This is a totally different subject that has nothing to do with the Sanford case, outside of GZ profiling TM. Nevertheless, I have a few questions and comments since you keep bringing it up.
My opinion - no factual crime stats. The majority of the problem is with the disproportionate number of absent fathers. The lack of a strong upstanding male role model to keep young men on track when they stray.
Why is this? Could it be the long term result of an environment and political system that has slowly ripped apart the black family structure, resulted in huge discrepancies in family wealth, and limited overall educational opportunity for more than a century after the ending of the Civil War? Could a problem be access to birth control for those with lower household incomes? Could closing neighborhood schools and libraries in poverty stricken areas result in decreased access to educational amenities for that general population? Does that decreased access at an early childhood level lead to higher crime at some point?
Or is it simply only black fathers out of all races who have chosen to abandon their families? Is there an environmental cause and effect situation at play that multiples the numbers quoted?
I think there is also an undercurrent of respect for thug life where life doesn't appear to have much value and education has even less value.
Last time I checked, I'm black and still have my male parts and there's no undercurrent or respect for thug life in my household. Is this undercurrent you speak of based along economic lines? If so, is there a similar undercurrent spread among different races where the population lives in the same economic conditions?
Contrast that with Asian and Indian immigrants who value raising their kids and put a huge emphasis on education. They also stick together and help each other as a tight community. They put an emphasis on using the English language correctly - that is huge. It's the language of business and if you can't speak it, read it and write it you're going to be left out.
Again, I'd challenge you to look at economic levels before putting people into groups by color. We're all the same. Our colors are various shades because we have ancestors who's skin adapted to exposure to sunlight in various parts of the globe. There's no black vs white, green or yellow person blood type, finger prints, bone structure, etc. Give America another hundred years or so and you'll see more shades of color develop.
What we have on our hands is a centuries old economic system where hierocracy has been based largely upon skin color. Place a group of people in a bad environment and bad things will happen. Change the environment and you'll change the result.
Basically I believe the same stuff that Bill Cosby got into trouble for saying.
I think Bill Cosby caught a lot of flack for the same reason Ock did at the beginning of this thread. Focusing on a specific point in time and lecturing people when you may not be wearing the shoes they are walking in isn't going to help the situation. Figuring out and altering the cause is how you impact the result.
What do you think is causing it? Maybe you have a different point of view?
I believe things revolve around economics and environment. Since WWII, I can offer up countless examples of taxpayer backed programs that have created an economic gulf between races in America, such as the GI Bill or many of the urban renewal programs of the late 20th century. For example, the taxpayer subsidized G.I. Bill directly led to sprawling suburban areas like Levittown. However, many minorities were prohibited from this federal handout. On the flip end, we grouped those in living in poverty to the central cities with the development off projects. We also ripped apart several of those neighborhoods with expressways to provide access for those being subsidized to flee the city. Then we wonder why areas like the Northside became havens of crime? Simple cause and effect.
If you want to dig into prison statistics, you can look at laws that result in certain populations getting more prison time than others. Heck, you can even start getting into profiling tendencies. Even the idea of GZ shooting TM and walking away free, but a 21 year old weed smoker going to prison should be a cause for concern.
For me, lecturing others on issues, one has no earthly idea of what they are talking about, by offering up skewed statistics doesn't resolve anything. It only leads to more division. The real issues revolve around economics and environment. Change those and you'll end up will different results, no matter what the person's skin pigmentation is.
