Black on black crime: Myth or not?

There are many problems that the black community faces. Many of the problems are external, however, there are problems we do control. With Donald Trump as President of the United States, we’ll be undergoing significant change. This is the time the black community needs to unite and start addressing the problems that plague our communities, like black-on-black crime.

Black-on-black crime is a controversial topic that has been exploited and ignored for a multitude of reasons. Often in the black community when “black-on-black crime” is brought up there are several general rebuttals. People either start comparing other races’ crime rates or simply say, “it’s not the time”. The topic gets swept under the rug but this uncomfortable conversation needs to be had if the black community will ever have social progress. It’s not just the high volume of violence that makes black-on-black on crime real, but the circumstances at which these crimes occur.

In Chicago 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee was lured into an alley and shot point blank in the head because his father was in a rival gang. In Harrisburg, PA 3 black men broke into the home of a 20-year-old, robbing and killing him in front of his family, also shooting his 80-year-old grandmother who was trying to protect him. Dwayne Wade’s cousin was killed by a stray bullet while pushing a baby stroller. Almost everyone in the black community can name a family member, friend, neighbor or associate that’s been affected by black-on-black crime, unfortunately.

Blacks will kill, rob or fight each other over pointless things such as shoes, jewelry, arguments about sports, music, “she talked to my man”, or because somebody is from a different neighborhood. In 75 of the largest U.S. counties, blacks are charged with 62% robberies, 57% murders, 45% of assaults despite only being 13% of total population. There are thousands of these tragic and senseless murders and violence that plague our community. It seems that because of the frequent violence, blacks have grown almost content or numb with the killing of our own people. “Nig*as get killed everyday b”.

Chicago’s death toll from 2001–November 26, 2015, was at 7,401. There were 4,831 deaths during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2015). During Operation Enduring Freedom/Afghanistan (2001-2015) there were 3,527 deaths. Combined, the total death count from the wars is 8,358. So, in 14 years Chicago has accounted for more deaths than almost TWO WARS combined. For perspective in Chicago blacks are 35% of the population, yet account for 76% of murders. Whites are 28% of the population but only account for 4% of homicides.

When a cop kills a black person there’s uproar, protests, riots and a demand for change. But when black people kill another all we do is a hashtag or airbrush a shirt saying #Free___ or #RIP___. The reality is, it would take police over 40 years to kill as many blacks as blacks kill each other annually. The police are constantly in our community in the 1st place is because we keep committing this violence.

People often contend black-on-black crime is the result of systematic white supremacy and institutionalized racism. I do agree there are many discrepancies that have that forced blacks into poverty and underprivileged neighborhoods. Even if black-on-black crime is not directly “blacks’ fault” it’s not an excuse to ignore the large issue.

We don’t uplift each other. We are so quick to tear each other down. This crab in a bucket syndrome is devastating. There is large of amounts of self-hate that resonates in the black community. I’m not saying this doesn’t happen sometimes in other cultures, but let’s be real the black community is the only place at which these circumstances occur with the level of frequency.

The Police

Police Brutality and profiling is an extremely serious issue. Blacks have experienced police brutality for years. It’s only because of today’s age of social media that these events are now gaining national attention. It’s also crucial that it’s understood according to a 2006 report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) White supremacists have infiltrated law enforcement. So when minorities accuse police of brutality and abuse there is an actual basis for it. I am also not eluding that every cop who racially profiles is a white supremacist either. But the fact that the FBI has confirmed what many minorities have suspected for years, is troubling.

The mainstream media often brings up black on black crime or “all lives matter” solely to detract from the Black lives Matter movement and police brutality. This has contributed to blacks’ unwillingness to acknowledge “black-on-black crime”.

Acknowledging black-on-black crime requires some form of self-accountability. Unfortunately, accountability is largely absent in the black community and even shunned. Blacks are often concerned about inclusion and seem to consistently compare their situation to white people. This constant comparison has hampered black progress. We often complain and demand change from the same people and system that “oppresses” blacks. Then we act surprised or fail to understand why nothing changes. We need to establish self-sufficiency and not be dependent on a system, which was never meant to support us, whilst creating our own system.

“White on White Crime” is not real

For perspective, there are 321,418,820 million people in the United States. There are 199 million white Americans, which is 62% of the countries population. This compared to 41 million African Americans, which is 13% of the population. There are over 5 times more whites than blacks. It needs to be understood that numerically, blacks and whites will never be equal.

Misleading statistics have also contributed to the perception that black-on-black crime doesn’t exist or is worse than other racial groups. Statistics and data can often times not be fully transparent and give a full perspective.

For example, police kill more Caucasians than blacks. There are over 150 million more whites than blacks. So although more whites have been killed, police have killed blacks at a higher rate than whites. Meaning, you’re 5 times more likely to be shot by a cop if you’re black then white. This would indicate there is a larger problem of police violence in the black community than the white community.

People, at times, refer to the fact that white people kill each other more than blacks. Whites also commit more crime than other race but this is mainly because whites are the majority.

The ratio of black homicides of black victims is grossly greater than whites. Blacks commit violent crimes 7 to 10 times more than whites do. Despite only being 13% of the population, between 1980-2008, blacks committed 52% of homicides.

From 1882-1968 there were 3446 lynchings of blacks. In a two-year span from 2010-2011 blacks killed each other 4906 times. That’s 1460 more deaths in two years of killing ourselves then 84 years of lynchings. This is why “white-on-white” crime does not exist or remotely compare to black-on-black violence. These are real issues that need to be addressed.

The Youth

The youth are the most affected by this toxic environment. There is not enough positive black representation in the media and entertainment or even the home. Most of the mainstream rap glorifies guns, drugs, and violence which contributes to the problem. I’m not blaming rap music for ALL of the violence. Most black reality shows have blacks in some dramatic drama quite often physically fighting over something petty. I understand its TV and music, but children cannot separate that. This is physiologically hindering and has contributed to the Fantasy Syndrome. This basically means, children may exhibit syndromes of aggressive pain seeking, and self-destructive behavior resembling the so-called sadomasochism seen in adults.

Solutions

In general, the black community needs more accountability. We need to have the same outrage as a cop shooting us as when black-on-black crime occurs. It appears blacks and police kill each other for the same reason, they don’t see any value. We need more community centers and outlets in which the youth have a positive environment. When someone commits a violent crime instead of saying, “free them” like they are a victim, let’s hold them accountable. It’s a lot easier to play the victim and blame others than it is to accept responsibility. The reality is, blacks “oppress” each other almost as much as whites do. “The man” has his feet kicked up watching us destroy the community and ourselves.

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3 Responses

  1. I am also not *eluding* that every cop who racially profiles is a white supremacist either.

    In the asterisked point there, I think you may want to use “insinuating” rather than elude, which is to evade. “Allude” was the word you were looking for, which is to hint at or make mention of, but “insinuating” would be easier read, grammatically speaking.

  2. Great article! I want you to reach the widest possible audience, and so suggest getting help with editing. There were a few words mis-used, and a few minor grammar issues. When I read feminist or SJW bullshit and see mistakes like that I just click away, I don’t even finish – but I know you are smarter than them, and a deeper thinker. You will reach a wider audience, I think, if you get a fastiduous bookworm to review your pieces for grammar and such. Or even a trained editor.

  3. The black family needs heeling. Little boys and girls need their fathers as much as their mothers, especially the little boys. I am not saying a single mom cannot get the job done, but it is not her responsibility to do it alone. It is not a women’s responsibility to teach a boy to be a man. A man and a woman who love each other can do a better job raising their children than either one of them could do alone. Young men are going to find some sort male role model. The best role model for them is their father and not some gang leader trying to teach them about family. Young men who have been taught love in a traditional family are less likely to go out and murder their brothers.

    These young black males need their fathers, and what is often overlooked is that their fathers need them. I am a white male, so not I do not know what it is like to be black. However, I know what it is like to be a father. Not long after getting married my wife was ready to have a child. I was OK with the decision but not excited about the loss of freedom that would come with the added responsibilities of being a father. Being a husband was OK, but being a father too? I was not to sure.

    Long story short, being a husband and father is has brought more joy into my life than I thought possible. I do not feel worthy of the admiration and love my son has for me. I did not do anything to deserve the joy he has brought to my life except be there for him, provide for him, and love him, (and teach him how to play video games HA). I feel bad for the children without fathers, but I feel bad for the men who miss the joy that comes from being a father.

    If Hotep is about self-empowerment, self-accountability, and independence, the family needs to be a priority. Unity within a community has family unity at its nucleus. Heeling the black FAMILY is the FOUNDATION on which all future progress for the black community can be built.

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