The Interrrupters

The Interrupters (2011) is a documentary from Steve James, known for the excellent documentary about two Chicago basketball players from the projects Hoop Dreams. In this film James returns to Chicago to document how a group known as "violence interrupters" try to combat the disease of youth violence in streets. Many of these "violence interrupters" are former gang members and criminals themselves, so that gives them credibility in the minds of these wayward youths. It is important and interesting look into violence in cities in America and one effective way of fighting it, something tells me if guns were harder to get there would be fewer chances for retaliation and violence from the get go, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Comments

[Edward]

We introduced stronger gun laws in the mid 90's following the Port Arthur massacre, and this was done by one of most conservative prime ministers of the last few decades, John Howard, and had great popular support (showing that it needn't necessarily be an issue of left or right politics). Australia has had a very rough and tough pioneer history like America, but for some reason we've not built up the culture of violence in the same way (our murder rate is much lower for example, despite our very urbanised population). This makes me think that the proliferation of guns and gun culture may be as much a symptom of something deeper in American society as it is a cause of violence.

[MC]

I think these kinds of sweeping measures, like banning guns, are easier to do in smaller countries. There is a large part of the population that is very anti-gun control and wield much power, but I'm hoping that Obama can get something done in the wake of the tragedy of Sandy Hook.

[Edward]

I've got the impression that Americans can sometimes rely on the federal system to get momentum on certain issues, in that a few like minded states pass or amend some laws, which attracts attention and the cause gains traction nationally. It seems the constitutional arguments are preventing this, although I believe the right to bear arms is taken well out of context when applied to justify the right for individuals to bear high powered assault weapons.