The Sad Truth About Black Murder In America

The only time that President Obama, Al Sharpton, or Jesse Jackson ever show any concern about a black person being murdered in this country is when a white cop is involved.

Yet, of the approximate 12,500 victims of murder each year, 50% are black.  This despite the fact that blacks only makeup 13% of the population. And, of those deaths,  93% of them are at the hands of other blacks.

By ignoring these statistics and only focusing on killings involving cops, black leaders are cheapening the deaths of all too many blacks.

According to the FBI, in 2011 there were only 393 officer-involved deaths.  So, cops killing Americans of any color is a small fraction of the murders in this country.  Certainly, nowhere near the 6,329 blacks who were slain in 2011; primarily by other blacks.  In my opinion, this tells us that we don't have a policing problem.  However, one would think so, based on all the commentary and protests over the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Grant.

I think its time for black leaders -- including our President -- to focus in on the real problem of black murders in this country instead of sidestepping the issue by only blaming cops. While there are no statistics to prove it, I'm quite sure that the total number of black murders would actually be a lot higher without the police doing their jobs and maintaining order in highly black populated neighborhoods.  Every time a police officer (black, white, or whatever) is able to remove an illegal gun from someone following a traffic stop or in some other interaction, the chances are pretty good that a life may have been saved as a result.  In Chicago, alone, 7,000 illegal guns were taken off the streets in 2012.  If even 1% of those guns would have ultimately been used in a murder, that's 70 lives saved;  probably 35 of which would be statistically black. 

As a country, we need to appreciate the roll of our police and not denigrate them.

References:

FBI: Expanded Homicide Data: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/expanded/expanded-homicide-data

A look at statistics on black-on-black murders: http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2013/jul/17/tweets/look-statistic-blacks-and-murder/

Why does Chicago have so many illegal guns?: http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/10/22/why-does-chicagohavesomanyillegalguns.html

The Irresponsible Media, Black Leadership, And Even The White House Own The Ferguson Riots

When the Michael Brown shooting was first made public, we were told that an unarmed Black teen was shot in the back by a White police officer while holding his hands in the air in surrender.  The supposed reason that we were given for the shooting was that Michael Brown refused to move out of the middle of the street.  All of this was wrong and, if you think about it, made zero sense.  However, because of this irresponsible reporting, nights of rioting ensued. Blacks and sympathetic whites, all over the country, protested the shooting by holding their hands up in the air and shouting "Don't shoot". 

Also, the implied racism claim was further inflamed when Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the Black Panthers, and the NAACP all descended on Ferguson, whipping up even more rage over the Brown shooting.  Beyond this, Obama's own Attorney General, Eric Holder, injected himself into the situation by launching a racial investigation of the Ferguson Police Department. That fact alone, solidified the belief in the minds of many Blacks that the shooting was racially motivated.  This too was irresponsible.

Lastly, President Obama, instead of reassuring the nation that the Grand Jury decision was correct, simply called for calm, while in split screen, rioting and flames were seen.

The President further fanned the flames by saying the anger was "understandable" for people who believe "the law is being applied in a discriminatory fashion".  Implying, of course, that the Grand Jury decision was indeed unfair.

So, all along, the stage was set for rioting; as if it would be somehow purposeful, but, long after the violence stops; and the media attention is gone; and people like the Obama, Eric Holder, and Al Sharpton have moved on, Ferguson will be left to fall into decay like so many other cities that fell victim to racial rioting in the past.  Blacks that remain in Ferguson are destined to live in a community that is poorer, and more crime ridden than it is today. Ironically, it will be the Black residents themselves, who will suffer the most for Michael Brown's death.

References:

Obama begs for calm as rioters set fires and attack police cars in Ferguson after grand jury refuses to indict police officer in Michael Brown case: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2848308/Obama-begs-calm-rioters-set-fires-attack-police-cars-Ferguson-grand-jury-refuses-indict-police-officer-Michael-Brown-case.html

Holder's Justice Department to Investigate Ferguson, Missouri, Police: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/justice-department-investigate-ferguson-missouri-police-n195271

Sharpton Calls Ferguson Decision 'An Absolute Blow' to Justice: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/ferguson-al-sharpton-react-grand-jury-decision-113157.html

Al Sharpton Announces Ferguson Protest Plans In 25 Cities: http://www.westernjournalism.com/heres-agitator-al-sharpton-just-revealed-will-spread-protests-far-beyond-ferguson/

Jesse Jackson's Dodge on Domestic Violence and Rap Music

In a speech last week, President Obama called on "men" to stand up against sexual assault.  Often, on issues, he states that he has a phone and a pen.  But, the one call he should have made is to his friend Jesse Jackson for not speaking out against the black NFL players that are at the heart of the current uproar over domestic violence; from wife beatings to child beatings.

As more and more NFL related incidents came out, Jesse and some other black leaders said basically nothing; despite the fact that all of the current "violence" issues involve black men.  When the NFL announced an "all white" panel of women to advise on domestic violence, Jackson acted to condemn it; arguing that at least one black woman should have been on the panel because the demographic of the NFL players is predominately black.

While I can agree with Jackson that at least one black woman should have been on that panel, I have serious trouble with this man's silence regarding black men and their high rate of domestic violence against women and even children.  Statistically, black women are 4-1/2 times more likely to suffer from it than white women.  While only making up 8% of the population, 22% of the deaths resulting from domestic abuse are from black men against their black partners.  No statistics are available on how many white women suffer from abuse by a black partner but, it is probably equally as high.

Jesse Jackson should be standing up against a black society in which male rappers denigrate women, constantly referring them as "wifeys, bitches, hoes, and boo's".  It's also time for President Obama to call out the music industry for such gender based denigration.

Now, this is not to ignore the fact that many white women suffer abuse at the hands of white men.  That, too, needs to be addressed through this nation's leadership.  But, I do believe rap music, enjoyed by men of all colors, should be a key target in the fight to halt domestic abuse in this country.

Use your phone, Mr. President! 

References:

Jesse Jackson rips NFL for lack of diversity in advisers: http://bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/nfl_coverage/2014/09/jesse_jackson_rips_nfl_for_lack_of_diversity_in_advisers

Obama Calls on Men to Stand Up to Sexual Assault: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/barack-obama/obama-calls-men-stand-sexual-asssault-n207356

Why Black Women Struggle More With Domestic Violence: http://time.com/3313343/ray-rice-black-women-domestic-violence/

A Black Man has 4 kinds of women: Wifey, Boo, Bitch, Ho: http://twitpic.com/6bc5e2

The Ferguson Missouri Shooting: We Need Calm Not Violence

On the Monday following the shooting of an unarmed 18-year old black male by a white cop, I was listening as an angry black male called into a radio talk show.  His simplified accounting of what happened in Ferguson, Missouri was that the police officer involved, shot Michael Brown because he and another black man wouldn't get out of the street. Sadly, this is how the situation in being portrayed and this can only inflame the community further.  Certainly, the mere presence of Al Sharpton in Ferguson only intensifies the anger because, if he's there, its assumed that the shooting must have been a racist act.

Then, Jesse Jackson felt obligated to write an opinion piece for USA Today entitled: 'There's a Ferguson' near you' where, in the very first sentence, he writes:

"Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African American male in suburban Ferguson, Missouri, who had just graduated from high school and planned to start college, has joined a long line of blacks, especially black males, who have recently been gunned down, wrestled down and killed by white men and/or white police officers who claim "reasonable fear" or "self-defense" as their defense."

So,  again, racism is being implied in the Ferguson shooting, Additionally, there is also the implication that blacks are being shot at random by both white men and white cops.

The first problem with all of the above is the accounting of the event.  From the Cafemom website, here is the most concise report of what is currently known to have happened:

"Apparently, around noon on Sunday, an officer approached Brown (who was walking to his grandmother's home, according to his parents) and another man. As the cop exited his vehicle, one of the men allegedly pushed him back in the car and assaulted him. During the struggle, a shot was fired inside the car. As Brown left the scene, the officer shot him about 35 feet way. The report noted that several shots were fired from the cop's gun. "

To me, this seems to be a more logical explanation of what happened than the belief that Brown was simply shot for not getting out of the street. Then too, the real truth may lie somewhere in between and only a thorough investigation will uncover the facts.

The other problem I have is Jesse Jackson's implication that there is a "long line of blacks" being killed by white cops and other white men claiming "reasonable fear" or "self-defense" as their defense.  The problem with that claim is that statistics don't support it.  First, a decades long study found that 94% of all black deaths as victims of shootings were committed by other blacks.  The remaining 6% is made up of not just whites but, also, Hispanics.  So, if Mr. Jackson has a problem with blacks being killed, it should be directed at his own ethnic community.

Additionally, in 2011 it was determined that there were a total 1,146 officer involved shootings that year.  Of that there were 607 deaths.  When taken against a base of roughly 780,000 officers in the U.S., that's less than two-tenths of one percent of all officers who where even involved in any shooting and less than one-tenth of one percent that were involved in a shooting death.  Now, what is true is that about half of those deaths were black. But, then too, one out of every three black men is expected to be involved in a crime that results in imprisonment during thei lifetime.  So, with the higher rate of criminal activity, there is also going to be a higher rate of officer involved shootings and deaths.

What Mr. Jackson also neglects to mention after he tells us of Ferguson being 70% black, is the fact that violent crime in that St. Louis suburb is 25% higher than the national average and total crime is 58% higher.  Yet, the police force is relatively small compared to the national average.  This fact alone serves to keep tensions high between the police and the community, and the higher percentage of lawlessness is probably why there is all the looting and violent protests.

We need black leaders to stop stirring the pot and fomenting violence.  We need calm to allow the investigation to go forward and determine the truth.  If it is true that the officer killed without cause then, let him be tried in our courts for murder.  If he isn't brought to justice; only then should the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson get involved.

References:

Cop Shoots & Kills Unarmed Teen for Reason Many Aren't Buying: http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/175891/cops_shoot_kill_unarmed_teen

Jesse Jackson: There's a 'Ferguson' near you: http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/08/12/jesse-jackson-ferguson-riots-column/13957197/

A Black Man is Killed in the U.S. Every 28 Hours by Police: http://www.occupy.com/article/black-man-killed-us-every-28-hours-police

The Trayvon Martin Killing and the Myth of Black-on-Black Crime:  http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/15/the-trayvon-martin-killing-and-the-myth-of-black-on-black-crime.html

Police Involved Shooting Statistics: A National One-Year Summary:  http://jimfishertruecrime.blogspot.com/2012/01/police-involved-shootings-2011-annual.html

The Top 10 Most Startling Facts About People of Color and Criminal Justice in the United States: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2012/03/13/11351/the-top-10-most-startling-facts-about-people-of-color-and-criminal-justice-in-the-united-states/

List of countries by number of police officers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_police_officers

Ferguson, Missouri Crime Stats: http://www.areavibes.com/ferguson-mo/crime/

Ferguson, MO Crime by Year and Type: http://www.usa.com/ferguson-mo-crime-and-crime-rate.htm

Jesse Jackson: The Gun-Control Activist That Can't Shoot Straight

Apparently, Rev. Jesse Jackson wants to use Trayvon Martin's death as a means to repeal the "Stand Your Ground" and other related gun laws such as the "Castle Law", that exist in 24 states.  The hypocrisy here is that he using a single incident to try and overturn laws that have been created from the desperation over an increasing number of shooting deaths at the hands of home invaders and liquor and convenience store robbers.  All you have to do is Google "killed in a home invasion" to see what is actually driving state legislatures to consider such laws.  People are frightened.  By far, the incidents of home invasion killings far exceed the single Trayvon death.

Mr. Jackson would better serve the Black community by going back to the City of Chicago where there are no "Stand Your Ground" laws and where Black-on-Black shooting deaths are completely out of control. This. in a city that is supposed to have the strictest gun laws in the nation. In most cases, the people being killed don't even have a chance to stand their ground.  They are simply executed for, maybe, having an exclusive pair of shoes; or, sitting on their front porch; or simply sleeping in their own beds.

If Jackson wants to be a gun-control activist, he needs to work on changing the mentality among Black youths that guns are a necessary part of life. That killing of any kind, is a criminal, moral, and spiritual offense. Maybe if Jackson and other leaders would start condemning the amount of prevalent Black on Black crimes and stop focusing on obscure, questionable racial shootings, more Blacks would be saved from death and imprisonment in the process.

Lastly, in Chicago, the murder rate rose 60% in just the first 3 months of 2012 as compared to the same period last year.  Of the 120 murders in that period, 101 were shooting deaths, and the majority of those killed were Black. Yet, Jackson has spent the last month highlighting a single shooting in Florida that does not, in any way,  indicate a widespread problem.  Talk about taking aim at the wrong target!