This is a short diary, but I was struck by something State Representative Janet Johnson said in response to the tragic shooting of Chairman Bill Gwatney:
State Rep. Janet Johnson started to cry when she talked about Gwatney.
"This is like something you would see in New York or Pennsylvania or California, but not here," Johnson said.
Pardon me, Ms. Johnson, but you seem dreadfully unaware of the gun crime statistics in your own state. Arkansas ranks 8th highest, while New York, Pennsylvania and California rank 46th, 29th, and 30th respectively.
Arkansas reports 16.3 firearm-related deaths per 100,000. New York is 5.1 (3 times lower than AR), Pennsylvania is 9.9 and California 9.8.
If Rep. Johnson meant assassinations, well I don't have stats for that, but my home state, NY, or PA don't have a reputation for murderous political retribution. And with a gun crime rate significantly higher in her state versus mine, I wonder if while grieving she's also pandering to her constituents who might misconstrue NY, PA, and CA as lawless liberal bastions where thugs and goons rule--just like any Hollywood movie.
Gwatney's death is tragic, more tragic than Rep Johnson's grasp of crime statistics. But I won't have my state maligned by someone trying to score cheap political points. It looks to me like Arkansas has a firearm problem, and displacing its frustration out of state won't help its image.