1 Black Man Is Killed Every 28 Hours by Police or Vigilantes: How America Is Perpetually at War With

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/1-black-man-killed-every-28-hours-police-or-vigilantes-how-america-perpetually-war

1 Black Man Is Killed Every 28 Hours by Police or Vigilantes: How America Is Perpetually at War With Its Own People


Police officers, security guards, or self-appointed vigilantes extrajudicially killed at least 313 African-Americans in 2012 according to a recent study. This means a black person was killed by a security officer every 28 hours. The report notes that it's possible that the real number could be much higher.

The report, entitled "Operation Ghetto Storm", was performed by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, an antiracist grassroots activist organization. The organization has chapters in Atlanta, Detroit, Fort Worth-Dallas, Jackson, New Orleans, New York City, Oakland, and Washington, D.C. It has a history of organizing campaigns against police brutality and state repression in black and brown communities. Their study's sources included police and media reports along with other publicly available information. Last year, the organization published a similar study showing that a black person is killed by security forces every 36 hours. However, this study did not tell the whole story, as it only looked at shootings from January to June 2012. Their latest study is an update of this.

These killings come on top of other forms of oppression black people face. Mass incarceration ofnonwhites is one of them. While African-Americans constitute 13.1% of the nation's population, they make up nearly 40% of the prison population. Even though African-Americans use or sell drugs about the same rate as whites, they are 2.8 to 5.5 times more likely to be arrested for drugs than whites. Black offenders also receive longer sentences compared to whites. Most offenders are in prison for nonviolent drug offenses.

"Operation Ghetto Storm" explains why such killings occur so often. Current practices of institutional racism have roots in the enslavement of black Africans, whose labor was exploited to build the American capitalist economy, and the genocide of Native Americans. The report points out that in order to maintain the systems of racism, colonialism, and capitalist exploitation, the United States maintains a network of "repressive enforcement structures". These structures include the police, FBI, Homeland Security, CIA, Secret Service, prisons, and private security companies, along with mass surveillance and mass incarceration.

[marmar]

1. k/r

[LisaLynne]

2. I can't come up with anything to say, so ...

k&R. Just ... so wrong and sad and disgusting and just overwhelming.

[Heidi]

3. Kick, kick, kick!!!!

[Dustlawyer]

4. It also has the effect of removing a large portion of the black vote. It would be an extreme

example of voter suppression, but what voter suppression isn't extreme. It's been going on longer than their more recent attempts! We need COMPLETE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, to coin a phrase, "We need to take our country back!" At least get our Representative government back from the corporations and the 1%!!! Minorities, including blacks are under-represented and now we can see another reason why!

[Pragdem]

5. This is why racism is about more than words.

Fellow whites that try to say black people can be racist too disgust me.

Who the fuck cares? It's not the same. It doesn't have the same history.

Nothing is ingrained in society that makes white people more susceptible to excessive police force.

[Lunacee_2013]

14. Agreed.

You wouldn't believe how many times I've had to explain to other white ppl why we don't get to use the n-word.

[noiretextatique]

18. systemic vs. individual racism

some white people simply refuse to acknowledge the difference between the two, which makes it very difficult to discuss issues, e.g., reparations. or anything remotely related to race, for that matter.

[ReRe]

6. K&R

It's really a shame we can't K&R this more than once. We absolutely must change priorities in this country. This report is just disgusting. Thanks, xchrom....

[Bully Taw]

8. disgusting that black men...

are the victims of violence more often than whites.

[heaven05]

9. since

Last edited Thu May 30, 2013, 02:17 PM - Edit history (1)

plymouth rock, started with the red man, still going on with 'others'. Never stopped. How totally hate filled and disgusting portions of this populace are. Very sad and telling of amerikkkan culture.

[noiretextatique]

19. so true

sad, but true. my friend says racism is genetic now.

[toby jo]

10. How do American blacks look at African blacks?

Do you feel you've benefitted from a cultural exchange?

Honestly! Anything? Willing to go back?

I'm asking for the fine line between genetic reality and cultural, from the people living it.

I look at Africa, and aside from the physical sheer beauty of it, the culture strikes me as violent, and, like all violent prone cultures, backwards. The grace of the people can be stunning. A different turn of thought therein, for certain.
I see it as one of the faces of man, and just move on.

So where do you folks fall on this? I'm not in it, just looking in from the outside, and wondering.

(Poster is correct, racism hides what, whitey?)

[Enrique]

12. you don't seem to see blacks as being part of our society

responding to a story about blacks being killed with a suggestion about "going back" to Africa.

And about what "strikes you" when you "look at Africa," that is what is known as prejudice. It has nothing to do with Africa, it's all about you.

[noiretextatique]

20. i am not sure what you mean

but it sounds like bullshit.

[heaven05]

24. you're

trying your best to not be what you are with a post like this. geez.

[RainDog]

11. horrid n/t

[One_Life_To_Give]

13. 1 in every 20 African American Homicides is by a vigilante?

While it is troubling. It's only one factor in a very big problem.

[hfojvt]

16. no, it is a terrible thing

when white cops gun down an armed black man who has killed other black people.

If they weren't so racist, they would not be trying to capture those suspected murderers and/or drug dealers.

Yeah, a vigilante is a private citizen who gets the drop on a would-be armed robber.

Race baiting articles like this are just sickening.

[heaven05]

25. tsk

tsk, tsk.

[noiretextatique]

21. zimmmerman

is an example. as is the white guy who shot at some kids because their music was too loud. i believe at least one of them died.

[Socal31]

15. Using the failed "drug war" money on inner-city education

and job programs would put a gigantic dent in deaths throughout the impoverished black, latino, and white communities.

No reason for "territory" and hope for a legitimate life = no reason to illegally obtain or use a weapon.

[siligut]

17. There seems to be a "white man's club" at the center of this

The good ol' boys sort of deal, they are members of other groups and seek to perpetuate this system.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

22. That's 1 in 100,000 every year, unless I'm a power of 10 out?

There are a *lot* of people in the USA. Almost any problem looks horrific when you scale it up by tens of millions.

[heaven05]

26. god

blessed amerikkka with the progeny of slaves and the slave master right? So according to you there is no problem, right?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

29. Hey, I have a great idea.

Why don't *I* tell *you* what *I* think, and you can respond by telling me what *you* think. This "you tell me what I think" business doesn't really lead to a productive debate, especially when what you think I think is so wildly inaccurate.

[heaven05]

30. you

Last edited Sun Jun 2, 2013, 02:13 PM - Edit history (1)

post what you think you know, and I will know what I know without any source like you needed by me. Apologists and people who rationalize this racist culture just perpetuate said culture and it's actions. With said people debate and solution is impossible. You're entitled.

[felix_numinous]

23. K&R For visibility.

It is up to us to keep these facts out of the shadows. How sad that this country has not learned from the past. That we are all one, and once one group is allowed to be singled out, so can every one else.

[Peregrine]

27. 93% of African American homicide victims were killed by African Americans

African Amricans comprise 49% of all homicide victims in 2005 according to crime statistics [link:http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/bvvc.pdf] and 93% were committed by African Americans.

[link:http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/bvvc.pdf|

[heaven05]

28. you

Last edited Sun Jun 2, 2013, 08:25 PM - Edit history (4)

did not read that report thoroughly. You skewed the statistics to fit YOUR model. Don't get me wrong, on reflection I WILL NOT deny that black males in certain circles are very vicious toward each other, which I do ascribe to a lot of residual self-hate because of this racist culture, but your 93% is high and not to be believed especially after I read your link report. Example: 14 year old with puppy in hand is subject to choke hold because he gave a "dehumanizing stare" to to a local security enforcer? Trayvon Martin 17 year old, unarmed, got shot and killed because he was deemed NOT to fit into the neighborhood has was shot and killed in(profiled is the word) Stop and frisk law in new york city has impacted blacks much higher than whites. (racial profiling are the words). Please, apologists and scape goaters for this racist culture just perpetuate the problem and don't solve a thing.