Quote:
Originally Posted by justtitans
You said:
There is no other way to interpret that. It is clear that you are saying that based on stats, that anyone should be afraid of a young black male. You may have clarified your statement later, but I'm addressing what you said in this sentence since it's clear that you are making an emphasis on the disparity of black male violence. If it didn't matter what the race was, then why would this statement even matter?
Sure, the officer could have been frightened. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? I'm not sure what you are trying to state here. I don't think being afraid justify his actions. Now if he was attacked then that is completely different to justify his actions, but having a fear of the individuals, doesn't mean much of anything. I'm not sure what your point is, perhaps you can elaborate.
. You are using statistics to rationalize your thought process, but that doesn't make it right. It's much easier to be a small female of just about any race than to be a black man in this country. I don't like when people make assumptions about me. I'm just like any other man in this country, I'm just trying to put food on my table and take care of my family. What another black person does, should not be held against me.
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OK, fair enough...I'll try again. I was thinking about some posts about the officer "pacing" and not doing anything else after the shooting...one of the witnesses was perplexed about this.
So was I. So, I put my medical hat on, and began to think solely from THAT angle. Thinking about the human body's response to trauma. To fear. To data. To history. To whatever was going on in the officer's mind.
As such, I explained, very briefly, about the "flight or fight" response, the officer's fear and pain from being attacked, that he may have been on "autopilot" during the shooting, and then was walking around, "pacing", in what looked like shock to me.
Being a scientist/medical professional, I believe that understanding some of these aspects may shed some light on this incident. Wouldn't you want to know any additional information such as this, that might help explain this incident?
Rationalizing? You're assuming that, and you're incorrect. As I said twice before, that's NOT the case! Please don't assume what I'm thinking or my motive.
I was trying to figure out what the heck went on here, in this vacuum of information, the widely differing witness accounts, and the media circus along with Sharpton and Jackson fanning the flames of the racism angle instead of trying to gather the facts and any additional information first. As well as any other contributing factors.
So, I think
any reasonable person would try to discover and understand
what other or additional things may have contributed to this unfortunate incident...besides OR in addition to, the
speculation and
accusation that this is purely a racist incident!
No one is holding anything against YOU or making assumptions about you. You're the one who specifically challenged what I was saying, made assumptions about me, misinterpreted my statements, and came up with the erroneous conclusion that I am "using statistics to rationalize" my "thought process, but that doesn't make it right". Again, NOT rationalizing, and as I just said above, I was speaking about the medical/physiologic response to being attacked, fear, and what could have been in the officer's mind.
Statistics are a curious thing...yes, they can be also misinterpreted, as well as skewed. However, after doing a google search, time and again, the results were all similar. If I know statistically that smoking will lessen my life by 10 years, I won't smoke. As a female, statistically, I have a 20 to 26% chance of being raped in my lifetime. YOU BET I'll do my best to mitigate my chance of being raped by being aware of my surroundings, not walking alone at night, locking my doors, etc. So, in many cases, statistics DO matter...they DO change my decisions...they DO determine where I go, with whom, and at what time of the day or night.
As I said, I was shocked to see the amount of
violent crime perpetrated by young black males (50% of the 18-23 year old population), and wondered if this officer had any of this data in the back of his mind, adding to his fear or confusion in addition to the above contributing factors.
I also was shocked to see the comparison between the types of crime between young males of the two races, as well as the fact that black-on-white crime is hugely disproportionate than the other way around. THIS is disturbing as well.
Knowing these statistics, yes, I WILL be wary of young black men, especially those in a group (refer to the "groupthink mentality" I spoke about in my previous post. I will ALSO be wary of a group of young white males for the same reason.
However, the likelihood of a violent crime perpetrated by a black man IS much more so than a white man. These stats are in the back of my mind, and as a result, I WILL be careful where I go. I won't go into predominately black neighborhoods. Those are just the facts.
I don't know how else I can explain this, and if you refuse to understand the reality of the amount of crime by young men, and violent crime by young black men, well, I can't say anything else.
As far as your statement, " It's much easier to be a small female of just about any race than to be a black man in this country", I think that's quite a loaded, untrue statement, and another completely erroneous assumption by you.
You have no idea what it's like being female. Being afraid of practically everywhere you go...the fear of abduction, sexual assault, and murder. It's "open season" on women.
Approximately 66 young girls are kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and killed every year. I've already commented on the rape stats.
***The National Domestic Violence Statistics report that a woman is beaten every 15 seconds in this country. Every day, 4 women die, and 3 children die as a result of abuse or attacks by men. (from:
National Statistics) .
So, you see, it's no picnic being female in this country, either.
Look, the bottom line here regarding Brown and the officer, is that it's a more complicated incident than what people realize or are willing to admit. Until we do, and until we delve into every aspect of this, including racism and what I've noted above, the acrimony and violence will continue. I, for one, do not want it to continue...
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Dandiday
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sigh...I'll try again
