This wasn't a "protest" it was nation-wide, well-organized crime by thugs and criminals hoping to create a revolution a la the 1960s--like grandpa's. The people of Ferguson have been the victims of these criminals. Our president's address just added to the suspicion and frustration. Violence and crime in our nation has never been lower--so crime must be hyped to instill fear in voters. The black-officer-kills-black-felon rate was 32 per 100,000 black officers in 1998, (lastest year I could find stats, but violent crime was higher then) which is higher than the white-officer kills-black-felon rate of 14 per 100,000 white officers. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2001)
But what is also true is that there are still problems and communities of color aren't just making these problems up. Separating that from this particular decision, there are issues in which the law too often feels as if it is being applied in discriminatory fashion. I don't think that's the norm. I don't think that's true for the majority of communities or the vast majority of law enforcement officials. But these are real issues. And we have to lift them up and not deny them or try to tamp them down. What we need to do is to understand them and figure out how do we make more progress. And that can be done.
Posts
3 comments:
it was just a set up by southern bigots legal system? Announcing in the dark of the night. really? I have never hear of such a thing. But ,of course, you are a lawyer right. KNOW I am not and would never write my opinion but that never seems to stop you the authority on everything I think your racism is showing again. oh go ahead blame it on Obama
I quote the Bureau of Justice and the President and that makes you unhappy? But then you would never write your opinion--except on my blog. Get a clue--a blog IS an opinion piece. Leaving a comment is a freedom I give you.
You have crabby friends.
Post a Comment