Column: Black Lives Matter, Obama, and Race
The nation has been convulsed by riots and violent protests in a string of cities, a pattern of lawlessness and breakdown that does not bode well for the nation, the rule of law, or race relations. In every case, President Barack Obama has exploited these events for political purposes, pouring fuel, in effect, on the fire. The incidents involved encounters between police and inner city blacks, beginning with Ferguson. They have since spread across the land to include Baltimore, New York, Minneapolis, Dallas, Baton Rouge, and most recently Milwaukee.
In truth it began much earlier, in the very first year of Obama’s Presidency, the beginning of his destructive march through our institutions, culture, and civil society, a pattern that befitted an individual who spent twenty years in the church of Jeremiah Wright, the well known bigot, America hater, and anti-Semite.
The first event was the mistaken arrest of black Cambridge Professor Henry Louis Gates in July of 2009, when Obama said that the “Cambridge Police acted stupidly” before he knew anything about the case. In so doing, our first black President took up a narrative that he continues to promote. This narrative defines modern liberalism, the Democrat Party, the media, the Academy, and the left in general. It holds that America is institutionally and irredeemably racist, and no amount of progress will ever wipe the slate clean. It maintains that there are no other explanations that account for disparities between blacks and whites. Specifically, it points to alleged racism in our law enforcement and criminal justice systems, but it fans out to indict the whole of American society.
The next incident, although not specifically involving police, continued the narrative along with the protests and riots that have now become hallmarks of the Obama years. This was the killing of Trayvon Martin in February 2012, in which Obama, unable to resist tearing at the fabric of society, said, “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.” Obama, who is half white and raised by white grandparents, has never been moved to make a similar comment after, say, a white police officer had been slain by a black man.
More recently there have been a series of confrontations between police and inner city blacks, beginning in August 2014 in Ferguson with Michael Brown, the thug who attacked police officer Darrel Wilson, attempted to take his gun, and was finally shot and killed in self defense. This led to the egregious “hands up don’t shoot” myth, a fabrication, debunked by the grand jury and subsequent Department of Justice investigations that cleared the officer of all charges. There was Freddie Gray in Baltimore, a man with a long criminal record who died after being transported in a police van. The riots that followed immortalized Democrat Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and her infamous “space to destroy” comment. It also introduced racial flame-thrower and State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who filed charges that included murder and manslaughter against six officers, three of who were black. The officers were acquitted and all charges were dropped. There was Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana. More recently, last August, there have been riots in Milwaukee over the shooting of Sylville Smith by police. Riots and vandalism went on for days, yet the protestors were not incensed over the five blacks shot and killed by other blacks in Milwaukee that same weekend before the killing of Smith or the devastating numbers of black fatalities in Milwaukee’s 73% increase in homicides in 2015, the result of what Heather Mac Donald has called the “Ferguson Effect.”
Indeed, FBI data shows that violent crime is going up across the land – because of the Ferguson Effect, which results in police withdrawing from high crime areas. In the first six months of 2015, murder has gone up 45% in Baltimore, 58% in St. Louis, 50% in Oklahoma City, 50%, 27% in Dallas, 44% in Houston, and 51% in Louisville. There has been a 17% increase in homicides in the 50 largest cities during all of 2015 compared with 2014, the largest increase in violence in a quarter century.
In almost every encounter, Obama and other prominent Democrats and the media, have engaged in race baiting, stoking the flames of racial hatred in ways that have been destructive of the civil society and deadly to our police and communities. While decrying violence on the one hand Obama has given a wink and nod to its most violent proponents, chief of which is Black Lives Matter, the racist, black supremacist group that promotes cop-killing and, for good measure, anti-Semitism, an organization he refuses to condemn. Instead, in his rhetoric, he has implied systemic racism in our law enforcement and criminal justice systems, smearing as racist our 18,000 police departments and 750,000 police officers many of whom work in inner cities and are black.
Seeing no less a figure than the President defending the unrest has sent a green light for more of the same. The President’s rhetoric has indirectly contributed to a volatile atmosphere in which our police are being targeted for killing. There have been two in NY, five in Dallas, three in Baton Rouge, and others. Overall, fatal shootings of police are up 68% as of August 15 2016 compared with the same period in 2015.
Despite efforts by liberals to demonstrate racial bias, they have always come up short. Instead, they have shown that policing, prosecution, and incarceration accurately reflect crime rates not bias. Nationally, blacks were charged with 67% of all robberies, 57% of all murders, and 45% of all assaults in the 75 largest US counties in 2009, although making up only 15% of the populations of those counties. In NYC, blacks commit over 75% of all shootings, 70% of all robberies while constituting 23% of the city’s population. Blacks commit over 50% of all murders nationally, more than committed by whites and Hispanics combined even though they are only 13% of the population. (From Heather MacDonald) The problem is criminality not racism.
But there is an explanation for the high crime and incarceration rates of blacks in America’s inner cities that the left chooses to ignore. It is the failed social welfare policies of the Democrat Party and the left. It is broken families and dysfunctional cultures. It is fatherlessness and a soaring illegitimacy rate. It is welfare dependency, educational failure, unemployment, poverty, the erosion of personal responsibility and morality, and bad life decisions. It is the fifty-year inculcation since “Great Society” of a permanent underclass with underclass values, and the fragmented, crime ridden, impoverished communities it has spawned.
Race defines liberalism today and all that flows from it, an ideology of victimhood and grievance – and how to exploit it for money, votes, and political power. The race baiting left has plundered this narrative, farmed white guilt, harvested the social pathologies of the black community, most of which have nothing to do with racism, and grown and prospered. It has twisted the race legend into new shapes and forms to include other victim groups. It has invested its energies in the victim fable, the slave and the oppressor myth, in all its varied manifestations, and won. The victim-race narrative equals liberalism today. The black community has largely followed its message; it has been led into a house of poverty and despair.
It is critical to challenge the Democrat Party and its miserable record of collapse and disintegration in our cities, which they have controlled for decades. Specifically, they should be condemned for the fate of so many in the black community under its rule. Their ideology holds that there is no hope for blacks in racist America. That the cards are stacked against them. And that blacks require government assistance to survive. It is a destructive message that conservatives must counter with the ennobling philosophy of liberty, private property, family and faith, free market capitalism, and self-reliance. Twenty two trillion dollars since the Great Society has not made a dent in poverty. Instead, it has created a permanent underclass with all its attendant dysfunction, which includes high rates of criminality and incarceration. The leftist message of failure and dependency must be rejected for the sake of blacks, whites, and the entire country.
by Richard Moss MD
Fantastic piece…thanks so much!
Wow. Somebody need to switch to decaffeinated.
In my opinion, this writer appears to be one of those extremists who cloak themselves in the mantle of David Duke “respectability” in order to make themselves sound informed and normal.
Fortunately, thinking people have rejected this tripe.
Scott Newton, JD
isn’t funny, or is it just a shame that liberal “do gooders” such as Scott Newton love to call conservative views racist as if they all originated from David Duke. when the African-American race wakes up and realizes that the liberals over the past 50 years have systematically put their race into servitude by the addictive handouts the liberals gave them with the total intent to keep them under control. remember the first hit of meth is free.
Please. I’m not a liberal do gooder Why is it that conservatives can’t seem to construct a probative argument without placing their imagined adversaries in silos and then proceed to knock down the silos? This is the straw man theory of advocacy, and it’s not very sophisticated.
OK. Let’s see. The current Republican candidate for president has 8% of the African-American vote. How to account for this? (No, I don’t accept the “liberal media” default position. That’s become all too tiresome.)
That leaves one explanation. African Americans, after fifty years of servitude under meth dealing liberals, are not intelligent enough to realize they have even been subjugated.
That reeks of paternalism and more than a strong whiff of racism. But, honestly, I didn’t expect much more.
You’d best go back and examine your real motives.
OK, Let’s see. conservative. Republican candidate for president has 8% of the African-American vote. just what did you not understand?????? no wonder you can not expect much more. you, as a brainwashed liberal are not able to.
A better, more factual, tell-it-like-it-is (and the awful truth indeed hurts) assessment and analysis I’ve never seen. If there’s indeed a “basket of deplorables” in this campaign and/or scenario, it’s everything and everyone associated with and about the Obama presidency and the Democratic party that espouses his maligned and misguided (incompetent, really) pathways. A vote for Hillary begets more of the same.
On that, the interesting, only-a-matter-of-time question starting to be asked is, at what point will all her nefarious shenanigans (crimes, really), lies, deceit and various other baggage, et al, become such a distraction, if not already, that it overshadows and seriously detracts from her ability to function in the campaign, let alone the job she seeks, with even Dems beginning to call for her to be replaced…? Only fools ignore the facts, borne out time and again by a so-called experienced, proven statesman (woman) so all-consumed with becoming president that she and her blind supporters (like lemmings) will do – have done – anything and everything to that end.
Donald Trump is far from the perfect or ideal candidate, but he is also BY FAR the better/best candidate of the two – a smarter, better businessman and a non-establishment, non-mainstream politician for what this country sorely needs, more honest/less deceitful, a supporter of restoring our military and defense through strength for our country, and a revamping of immigration, welfare and law enforcement – all to counter the failures of the past eight years and lead our nation moving forward.
And for all you fear-mongers, he isn’t going to – he can’t – do it all by himself, from on-high, with his solitary finger on the nuke buttons, etc, etc. Like any president, he’ll learn his powers and limitations with a staff of advisors and counsel to keep him in check. His motives are tough-love and the best-for-the-most, if not the easiest to swallow given the wrong directions we’ve traveled for way too long. When you’re sick or broken like our country – its systems, programs and policies – it takes time and unpleasant medicine (change) to heal and be restored. Dr.
Moss’ letter says it all and its spot-on. No more band-aids – it’s too easy and they don’t work – surgery and in some cases major surgery is called for before it’s too late, if it’s not already. But we MUST try. Hillary…ho hum…status quo/more of the same (think about that). Donald Trump…unconventional but unabashed…the best for the most…change for the better.
Mr. Wilkinson,
Let’s see if we can stop resorting to name calling. Brainwashed liberal. Really? That’s a term I’ve never heard before.
No. I must confess I don’t understand your argument. Perhaps you could articulate it with a little more clarity; perhaps in English this time. There’s no need to finish a sentence with six question marks.
In the meantime, please answer this question with a simple yes or no: Are African Americans so unintelligent that they do not realize that they have been held under the Democrats’ thumb for the past fifty years? Yes or no?
Mrs. Green,
When a letter writer denigrates all black murder victims as “thugs,” I don’t believe any of the writer’s further assertions or his facts. I know what he is.
The idea that a successful businessman will be, de facto, a successful president is so shopworn and so stale that it doesn’t warrant scrutiny.
I don’t believe that Donald Trump is a billionaire. I don’t believe that he has given great amounts of money to charity. I do believe his effective tax rate is zero. I do believe that he has very suspicious business dealings with Communist Russian oligarchs. He could prove me wrong by simply revealing his tax returns, if not from last year then the previous ten years. He will not do that because if he did he would be revealed for the charlatan he is. The foundation would be pulled out from his house of cards, and his entire “brand” would fall to pieces. He is nothing more than a snake oil salesman, and, unfortunately, most of the people on this letter chain have bought into his con.
I’ve been told that Mr. Moss is a sort of Harold Stassen of the local right wing. I applaud anyone’s willingness to put his reputation on the line in order to be elected to public office. At the same time, I feel great comfort in knowing that the right thinking citizens of southern Indiana have overwhelmingly rejected his extremist views. As I understand it, he has not polled even a plurality, much less a majority, of the vote. It seems he will forever be relegated to the role of bitter frustrated letter writer.
Mr. Huddleston,
I applaud your above attempt to correct the myriad lies and racial distortions contained in the letter at the beginning of this chain. It’s been my experience that it doesn’t do one much good to engage in serious substantive argument with a zealot. The zealot has tunnel vision and will never be confused by the facts. He has his own chosen facts.
Again, I take heart in the fact that common sense citizens of Dubois County have resoundingly rejected this writer’s attempt to hold public office. As long as his extremist views are confined to the letters to the editor columns we can all sleep much more soundly.
scott newton
of course you do not understand it. you do not want to understand it. simply put, liberals give just enough to create a dependence as to create dependence which in turn means control. the liberal pusher gives the first hit as free but you’ll pay down the road when they pull the puppet strings and make you dance. a situation such as where a person is no better off to look for or fine a job and end up with less than the freebies handed out by the “do gooder” librats errr excuse me…liberals.
as always when the liberal’s actions are questioned they scream “racist” as you are insinuating here. during my years here on this earth I have worked along side of, been the boss of, and also worked for people of the African American race of humanity. I grew up with, attended school with, and spent many hours playing baseball, basketball, and visiting with my friends who where African American, I’ve dated African American women and sat down to the table as a welcome guest of their family in their home. to hear your veiled accusations makes me want to puke. partially from a person who for many more than 50 years had possibly no more than 2 African Americans located in their whole county!!!!!! (6) can we say, hypocrite.
I have heard this many times over the years and it bears repeating. when a hypocrite has been shown to be what they are, most often they revert to criticizing the way the point is made to deflect from the point itself. thank you for helping me prove it because your post is a prime example of that.
Mr. Wilkinson,
I understand your premise. Again, my question to you is a simple one. Do you believe that African-Americans, including those whom you’ve known, are so unintelligent that they do not even realize they’ve been subjugated for fifty years by liberal do gooders who simply supply them with freebies?
Please, Just a simple yes or no with a sentence or two to support your answer.
No diatribes.
Dr. Moss has presented his case with unusual candor and exactitude.
He has accepted Trump even though he questions Trumps Conservatism.
He unlike the other cowardly RINOS he realizes that Trump is our only hope for a cleansing of the Republican status quo as well and most of all the Dem- Liberal choke hold on our society.
Even if he has dogmatic issues with Trump he wisely can embrace Trump as the only candidate that can bring about a radical change for our American values which have been savaged for far to long.
Please vote for Trump he is our last best hope for our country.
scotty my boy,
glad you can finally got the “premise” of my comments. lord knows it certainly has taken enough time. liberals are normally slow to accept anything but their own distorted agenda. do I think that African Americans are so “unintelligent” as to being brain washed by the liberals and their biased press and news outlets? well, after being subjected to the liberal agenda of making them dependent on handouts for many years in order to control them, I believe that ANYONE of ANY COLOR can be blinded by an addiction to sucking at the tit of, we’ll call it social welfare addiction. do I believe that the days of the liberals pulling the strings of their puppets is coming to an end? yes, I do. slowly, but most assuredly so. given some time I will ask a few of my friends for their opinion on this subject. I would advise you to do the same, if you can fine any in your area.
here’s I quote your previous statement, “That leaves one explanation. African Americans, after fifty years of servitude under meth dealing liberals, are not intelligent enough to realize they have even been subjugated.” no question mark…just a statement made by you. I never made a comment on anyone’s intelligence (except maybe yours as a liberal). that quote was from you.
Steven,
My statement was meant to elicit a response from you, and it’s taken this long for you to do it. And, as far as I can make out, you are, indeed, of the opinion that African-Americans are not intelligent enough to realize they’re being “enslaved” by liberals, even if you believe the same would happen to any other race. The second part of that is difficult to prove, but I appreciate your candor as to the first. I stand by my position that your opinion is paternalistic if not racist.
Jeff,
Where do you conservatives manufacture your paranoia? A “dem-lib chokehold on our society?” Really? The last time I checked, Republicans/Conservatives controlled the House and the Senate as well as the vast majority of state legislatures. Fox News is the top rated cable network. All of these paranoid illusions must come from your fevered imaginations.
You speak of a “cleansing of the Republican status quo.” What do you have in mind? Something like a Stalinist purge?
With his exaggerated sense of his own wealth and importance (Best steaks. Best ties. Best vodka. Best university), one would think Trump would be more than willing to distribute his tax returns to everyone in the country. But he’s not going to do that. Here is why:
* He’s not a successful businessman.
* He is not a billionaire.
* He’s given nothing personally to any charity.
* He has unlawful business dealings with Russian Communist oligarchs.
If one is intellectually honest, one would insist that Trump release his past tax returns. Although he was just a common citizen, he demanded nothing less of Obama as to his birth certificate.
We don’t need a QVC pitch man for president. Trump is a fake. I’ll take my cue from Colin Powell who called him a “national disgrace and an international embarrassment.”
The apostates Cruz, Kasich, Bush ( Whose brother is responsible for the death and maiming of our beautiful , wonderful innocent children.) and all the other rinos that are afraid to embrace Trump.I have not named them all the list is to long . But all these Judases will pay the price in 2020. The Saint REAGAN is rolling in his grave.
Trump fights the good fight alone and he is up to the difficult task, he will beat HRC because his cause is righteous.
Only the brave and courageous Trump can save our nation from a Clinton catastrophe.
Don’t be fooled by the crooked press and dogma of Clinton and I’m ashamed to say this our own Republican traitors.
scotty boy,
I quickly looked through these past posts and the only reference to people of color being “unintelligent” appears to be from you. if you say that I said that then you are a liar. I repeat your response: Scott Newton, “That leaves one explanation. African Americans, after fifty years of servitude under meth dealing liberals, are not intelligent enough to realize they have even been subjugated.” don’t deny it. YOU stated it in your reply. all I commented was that devious self serving rich white liberals have formulated a method to keep the “Black man” under their thumb for over 50 years through addiction to handouts equivalent to “throwing them a bone” until they are dependent upon these handouts. somewhat like a freebie first hit from your local meth dealer. get out of the Dubois Co. area and travel to the metros, west side of Louisville or the east side of Indianapolis, and see for yourself. any human can become an addict, black or white, rich or poor, smart or stupid, but the high and mighty librat will always have their personal enrichment agenda. where there is a Pied Piper (Pelosi, Reed, Clinton Foundation and so on) there will always be the little underling librats, errr liberals to follow their toots on the flute blindly. if for any reason you would like to broadcast your statement loud and proud I know of a few places, like the next meeting of “Black lives Matter” for example where it would probably not be taken very well. but I doubt you have the cojones to do so. now you should move on to your next agenda like the “No to Trump” comments made against the stated opinion of Mr. Birk. as you probably guessed, I will not be voting for a United States serviceman and ambassador murdering, lying, thieving, and on, and on, person such as hillary “What Does It Matter” clinton. win lose or draw it makes me feel good to know I voided your vote.
Steven,
And that will be me canceling out your vote, my man. Already feels great.
My “statement” was not a declaration of my beliefs. How could you imagine that? It was meant to elicit a response from you as to whether you agreed with it or not. And again, as far as I can make out, you do.
Look. I grew up in the sixties. I’m all for a revolutionary change in the establishment. But I’ll be damned if I’m gonna’ hitch my wagon to the star of this lunatic. I know a fraud when I see one. We need someone to shake up the status quo, but TRUMP AIN’T IT.
You can drink the Kool Aid, but you’ll have nobody but yourself to blame when it’s over.
Jeff,
Well this is certainly the strangest take I’ve heard this year. Trump as the avenging Jesus Christ! I’d be careful. This is bordering on the profane.
scotty my boy,
you can surely do better than that (damned). your “polly parrot” response was laughable and at best…..lame.