Posted on 02/23/2005 5:29:32 PM PST by srm913
Penn and Teller could build an episode of
BULLSH!T
around this article.
Ive never been robbed or seen a shooting.
Make sure you email the pinhead your views.
Another self-proclaimed expert living safely within the physical and mental confines of the Ivory Tower.
I will. You do likewise.
This pinhead deserves a piece of our editorial minds.
I don't see any immigrants dying to get into China. I also love the idea that a State-run program gets all opinions out in the open. How do you KNOW what all the opinions are if you've no other source? They don't even let their people look at all the internet, for pete's sake!
LOL, yeah, we have an unhealthy crime culture.
Our mafia is out of shape, kind of flabby, and they sure as heck don't know kung fu. :P
Well the author of that piece is certainly a lot less safe if he ever shows his face in NYC.
That reminds me. I met several members of the triads in HK, too, and they all bragged to me about how many people they had killed.
Frightening.
WRONG!
Hey - cut the guy some slack. Imagine where he would be today if he wrote something critical of the ChiComs. He would probably be praying he had a 9mm so he could blow his brains out.
NYC THE SAFEST LARGE CITY IN THE U.S.
Crime Rate, Including Murder Rate, Drops to Lowest Level Since 1960s, According to New FBI Statistics
New York City is the safest big city in the country, according to a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBIs 2002 "Crime in the United States" indicates that while crime increased nationwide, New York Citys crime rate actually decreased 5% to the lowest level since the 1960s. In addition, the citys murder rate dropped 9.6% in 2002 to reach the lowest level since 1963.
The FBIs ranking of New York City as the safest large city in the United States means that, of all American cities with populations of 1 million or more, New York City has the lowest rate of total crime committed.
"These statistics are terrific news for New York Citys visitor industry," said NYC & Company President & CEO Cristyne L. Nicholas. "With winter approaching, millions of people and families from around the world will consider a trip to New York City to see its many magical holiday attractions. New York City is one of the worlds foremost family destinations and these new FBI crime reduction figures reinforce what a safe place it is to visit."
UPDATE: DECEMBER 15, 2003:
According to FBI crime figures released December 15, 2003 for the first 6 months of 2003, New York City remains the safest big City in the United States. Year to date, crime is at its lowest level since 1968. Total crime in the City has declined almost 5.5% from last year.
Of the 210 cities reporting with populations greater than 100,000, New York City was ranked 194th, between Ann Arbor, Michigan and Orange, California. Of the nine cities with populations of more than one million reporting to the FBI, New York City had the lowest crime rate during the first 6 months of 2003.
Over the course of the past year, the crime rate continued to decrease from what were already record lows at the end of 2002. The FBI reports that New York Citys violent crime rate is down 3.3% in 2003 compared to a nationwide reduction of 3.1%, and the Citys property crime rate is down 8.7% compared to a nationwide reduction of only .08%.
You got mugged several times? What were you doing to bring on that kind of trouble? Ive been living in Hong Kong for 15 years and have never had any problems at all, even walking the streets of Mongkok after midnight. While its true there is a lot of organized crime, on a personal level its a lot safer here than most large North American or European cities. Other than that, I agree, the article is a load of hogwash. Press freedom is a joke and has been getting steadily worse as any journalist here will tell you off the record.
This doesn't even fall under the description of rhetorical excess, it's an outright lie.
In answer to your question, I'm a Mormon and I was in Hong Kong as a missionary from 2000-2002.
One factor is that a couple of my areas were far from touristy. I served in five different places (missionaries are often transferred), including Tai Wai, Shau Kei Wan, Tin Shui Wai, Cheung Sha Wan, and Sham Shui Po. I don't know if you have ventured to Shau Kei Wan, Cheung Sha Wan, or Sham Shui Po before, but I wouldn't recommend it.
I originally thought that our particularly long periods of in-your-face street exposure made us more vulnerable, but the most violent mugging occurred when I was in plainclothes; it was the weekly holiday. While I was walking with my companion in Prince Edward, a man punched me in the face and stole my sunglasses.
Another time, I had my camera stolen by a bagslasher in Shau Kei Wan, and another missionary I know was playing basketball with some young boys in Kwun Tong when a gang started roughing up the team. The missionary (Roper by name) tried to intercede, and a gang member slashed a switchblade at his chest, just grazing his skin.
Another sister missionary was tracting when she was chopped with a meatcleaver and had to be hospitalized.
I used to think this was common in all missions, but some friends who served in the USA (including the Bronx and south Chicago) had no problems whatsoever, and neither did a friend who served in Chile.
Coincidence? Maybe. But I always smell a rat whenever the HK authorities brag about the stellar crime statistics. A Mormon policeman in HK also told me to be particularly careful due to my innocent "boy-next-door" countenance (check my profile).
I used to be an incredibly naive individual; two years of this brought an end to that. After unintentionally meeting with a few triad members who gloated about past murders, I "lost" their phone numbers and steered clear of their turf.
I'm sorry to have rambled so long; I meant for this to only be a short post. Needless to say, life as a missionary in HK (as opposed to the USA or Latin America) is extremely difficult. Hong Kongers treat us rudely, and the Brits act like we are bits of street trash in their presence. If you encounter the Elders in HK, at least give them a smile and a howdy; it'll make their day.
Okay. Sermon's over. Thanks for listening.
No chip on the shoulder here...
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