Blacks must save selves from crime

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | Published on: 10/11/05 | BENIN DAKAR

[beaureguard]

The knee-jerk tendency to condemn anyone who dares to enumerate troubling statistics and realities in the African-American community prevents mature discussions and viable solutions for what ails black America.

Last year, educator and entertainer Bill Cosby was vilified by many in the black community because he dared to speak out about the epidemic of poor parenting and undisciplined and ungoverned youth in too many African-American communities.

Now comments by former Education Secretary William "Bill" Bennett are selectively taken out of context. Instead of having a meaningful conversation about how to reduce black-on-black crime in many African-American communities, Bennett has become the poster child for the neo-racist.

On his Sept. 28th radio talk show, Bennett made the following comment: "If you wanted to reduce crime, you could — if that were your sole purpose — you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down." Bennett quickly added that such an idea would be "an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do." But, he said, "your crime rate would go down."

I do not believe that Bennett is purporting the systematic abortions of black babies, but instead is suggesting that based on sheer, cold statistics, if the number of black babies coming into American society were to decrease there would be a decline in the number of blacks who have the opportunity to get involved in the criminal justice system.

The only argument (statistically speaking) that I have with Bennett's statement is that he should have said "black male babies" instead of simply black babies.

According to U.S. Bureau of Justice statistics, in mid 2004 there were 4,919 black male prison and jail inmates per 100,000 black males in the United States, compared to 717 white male inmates per 100,000 white males.

Like all babies, black male babies are born as innocent human beings. Black male babies do not have any innate proclivity toward crime.

However, due to ongoing structural racism, gross inequality in educational opportunity, and the lack of job training and high-wage jobs in many African-American communities, black males have more chances to become involved with the criminal justice system.

Instead of bashing Bennett because he alluded to this reality, black leaders should be initiating discussions about what we can do to decrease these numbers.

Moreover, we need to talk about and then take the necessary action on what we can do to reach out to those blacks — both male and female — who already have a criminal history and help bring them back into productive mainstream society.

The discussion must include talking about ongoing prejudice and discrimination in American society and how to eliminate racism; but we must resist having meaningless conversations that are little more than a citation of the sins of white people imposed on black lives.

Instead, black people must discuss and decide what we can do as individuals and as a group to help more of our people stay out of the criminal justice system and make our predominantly black communities safer places.

People like Bennett can parrot troubling statistics about black people, but they are not likely to do much more than simply speak about our deficiencies.

It is up to us — black Americans — to do what we can and must do to save ourselves.

— Benin Dakar of Duluth is a writer and owner of a property management company.

[Nat Turner]

Well he started out ok until that structural racism thing came out

Unless he meant the liberal power structure (ie govt schools, media , politics)

[English Nationalist]

As usual, it's all the fault of the white man. Excuse me while I grab a sick bag.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Benin Dakar

I wonder if this is his real name?

[2banana]

However, due to ongoing structural racism, gross inequality in educational opportunity, and the lack of job training and high-wage jobs in many African-American communities, black males have more chances to become involved with the criminal justice system.

I guess 75% of black babies born out of wedlock and into the welfare system has nothing to do with it...

[RexBeach]

His real name is Lenny Slobodnick, Jr.

[CobaltBlue]

Oh, right, there's no such thing as racism. Whites and blacks and all the other colors live together in perfect harmony.

And there's no such thing as injustice, either. Cops are perfect, judges are perfect, life is just a bowl of cherries.

[ExpatGator]

Black on black crime? Has this chump read the DOJ statistics? Blacks commit the majority of ALL violent crime. The figures are even uglier when adjusted for their representation of the population.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I'd go with Benin Dakar too under the circumstances.

[CobaltBlue]

I think it's a good article.

Racism and injustice do exist but that's no excuse for not living right.

[Brilliant]

The main reason blacks are in this position is that anytime a white police officer goes near a black man, the accusations of racism are rampant.

[CobaltBlue]

Well, why do blacks accuse white cops of racism? Are they all liars? Are there no racist white cops?

I know a lot of racist blacks and I know a lot of racist whites. It exists. Don't pretend it doesn't.

It's a sin to tell a lie.

[pageonetoo]

It is up to us — black Americans — to do what we can and must do to save ourselves.

Not true. It is up to us — Americans — to do what we can and must do to save our countrymen.

I could start a school tomorrow, in a black community, but few kids would listen to a white guy...

I've thought about it, and done some research. It does require leadership from role models, though. That much is absolute. We just need to open that both ways.

Our downfall is that we now worship Mickey Mantle, more than Thomas Jefferson. Martin Luther King gets a holiday, and we don't even know which Presidents are celebrated on their day. Christmas has been replaced with Winter Break, and Easter has everything to do with eggs.

The courts have allowed perverts to be given rights, reserved for families, and want to give further blessing to illicit relationships through marriage. Meanwhile millions of tiny babies have been sucked from the womb.

It isn't just a black and white problem, though it often is. Our country is going to hell, in a handbasket...

[bonfire]

When it's considered cool to have a baby at 14 there's no hope.

My daughter's 9th grade dance class had 5 Black and Hispanic girls bragging and proud of their pregnancies.

Having a baby for these kids was like owning a cell phone or expensive tennis shoes.

[Brilliant]

I think that when a white cop beats up a white guy, there is a tendency to give the cop the benefit of the doubt. When a white cop beats up a black guy, it's always portrayed as racism. Some times it is, but some times it isn't.

[funkywbr]

It's also no excuse for looking at your neighborhood and wanting more.

Or no excuse for picking on the black nerd in the hood who does.

Or no excuse for impregnating multiple women marrying none and bragging about it.

Just to mention a few.

And back to Crosby, when he spoke the truth, lo and behold the black racists pimps dragged out someone to accuse him of being a cliton to destroy his credibility never looking at the irony of their unwaivoring support of cliton.

Looks like the joke is on the Dem voting black man as they allow the Rich White man to WALK and don't allow the Rich Black man to TALK (sense).

Hysterical aint it?

[CobaltBlue]

What is needed -- oh, Lord, how much some people need. If someone is raised up wrong, an entire army of social workers and do-gooders can't make up for what was left out.

What is needed is an intact, loving family, mama and daddy both taking care of their children.

What is needed is an intact, functional community, where people work hard and abide by the rules.

What is needed is good teachers.

What is needed is honest cops.

What is needed is honest judges.

What is needed is to be treated with respect because you earned it, and to treat others with respect because they deserve it.

What is needed is to love your neighbor as yourself.

What is needed is to do the right thing.

[Terabitten]

What's important here is that this guy at least gets half of it right. He's right that black communities must begin policing themselves. That's the important thing.

The guy seems to me to be what I call an honest liberal: one who identifies the same problem as a conservative, but simply differs on how best to correct it. Most liberals now deny that the problem even exists, and create new and different problems.

[in hoc signo vinces]

Look on the brightside...it's not very much farther till we hit bottom and then there is no where else to go but up!

Honestly, I think it will get better.

[in hoc signo vinces]

Look on the brightside...it's not very much farther till we hit bottom and then there is no where else to go but up!

Honestly, I think it will get better.