What are your thoughts on this?

Question

Headline (Associated Press): "Unprovoked Attacks on Homeless Soaring"
A quote from the story: "Our young people get prejudices from their parents in regard to homeless people. They don't identify with the homeless, and they don't seem to see them as important." With Felix, Ring adds, "the juveniles targeted him because he was easy prey."

Now, I'm not making any assumptions or accusations--but the only people I've ever heard express derogatory opinions of the homeless are the neo-cons. What do you think?

dk--you asked a good question--does anyone know? I doubt it--there's almost no research (I am a sociologist/historian-I checked)
But my question can easily be statded as a testable hypothesis:
Is there a correlation between the political orientation of the parents and the liklihood their children will commit an attack on the homeless?

Answer 1

I wouldn't say political correlation but maybe a wealth correlation.Many kids who have been handed everything seem to have less regard for the plight of others.Many kids don't even understand how hard their parents have to work to give them all their "toys"and that nice roof over their heads.So they have no compassion for their fellow man.Many times not even their own parents.By trying to give our kids everything we are creating a bunch of heartless adults in our future.They will be like animals attacking those who are weak and unable to keep up with the pack.

Answer 2

Yes there are assumptions being made seeing as there is no data to back up the statement of who is doing it. Those caught doing it should be polled to see what party lines they belong to or their parents belong too.
I haven't read any Cons expressing derogatory comments about the homeless, just the welfare recipients.
However now if the questioner has stated that School shootings were most likely done by children of con parents that would be a very high probability!

Answer 3

In addition to what Malthusi says, I think that the young people are becoming so self-centered, they don't really consider a homeless person a human being. Maybe I'm wrong about the reason but the world has really been going to hell in a hand-basket. It seems Y. P. are getting to be more and more violent. Pity we can't point out the good ones instead of focusing on the bad ones. That's the news"s fault. Or maybe our own--we want to be titillated and shocked and so that's what they give us.

Never thought I'd blame it on the young kids because you know what? My parents said the same thing back in the sixties about me and my kind what with the rock and roll and long hair and such.

Phew!! You really asked a good Q. What's the answer to it all? Does anyone know?

Answer 4

And the only people I've heard express derogatory opinions of conservatives are liberal wackos.

The people charged in that particular story were 15 and 16. Do you think they even have a clue about geopolitics and foreign policy?

As well, 142 homeless were assaulted last year according to a homeless lobby group. That group's report includes homeless assaulted by other homeless. As well, given that there's a probably several thousands homeless in the U.S., 142 is likely lower than the national average for other groups being assaulted.

Answer 5

You're jumping to conclusions. We live in a "throw away" Society- & many people absently feel that the Homeless- are "thrown away" members of it- so they don't care. WAY TOO MANY people of all political "stripes" feel this way...-& pass the impression down to their kids. It's a serious problem - that's ABOUT to get MUCH worse...

Answer 6

Its the need of a blood thirsty society coupled with BAD parenting.

If it was my kid, he'd wish the police had kept him.

I'm not religious, but I believe in treating others the way you want to be treated and reserve the beatings for morons that don't believe in that policy.

Americans are angry, its quite clear.

Answer 7

What a bunch of crap.
The movie, television, and music industries love to fill our culture with images of violence for fun and profit. What percentage of them vote Republican, do you suppose. 10%? How many of them contribute to Republican campaigns?
Who are the people who want to "rehabilitate" murderers and rapists rather than keeping them away from the public. It's not the neocons. Neocons would lock these little thugs up. It's the liberal groups (ACLU) who try to keep them out of prison.

Answer 8

And the ones that are beating them are irresponsible democrats. What party do the young predominantly vote for.... and what party just had a majority win......

I'll bet you any amount of money the children were democrats.