I don't understand the Black Lives Matter movement...
I don't think anyone will disagree with the notion that race relations in the US are terrible. African Americans, especially those who are on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum, face an unjust amount of discrimination and it's fair to argue that black Americans face a structural disadvantage in many sectors of society.
However, having spent the last few hours doing some research into the BLM movement, especially in regard to crime statistics and homicide rates, I don't understand the logic behind the outrage in the black community. Below I'll debunk some common quotes given by BLM members and I'd appreciate it if you could help challenge me on some of the points given.
"Black people are more likely to go to prison"
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, black Americans were responsible for 27.8% of all reported crimes and a staggering 51.3% of all homicides in the United States. Given that black Americans only represent 13% of the US's population, doesn't it make sense that a disproportional amount of black men are being sent to prison given that crime among African Americans is disproportionally high?
"Black men are more likely to be shot by police"
According to data provided by the Washington Post (2015), over 50% of all fatal police shootings are white men, with only 25% of all police shootings being black.
"Black men are more likely to die from police shootings than whites or Hispanics"
According to MacDonald, 12% of white and Hispanic homicide deaths were due to police officers, while only four percent of black homicide deaths were the result of police officers.
"White police officers are more likely to shoot African Americans"
According to a Department of Justice report in 2015 about the Philadelphia Police Department, and is further confirmed that by a study conducted University of Pennsylvania criminologist Gary Ridgeway, in 2015 it was determined that black cops were 3.3 times more likely to fire a gun than other cops at a crime scene. We should also remember that yesterday's shooting in Minnesota was enacted by a police officer who was Asian.
"Blacks are more likely to be killed by police than police are to be killed by blacks"
According to FBI data compiled in 2015 found that 40% of cop killers are black. According to MacDonald, a police officer is 2.5 times more likely to be killed by an African American than a cop killing an unarmed black person.
"Cops kill black men at an unprecedented rate"
4,472 black men were killed by other black men annually between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2012, according to the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports. This equals 2.5% of these 4,472 yearly deaths. For every black man — criminal or innocent — killed by a cop, 40 black men were murdered by other black men. In percentage terms, only 2.5% of all deaths of black people were by law enforcement officers (intentional homicides).
"White people are more likely to target black people"
According to FBI data, 4,906 black people murdered other blacks in 2010 and 2011. That is 1,460 more black Americans killed by other blacks in two years than were lynched from 1882 to 1968, according to the Tuskegee Institute. According to data provided by the FBI in 2013, 90% of all black homicides were committed by fellow black men. Even though there is only 30 million blacks in the US, they killed 409 white people. In contrast, although there is 192 million white people, they killed just 189 black people.
"An unarmed black man is more likely to be shot than an unarmed white man"
Although an unarmed black man is six times more likely to be shot by police than an unarmed white man, according to the Marshall Project, a nonprofit nonpartisan online journalism organization focusing on issues related to criminal justice in the United States, whilst the “unarmed” label is literally accurate, it frequently fails to convey highly-charged policing situations. In a number of cases, if the victim ended up being unarmed, it was certainly not for lack of trying. At least five black victims had reportedly tried to grab the officer’s gun, or had been beating the cop with his own equipment. Some were shot from an accidental discharge triggered by their own assault on the officer. And two individuals included in the Post’s “unarmed black victims” category were struck by stray bullets aimed at someone else in justified cop shootings. If the victims were not the intended targets, then racism could have played no role in their deaths. In one of those unintended cases, an undercover cop from the New York Police Department was conducting a gun sting in Mount Vernon, just north of New York City. One of the gun traffickers jumped into the cop’s car, stuck a pistol to his head, grabbed $2,400 and fled. The officer gave chase and opened fire after the thief again pointed his gun at him. Two of the officer’s bullets accidentally hit a 61-year-old bystander, killing him. That older man happened to be black, but his race had nothing to do with his tragic death. In the other collateral damage case, Virginia Beach, Virginia, officers approached a car parked at a convenience store that had a homicide suspect in the passenger seat. The suspect opened fire, sending a bullet through an officer’s shirt. The cops returned fire, killing their assailant as well as a woman in the driver’s seat. That woman entered the Post’s database without qualification as an “unarmed black victim” of police fire.
Thanks for all your help!
However, having spent the last few hours doing some research into the BLM movement, especially in regard to crime statistics and homicide rates, I don't understand the logic behind the outrage in the black community. Below I'll debunk some common quotes given by BLM members and I'd appreciate it if you could help challenge me on some of the points given.
"Black people are more likely to go to prison"
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, black Americans were responsible for 27.8% of all reported crimes and a staggering 51.3% of all homicides in the United States. Given that black Americans only represent 13% of the US's population, doesn't it make sense that a disproportional amount of black men are being sent to prison given that crime among African Americans is disproportionally high?
"Black men are more likely to be shot by police"
According to data provided by the Washington Post (2015), over 50% of all fatal police shootings are white men, with only 25% of all police shootings being black.
"Black men are more likely to die from police shootings than whites or Hispanics"
According to MacDonald, 12% of white and Hispanic homicide deaths were due to police officers, while only four percent of black homicide deaths were the result of police officers.
"White police officers are more likely to shoot African Americans"
According to a Department of Justice report in 2015 about the Philadelphia Police Department, and is further confirmed that by a study conducted University of Pennsylvania criminologist Gary Ridgeway, in 2015 it was determined that black cops were 3.3 times more likely to fire a gun than other cops at a crime scene. We should also remember that yesterday's shooting in Minnesota was enacted by a police officer who was Asian.
"Blacks are more likely to be killed by police than police are to be killed by blacks"
According to FBI data compiled in 2015 found that 40% of cop killers are black. According to MacDonald, a police officer is 2.5 times more likely to be killed by an African American than a cop killing an unarmed black person.
"Cops kill black men at an unprecedented rate"
4,472 black men were killed by other black men annually between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2012, according to the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports. This equals 2.5% of these 4,472 yearly deaths. For every black man — criminal or innocent — killed by a cop, 40 black men were murdered by other black men. In percentage terms, only 2.5% of all deaths of black people were by law enforcement officers (intentional homicides).
"White people are more likely to target black people"
According to FBI data, 4,906 black people murdered other blacks in 2010 and 2011. That is 1,460 more black Americans killed by other blacks in two years than were lynched from 1882 to 1968, according to the Tuskegee Institute. According to data provided by the FBI in 2013, 90% of all black homicides were committed by fellow black men. Even though there is only 30 million blacks in the US, they killed 409 white people. In contrast, although there is 192 million white people, they killed just 189 black people.
"An unarmed black man is more likely to be shot than an unarmed white man"
Although an unarmed black man is six times more likely to be shot by police than an unarmed white man, according to the Marshall Project, a nonprofit nonpartisan online journalism organization focusing on issues related to criminal justice in the United States, whilst the “unarmed” label is literally accurate, it frequently fails to convey highly-charged policing situations. In a number of cases, if the victim ended up being unarmed, it was certainly not for lack of trying. At least five black victims had reportedly tried to grab the officer’s gun, or had been beating the cop with his own equipment. Some were shot from an accidental discharge triggered by their own assault on the officer. And two individuals included in the Post’s “unarmed black victims” category were struck by stray bullets aimed at someone else in justified cop shootings. If the victims were not the intended targets, then racism could have played no role in their deaths. In one of those unintended cases, an undercover cop from the New York Police Department was conducting a gun sting in Mount Vernon, just north of New York City. One of the gun traffickers jumped into the cop’s car, stuck a pistol to his head, grabbed $2,400 and fled. The officer gave chase and opened fire after the thief again pointed his gun at him. Two of the officer’s bullets accidentally hit a 61-year-old bystander, killing him. That older man happened to be black, but his race had nothing to do with his tragic death. In the other collateral damage case, Virginia Beach, Virginia, officers approached a car parked at a convenience store that had a homicide suspect in the passenger seat. The suspect opened fire, sending a bullet through an officer’s shirt. The cops returned fire, killing their assailant as well as a woman in the driver’s seat. That woman entered the Post’s database without qualification as an “unarmed black victim” of police fire.
Thanks for all your help!
(edited 7 years ago)
Well lastnight the death of 5 police officers and many injured shows just how anguished the blacks are. Saying all black people are dangerous and racially profiling them is WRONG. Now maybe just maybe this BLM will be taken seriously. I doubt it though. It'll be as nothing has changed sadly.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Black Lives Matter is a movement based off of the ideas of a cop killer. They have done nothing but strengthen racial tensions.
If they genuinely cared about African Americans and did a little more reading, they'd find that the biggest issues in the African American community are single motherhood and black on black violence, and then deal with them (what is especially convenient is that the two often go hand in hand).
If they genuinely cared about African Americans and did a little more reading, they'd find that the biggest issues in the African American community are single motherhood and black on black violence, and then deal with them (what is especially convenient is that the two often go hand in hand).
Quick Reply
Latest
Last reply 2 minutes ago
Official London School of Economics and Political Science 2024 Applicant ThreadLast reply 3 minutes ago
Worried about the acceptance of my A level Qualifications. Need an answerLast reply 8 minutes ago
Official Cambridge Postgraduate Applicants 2024 ThreadLast reply 10 minutes ago
Thinking of quitting my apprenticeshipLast reply 10 minutes ago
Latest widget moves to next 'page' too readily.Last reply 11 minutes ago
Official University of Bristol Offer Holders Thread for 2024 entryLast reply 16 minutes ago
Manchester computer science foundation year academic assessmentLast reply 25 minutes ago
yet to receive a woodhouse interviewTrending
Last reply 20 hours ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 23 hours ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 1 day ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 1 week ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 20 hours ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 23 hours ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 1 day ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 1 week ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
