re: OT - Murder in Cheaha State Park

Lots of patience here. Is this normal?

quote:

---

You know I respect you as a poster, but I'm having trouble with this statement.

How are we getting better? Seriously.

We've regressed socially to the point that certain minorities want segregation.

Are you seeing what is happening in our major cities?

I'd like to share your opinion, but I just don't see i

---

This is 100% correct.

quote:

---

What do you mean?

---

Woooi! Braves win!

Look. You people in Alabama don’t realize what it’s like to have a capital city full of yankee transplants that have been in Georgia for 5 minutes deciding things.

Swing by the GSB and have a look sometime

quote:

---

TideSaint

---

No worries at all bro. I have a lot of respect for you and that is not diminished just because we have different perspectives on the world.

I think it is pretty clear that throughout human history we have had a steady increase in the overall quality of life of humanity. We absolutely have a long ways to go, and that progress is often slowed, sometimes halted and occasionally reverted to worse times, but overall we have gotten better in how we live our lives and how we treat each other.

I think we have insane problems, some of which are definitely getting much worse and others are new challenges, which can make it seem like we're just fricked because we can't really see a path to resolution. The amount of suffering in the world is unthinkable. Hell, the amount of suffering in America is unthinkable and we're the greatest country on the planet. So I totally understand cynicism and pessimism about our condition.

However, we clearly live better lives than those in the 1800s. The education, health care, quality of life innovations and technology really make it no contest. Hell, if we were living in Alabama just 100 years ago, we probably wouldn't have electricity, would be using outhouses, maybe would get a 5th grade education, our lives would be nothing but trying to survive. No vacations, limited ability to support others in need, children dying of diseases that we have essentially eradicated. Violence was more common and much more lethal.

You are absolutely right, what is happening in our cities is terrible. It's not a new thing. New York in the 70s? Tenement housing during the 10s-40s. We're talking massive amounts of crime and violence. Looting has existed forever. Hell, it was normal for societies to raid and pillage and rape their neighbors for most of our history.

The reality is that we continously have raised the standards and expectations of civil society. I think we're going to keep doing just that. We'll have hurdles sure, but either people as a whole are good, or good is more powerful than evil. If that wasn't the case, we'd all be living in Madmax-land and the Social Contract wouldn't exist.

Personally, I think we are in the very early stages of humanity. Basically cavemen, and over time we will continue to make progress and humanity will look back on this era in the same way thay we look back on the Dark Ages.

And there's my drunk rant about that that probably isn't even worth the read.

Never leave home without a concealed carry firearm. And I mean NEVER. Guarantee you I don’t. You may think I’m nuts - and I don’t really care - but I’m strapped when I walk my garbage bin to the road and I’m in a nice neighborhood. It’s no paranoid to know your surroundings and situation. It’s smart. Young man likely saved his girlfriend’s life.

quote:

---

another one from Alabama, this time Decatur

-off duty cop notices man parked in front of his house

-asks stranger if he needs assistance

-zombie stranger floors it trying to run him over; fellow barely jumps out of way; car crashes into tree

-officer runs inside to get his pistol; returns and tries to arrest the zombie

-zombie backs up and then runs him over, the officer getting a few shots off but not hitting target. Should have shot him dead earlier but was probably worried about legal repercussions

-neighbor shows up and subdues the zombie until police arrive

-getting crazy fellows

---

Born in 49, I grew up in the 50 and 60s. My father passed away when I was 5, we (mother, 2 y/o brother, myself) moved to Bham from Cocoa Beach, Fl. We lived in West Bham (probably lower middle-class), inside the city limits. My mother, with 2 little boys (5 and 2) never locked the doors on the house or car. We did not even think about danger from people.

On the weekends and summer, from age 8 or so, on a typical day I would leave the house after breakfast to go play in the neighborhood and return around noon for lunch, then leave again til my mother would call out for supper at ~6:00. I was never told to "not talk to strangers" or anything like that because there was never any thought about danger and nothing ever happened.

Kids never even thought about talking back to adults in general or to their parents - ever. Yes, they would disobey and deceive from time to time. "Don't go down to the creek." Yes, ma'am. "Did you go down to the creek?" No, ma'am, even if you did, etc. But that was "being bad", maybe if you were real daring, throwing water balloons, or "playing doctor", etc., or when you got older, smoking cigarettes.

Leave it to Beaver is not far off for most kids of that day. Believe me it was completely different and a far better world than today.

It was not nearly a perfect world and though almost everyone went to church, IMO, few actually knew the Lord. But Biblical teaching had a societal effect - not good for eternity, but somewhat good for the present. Certainly much better than openly rejecting that teaching like today.

Yes, technology has improved our outward circumstances but the heart of this country is far far sicker than it was then.

quote:

---

Everything you have ever said... in front of a smart tv... is on file next to your name. Waiting to be weaponized

---

LOL

Do they have photos of me and the gf getting it on ?

Our family never locked doors either. In most cases the windows were open to let breezes in during the hotter nights and throughout the daytime. If you were lucky you might have had screens on the windows. We also probably had very little that was worth stealing.