Let's Talk The TRUTH About Police Shootings, Crime & Violence

Please allow me to make this clear from the beginning... this post is not anything I have done to make friends either politically or socially, nor to seek to bolster a secular world view or politic. There have been so many misstatements, and plain out false assertions and partially true assertions regarding many of these issues, that have led to so much division within our country, that I thought it best to simply take a look at the topic addressing some of the more pertinent issues at hand. 

No, I am not a so called crime and violence expert, but I have a solid record of addressing this topic by my actions from a front line position within my community serving the hurtng and those suffering fallout from "street violence" whether that violence was perpetrated by citizens or police. 

As a Black conservative, I believe the entire conservative movement must deal with and confront the FACT that there is not only street crime, where the lawless take the lives of others, but also "Blue Crime" or Police crime as well, where those entrused with securing the community are responsible for and guilty of killing. Those who support the police tend to think it is anathema to admit that the police do kill and many times that killing IS NOT justified nor justifiable. 

Non-Justifieable Killing

Let's be honest, our major cities are off the chain with homicide. In nearly all cases Black on Black crime and violence is destroying families and our inner cities. I want you to know that nothing can justify what we are seeing.

The top 5 cities for homicide in 2022 are:

1- St Louis, MO. with a rate of 69.4/100,000

2- Baltimore, MD. with a rate of 51.1/100,000

3- New Orleans, LA. with a rate of 40.6/100,000

4- Detroit, MI. with a rate of 39.7/100,000

5- Cleveland, OH with a rate of 33.7/100,000

These are followed by LasVegas, NV at 31.4/100,000 and Kansas City, MO a rate of 31.2/100,000

No, you don't see Chicago on this list do you? They are currently 10th on the list at 24/100,000. One would assume that Chicago is relatively safe as compared. However, many make the case that the opposite is true.

Regardless of the narrative, these are the facts concerning Chicago:

Chicago, murders (which have been high over 600 in the prior 3 years) are actually UP 34% year over 2021 with over 1,300 shootings and actual year to date murders of 320. 31 of those murdered were under age 18 as of this writing with 10 dead on July 4th alone and multiple babies shot in strollers, cars and elsewhere this year. The murder rate tells a different story than what is actually happening on the ground by sheer numbers. It appears numbers can be manipulated to fit a narrative, and my contention is that WE have been victimized both by conservative media and liberal media depending upon the narrative either have chosen to push.  

As stated, I DO NOT downplay crime and violence either in Chicago or anywhere, but one should ask, seeing that Chicago IS NOT in the top 10 cities for crime and violence in 2022 based on population, why is it getting nearly all the attention? Clearly, the violence is senseless, stupid and harmful to everyone, but narratives based on population or sheer numbers tell two different stories, at least potentially. 

Manipulation Of Public Sentiment

Murder is UNJUSTIFIABLE. Babies should not be getting killed in the womb, strollers, while playing or even in their homes or anywhere. Neither should adults be killed. However, neither should  anyone who is a non violent offender, especially those who do not have guns or are not brandishing weapons or agressive behavior. They also should not be killed either by police, other members of the public nor by those in authority!

In other words, to shift the murder of the citizenry from other citizens to police authority is not justifiable. 

Jayland Walker

I want to begin by saying, I don't know who Jayland Walker was, except for what is in the news. From what I can gather, a traffic stop, led to a police foot chase, and ended in 60 fatal gun shots fired by 8 surrounding police officers at 1 unarmed, now dead 22 year old Black male who was handcuffed AFTER he was killed. This was NOT justifiable in any manner. [ I don't care if you found an UNSPENT magazine and gun in the car...the man DID NOT have a weapon on him while being shot 60 times and was certainly not shooting back with air] Then handcuffs??? UNBELIEVEABLE!!! 

What brings me to that conclusion is that we can only view Jayland's death in Akron, OH, in light of the police arrest of a White, armed murderer who recently shot and killed 7 and injured 30 people in Highland Park, IL. (No, I don't know anything about this character either except for what is in the news and Yes, like him, his victims were all White, so this was not an incident that had to do with race) This ratchet piece of a person, not only murdered innocents, but evaded police who also followed him in a short high speed chase, had multiple loaded weapons on his person and in his car at time of arrest, and was taken into custody without ONE shot being fired. And the critic says, "well, he didn't run"...well, Jayland DIDN'T MURDER!

Unequal Justice?

In my opinion YES, this is a case of unequal justice and the resolution was not commensurate with the crime in either case! Not that the clown in Highland Park should have been executed on the street like Jayland was, but a blind man can see the difference in both application and results of good policing. An anomaly? NO! This happens far too easily and often to Black citizens in particularly and the FACTS bear this out although the news media, both conservative and liberal, continue to smokescreen the whole issue as a  complaint towards either the Black community's morals and value ethics, or that these actions are a result of White supremacy and systemmic infiltration of policies and practices based on race. 

Ooh yes, it is an amazing the slight of hand that causes one to view the victim, in this case the Black community, and this young Black men in particular, as the perpetrator of their own misfortune...It is that "partial" information and slither of truth which allows many to buid a whole case either defending indefensible actions or calling for a hate filled response, rather than an effective response to the evil that we all face. We are in a society of extremism and blame, instead of balance, perspective, acceptance and growth. 

Dispelling Myths With Facts

Let's look at some facts to dispell the myths that seem to prevail when it comes to conversations regarding Blacks and their interractions with police and violencet crime in general. 

Myth 1: Blacks Offend More And Are Therefore Killed More By Police

FACT: Blacks are still the LEAST violent crime offending ethnicity, but yet account for the highest percentage of ethnicity killed by police annually.

The liberal and conservative news have used this myth so much and attempted to paint the picture from one extreme to the other. Conservatives often base their narrative on sheer numbers to obfuscate the truth here. The Left, usually base their assessment on percentage of population to bolster their position. Both (political conservatives and liberals) manage to skew the facts, to make us think certain things are normal. Political conservatives often say,"NOT TRUE. FAR MORE WHITES ARE KILLED ANNUALLY BY POLICE THAN BLACKS!"... This is a retort based on sheer numbers. But does that tell the story? 

Understanding The Narrative

Yes, it is true. More Whites are killed by police annually than Blacks based on sheer numbers, but I contend those using this narrative solely to justify the actions of police are using the WRONG METRIC and making FALSE ASSUMPTIONS to make the assessment. Both news media presentations (liberal and conservative) base their reporting on sheer numbers, and they both interpret sheer numbers to their advantage, playing the public. However, as stated sheer numbers only tell part of the story.

Here's what we know: Blacks represent only 13% of population and Black males 6.1% of total US Population. So anytime we see Blacks, especially Black men, leading any category by sheer numbers, there is a greater percentage of the community effected. The math is simple...1 out of 3 (33%) is greater than 2 out of 5 (20%) but 2 is greater than 1 considering numbers only.

Therefore a much better way to assess and evaluate what is really going on with violent crime is by looking at the RATE of SHOOTINGS (killings) per million or per 100,000 of population rather than by sheer numbers. Although one should be cautions about this approach, as I have explained above regarding Chicago and violent crime. Generally, when one uses this approach, amazing information is produced:

Myth Dispelling FACTS:

Blacks are shot and killed at the hand of the police at a 37/million rate 

Hispanics are shot and killed at the hand of the police at a 28/million rate

Whites are shot and killed at the hand of the police at a 15/million rate 

Yes, Whites are killed by police at higher sheer numbers because the population is greater, but they are killed at a less rate than Blacks and Hispanics, at least by police. So for one to be concerned over this issue is not some type of false narrative or over the top rant. It is a real situation borne out by the facts. 

ADDITIONAL Myth Dispelling FACTS:

In 2021,

Blacks accounted for 33% of all arrests for non fatal violent crime. 

Whites accounted for 46% of all arrests for non fatal violent crime.

Blacks were 36% of all arrests for serious non fatal violent crime

Whites were 39% of all arrests for serious non fatal violent crime.

Now, these numbers are not based on population. They are based on all arrests made, which has nothing to do with a racial population or demographic. News often skew numbers and create a case for race based moral ethics by blurring the line and using numbers such as these to suggest percentage of population or demographic.

You don't hear on ANY news, liberal or conservative that Blacks are arrested less for non fatal violent crime and serious non fatal violent crimes than Whites. The narrative is always different and tends to say that Blacks are not only arrested more, they also offend more in every category...While NONE of these crimes are good and all of the offenders should be prosecuted to the highest, the facts is that Blacks are a least non violent and serious non violent criminally offensive ethnic group, even less than Whites by comparison. 

Police In Fear

So WHY is the fear of a Black man running away, so much and so until 8 officers unload their clips to the tune of 60 bullets any one of those bullets fatal, into an unarmed offender? 

YEP...YOU DON'T LIKE ME ON THIS ONE DO YOU?!?!?!

The answer to policing a community is not easy. Humans, that are prone to error and misjudgement, are at the wheel. What is additionally problematic is the blind allegience to partyline politics and desire to display some seemingly moral superiority depending upon what side of the issue one is on. However, people, fellow citizens, not all of whom are either criminals nor engaged in criminal activity, are caught in the middle, fed a line of garbage and used for propaganda's sake. 

FINAL WORD

Even though I have no regard or honor for the Black Lives Matter organization, amazingly they were able to sieze on this issue and dupe the American public and American businesses out of millions of dollars, go on to buy their homes, cars and vacations and otherwise live lavish lifestyles without giving anything to victims or victims families (I don't have enough time or energy to rehash all the absolute GARBAGE they did, but you already know...) Additionally, some claim that attorney's such as Ben Crump and activists such as Al Sharpton are nothing more than "race baiters", which, in my opinion is another way of saying "BLACK MAN SHUT UP and enjoy the "comforts" that you have"., which seems to be a run of the mill conservative sentiment every time a Black man speaks up on this and
related issues pointing towards race.  

Yes, these are extreme sentiments. It is said on one hand we should support police no matter what. On the other hand everything police do should come under scruitiny. On one hand racism is inescapeable and woven into the fabric or all that we do (alas CRT), but on the other hand racism is not an issue and has no effect on our everyday lives. Both sides will offer their version of the narrative to support their views, but neither extreme is better than the other and both extremes are incorrect and in my opinion, immoral. 

There is room for police accountability. Their is room for police improvement. Their is room for better citizen responsibility. There is room for activism on the issues and it is disengenuous to write off those who seek accountability as "race baiters" or "trouble makers" by assuming  that those who speak up have some nefarious motive, simply because you don't like them or don't appreciate their perspective. It is that perspective that you may just need to hear in order to understand, address and solve the issue. 

Blessed!