Obsidian Potency 3.0
I MADE ESPN!!!
posted Saturday, 13 January 2007
HOLY SHIT. I can't believe it, but my response to Gregg Easterbrook ACTUALLY MADE ESPN!
Here is the link to his mailbag, where my response appears. Here is the excerpt, with my name redacted:
"I wrote that the tragic murder of Broncos player Darrent Williams was a sad reminder that statistics warn that you are far more likely to be a victim of crime between midnight and dawn than at other times. Many readers wrote to note that Williams died at the age of 25 -- and single people in their 20s stay out to all hours, that's the way of young adulthood. _________ of Washington, D.C. adds these points: "What you've done, for intents and purposes, is blame the victim. Furthermore, your logic is flawed. Statistics do tell us a lot of things, but also can be manipulated to tell us several conflicting things, not all of which make sense. Saying that more violent crime occurs late at night is all well and good. Concluding that violent crime rates between midnight and dawn mean that everyone should be camped out in our homes during those hours makes no sense. Do such statistics take into account who falls victim to violent crime in the first place? How many crimes are committed against people in their homes during the late-night period? Don't many late-night crimes involve drug or gang activity -- something your average person is never involved in? How many late-night crimes depend on location? The fatality rate for automobile accidents on freeways is higher than for local-road accidents; this does not mean we should all refuse to drive on highways. Most automobile accidents happen within a few miles of home. Should we thus not drive near our homes? Should we push our cars four miles from home before we get behind the wheel? I'm in my late-20s, and 95 percent of my friends go out past midnight at least once a week. From the way you make it sound, we are all lucky to have made it to the age of 30."
I'm giddy right now. And I found out right before I go out for the night! I hope this isn't a bad omen. Anyway, this is the third time (I think) that a letter I wrote in made the cut somewhere. I'm shocked, and humbled. And proud. Go me!
Here is the link to his mailbag, where my response appears. Here is the excerpt, with my name redacted:
"I wrote that the tragic murder of Broncos player Darrent Williams was a sad reminder that statistics warn that you are far more likely to be a victim of crime between midnight and dawn than at other times. Many readers wrote to note that Williams died at the age of 25 -- and single people in their 20s stay out to all hours, that's the way of young adulthood. _________ of Washington, D.C. adds these points: "What you've done, for intents and purposes, is blame the victim. Furthermore, your logic is flawed. Statistics do tell us a lot of things, but also can be manipulated to tell us several conflicting things, not all of which make sense. Saying that more violent crime occurs late at night is all well and good. Concluding that violent crime rates between midnight and dawn mean that everyone should be camped out in our homes during those hours makes no sense. Do such statistics take into account who falls victim to violent crime in the first place? How many crimes are committed against people in their homes during the late-night period? Don't many late-night crimes involve drug or gang activity -- something your average person is never involved in? How many late-night crimes depend on location? The fatality rate for automobile accidents on freeways is higher than for local-road accidents; this does not mean we should all refuse to drive on highways. Most automobile accidents happen within a few miles of home. Should we thus not drive near our homes? Should we push our cars four miles from home before we get behind the wheel? I'm in my late-20s, and 95 percent of my friends go out past midnight at least once a week. From the way you make it sound, we are all lucky to have made it to the age of 30."
I'm giddy right now. And I found out right before I go out for the night! I hope this isn't a bad omen. Anyway, this is the third time (I think) that a letter I wrote in made the cut somewhere. I'm shocked, and humbled. And proud. Go me!
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