Readers: No Consensus on St. Louis’ State of Race Relations

In the poll last week 40.99% thought race relations were improving while 29.19% thinks they are declining with almost as many (21.74%) indicating they are holding steady:

Q: The State Of Race Relations In St. Louis Are…

1. Improving Slowly 62 [38.51%]
2. Holding Steady 35 [21.74%]
3. Declining Slowly 29 [18.01%]
4. Declining Rapidly 18 [11.18%]
5. Unsure/No Answer 13 [8.07%]
6. Improving Rapidly 4 [2.48%]

While I think overall race relations are slowly improving, we’ll unfortunately see a rapid decline between now and the March 5th primary election. Regardless of which candidate prevails in the Democratic primary and April general election I hope we can all come together.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: How Often Do You Rent A Car?

Rental cars have been around for decades, especially serving business travelers. Enterprise began in St. Louis serving the needs of others needing a car temporarily. It is a huge industry:

In 2011, the U.S. car rental industry achieved record rental revenue of $22.4 billion, an 8.1% increase over 2010. (Auto Rental News)

I hadn’t rented a car in nearly a decade but last week I had to pick up my brother in Oklahoma City,OK and get to Amarillo, TX on short notice. The only mode possible was drive — but I sold my car last April.

I requested an economy car but Budget’s disability person thought I needed hand controls instead of just a spinner knob, but I ended up with a full0-size Impala. I’d talked to the folks at the Enterprise location on Washington Ave near Jefferson a month ago but I had to go with Budget because Enterprise locations weren’t open on Tuesday. Seriously!?!

Turns out insurance at Budget is significantly than Enterprise.  Still, the cost was nearly $300. I don’t think I’ve spent that much on the total of all prior rentals I’ve had over the years. In the past I’ve rented cars when mine was in the shop as well as on trips.

The poll question this week asks how often you rent a car: never, rarely, occasionally or never. I’d say I’m in the rarely camp. Vote in the right sidebar and share your thoughts below.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: State Of Race Relations In St. Louis

The book St. Louis Day-By-Day by  Frances Hurd Stadler is fascinating, the entry for January 13th tells a chilling story from 175 years ago:

Nathan Brown, newly arrived in St. Louis, wrote to his brother in the East, relating: “I witnessed the sale today by auction of a very interesting young negro boy, 15 years old — sold for $457-1/2. The little fellow was exhibited on the table the same as any other article — and examined by being made to walk back and forth, & by feeling his joints as one would examine a horse. The little fellow appeared to realize his condition and when the big tear rolled down his cheek would merely brush it aside and hold his head up with an air & manner which won him the sympathies of a great number of the spectators. I certainly never have seen a more submissive imploring look than he exhibited as soon as he was sold; his feelings were vented in floods of tears.” While some slave auctions –usually those held to settle estates–took place on the steps of the Old Courthouse, most sales were effected by private dealers who kept notorious slave pens. Ironically, one of these  served as a federal prison during the Civil War.

According to this inflation calculator $457.50 in 1838 is equal to $9,515.96 in 2011 dollars. Wow, for a person! We’ve come a long way in the 175 years since but I don’t think we’re where we need to be.

The poll question this week asks your view on the state of race relations in St. Louis. Improving? Declining? Holding Steady? The poll question is in the right sidebar and the provided answers are presented in a random order.

— Steve Patterson

Readers: Reduce Gun Violence Via Mental Health Access

Last week readers voted on a timely but controversial topic: reducing gun violence.

Q: What can/should be done to reduce gun violence? (Up to 3)

1. Address access to mental health services 66 [24%]
2. Ban some types of guns but protect the 2nd amendment 62 [22.55%]
3. Regulate access to ammunition 48 [17.45%]
4. Allow concealed-carry everywhere 20 [7.27%]
5. Ban all guns 19 [6.91%]
6. Require licensed gun owners to prove guns are stored locked up 19 [6.91%]
7. Censor violent TV shows & video games 13 [4.73%]
8. Fortify schools and workplaces 10 [3.64%]
9. Allow open-carry everywhere 9 [3.27%]
10. Other: 5 [1.82%]
11. Unsure/no answer 4 [1.45%]

The legislators who push guns are the very same ones that cut access to mental heath services. You can’t have it both ways, access to mental health treatment must be at least as easy as access to a gun.

In researching this I learned something about the intent of 2nd Amendment from former Chief Justice Warren E Burger:

We see that the need for a state militia was the predicate of the “right” guaranteed; in short, it was declared “necessary” in order to have a state military force to protect the security of the state. That Second Amendment clause must be read as though the word “because” was the opening word of the guarantee. Today, of course, the “state militia” serves a very different purpose. A huge national defense establishment has taken over the role of the militia of 200 years ago.

Some have exploited these ancient concerns, blurring sporting guns — rifles, shotguns and even machine pistols — with all firearms, including what are now called “Saturday night specials.” There is, of course, a great difference between sporting guns and handguns. Some regulation of handguns has long been accepted as imperative; laws relating to “concealed weapons” are common. That we may be “over-regulated” in some areas of life has never held us back from more regulation of automobiles, airplanes, motorboats and “concealed weapons.”  (Source — full piece highly recommended) 

I don’t know the answer to reducing gun violence but the NRA’s solution of more guns everywhere isn’t the type of society I want to live in.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: Support or Oppose Raising Seat Belt Violations From $10 to $50

I’ve long been a fan of seat belt use so the effort of Missouri state Senator Joseph Keavany to try again to raise fines caught my attention:

Now, almost three years later, Missouri still ranks pretty low among states for seat belt compliance, at 79 percent; hundreds of people involved in traffic accidents still die because they don’t buckle up; and Missouri’s fine for not wearing a seat belt is $10.

“The fine for littering in Missouri is $79.50,” Keaveny, D-St. Louis, told the Ride Guy last week.

Senate Bill 62 is the latest version. Keaveny prefiled it for the upcoming session and hopes to get this measure out of committee. (stltoday.com)

You can find SB62 here, and all the 2013 prefiled Senate bills here.

This is the topic for the poll this week, vote in the right sidebar and share your thoughts in the comments below.

— Steve Patterson