Mississippi vs Oregon? Red vs Blue?

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

Trump continues his attempts to illegally send our military forces to blue states under the lie and illusion that crime is ‘out of control.’

The most laughable of these situations involves Trump, his personal propaganda machine, Fox News, and the falsification of video tape showing violence in red states, and claiming the tape originated in a blue state.

Trump continues to claim that Portland Oregon is a “hellhole,” a city mired by violent crime. Anyone who knows Portland began laughing immediately. This truly American city is filled with pacifists and people right-wing politicians call "tree huggers."

Here’s the truth. Although right-wing politicians claim that poverty does not increase crime, the facts prove just the opposite. There is more crime and gun violence in red states than in blue or purple states.

[Mississippi consistently has the highest firearm death rate in the U.S. and experiences a disproportionate level of gun violence compared to other states. Its firearm mortality rate has been documented as being nearly double the national average.]

However, there is no interest in sending our military forces to Mississippi. The most upsetting fact is that the rate of gun violence is highest in rural counties.

Fact, whenever studies are conducted, Mississippi consistently ranks number one on the list of America’s poorest states.

Facts you may not know.

Although America has less than five percent of the world’s population, records show that it boasts about 25 percent of all men and women incarcerated in the world. Prior to joining the prison population, the average income for both men and women was $19,185. The poverty level stands at $15,650 for an individual, and $21,500 for a couple. The average for all Americans annually is $62,192. Of course the fact that 902 Americans are billionaires, and more than 22 million are millionaires greatly distorts the average for 340 million people. In reality, the average income is much lower.

If you are interested, Mississippi’s poverty rate is about 19 percent: Oregon’s is about 12 percent.

Does poverty increase crime? You be the judge.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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Sources: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/mississippi-mass-shooting-leland-gun-violence-murder-valley-rcna237594

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-highest-rates-of-gun-homicides-are-in-rural-counties/