Officer Wilson not indicted in killing of Michael Brown

by Simon 551 Replies latest social current

• 

  Simon

  an anomaly occured in shootings by police. African Americans were four times as likely to be shot but Whites were more likely to be killed in similar settings.

  That's 'cause us weakly whites just can't take a bullet and keep on chargin'

  More African Americans were wounded in the settings.

  I guess the counter-point of the statistic above ... or is it a JFK ricocheting bullet scenario?

  Numbers of blacks shot were 4 times the total number of Whites.

  That's because we're only 25% as criminally inclined. Obvious.

  The Neighborhoods had things in common- low income, violence, petty crimes (things stolen).

  More seriously, whis is the real underlying issue or at least one of the contributing factors.

  Actually, I see it as a "potential multiplier". If you are from a poor area your chance of being shot has gone up because your chance of being involved in crime, poortly eduicated, poor role models etc... is higher.

  Being black is another multiplier (what? he said that?). You are more likely to be from a broken home, involved in crime, poorly educated, given a dangerous social narratve to believe etc...

  When you combine multipliers the results can be exponentially worse than other groups which is what we see.

  Of course not every poor person is poorly educated. Not every black person is criminal. It is possible to escape the world you are born into but that is rare and unusual. More typical outcomes are that people carry on the course that they seem set on.

  It just so happens that politicians have made non-violent drug offenses into serious crimes and this has disproportionately affected african americans and skewed the numbers - it's raised their "multiplier".

  But the reason the figures look so bad is because african americans are more likely to belong to groups that are hit by different factors. I don't believe they are targeted by the police because they are black, that is a statistical symptom, but the demographics they belong to put them at higher risk and they have more chance of being in those demographics because of their color.
• 

  minimus

  Breakfast, I like your pov. If a criminal decides to screw with a police officer, no matter what color they are, they are the ones responsible, not the cops.
• 

  designs

  But they aren't all shot and that is picked up by our Society as a whole. Bernard Madoff wasn't shot for ripping off Billions but the teen will for a few bucks. If you live in a culture that adds some particular insults to your ethnicity, and there are other real or perceived slights to getting ahead anger and frustration grows. Madoff may even get out someday while the teen could face life in prison.

  People in a given city understand that the streets in the wealthy neighborhood don't have chipped curbs and pot holes. One city but two or more worlds.

  The Fire This Time- examines another very imperfect human, Rodney King, who defied cops, resisted arrest, was non compliant, got royally beaten. When the riots occured after the cops were aquitted people were similarly split over the causes and the immediate actions. One bad apple became the ticking time bomb against a background of greater injustice and insults.
• 

  breakfast of champions

  People in a given city understand that the streets in the wealthy neighborhood don't have chipped curbs and pot holes. One city but two or more worlds.

  I live in one of the wealthiest counties in the US, and our streets SUCK!

  Anyway, Madoff should be shot. The damage he did is incredible.

  That being said, the fact that Madoff took billions and got away with it without getting shot does not license me to steal.

  If I rob a convenience store in my town and assault a cop, I'm pretty well on my way to getting shot to death.
• 

  Simon

  designs: you are falling for the lies or intentionally trying to spread them further.

  Michael Brown was not shot for stealing cigars or for walking down the street or for being black or a million other reasons. He was shot because he attacked a police officer who was forced to fire in self defence.

  If Bernie Madoff was stupid enough to attack an armed officer and posed enough of a threat then I expect he'd get shot too. The fact that they are not as dumb is why they are not shot - no other reason.

  Just because other people commit financial crime and it isn't dealt with as many of us would like does not affect any other crime that is committed. Your sentence doesn't go up or down like a bungie rope with other criminals on the other end!

  If you break the law, you pay the price. Just like being stopped for speeding while everyone else was whizzing by ... it's tough - there will always be people who are getting away with thigs (for now at least, things change). One wrong does not excuse others though.
• 

  designs

  Or rather I have just lived through our actual history here in the USA.
• 

  moomanchu

  Designs go back and watch the chris rock video I posted, maybe like 3 times
• 

  AlphaMan

  People in a given city understand that the streets in the wealthy neighborhood don't have chipped curbs and pot holes. One city but two or more worlds.

  .

  This explains why every black athlete, singer, musician, performer, professional & other blacks choose to stay in the hood after they strike it rich.
• 

  Simon

  You do understand how taxes and local spending work ... right? Poor neighbourhoods often have less spent because they have fewer tax dollars to spend.

  Many times the poor neighbourhoods are really being subsidised by the richer ones. Don't believe it? Then let the wealthy neighbourhoods secede and see if the poorer ones do better or worse as a result.

  There's also the case that sometimes people don't repect and look after their environment the same. Mow the lawn, the place will look a lot better. You don't have to be wealthy to have some pride in where you live and improve it.
• 

  designs

  Lawrence O'Donnell rips Witness #10's testimony to shreds.