Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: America’s Dark Obsession With Vigilante Justice

Time Magazine ^ | August 27, 2014 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

[2ndDivisionVet]

Our belief that the government wants to help us achieve fairness is lower than ever—leading to fantasies of lawless revenge.

The events in Ferguson and elsewhere across the U.S. have launched a heated national dialogue that questions our faith in the benevolence of government institutions — especially police, judiciary, and politicians. Dead black bodies always makes us wonder whether they really have the best interests of the American people at heart, or just the best interests of some American people. Sometimes in the dense fog of passion and tear gas it is hard to see what values a country as diverse as America really shares. One way to check the heart of American attitudes is to lay our fingers on the pulse of pop culture, which often subtly reveals the truth long before the news pundits compulsively check their Twitter to see what’s trending and chase after it.

One pop culture truth that has clearly emerged over the last few years is that the sharp rise of vigilante heroes in our books, TV, and movies is supplanting the traditional cultural heroes of the precinct, ER, and courtroom. I’m not talking about Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Avengers, or any other super-powered beings fighting other super-powered beings. That’s adventure-fantasy that has little to do with the political or social landscape. I’m talking about our grim-faced, non-powered heroes who, realizing that government is either too impotent or too corrupt to deliver justice, take up arms against the sea of troubles — and by opposing, end them....

[Flag_This]

"One way to check the heart of American attitudes is to lay our fingers on the pulse of pop culture, which often subtly reveals the truth..."

I wonder if Kareem has listened to the lyrics of any popular rap music...

[Elsie]

https://www.google.com/search?q=kill+’em+all&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ADRA_enUS475&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=g2UAVILaEcSxggS5mILQDQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=571

[Fresh Wind]

Wow! Kareem quotes Shakespeare! I’m impressed.

[driftless2]

Jason Riley, a black writer for the WSJ who is from NYC, recently stated on FOX News that while growing up he feared other black males far more than he feared the police. In fact, he said he didn’t fear the police at all. He said blacks who obeyed the law and didn’t provoke an incident seldom got themselves killed by police.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

[RE:] police, judiciary, and politicians. Dead black bodies always makes us wonder whether they really have the best interests of the American people at heart

Hurrah for live black bodies standing over dead white bodies, that part of the system doesn't need fixing? It's working? See below. Is that why liberals don't talk about it?

I did not finish reading the posted article and fact is vis-a-vis police..

Local police involved in 400 killings per year

Citing data gathered by the Bureau of Justices Statistics in 2008, the IACP [International Association of Chiefs of Police] said less than 2% of the 40 million people who had contact with police reported the use of force or threatened use of force.
"In large part, the public perception of police use of force is framed and influenced by the media depictions which present unrealistic and often outlandish representations of law enforcement and the policing profession," the group said in a 2012 report."

The article points out that there has never been a comprehensive effort to gather the data needed to prove one way or the other.

So the victim's industry citing its Black Privilege can freely shout "unrealistic and often outlandish" claims at each and every individual personal tragedy involving a black citizen and police. Wow! Multi- multi-millionaire Kareem is a victim? Sure see a lot of those lately.

As retaliatory assaults accumulate because of Ferguson MSM and race-grievance industry lies keep in mind that

• injured should file civil lawsuits using the doctrine of vicarious liability;
• Kareem is among those with very deep pockets;
• The offenders (beating up the whites) need only be aware of the hate and lies spewed forth to convince
• a jury to decide in favor of the victim of the retaliatory assault.

Fact is vis-a-vis other than police..

FBI Homicides Statistics

Year of Stats	Race of Victims	Total	White Offenders	Black Offenders	Unknown & other
2012	White	3,128	2,614	431	83
	Black	2,648	193	2,412	43
2011	White	3,172	2,630	448	94
	Black	2,695	193	2,447	55
2010	White	3,327	2,777	447	103
	Black	2,720	218	2,459	43
2009	White	3,518	2,963	454	101
	Black	2,867	209	2,604	54
2008	White	3,643	3,036	504	103
	Black	3,024	230	2,722	72
2007	White	3,587	2,918	566	103
	Black	3,221	245	2,905	71
2006	White	3,709	3,026	573	110
	Black	3,303	208	3,034	61
2005	White	3,785	3,150	516	119
	Black	3,289	230	2,984	75
2004	White	3,727	3,123	522	85
	Black	3,067	228	2,784	55
1995	White	4,954	4,124	699	131
	Black	4,764	281	4,422	61

I did not find data for the years 1996 through 2003

www.fbi.gov About Us CJIS UCR Crime in the U.S. Here's the links to most of the FBI tables I referenced above.

Here's 2012

Here's 2011

Here's 2010

Here's 2009

• choose Continue to Crime in the United States, 2009
• choose Homicides
• choose Expanded Homicide Data Table 6

Here's 2008

Here's 2007

• choose Homicides
• choose Expanded Homicide Data Tables / Table 5

Here's 2006

• choose Expanded Homicide Data
• choose Expanded Homicide Table 5

Here's 2005

• choose Expanded Homicide Data
• choose Expanded Homicide Data Table 5

[driftless2]

KAJ is not a dope, but his opinions are just as nutty as when I read his autobio forty years ago. He still thinks the “disenfranchised” are suffering from oppression from the white power structure. He has learned nothing in his lifetime.

[MinuteGal]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (nee Lew Alcindor).....retired NBA basketball player.....height 7'2".....convert to Islam.....married, divorced Habiba Abdul-Jabbar.....three children by Habiba - Kareem Jr., Habiba and Sultana...two other sons by other unions......raised in New York City as a Roman Catholic.....age 67.....has shown interest in purchasing an NBA team, possibly the Milwaukee Bucks.

Leni

[tumblindice]

I met him years ago. He’s an unfriendly jerk. Never smiled, aloof. Indiana is basketball crazy, but all he wanted to do was talk about his political opinions.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer came to visit the following week, and my only regret in his leaving was not being able to photograph them together since she’s hobbit-sized.
Who cares what he thinks. Just put the ball through the hoop, Lurch. Freak.

[Little Ray]

I stopped reading at “fairness”.
Anyone who believes that “fairness” is in the government’s job description has a room temperature IQ.
An air conditioned room.

[P.O.E.]

The Dems are the party of the 7 deadly sins.

They thrive by stoking covetousness, anger, etc.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Sorry Louie. If law enforcement doesn’t want to do it, somebody has to.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

I said in my Reply #25 that I did not read the whole thing. Well now I have.

what this country stands for. . . is reasoned, thoughtful debate in an effort to resolve differences peacefully. It is not meant to be an excuse to grab your guns and line up on the border threatening children. Or open carrying guns into Denny’s frightening patrons . . . My hope is that we use the abundance of vigilante literature to fuel our outrage at injustice and to inspire us to, rather than cynically pull a trigger, fix what’s broken in our system through peaceful protest and the ballot box.

threatening children . . . open carrying guns into Denny’s frightening patrons . . . our [understandable] outrage at injustice

Victims of America unite! Kareem's hope is that America can be fixed peacefully. Fine Meanwhile keep on truckin', Kareem, with articles spouting race-grievance industry claims of suffering -- never damn mind that such things cause "trivial" violence like that Marine beat almost to death by a mob of 20 blacks just the other day; the Knockout Game; the FBI homicide stats showing blacks (1/6 or less the population of whites) annually killing at least twice the white on black murders.

[mykroar]

The co-pilot’s been spouting a lot of BS lately.

[metesky]

Who is ghosting Kream?

[Secret Agent Man]

jesse jackson fears bumping into blacks on apartment stairs more than whites.

[driftless2]

I live in Wisconsin and was at first elated to have KAJ on the Bucks. He did exactly what the experts said he would do...lead Milwaukee to a title. But I read his autobio he wrote shortly after he began his pro career. The first thing he thought after he was drafted by Milwaukee was that he was going to be playing in front of farmers. Yes, that's correct....the city of Milwaukee and the suburbs were populated exclusively by farmers. It was obvious he had a huge chip on his shoulder...he blamed whites for every problem in the black community.

He was reported to have a sour personality (probably well-deserved) by a number of basketball writers. I also read a book about Milwaukee's championship season which pretty much arrived at the same conclusion about his personality. In reality, he's a very intelligent person, but like many intelligent people/liberals, his warped intelligence leads him to the wrong conclusions. So when he finally decided Milwaukee was not diverse enough or big enough for him, he engineered his trade to LA. As great a player as he was, I was glad to see him go.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

The look on the kid’s face was pretty damn funny too.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

The look on the kid’s face was pretty damn funny too.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

The look on the kid’s face was pretty damn funny too.