[Jaysun]

As compared to what - the Garden of Eden? I only claimed that violence is today low relative to near history (at least in the past 10 not twenty years). There was never an ideal time and in a country of 300 million people you're going to get some bad eggs.

As compared to the time before the NEA. As compared to the time when teachers taught subjects and not liberalism and self esteem. As compared to the time before "free education".

Typically people who misuse statistics to increase their power and authority to solve non-existent problems.

I can't think of who has tried to do that in the area of youth violence. There is a noticable difference between tennagers of today and the teenagers of 15 years ago. They haven't been on an improvement trend in a host of areas.

[garbanzo]

As compared to the time before the NEA.

And the evidence for this is?

There is a noticable difference between tennagers of today and the teenagers of 15 years ago.

Except in terms of fashion, I disagree. Kids are pretty much the same as they always were. Wally Cleaver was a fictional character not a realistic depiction of how teenagers used to behave.