Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A lot of the shootings I see on the news seem to be occuring in places like the cities of McKeesport and Duquesne, not in Pittsburgh. Although today there was a news item about a shooting in East Liberty.
Shootings happen all over, even in good neighborhoods (remember the shootings in Stanton Heights last year?). However, the news reports all the bad stuff. We sort of have a culture of fear. Main point is shootings happen in the suburbs and the city.
The most recent shooting was in Highland Park, not East Liberty.
Funny for only having black on black crime as some aver, a white guy died and had a baby in the back seat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl
Facts and statistics don't have the ability to be racist. If black people are committing the most crime statistically then you shouldn't be shouted down if you point that out. Still not sure why that's such a hard concept for some people.
Gee, did I miss statistical data that was presented somewhere?
Please let me know what post so that I can reread it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl
Black people make up 12% of the population of the United States, but account for 44% of the prison population. Sorry man, I wish I was wrong.
There is no correlation.
Blacks are convicted more than whites and are frequently unable to afford competent representation.
Next comment.
Last edited by chielgirl; 06-18-2010 at 10:13 AM..
Also since White Americans are the majority, then they do in fact bear more of the responsiblity in regards to racist behavior in that they are the downtrodders and have historically reaped the benefits of racism in this country.
That sounds like a "blanket statement" to me.
That way of thinking is ignorant, narrow-minded and stereotypical.
In essence you are saying that white people = racist. Not at all accurate IN THIS DAY & AGE.
Brian...Thanks For Your Eloquence And Tact, However...
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH
Because that isn't what the original statement did.
Let's do a quick quiz. Two of these statements, taken literally, are true, and one is false:
(A) Statistically, violent crime rates in the U.S. are higher among black people than among white people;
(B) In the autumn, Canadian Geese migrate south;
(C) Once summer hits the black people start shooting each other for some reason.
Can you identify the statement which, taken literally, is false?
Some people are basically arguing as if the poster had said (A). But that poster didn't say (A), he or she said (C). And that can't be defended as a simple, true, factual observation, because it isn't that.
You're just not going to convince some people to remove their heads from their 3rd points of contact long enough to take them to task about their nonsense...
To wit---'the black people start shooting each other'...I'm not going to even label this as racist---just plain silly is more like it...
I get downright sick and tired of people who make statements such as this (and that poster wasn't the only one, judging by some of the other responses I've seen on this thread), and then puff out their chests and throw out regurgitated, pointless statistics as their 'bona fides' in defending themselves...
To that, I reply with a line from one of my favorite movies, 48 Hours---'just because you say something with conviction, it don't mean s**t to me!!'
Just because YOU want to make some offhanded, 5th grade stereotypical remark about a racial issue, doesn't make it fact or the gospel truth...
I'm all for an open, honest discussion of racial issues, not just in Pittsburgh, but in the entire country...let me put that out there RIGHT NOW...but I will NOT sit idly by, while people try to pass off stereotypes and statistics and 'Stan down the black sez blacks are the antichrist!' as truth in any way, shape, form or fashion...that's bulls**t...
That's about the same as me sitting around, spouting off crap like 'all whites wave Confederate flags, dip snuff, keep black people down, and are closet KKK members! I know because Tavis Smiley said it was true!' I would fully expect to be labeled a moron, and rightly so, for buying into junk like that...
so you can imagine how I feel when I see stuff like that on here, and see what happens when people try to call folks out for being stupid...
Sword cuts both ways, doesn't it...oh, by the way, I've never shot anyone, been shot AT by anyone, don't blame whites for my troubles and own any stupid stuff I've ever done or said...kinda blows your stereotypes outta the water---just sayin'
Gee, did I miss statistical data that was presented somewhere?
Please let me know what post so that I can reread it.
I know you're being a bit trollific, but I'm going to post the stats anyway. I don't mean to offend anyone with this, it's just statistics that are being requested by this poster.
In 2005, black people were 7 times more likely to commit a murder:
There is no correlation.
Blacks are convicted more than whites and are frequently unable to afford competent representation.
Next comment.
Perhaps, think whatever you want, it's fine with me (even if you're trolling). However that has nothing to do with the fact that the likelihood of murder is drastically increased when dealing with this particular ethnic group.
To wit---'the black people start shooting each other'...I'm not going to even label this as racist---just plain silly is more like it...
Alright then. If I am to be castigated as a hyperbolic buffoon then I will fight back with words and facts:
1. According to Wikipedia, African-Americans make up 28% of the population of the city of Pittsburgh. Yet, they have so far accounted for the majority of homicide victimizations in the metropolitan area. Here is an interactive map of killings in Pittsburgh during 2010:
2. A quote from Pittsburgh Police Assistant Chief Maurita Bryant in 2008:
"The majority of our homicides are black on black crimes. The victims are black, the individuals that we are arresting are black males - the overwhelming majority unfortunately,"
Allegheny County Reaches 120 Homicides In 2008 - kdka.com (http://kdka.com/local/Pittsburgh.homicides.Allegheny.2.896775.html - broken link)
3. African-Americans are six times as likely as white Americans to die at the hands of a murderer, and roughly seven times as likely to murder someone."
Check and mate and I rest my case. I am not stereotyping at all. You can cling to politically correct canards and platitudes all day long but facts are facts. It is obvious that there is a problem of violence and homicide in the black community in this (and other) metropolitan areas. Once summer hits it gets worse.
P.S. The last girl I dated was half black and I drove my black friend 2,000 miles to his new home last year. So, I sincerely doubt that I am racist on an individual level. Am I prejudiced on a community-wide level though? Yes, I am. Why you ask? Because the statistics quite clearly show a pattern of violence that I personally wish to avoid.
Last edited by Renaldo5000; 06-18-2010 at 11:58 AM..
Check and mate and I rest my case. You can cling to politically correct canards and platitudes all day but facts are facts. It is obvious that there is a problem of violence and homicide in the black community in this (and other) metropolitan areas.
Exactly, people will blatantly ignore facts if they go against their world view due to political correctness.
Perhaps it's white guilt or something I don't know. For the record, I'm Puerto Rican so perhaps I don't get the white guilt thing. To each their own.
The most recent shooting was in Highland Park, not East Liberty.
WTAE must be wrong then....
Man Shot, Killed In East Liberty - Video - WTAE Pittsburgh (http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/23930855/index.html - broken link)
Quote:
Gee, did I miss statistical data that was presented somewhere?
Please let me know what post so that I can reread it.
You must have since a few people have posted some statistics.
Quote:
There is no correlation.
Blacks are convicted more than whites and are frequently unable to afford competent representation.
Actually, there is a correlation, but as you demonstrated, there are some who feel it's controversial for various reasons.
I don't however think there are actual stats to prove how many didn't get good legal representation. Nor are there stats about how many white criminals are represented well. So if you are going to ask for statistics for one side of an argument, you should also provide the same for your side.
But again, that's going only on numbers actually incarcerated....so what about number of those arrested? Again, (slightly) more Blacks are arrested for shootings (assaults with firearms) as well. I guess one could claim they are targeted by law enforcement moreso, but those stats are all but impossible to get too.
Alright then. If I am to be castigated as a hyperbolic buffoon then I will fight back with words and facts:
1. According to Wikipedia, African-Americans make up 28% of the population of the city of Pittsburgh. Yet, they have so far accounted for the majority of homicide victimizations in the metropolitan area. Here is an interactive map of killings in Pittsburgh during 2010:
2. A quote from Pittsburgh Police Assistant Chief Maurita Bryant in 2008:
"The majority of our homicides are black on black crimes. The victims are black, the individuals that we are arresting are black males - the overwhelming majority unfortunately,"
Allegheny County Reaches 120 Homicides In 2008 - kdka.com (http://kdka.com/local/Pittsburgh.homicides.Allegheny.2.896775.html - broken link)
3. African-Americans are six times as likely as white Americans to die at the hands of a murderer, and roughly seven times as likely to murder someone."
Check and mate and I rest my case. I am not stereotyping at all. You can cling to politically correct canards and platitudes all day long but facts are facts. It is obvious that there is a problem of violence and homicide in the black community in this (and other) metropolitan areas. Once summer hits it gets worse.
P.S. The last girl I dated was half black and I drove my black friend 2,000 miles to his new home last year. So, I sincerely doubt that I am racist on an individual level. Am I prejudiced on a community-wide level though? Yes, I am. Why you ask? Because the statistics quite clearly show a pattern of violence that I personally wish to avoid.
Just because you say something with conviction, it doesn't mean bleep to me...
You are more than welcome to avoid those in the black community who think being a mannerless thug is the ne plus ultra of blackness...however, as I stated before, I choose NOT to label or demonize the entire white race based on my handful of negative contacts with them---it's a waste of time and energy, and in the end, it's just dumb...
So go tripping happily forth in your happy 'eeek! black people at 200 feet! hard right rudder, prepare to avoid!' corner of the universe...and the rest of us will go on with the business of daily life, up to and including (gasp!) actually INTERACTING with each other without benefit of 'clinging to politically correct canards and platitudes', or listening to worn-out horses**t stereotypes being flung into the void by people unwilling to accept that they just might be wrong about something...
In short, you can bring up all the quotes and snippets and factoids you want, but just because you shout 'the black community as a whole is violent!', there are those of us out here, black AND white, who can see that the emperor clearly has no clothes
Just because you say something with conviction, it doesn't mean bleep to me...
Ahhh...I see. The undeniable statistics stare you in the face and you choose to ignore them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by captaincatfish
worn-out horses**t stereotypes being flung into the void by people unwilling to accept that they just might be wrong about something...
I'm not wrong. The links I provided quite clearly show that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by captaincatfish
In short, you can bring up all the quotes and snippets and factoids you want, but just because you shout 'the black community as a whole is violent!', there are those of us out here, black AND white, who can see that the emperor clearly has no clothes
I never demonized the entire black community. I stated that there is a statistically higher proclivity for violence in African-American communities and amongst their residents. While my initial statement ("blacks start shooting each other") could be construed as being insulting or demeaning to the entire population of black people, I did not intend it to be nor do I think it was. I thought (and still do think) that it was/is the truth.
But, if it makes you feel any better, I will admit that my statement could be construed as a generalization. I did not mean it as such. Not all blacks are disposed toward violence. But, they do statistically engage in such acts at a higher frequency than whites.
Sincerely yours with relish (and laughing at your naked body),
However that has nothing to do with the fact that the likelihood of murder is drastically increased when dealing with this particular ethnic group.
This still doesn't justify the wording of the original statement.
The likelihood of being murdered by someone of any particular race is still remarkably low.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Brian...Thanks For Your Eloquence And Tact, However...
