Chicago likes to compare itself to other world cities, so Ward Room thought it would find out how we rank in violence.
It turns out no one can top us.
Among what are considered Alpha world cities, Chicago has the highest murder rate -- higher even than the Third World metropolises of Mexico City and Sao Paolo.
Here’s how we rank in murders per 100,000 among cities we consider our peers, based on a projected murder total of 505 for this year.
Singapore 0.4
Tokyo 0.5
Hong Kong 0.6
Berlin 1.0
Sydney 1.0
London 1.4
Toronto 1.7
Amsterdam 1.8
Paris 4.4
New York 6.0
Los Angeles 7.5
Mexico City 8.0
Moscow 9.6
Sao Paulo 15.6
Chicago 19.4
The editorial goes on to make a nonsensical comparison to Japan, a nation of 127 million with only 2 gun homicides six years ago. It mentions nothing about the deep abiding culture of respect, personal responsibility, honor and in the face of failure, shame (something sorely lacking in parts of this country).