Racism in America (with data)

[Lorini]

Do I need to read to find out what this means

restorative justice resolution

I hate to say it, as I strongly dislike Doxxing, but it least she lost her job. She did not get off scott free in that respect. Otherwise I'd be looking for my pitchfork rather than simply strongly disapproving.

In a slightly darker timeline, the man she reported would have at least been arrested and potentially even killed by the cops and she'd have been responsible. I'm very okay with her having learned a lasting lesson and not just getting a finger waggle.

And I’m ok with keeping her out of jail; I see no purpose in that even though some are yelling 'white privilege'.

[Paingod]

2021 is on track to look a lot like past years for police use of force and fatalities.

From late last year, Kurt Andras Reinhold killed for jaywalking (Sept. 23 2020).


The video also includes news of Trey Webster killed in an early morning raid Feb. 4th, 2021. His family claims he fired on police in self-defense; they say the police did not identify themselves and were just screaming commands and obscenities after violently breaking in. The police story is that his brother gave up and then Trey came out of his bedroom, shooting, wounding his own mother before the SWAT team killed him. There was a pending case of robbery and armed threats against a witness.

[Isgrimnur]

Minnesota

Minneapolis authorities are investing in six social media influencers, with a large local following, to help push their message and prevent riots during the murder trial of a fired police officer. On Friday, the Minneapolis City Council approved $1,181,500 for communication with the community during the trial.

The City says the six influencers will be intentionally targeting Black, Native American, Somali, Hmong and Latinx communities with their messaging during the trial. Each influencer will be paid a flat fee of $2,000.

In a full statement from the Minneapolis City Council, they said:

The City is collaborating with social media partners to share public information with cultural communities and to help dispel potential misinformation during the upcoming trials of the former officers involved in the killing of George Floyd. The goal is to “increase access to information to communities that do not typically follow mainstream news sources or City communications channels and/or who do not consume information in English. It’s also an opportunity to create more two-way communication between the City and communities.

[Kraken]

the Minneapolis City Council approved $1,181,500 for communication with the community during the trial.

six influencers ... Each influencer will be paid a flat fee of $2,000.

Hmmm. I wonder what the other $1,180,300 is for.

[Isgrimnur]

"Sanitation services"

[Smoove_B]

Some interesting data:

Since Black Lives Matter protests gained national prominence following the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., the movement has spread to hundreds of cities and towns across the U.S. Now a new study shows police homicides have significantly decreased in most cities where such protests occurred.

...

The study, posted in February as an online preprint item on the Social Science Research Network, is the first of its kind to measure a possible correlation between BLM and police homicide numbers. It found that municipalities where BLM protests have been held experienced as much as a 20 percent decrease in killings by police, resulting in an estimated 300 fewer deaths nationwide in 2014–2019. The occurrence of local protests increased the likelihood of police departments adopting body-worn cameras and community-policing initiatives, the study also found. Many cities with larger and more frequent BLM protests experienced greater declines in police homicides.

[LawBeefaroni]

Some interesting data:

Since Black Lives Matter protests gained national prominence following the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., the movement has spread to hundreds of cities and towns across the U.S. Now a new study shows police homicides have significantly decreased in most cities where such protests occurred.

...

The study, posted in February as an online preprint item on the Social Science Research Network, is the first of its kind to measure a possible correlation between BLM and police homicide numbers. It found that municipalities where BLM protests have been held experienced as much as a 20 percent decrease in killings by police, resulting in an estimated 300 fewer deaths nationwide in 2014–2019. The occurrence of local protests increased the likelihood of police departments adopting body-worn cameras and community-policing initiatives, the study also found. Many cities with larger and more frequent BLM protests experienced greater declines in police homicides.

Other homicides in those cities exploded.

Last year, an alarming increase in homicides left communities — often in lockdown — reeling as officials searched for answers. That was evident at lots of news conferences as police officials and mayors in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City rolled out dire news.

At the end of 2020, Chicago police reported more than 750 murders, a jump of more than 50% compared with 2019. By mid-December, Los Angeles saw a 30% increase over the previous year with 322 homicides. There were 437 homicides in New York City by Dec. 20, nearly 40% more than the previous year.

[stessier]

I'm not sure of your point - are you trying to draw a conclusion? It would seem the study covering 2014-2019 has nothing to do with the data you presented given the wildly different world we were living in in 2020.

[LawBeefaroni]

I'm not sure of your point - are you trying to draw a conclusion? It would seem the study covering 2014-2019 has nothing to do with the data you presented given the wildly different world we were living in in 2020.

The only conclusion I'm drawing is that people are being killed at an alarming rate. 300 fewer deaths over a 5 year period was erased in a few months with last year's increases.

Not saying it's because of fewer police killings. But it sure seems in spite of it.

[Paingod]

I think the increased murder rates for 2020 may be attributed, in part, to COVID and people being more overall stressed in general from economics to healthcare to politics.

2020 was the year I started taking antidepressants because I just couldn't anymore. I suspect I wasn't alone.

[LawBeefaroni]

I suspect that's part of it and I also suspect it's hit minority and poor communities much harder.

[Smoove_B]

I suspect academics are going to be analyzing data from 2020 (all kinds - economic, health, violence, etc...) under a microscope for the next decade.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I wonder how much of that increase in murders is due to an increase in domestic violence. I seem to remember reading that domestic violence in general went way up last year after the lockdowns went into effect.

[LawBeefaroni]

I wonder how much of that increase in murders is due to an increase in domestic violence. I seem to remember reading that domestic violence in general went way up last year after the lockdowns went into effect.

Don't think it's a large factor. Here's some research:

Researchers noted the smallest year-to-year rise in homicides in March through May — indicating stay-at-home orders likely suppressed homicide rates to a certain extent — and saw a large, "statistically significant" spike in June, coinciding with the easing of lockdown restrictions.

At the same time, the pandemic was exacerbating societal drivers of gun violence that have for years disproportionately impacted communities of color such as income, housing and health care inequalities and food insecurity. Many police departments struggled as COVID-19 spread through their ranks, possibly affecting efforts to focus on crime "hot spots," Rosenfeld said. And efforts to engage with people most at risk — whether through community policing efforts by law enforcement or civilian outreach workers — were also severely restrained by the pandemic.

[malchior]

I've read many competing theories. For example, one is that the police violence related unrest spiked murders and that we'd seen the same trend aligned to some police protest in 2016. Another is the lockdown restrictions being lifted theory. It also was a hot summer. The major uptick was indeed a real phenomenon but anyone saying they definitely know is selling you something. There are too many confounding factors right now and crime data lags quite a bit and has incredible inconsistency on top between jurisdictions.

[Jaymon]

Very little about 2020 matched any of our known statistical norms.

I could say, murder was up because there was so little traffic due to pandemic, murderers were never getting stuck at red lights on the way to their potential victims houses, which in previous times caused them to have time to reflect on their choices and decide NOT to murder anybody. And my theory is just as likely to be accurate any anybody else.

[malchior]

Very little about 2020 matched any of our known statistical norms.

I could say, murder was up because there was so little traffic due to pandemic, murderers were never getting stuck at red lights on the way to their potential victims houses, which in previous times caused them to have time to reflect on their choices and decide NOT to murder anybody. And my theory is just as likely to be accurate any anybody else.

Indeed ammo was more expensive thus enraging murderers, causing them to murder in frustration. A full on display of self-defeating irony that then fueled a spiral of high ammo price-based violence.

[Zarathud]

I heard that a lot of people are self-medicating with illegal drugs but gangs can’t deliver in the usual entertainment zones. That puts a lot of pressure on controlling new high traffic areas where socially distancing customers can pick up product. It’s also money when there are fewer options to get paid. More competition = fighting. Unfortunately a few blocks away.

Plus a lot of people are staying home and that means they’re on social media or getting angry at their neighbors. Add gangs and guns and toxic behavior and you get violence.

[Blackhawk]

My only thought is that as people analyze statistics in the future - crime or anything else - they're going to have to discard 2020 as a statistical outlier to get meaningful trends.

[hitbyambulance]

it's waaaay past time to have this place renamed:

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/ar ... 52289.html

[Blackhawk]

WaPo

Kentucky’s Republican-majority Senate on Thursday moved forward a bill that would make it easier to arrest protesters for insulting a police officer, a measure that critics say would stifle free speech.

The bill, passed two days before the anniversary of the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor, would make it a misdemeanor to taunt or challenge an officer with words or gestures “that would have a direct tendency to provoke a violent response from the perspective of a reasonable and prudent person.” Conviction would be punishable by up to 90 days in jail and fines of up to $250.

...

In addition to criminalizing taunting police, the bill would expand the category of protest behavior considered illegal, heighten sentences for offenses related to “riots” and prevent early release for those violations. It comes as Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, prepares for hundreds of people to gather downtown Saturday to recognize the first anniversary of Taylor being fatally shot during an early-morning raid.

...

Other language in the bill seeks to counter the movement to “defund the police” by requiring that local governments “maintain and improve” funding to their law-enforcement agencies. The bill also protects people who use “defensive force” during a riot and criminalizes bringing items that could be used as weapons.

Go Kentucky. Hang on...

misdemeanor to taunt or challenge an officer with words or gestures “that would have a direct tendency to provoke a violent response from the perspective of a reasonable and prudent person.”

Well, that's easy to defend. A reasonable and prudent person wouldn't respond to words with violence.

[Kraken]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

Musket ball dodged. Either I would've turned the state blue or it would've turned me red.

[hitbyambulance]

i've been trying to figure out why reports of anti-Asian attacks and hate crimes fell off the news radar sometime last year and only just recently resurfaced. ofc it just got to be 'old news' after the initial spike. but it's been building for some time:

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/03 ... a-shooting
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/opin ... -hate.html

[dbt1949]

I watch the national news and the local news all the time on TV and I read a lot of news on line but until recently I haven't read much about anti asianism. Except for Trump and his hatred of China.

[$iljanus]

A lot of the Asian experience in this country has never been taught in schools. If you are looking for something to fill your viewing schedule this series is worth a watch.

https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/

[Madmarcus]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

[Kraken]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

It would check most of my boxes if it weren't for red/blue polarization. That was barely even a consideration when I wanted to live there. I'd still be enamored of KY if it were even a purple state. Wife even has a couple of relatives in Lexington, which is at least a purple oasis. But I could never never be OK with a state that thinks Moscow Mitch is a fine senator.

[Lorini]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

It would check most of my boxes if it weren't for red/blue polarization. That was barely even a consideration when I wanted to live there. I'd still be enamored of KY if it were even a purple state. Wife even has a couple of relatives in Lexington, which is at least a purple oasis. But I could never never be OK with a state that thinks Moscow Mitch is a fine senator.

The only KY senator worse than Mitch is Rand Paul. What an asshole.

[Holman]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

It would check most of my boxes if it weren't for red/blue polarization. That was barely even a consideration when I wanted to live there. I'd still be enamored of KY if it were even a purple state. Wife even has a couple of relatives in Lexington, which is at least a purple oasis. But I could never never be OK with a state that thinks Moscow Mitch is a fine senator.

I once had a wonderful time at a wedding in Lexington. I met plenty of friendly locals (friends and family of the bride), but I still felt like I was in a more conservative zone than even the Atlanta suburbs I had come from.

[hepcat]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

It would check most of my boxes if it weren't for red/blue polarization. That was barely even a consideration when I wanted to live there. I'd still be enamored of KY if it were even a purple state. Wife even has a couple of relatives in Lexington, which is at least a purple oasis. But I could never never be OK with a state that thinks Moscow Mitch is a fine senator.

The only KY senator worse than Mitch is Rand Paul. What an asshole.

I have a poster of Rand Paul’s neighbor on my wall. Every morning I light a candle in front of it and pray for his return.

[Kraken]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

It would check most of my boxes if it weren't for red/blue polarization. That was barely even a consideration when I wanted to live there. I'd still be enamored of KY if it were even a purple state. Wife even has a couple of relatives in Lexington, which is at least a purple oasis. But I could never never be OK with a state that thinks Moscow Mitch is a fine senator.

I once had a wonderful time at a wedding in Lexington. I met plenty of friendly locals (friends and family of the bride), but I still felt like I was in a more conservative zone than even the Atlanta suburbs I had come from.

I made three trips to KY with friends when I was in my teens and early 20s. Each trip -- one to Lexington, one to Louisville, and one into the Cumberlands -- was quite different, and all were magical fun. I'd tell those stories if it weren't such a huge derail. Maybe in another thread on another night. On topic (sort of): before America became so politically and culturally polarized, I really loved KY. It's a shame that it's another country now.

[Isgrimnur]

Guardian

An annual list that is regularly dominated by titles covering LGBTQ+ issues, the ALA’s Top 10 most challenged books contains a number of anti-racism titles for the first time in 2020. Although the list was topped for the third year running by Alex Gino’s George, the story of a fourth-grade transgender girl, Ibram X Kendi and Jason Reynolds’ Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, a history of racism for children and teens, was the year’s second most challenged title. In their complaints, parents claimed that Stamped contained “selective storytelling incidents” and “does not encompass racism against all people”, said the ALA.
...
Another book by Reynolds, the current ambassador for young people’s literature in the US, came in third on the ALA’s list. All American Boys, written with Brendan Kiely and following an act of police brutality towards a young Black teenager, and the white teenager who witnesses it, was challenged because it was “thought to promote anti-police views”, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now”, said the ALA.

Picture book Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice, which follows one Black and one white family after the police shooting of a Black man, made the ALA’s list for the first time for “promot[ing] anti-police views”. In October, the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association wrote to Minnesota’s governor to ask that the state stop recommending it for primary schools, saying it “encourages children to fear police officers as unfair, violent, and racist”.

[Holman]

It's especially embarrassing when foreign media point out how reactionary we are.

[coopasonic]

it sounds like the "most challenged books" list is a good place to start.

The list: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/freq ... ooks/top10

[stimpy]

it sounds like the "most challenged books" list is a good place to start.

The list: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/freq ... ooks/top10

Reading that list offends me.
I shall challenge the publishing of it.

[dbt1949]

It just blows me away the way racism has been defined in the last ten years.
I grew up with Negro being an acceptable term. And Indians instead of Indigenous People. Just for a couple of examples. In my head I still think like this but I know better than to say these things out loud. Altho I have no dislike or hatred of any minorities I guess I could still be considered a racist. After thinking a certain way for seventy years it's hard to change. My wife is still confused about the proper etiquette too.
I can see how the festering of a lot of white people is boiling over now.

[Lorini]

It just blows me away the way racism has been defined in the last ten years.
I grew up with Negro being an acceptable term. And Indians instead of Indigenous People. Just for a couple of examples. In my head I still think like this but I know better than to say these things out loud. Altho I have no dislike or hatred of any minorities I guess I could still be considered a racist. After thinking a certain way for seventy years it's hard to change. My wife is still confused about the proper etiquette too.
I can see how the festering of a lot of white people is boiling over now.

While Black people don't like being called a name that white people gave them, it's not inherently racist I don't think. It's not respectful, just like people being called white trash or whatever. The problem is that we all have and in some ways still do support racism through systems, especially in the support of police who too often are racist and are stuck in procedures that harm marginalized people. Indians is a problem because the US is located in the Americas, not India. White men have been presented to us as the authorities, as the knowledgeable, as the best looking, as the highest status. And this is a problem because nearly every major conflagration (nearly, no, the Japanese aren't white) can be traced back to white men, but they are never called out for it. A lot of other issues happen because of the continued belief that non white non male people are somehow less than the ideal. One of the biggest is the lack of opportunity for those people which turns into the lack of economic progress for the entire population. When only a limited part of the population can participate in economic opportunity, but the entire population must be supported, that's a huge drag.

So at any rate, work on being anti-racist while realizing that it's a journey that we are all on, some of us happily and willingly, and some of us being dragged by the hair. Try not to be the latter

[LawBeefaroni]

Once upon a time, when I was deciding where to live after college, KY was high on my list. I'd had a couple of fun vacations there in my teens, and it's a beautiful state with a perfect climate (or at least, it was in the '70s).

I still sometimes think that parts of KY look great for climate, cost of living, and so forth. But I don't think I could stand it.

It would check most of my boxes if it weren't for red/blue polarization. That was barely even a consideration when I wanted to live there. I'd still be enamored of KY if it were even a purple state. Wife even has a couple of relatives in Lexington, which is at least a purple oasis. But I could never never be OK with a state that thinks Moscow Mitch is a fine senator.

I once had a wonderful time at a wedding in Lexington. I met plenty of friendly locals (friends and family of the bride), but I still felt like I was in a more conservative zone than even the Atlanta suburbs I had come from.

I made three trips to KY with friends when I was in my teens and early 20s. Each trip -- one to Lexington, one to Louisville, and one into the Cumberlands -- was quite different, and all were magical fun. I'd tell those stories if it weren't such a huge derail. Maybe in another thread on another night. On topic (sort of): before America became so politically and culturally polarized, I really loved KY. It's a shame that it's another country now.

I have family in KY and spent a lot of time in Pikeville as a kid. Loved it.

Later, I had a college girlfriend in Lexington. Loved Lexington, loved her family. But I had to sleep under a portrait of General Lee when I stayed there (got her brother's bedroom) and once got called a "halfbreed" several times at a party, which led to a bit of fisticuffs.

[noxiousdog]

It just blows me away the way racism has been defined in the last ten years.
I grew up with Negro being an acceptable term. And Indians instead of Indigenous People. Just for a couple of examples. In my head I still think like this but I know better than to say these things out loud. Altho I have no dislike or hatred of any minorities I guess I could still be considered a racist. After thinking a certain way for seventy years it's hard to change. My wife is still confused about the proper etiquette too.
I can see how the festering of a lot of white people is boiling over now.

The inherent question is whether you want to do it correctly. If you make mistakes, it's not racist. If you don't care, then it is.

Indian is also very problematic. There is a wide range of indigenous people spanning two continents and there is no consensus. Many to most are find with "Indian." The best option is to use the name of the tribe to which they identify whenever possible.

[Blackhawk]

Indian is also very problematic. There is a wide range of indigenous people spanning two continents and there is no consensus. Many to most are find with "Indian." The best option is to use the name of the tribe to which they identify whenever possible.

And complicated. Some prefer 'Native American' or 'Native', while others prefer First Nations or Indigenous people. And even tribal terms are loaded. In a lot of cases the names we know certain tribes by weren't what they called themselves, they're what their enemies from elsewhere called them. Just imagine, a group of fur traders speaking to one tribe, asking, "Who will we meet when we cross the river?" The Natives answer, in their own language, "We call them 'Assholes.'" The traders then write in their journals that the lands to the west of the river is inhabited by the Assholes. 180 years later we all still call those people the Assholes. Or call the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota the 'Sioux', which is a French-bastardized pejorative that means 'snakes' in the most disrespectful way.

The best way is to either find out what they call themselves, or ask.

Just don't say "squaw." Ever. Punches have been thrown for that.