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‘[S]ociologist James Tuttle uses “Murder Valley” to describe an area of 21 contiguous counties that includes the cities of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jackson, Mississippi, and much of the Arkansas Delta and Mississippi Delta. If the area were its own nation, Tuttle writes, it would have the fifth-highest homicide rate in the world: better than Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Haiti, which are ranked 6th and 7th, but worse than Ecuador and South Africa, which are ranked 3rd and 4th.’

‘[A gun control advocate in Mississippi] said Tuesday that he often reminds his colleagues in other parts of the country that “what they go through don’t even compare to what we have to go through in the South. Because in the South, guns is like having a bottle of water [sic]. Everybody got it. And then it’s a right-to-carry state. It’s a castle doctrine state. It’s constant gun shows every other week in Mississippi somewhere. So guns are just bloody in Mississippi…. Get us all together. You bring in alcohol. Then you bring in all the crazy drugs they got these days, and you got a state where everybody got at least 10 guns. What you asked for? You asked for violence.”’

Margaret Soltan, October 17, 2025 2:57PM
Posted in: guns

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2 Responses to “‘[S]ociologist James Tuttle uses “Murder Valley” to describe an area of 21 contiguous counties that includes the cities of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jackson, Mississippi, and much of the Arkansas Delta and Mississippi Delta. If the area were its own nation, Tuttle writes, it would have the fifth-highest homicide rate in the world: better than Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Haiti, which are ranked 6th and 7th, but worse than Ecuador and South Africa, which are ranked 3rd and 4th.’”

  1. Stephen Karlson Says:

    A followup to an earlier “guns” post, from tmjr.com: “The City of Milwaukee on Tuesday revoked the license of popular downtown nightclub ELMNT Lounge following growing concerns of violence stemming from the business. ‘Right now, that’s the tavern that’s responsible for a majority of the downtown shootings.'”

  2. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Stephen: They finally did it! Thanks for sending. Now let’s see how long they keep it closed. The city can expect a lawsuit.

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