“The nation’s consciousness has been raised by the repeated acts of police brutality against blacks. But the problem of public space violence—seen in the extraordinary distress, trauma and pain many poor inner-city families experience following the killing of a family member or close relative—also deserves our special attention.”

 

So argued William Julius Wilson, world-renowned scholar and newly appointed Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow, on this blog yesterday. That special attention could usefully start with some of the most important facts. Gun deaths vary dramatically by gender and race:

 

Guns and race: The different worlds of black and white Americans | Brookings Institution

 

Thoughts?

Here is the larger blog article:

 

The other side of Black Lives Matter | Brookings Institution

 

His conclusion, based upon the statistics, is highly contradictory. One one hand, he laments what he calls the rise of "police brutality" against blacks in low income neighborhoods, but on the other hand, states that the root of the problem is "woeful underfunding" of police forces in solving homicides in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, leaving families of victims impacted and likely to repeat the cycle.

 

What he stops just short of saying, but implies heavily, is that the police and white communities don't give a crap about dead poor black people. And, of course, he's probably right.

 

Where we part ways is that this somehow represents a "racial" issue. Police departments in white, poverty stricken Eastern Kentucky communities, white, poverty-stricken West Texas communities, etc. etc., are just as underfunded, and people give could give a crap about dead poor white trailer-trash on a scale every bit as equal as in poor black neighborhoods.

 

What people don't care about is dead "poor" people, regardless of black or white.

Here is the larger blog article:

 

The other side of Black Lives Matter | Brookings Institution

 

His conclusion, based upon the statistics, is highly contradictory. One one hand, he laments what he calls the rise of "police brutality" against blacks in low income neighborhoods, but on the other hand, states that the root of the problem is "woeful underfunding" of police forces in solving homicides in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, leaving families of victims impacted and likely to repeat the cycle.

 

What he stops just short of saying, but implies heavily, is that the police and white communities don't give a crap about dead poor black people. And, of course, he's probably right.

 

Where we part ways is that this somehow represents a "racial" issue. Police departments in white, poverty stricken Eastern Kentucky communities, white, poverty-stricken West Texas communities, etc. etc., are just as underfunded, and people give could give a crap about dead poor white trailer-trash on a scale every bit as equal as in poor black neighborhoods.

 

What people don't care about is dead "poor" people, regardless of black or white.

 

Very good points and well said.

Very good points and well said.

 

Ditto.

Here is the larger blog article:

 

The other side of Black Lives Matter | Brookings Institution

 

His conclusion, based upon the statistics, is highly contradictory. One one hand, he laments what he calls the rise of "police brutality" against blacks in low income neighborhoods, but on the other hand, states that the root of the problem is "woeful underfunding" of police forces in solving homicides in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, leaving families of victims impacted and likely to repeat the cycle.

 

What he stops just short of saying, but implies heavily, is that the police and white communities don't give a crap about dead poor black people. And, of course, he's probably right.

 

Where we part ways is that this somehow represents a "racial" issue. Police departments in white, poverty stricken Eastern Kentucky communities, white, poverty-stricken West Texas communities, etc. etc., are just as underfunded, and people give could give a crap about dead poor white trailer-trash on a scale every bit as equal as in poor black neighborhoods.

 

What people don't care about is dead "poor" people, regardless of black or white.

 

You basically just made the case for my socioeconomic points being much stronger than racial in 2016. It doesn't fit the narrative of the left.

 

I've said it over and over the only color that matters is green.

I think people don't care about dead people in places where they do not live or frequent, rich or poor. Especially when those people are killed by others who live in that same place. It's seen as their problem over there and those people over there should solve their own problem. Out of sight, out of mind.

I don't think it is a funding or lack of interest. I think it is Hard to solve the murder when witnesses are afraid to point a finger for fear of their own life.

I don't think it is a funding or lack of interest. I think it is Hard to solve the murder when witnesses are afraid to point a finger for fear of their own life.

 

This is a good point. It starts with the community. If the community accepts the situation, then it is difficult for someone coming from outside to change it.