African-American Men Represent 6% of the Population, but Commit 52% of the Murders in the United States.

The Department of Justice put together a study of murders between 1980 and 2008. Their data showed the African-American men committed 52% of the murders in the United States. The full study can be found here: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/htus8008.pdf

The FBI has more recent data that paints a similar picture — 38% of murders commited by African-Americans, 31% commited by whites, and 29% committed by “unknown” race (presumably the “unknown” race would breakdown between blacks and whites similar to the DoJ data). You can find that data here: https://medium.com/r/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fbi.gov%2Fstats-services%2Fcrimestats

Understanding these numbers helps put the #BLM issue in context — based on the raw data it would take police officers 40 years to kill as many black men as have died at the hands of others black men in 2016 alone. There is a huge problem in the African-American community. We must insist on professional policing and shouldn’t tolerate unjustified shootings, but we also must do something to help stem the tide of violence committed by African-American men.

I wish I was wrong — I really really do. Instead of sending me a check for $500 please find a way to get involved with the African-American community. Get in the game and try to help change these numbers. We need to come together — simply calling the police and white people in general “racist” won’t solve the issue — it will make it worse. Let’s work together. Please.