your wealth to the poor, sorry it ain't gonna cut it, camel through eye of needle etc.)
Name one "Christian" member of congress or the senate, dem or repub, that passes this litmus test? If none pass then why have Christians been voting for these obvious hypocrites? (unless of course you don't believe Jesus was serious?)
And Leviticus (the Law which Jesus fulfilled) spells out a proscribed program for periodic wealth redistribution (Jubilee).
Okay so the Repubs in congress and the senate say "Us conservatives would never support wealth redistribution". They marry their "conservative" economic policies with Christian values, claim the Dems are anti-christian etc. and all the sheep follow along and vote for them?
I mean who do the Repubs (and most Dems) in congress truly serve? (while paying lip service to their "christian" beliefs)
Hint: It isn't Jesus (As it turns out ol' JC was a bit short on cash to be able to afford their loyalty).
Me personally I'm what you might call a "Jeffersonian Christian".
That is if you just take the essential teachings of Jesus, it boils down to a pretty high ethic, a high standard for how to treat your fellow human beings, one which I know I'll fail to live fully, but still find worthy of striving for.
It doesn't bother me that some atheist think he was loony (I don't) and that some Christians believe Jesus was more than just a man (I'm not convinced he was anything more than a man).
So some atheists will label me a freak for following Jesus words at all, and some Christians will label me a non-believer (and damned to hell at that) for not accepting his divinity.
I guess if those Christians are right I'll be joining Thomas Jefferson in hell someday...heck the guy challenged his nephew to "question even the existence of a god". And to think this is the man that penned the Declaration of Independence...
Anyway I digress (just a bit).
Anyway my main point is what others have also stated. If you say you believe in the Bible and believe in the teachings of Jesus then read for yourself his teachings about how rich believers should act towards the poor, read the Old Testament laws regarding Jubilee etc.
Then please find for me the other Bible passages or teachings of Jesus that nullify these concepts and support the so called "conservative" economic policies. Please explain to me how a truly "Christian" government would set economic policy (and please support your position fully with passages from the Bible and no other source especially if you say you believe that only the Bible is the authoritative word of God).
Look I'm not trying to be a jerk towards believers.
I think real believers and followers of Jesus (whether they believe in his divinity or not) will get what I'm saying and not see it as an attack on their faith.
I happen to have a lot of friends that are believers – some are Christians believing in the divinity of Jesus; some who try to follow his ethic but not the supernatural stuff; some who believe in other gods or follow other faiths; some who believe that only the material world exist (my Dad for one doesn't believe in an afterlife).
My other point is this – why are we all arguing here while the country continues to be stolen out from under us?
We the People need to realize that until believers and non-believers agree that job number one is clearing the corruption out of the halls of government, we are going to just continue to be unwitting pawns in this game.
We need a platform for political reform that for once puts aside these hot button topics and just focuses on "common sense" reforms (I hate that term "common sense" as if we are all born with it...total BS).
Here it is:
-we need new congressmen and senators who will enact laws that ban lobbyists, ban political contributions, pass reforms that will level the playing field for running for political office (why with today's technology and communication virtually any legal resident ought to be able to run for political office), add a flat tax and make campaign financing truly public, tie congress and senate pay to median incomes or subject to referendum (i.e. only get a raise if voters say so), simplify the tax code and eliminate tax shelters, pass laws that force US companies that operate overseas to follow the same "common sense" labor and environmental laws they must follow in the US and make it illegal to import goods from foreign companies that don't follow fair labor practices and/or pollute the environment indiscriminately, etc.
Note the lack of mention of religion in schools, abortion, gun control, etc. These are all important topics that we should continue to debate and address...but they are not the fundamental issues of our time.
Let's work together to fix our broken government first, then we can go back to debating these things (with respect and civility of course).
But let's not let the current occupiers of our government use and abuse these important topics to win our loyalty (all while sending our county down the toilet while selling out to whoever has the deepest pockets for campaign contributions).
For what it is worh, I have made no posts, except this one, on this blog. HeavenSent is in rare form today.
Neither has heavensent, genius.
Thank you for the compliment HS.
"Neither has heavensent, genius."
Yes, she has she's using another handle, even though she claimed she never does that.
Although I understand their reasoning, yet in our representing the Lord Jesus Christ we cannot break the scripture. For our Lord tells us plainly that we shall always have the poor [or poverty] with us, and seeing that His Word is Truth and nothing wavering, it is for us to over-rule what He says, and say, "until poverty is eradicated". Furthermore the scripture tells us that we must put away "clamor" which is protest [a chorus of disapproval]. Again, I understand why, but we are not to be partaker with this secular world´s principles and practices, but rather we are to separate ourselves. Therefore if we will represent Christ, we must needs represent Him as He is, and not as we would have Him to be. It is a good thing for us to learn not to think above [beyond] that which is written, so that we will not begin to exaggerate and over-estimate God´s Word which is God´s will.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Scripture was written by the hand of Man, not God... and provably so. The old testament demonstrably contradicts the new; in fact it represents a completely different faith from Christ's teachings. You'd be far better off trying to understand what Christ really meant and implementing it in your life than trying to follow scripture word for word. Every one of us with any spiritual aspirations will look up to those who have achieved true self-realization, like Christ, St. Francis, and countless enlightened spiritual teachers who are walking the earth today. Meet one and you just know that they've had a breakthrough into a way of being that is truly free of suffering.... something we all want. Yet, the majority of us still think that reading a book and doing what it says will bring us that peace. It will not. Only walking the road to self-discovery will do that. Because if you go deeply enough, you will find Christ right inside you, and Christ was always there. You will never find that if you just read scripture and do what it tell you to. All you will find is more suffering as you struggle with the difference between what scripture says the world should be and what you can realize of that in your life. As Christ said, "the kingdom of God is within you."
"the kingdom of God is within you."
Absolutely correct....as in "It's all in your head."
so are you saying its ok for other people to be corrupt and as a person of Christ , to just sit back and let it happen. i dont think so. Your interpretation of scriptures is waaaay off.can you give me reference to whom you learned this concept because my pastor says the opposite...whose is correct yours ? just because you have invested emotionally in your local pastor ? or mine?
one thing that bothers me is that you seem to have concluded that there will always be poor people (since God said according to your interpretation). How do you as a Human and a christian deal with the mental ramifications when you are confronted by a homeless person. are they less human to you because you have allowed yourself to be in a cetain religios denial that its ok to ignor poor people as if they are not even people? Does it not bother you to see their suffering? How do you make it ok inside your soul? Do you just say " God said they will be here so i dont have to invest any emotions in these poor people" its as if you believe God has allowed you to be in denial of the human suffering so you can continue to call yourself a christian because you follow the word of the good book to the letter. How do you live with that denial?
income inequality?sounds like a couple of burger flippers cant understand they should be mad at themselves for not striving to better their life.true teachers cops firemen and paramedics deserve more than that shiester lawyer,but burger flippers and other minimum wagers need to understand minimum wage is not intended to be a means of living.but i dont mind paying the garbage man more than double minimum wage cuz its hard dirty and nasty work.
Do you flip burgers?
People in this country need to be paid equally for their work. There's no way of getting around it. We need to end poverty somehow.
You seem pretty judgmental and uncompassionate to me. Like you never walked even a city block in the shoes of a "burger flipper." The world needs all different kinds of roles in society, and pretending that some roles shouldn't exist is really an exercise in gross ignorance.
I think Hamsta quickly forgets what blue collar workers do for any country. It doesn't matter what a person does for a living, as long as they are not sitting on their as.ses collecting food stamps or taking advantage of the government. In a country where the unemployment rate is staggering and this freak of nature thinks 'burger flippers' deserve to be impoverished...how very christian of her...HYPOCRITE!!
ungodly: what of the people who need to go to school, and incur school debt? why would they do that if they will be paid the same as the burger flipper, garbageman, etc?
canadians often impersonate legitimate posters as they have such a low self esteem, that the only way they can feel relevant is to be a pretend american. Someone should tell them life does not work that way.
We've never had to pretend to be American. I let it be known I was Canadian from the outset. This board seemed like a good place to challenge theists to defend the reasoning behind their beliefs. Some like JW are genuinely interested in exchanging ideas but most like HS sadly just spout scripture with closed minds to anything they don't agree with. Truth isn't found by faith or decree but by detailed exploration of all the available information.
Get over it CA. The internet has no borders and I get CNN on my TV too. The only thing that puzzles me however is what are you doing here since all you seem capable of is spewing hatred towards Canadians. Ah....now I understand...You were a border patrol officer before you died and was reincarnated as a troll. Shouldn't you be busy hiding under your bridge?
Actually, I'm just jeolous because you have better weed than we do. That's it, that's all.
@Captain America
Stop! Don't say something you'll regret. You know the best stuff comes from Colorado. Even Jamaicans agree.
BC bud is the only good thing to ever come from canada. If you've had it you'll know it doesn't get any better.
@Captain
As a conossuer (or however the hel.l you spell it) of such things, I can as.sure you that Colorado knows what perfection is and produces it on a daily basis. BC isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but Colorado is the winner here.
The height of stupid is to impersonate an anonymous blog. We are talking intelligence that doesn't even register on the retard scale. We are definitely talking canadian.
No, the height of stupid(ity) is you, captain america sir.
Hey, ass hole, which captain america is your dumb canadian ass referring to.
We've already got enough canadians in this country. Now they want to be communists like canadians?
We love you too CA!! I can't wait to visit Texas and spend some of my hard earned Canadian cash in your country.
Enjoy this beautiful December Day...
enough canadians in this country? i know several canadians. they seem pretty cool to me. apparently you have an issue with them.
@Rick: CA is only capable of hating Canadian's...every single post by CA relates to its hatred of us. Oh well, I believe in killing it with kindness and as CA is well aware by now, we are not going away and no matter how much hatred is spewed from its finger tips, it will not break us...we are not weak minded (unlike CA tends to be). CA is like the school yard bully...delusional enough to believe its vicious words are doing any good. I feel for you having to live in a country where CA is.
Truth be told this post is not by captain america, you just can't feel the love. As to canadians like truth prevails ...Facts are not hate get used to it.
well, truth, what can i say, CA is just a blowhard
@CA: What facts would those be? Your own delusions do not count as facts!
CA: Hopefully after today CNN will no longer be allowing your posts to remain on here. I took the time to report you directly to the head office and requested that they remove your posts and every other one you have made that insults Canadian's. You have long since made your point about hating us (for what reason, we are not certain) and it has gotten tiring. This is a belief blog, not a 'fight my closest neighboring country' blog. Not one of us from Canada has gone away and no matter how much you may spew your hate for us, we will remain here but enough is enough and you need serious help. You have no idea who any of us are and until you have a clue, you need to stop. Thankfully not everyone in your country are as ignorant or hateful as you. I'm not even sure you're a real USA citizen. With every post you make yourself look like the bigger fool. Obviously your Mommy forgot to teach you that if you have nothing nice to say then you best shut your mouth.
Enjoy your day.
Truth Honey don't expect CNN to do anything to silence CA. Free speech allows the likes of the Westboro Church slime to do their thing and so too will CA be permitted to puke..errr... I mean speak. Better it be on full display to expose the hypocrisy...no one is paying attention to the lies and hatred.
To clarify here...I do understand freedom of speech but once a point has been made, continuing to make that point over and over again makes you look childish. In the end, just as you practice freedom of speech in regards to your hatred for my beautiful country and your neighbors, I will continue to post here. You really should stop battling this...you're not getting anywhere and you're not scaring us away. Very few other USA citizens on here speak against us and most appreciate the benefit that each of our countries is to the other.
Some canadians speak french, some canadians speak english, some canadians might even speak innuit ,but all canadians speak qu eer.
i like boy parts
small ones
I've never had a problem with Canadians. I do have problems with people pretending to be superheroes, using names that seem to indicate they speak for an entire continent. (Possibly two; he doesn't clarify if he's captain north america or captain south america.)
Just so you know, Canadians, all U.S. citizens I know think you're damned good neighbors.
Point one the poster is not captain america but rather a canadian qu eer impostor. Point two consider the American freedom fighters who were lured into canada to help win canadian independence then seized and hanged in large numbers or sentenced to long prison terms. Point three tallulah how will you get the taste out of your mouth after kissing so much canadian butt?
INTERESTING ALLIANCE ....da. .da "Takin' it to the streets" courtesy ...doobie brothers ....
I love the doobs! Smokin' 'em too!
i hope thats for medical resons
There are so many scriptures that label this move as wrong. Not to mention the goal of "occupying until poverty is erradicated".
Matt 26:11 ...the poor ye will have always.. I guess this occupation will last forever.
Was it not John the baptist in Luke 3:14 urging inquiring soldiers to be content with their wages?
Occupying will not erradicate poverty, oh thats obvious isnt it! Sorry, I hate when I do that...
The apostle Paul found himself content with food and clothing
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Once an ass hole, always and ass hole. Way to go, Chard.
and?
Way to go. You just made a classic canadian mistake.
Yeah, you dumb f* cktard. I typed a "d" after "an". So? You're biggest mistake was taking your first breath, captain ass hole.
I wonder if you'll be able to find my other error, you butt-twit. Go ahead and point it out. Oh, by the way, if it's using "you're" instead of "your", don't bother, you moronic flea.
The period is outside of the quotation marks. This is incorrect grammar, just how the school system in canada trains its chimps.
Having another meltdown this evening? You're awfully rabid. Menopause?
I've noticed that canadians make a lot of mistakes when they're angry.
LS, just ignore it. Be the better person.
You are using religion to justify keeping things as they are, and even to contradict the teachings of Christ. Religion has always been a tool to repress and control people, with the unwitting and callous controllers like yourself holding the reins.
captain america does not speak to name thieves. The impostor has words but you just don't feel the love of the true captain.
@Captain America
" This is incorrect grammar, just how the school system in canada trains its chimps."
High Literacy Rates:
US – 19% Canada 25%
Grade 12 Math Score:
US – 461 Canada – 519
Furthermore, your murder rate is 3 times as high as ours – and your incarceration rate is 5 times as high.
Using a common definition of poverty (having less than half the income of the average family), one in ten Canadians are poor compared to one in six Americans.
One in six Canadian kids is poor, compared to almost one in four American children.
Us North American Arctic Chimps seem to be doing pretty well when compared to our southern cousins.
@Doc
To be fair, we have a lot more people than Canada which sort of drags our scores down a lot more. As for the murder rate....well, we have the 2nd amendment which gives everyone a right to a weapon. I don't agree with it, but having a gun allows for a lot more crime.
Some canadians speak english, some canadians speak french all canadians speak qu eer. doc here is speaking to a phony fellow canadian on an American news site. Neither one of the ass holes are worth the ink of their opinions. The height of stupid is to impersonate someone on an anonymous blog. How canadian would a person have to be to do that?
@Doc,
I tend to agree with you. But remember, we also have ten times the population. Estimates according to the CIA show Canada's population to be 34,030,589. That's less than the population of California (which is roughly 37.3 million) alone. So it's to be expected that we have higher crime rates. America itself has approximately 313,232,044 people.
how does the number of people affect the percent of those that are dumfuks? dumfuk
@Captain america
whichever one who doesn't understand how statistics work, keep in mind, the more people there are, in this case 34 million for 300 million, that menas there are 266 million more people to be tested in whatever subject, fail it and bring down the average. Now, can you please stop embarras.sing the country with your postings?
Toronto has a population of around 3 Million and right across the lake sits Detroit, with a population of about 750,000.
The homicide rate for Toronto is 3.3 per 100,000 people – Detroit is 10 times higher at 33.8
Robbery rate 207.1 robberies per 100,000 people in TO and 675 in Detroit.
@Chuckles,
Thank you for answering for me. I was about to become very unChrist-like and tell CA what an obtuse, degenerate monkey he was. You, sir, are a true friend. 🙂
Doc if we got rid of Detroit, New Orleans, Memphis and St. Louis our crime rate would be about the same as Canada.
You’re the one that needs to shut up, because you’re proving these stupid canadian’s point for them. Just because there are more people doesn’t mean they have to be dumfuks. They could be smartfuks and bring the average up instead of down. Get it?
I'm just intelligent enough to know that Canadians are not terrible people. Their opinions are valid. You know why? Because most of the decisions the United States makes affect Canada and vice versa, given that the two countries' economies are so closely linked.
It might be good to do some reading, or even talk to a Canadian without your bile that resembles K.K.K. style rambling.
they're nothing but a bunch of commie socialist que'ers up there, and sympathizing with them makes you one of them.
commie!
@Doc
Again, there's that whole second amendment thing where detroit, being an extremely poor city but happens to have a plethora or guns, its sort of unfair to compare the two cities and infer any sort of conclusion about the two countries.
@Captain America
You are absolutely right, what are your ideas for reforming education in america and stopping the christian right from corrupting our countries education to make us a country of dumfuks? I think the country would be in your eternal debt if you found a way to make this country full of smartfuks, then again, after looking at your posts I don't know if I would want to even be a part of what you consider to be "smartfuks"
I chose Detroit becuase they're very close to us geographically.
Perhaps Chicago would be a closer comparison to Toronto both population and prosperity wise.
Chiacgo's Homicide rate is s15.6 per 100,000
Robbery 555.6
@Doc
Still unfair. We have the second amendment. For the record I think we need to get rid of it and clear the streets of guns, but since we still have it there are a lot more people who might committ a crime because of the power they get from holding a gun.
@Chuckles,
I don't think we need to get rid of guns. I happen to have two firearms, both inherited from my father. One's a .22 bolt action rifle and the other is a .22 target pistol. Both are kept unloaded, with the ammo nearby. I don't have any children, but I believe it's important for me to be able to protect my home and my family. And while a .22 shot is generally not lethal (except at close range to the head), it's enough to scare someone.
@Damian
You have every right to own that gun and be a good gun owner. You also have a right to protect yourself and your property and when anyone else can get a gun to harm you, it's stupid to hobble yourself and put yourself at a disadvantage. However, the removal of gun ownership doesn't take away your ability to defend yourself without a gun. Use mace, keep a baseball bat or golf club if you are worried about someone breaking and entering. I'm not worried about gun ownership framed by people who know how to safely operate a gun and use it for defensive purposes only, I am however worried about the person who uses it offensively, a child who gets their hands on the weapon because their parents aren't as responsible as they should be.
@Chuckles,
But what about people who shoot as a recreational or professional activity? There's a gun range literally five minutes from my house that my wife and I go to and it's a relaxing de-stresser and an activity we enjoy. Although some might question my intelligence in teaching my wife to shoot ( 🙂 ), it's fun for us to fire off a few rounds and chit-chat along the way.
@Damian
Can you not check in/out guns when you get there? I mean, I sometimes go ice skating when I've healed up enough from the last time I go ice skating but I don't own skates.
Maybe handguns should be illegal for anyone other than law enforcement. Maybe they could have a way that when you go to a hunting area you could just rent guns. They should at least make it illegal for people to own guns such as ak47s.
@Chuckles,
No, you're responsible to bring your own guns and ammunition. You can buy ammunition there, but most places you can't rent the guns.
Of course, there are places like "The Gun Store" in Las Vegas where you rent the gun and buy the ammunition. But that place has a HUGE selection. Like I fired military assault weaponry and my wife shot a submachine gun, neither of which we could get on the open market.
@Damian
What I'm driving at is those gun ranges wouldn't have to go out of business if the second amendment was repealed, they could just keep the guns at the range itself and rent them out when people go to the range to shoot. Same sort of goes for golf driving ranges where you can bring your own clubs but they also have clubs for rent and you can buy balls once you get there.
@JW
On its face I agree, but I don't know if I feel comfortable with the law enforcement having all the guns and people don't. I think that's basically asking for abuse of power without any way of stopping it. Maybe it's my jewish blood, but law enforecment having all the guns could lead down a very bad road. I think guns should be left to the military andkept under lock and key, no one should be able to just walk around the street with a gun on their hip.
Chucky. Do you know what a rate is ? The fact that the US has more people than Canada has no impact on the rate. It's a RATE. DO you know why you can compare RATES ?
canadian qu eer impersonating captain america – there's your sign.
Don't they have houses to build in South America or something?
don't you have a life? oh wait, your just commenting on a news artical all day making fun of people who do more for the world then you.
Your posting really stiraghtneed me out. Thanks!
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> A group of African-American church leaders announced Wednesday their intention to join ranks with the Occupy movement in the nation's capital, bolstering what some consider a mutual message of condemning income inequality and social injustice.
I'll believe them when they stop taking money from people for myth and belief. Religion is simply a more nuanced form of voodoo or praying to the magic skull for a wish.