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There needs to be reform in our prison system quite frankly. The recidivism rate is 67%!! Over half the prisoners who leave come back! That's a problem! The proponents who say "we need to be tough on crime" in reality are really helping these criminals to continue committing crime. The problem is, the more we cut those "amenities" (GED programs, rehabilitative classes, job training, and skill development) we make them into worse criminals! If had been locked up for 20 years and all I had were bars, a bed, and a burning hatred for those who locked me up, I would come out with more of a propensity to commit violent crime! Not a desire to readjust quietly into society. However, it is a 60 billion dollar industry,
Hence the lack of political will power to get it fixed.
The biggest reason why people get into the drug trade is because they want to generate income where there isn't any presently. Or if there is, it is minimal. It's not because of some "genetic predisposition" to do evil, its because of need. Part of this trade however, incorporates extremely dangerous elements which develop because of its unregulated nature. At the heart of it though, its a way to make ends meet. I'm not justifying it, but that's fact.
Hence why we need to end prohibition of drugs to remove its value.
Same with gangs, these boys aren't gang-banging because of an inherent desire to be destructive. Most of the times, it is because they lack the basic social support system that young boys need to develop into productive men in society. In order to obtain that support, they go to gangs who operate like a family and the other members are brothers. Once again, its not justification, its revelation of the facts of the various factors that affect such decisions to participate in crime.
Hence why we need to stop slashing funding for gang rehabilitation programs (which are highly successful) as opposed to throwing them into prisons.
Now one may ask, why don't white children participate in these violent factions while minority children do? It has to do with "culture"! Yes it does deal with culture. American culture, has a notorious history of portraying people based on racial stereotypes. Black folks are crime ridden, Hispanics are illegal, Asians are smart, but the predominate racial group isn't necessarily tied to anyone stereotype. Yes you do have the all whites are racist stereotype, but it is much less rigid then the others. That stereotype is used in convenience to refer to a select event or group etc whereas the stereotypes that minorities have are applied to everyone. White folks can be, jocks, nerds, goths, skaters, preps, and a whole host of other labels to describe their outlook on life. However, Black folks are only thugs, Hispanics are only illegal, Asians are only smart, when in reality all of the above can be described with the diverse labels that are attributed to white people.
We have a culture that basically says you can do anything in America, but you basically have to be white. And this is a message which permeates throughout our society. Our youth consume this through television, magazines, internet, video games, movies, Everything! As a result, both white and minority, begin to act accordingly to the real racial factors which influence our thoughts and beliefs. In a culture were one is therefore portrayed as an "other" and when they are not conforming to their stereotype they are nonconformist, you are naturally going to find higher instances of rebellious actions then you would with people who can just "be themselves" and conform.
Hence why we need to understand and truly embrace the fact that we share 99% of the same DNA. However, because of a slight mutation, we are constantly divided against each other and destroying our society as opposed to coming to together to fight its ills.
So its a lot of things. Social, Economic, Racial, Societal. There isn't one big fix all answer that we can just stamp on the issue. It takes a number of different solutions from all various angles. All the more reason why we need to be a unified front rather than a divide people.
So what is your point? History is to blame? Judicial bias is the reason the numbers are skewed 300+%? Sure that might explain some of it, but not the magnitude the numbers reflect.
I am saying that alot of issues in the African-American community come from somewhere, and alot of it is rooted in some historical issues.
Violence has historically been a part of Deep South culture. Back in the old days it was very common for southern Whites to have duels and people got killed that way. Back when Black people were slaves, and therefore, didn't have the freedom to go murder one another, the Deep South had the highest murder rate in the nation. Much higher than in northern cities. It was the Honor Culture of the South that was a big part of why so many murders between Whites occurred. Alot of times guns were used in this. Antebellum South Carolina was much more violent than Antebellum Massachusetts, and Massachusetts, as well as Connecticut, have been the major gun manufacturing states. Alot of this having to do with the "Culture of Honor", where if a person felt their honor was at stake, said person might go out and kill the other person. The subculture of violence came out of this. MARVIN WOLFGANG’S SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THEORY
How does this apply to African-Americans? Historically, where have most African-Americans lived? In the South. Then you had the Great Migration.
African-Americans from the South took the southern culture with them. I would say if there is a subculture of violence in the Black community, alot of it has to do with the subculture of violence in the South. I might argue that this "honor culture" has manifested itself differently given other circumstances that have happened to African-Americans over the years. Perhaps this has also manifested itself this was in terms of "defending one's manhood", "respect",etc.
Another example is Chicago. There was a stream of southern White migrants from Appalachia into Chicago's Uptown district. They were described as being more violent and harder to deal with than the Black population.
As for those statistics, I bet there are some things Boortz didn't mention:
-At one time it was very common for Whites to go and murder African-Americans and get away with it too. If Blacks tried the same thing, they would get lynched. This was especially so in the 1920s-1950s.
-Historically, the justice system has never really been fair. When Blacks have killed other Blacks, the attitude was often one of indifference. When Blacks killed Whites, which was rare, the consequences for it were dire, such as almost certain death penalty. If the legal system didn't get there first, a lynch mob would. Put all of this together and Black criminals have learned that they can kill other Black people with impunity. The justice system has historically been unfair with this. Chicago's African-American community had a high rate of spousal homicide during the 1920s. Why? No one cared if a Black man was abusing his Black wife. So that Black woman finds herself, as a Black woman, with no way out. What does she do next? Kill her husband. This happened alot, especially since Black women worked outside of the home alot. When women work outside of the home, many learn to quit putting up with their husbands abusing them.
Today, a Black man is more likely to do more jail time for the same crime a White person committed. There is still some bias in the justice system, statistically.
Most African-Americans who are on death row today murdered a White person.
Statically, of the demographics who are the most likely to be harmed by Black crime(especially murder) , are young African-Americans. especially men. African-American men may have a high rate of violence, but African-American men also have a high rate of VICTIMHOOD from violence. In short, as an African-American male myself, I have the highest chance of being murdered in this country.
But how much of this would matter to you if you were the lady being sexually assaulted as you were getting out of your shower? Or being carjacked and your baby being stuck in the car seat while the guy drives off? I'd venture to say that you wouldn't be thinking about the historical context of violence in the South and the oppression of African-Americans in this country. At least, I know I wouldn't; I'd be fighting for my life and trying to find any kind of weapon I could maim or kill the guy with. Sorry, but that's just the truth.
You know why it's racist? because it doesn't matter who commits the crime or who's the victim. If some white one commit a murder would it be better then if someone black did it?
2nd things, lets say 100% all crimes were by blacks i'm mean 100%. 95% of blacks still won't commit crimes. So your passing off a Sampling bias. broad conclusion upon the statistics of a survey of a small group that fails to sufficiently represent the whole population.
listen! Question for anyone with the black culture argument. include you gtcorndog! why do this small segment commit crimes when most blacks that follow the same urban black culture don't. Yall so into who committing crimes, yall fail to realize most of which you generalize don't, and it's not even close.
If 500 people live in a town, just say half black half white. 20 murders 1 white but 19 black murders. there are 250 blacks but because 19 of the 20 murders were black, that give you right the profile the other 239 blacks. Yall conclusion it's "black urban culture" when most blacks that follow the same culture disprove yall argument several times over.
But how much of this would matter to you if you were the lady being sexually assaulted as you were getting out of your shower? Or being carjacked and your baby being stuck in the car seat while the guy drives off? I'd venture to say that you wouldn't be thinking about the historical context of violence in the South and the oppression of African-Americans in this country. At least, I know I wouldn't; I'd be fighting for my life and trying to find any kind of weapon I could maim or kill the guy with. Sorry, but that's just the truth.
It does kind of matter. If you get to the root of the problem, you can solve the problem. We put more people on the death penalty than most industrialized nations. Most industrialized nations don't even have the death penalty. We lock more people up for drug crimes than most industrialized nations. And yet, we still have issues with crime.
The way to solve a problem is to get to the root of the problem. You have to ask "why is this happening"?
If 500 people live in a town, just say half black half white. 20 murders 1 white but 19 black murders. there are 250 blacks but because 19 of the 20 murders were black, that give you right the profile the other 239 blacks. Yall conclusion it's "black urban culture" when most blacks that follow the same culture disprove yall argument several times over.
But if the 239 Blacks aren't doing anything wrong, then I would expect some anger and resentment from them. If I was one of those 239 Black persons getting profiled, I would leave town and go some place where profiling won't happen to me.
But how much of this would matter to you if you were the lady being sexually assaulted as you were getting out of your shower? Or being carjacked and your baby being stuck in the car seat while the guy drives off? I'd venture to say that you wouldn't be thinking about the historical context of violence in the South and the oppression of African-Americans in this country. At least, I know I wouldn't; I'd be fighting for my life and trying to find any kind of weapon I could maim or kill the guy with. Sorry, but that's just the truth.
I do one better, How much of this would race matter to you if you were the lady being sexually assaulted as you were getting out of your shower? Or being carjacked and your baby being stuck in the car seat while the guy drives off? Again if the guy was a certain race would it make it better. Ok blacks commit more crimes but worrying which race is commit more crimes is already pointless and racist.
People speak of drugs and crime but forget about Meth and other drugs that are being used by others. Do people ever ask yourself why drugs can be ingrained in certain neighborhoods and the police know exactly what is going on yet nothing is done. People try to make all this sound so easy but crime is a paying industry.. Jails produce jobs and if no one is in jail there's no need for the job..
It's not about Black or White or whatever culture, it's about money. Try walking in another mans shoes and then comment..
It does kind of matter. If you get to the root of the problem, you can solve the problem. We put more people on the death penalty than most industrialized nations. Most industrialized nations don't even have the death penalty. We lock more people up for drug crimes than most industrialized nations. And yet, we still have issues with crime.
The way to solve a problem is to get to the root of the problem. You have to ask "why is this happening"?
Well, it wouldn't matter to me in that moment while a crime was being committed against me, but I do see your point.
Seems to me that a major part of the problem is that "thug" behavior is being reinforced by so-called leaders in the black community, or at least it is not being sufficiently condemned. When Bill Cosby came out a while back doing exactly that, he was absolutely torn apart:
It seems to me that those who are truly concerned about this issue (as I do believe you to be) would be better served by looking forward as opposed to looking back. Although knowing the root of the problem may be helpful to some degree, it doesn't fix the problem. Until leaders such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and others begin to speak out about how it's not cool to speak in degrading ways about women, or be in a gang, etc.., etc..., it's not going to happen. At the same time, they also need to address the issues in the black community that promote the "no snitch" mentality and the shunning of African-Americans who want an education. It's not OK to say that smart black kids are "being uppity" or "trying to be white," and that people like Colin Powell, Herman Cain, Condoleezza Rice, etc... are "Uncle Toms" because their political views may differ from others in the African-American community.
Until the African-American community takes a true, loud stand against "thuggery," the problem will not go away. Currently, it appears to be a self-defeating and self-perpetuating cycle. Hearing all of this from white folks is not going to convince the so-called "thugs" to change their ways; it needs to come from people they identify with and respect.
I do one better, How much of this would race matter to you if you were the lady being sexually assaulted as you were getting out of your shower? Or being carjacked and your baby being stuck in the car seat while the guy drives off? Again if the guy was a certain race would it make it better. Ok blacks commit more crimes but worrying which race is commit more crimes is already pointless and racist.
This is another good point. Part of what I have said what I said is because all of this mention of Black people committing violence as if to say that Blacks are somehow scarier. Well, part of my "honor culture" post was partly a way of saying that Blacks committing violent crimes pretty much have the same result of Whites committing violent crimes.
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