Greg Freeman: Reader Asks Where Is The Outrage Over Black-On-Black Crime. StL P-D 10/22/2002

Headline: READER ASKS WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE OVER BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME
Reporter: By Greg Freeman

Publication: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Last Printed: Tue., Oct. 22, 2002
Section: METRO, Page: D1, Edition: FIVE STAR LIFT

When it comes to crime in St. Louis, Eric wants someone to step up to bat.
   Eric is a black man in his 40s who served in the armed forces and returned to his hometown 15 years ago. Sometimes he wonders whether he made the right choice.
   He's skeptical of the African-Americans here who call themselves leaders. "When I scan your paper every morning before heading to work, I see incident after incident of black people being killed, maimed, robbed and other forms of victimization at the hands of other black people, 99 percent male, " he wrote, in a recent letter to me.
   "Here's what irks me, " he continued. "Every time a policeman shoots a black man, the response from the so-called leadership comes in very loud. Protest marches are held, makeshift news conferences are arranged, and a lot of insults are hurled at the police force.
   But for every incident where a policeman is involved in a shooting of a black person, I'm willing to bet there are at least 50 incidents where it's just one black hoodlum exacting his will on another black person.
   Where's the public outrage? Why aren't our leaders speaking up? Why does it seem acceptable for black-on-black criminal behavior to be condoned, but when a cop is involved, it's a call to outrage?"

Eric raises serious questions -- and some good points.
Take a look at the statistics. Last year, the city saw 147 homicides. Out of those, 94 suspects were arrested; 82 of them were black. Among the victims, 128 were black.

So where is the outrage? As Eric pointed out, we see it when a police officer shoots a black person. Some of that outrage may be justified; some of it may not.
   But where is the outrage when a promising black teenager is shot in a robbery? Or an elderly person is killed in a street robbery? Or a child is hit in a drive-by shooting? Rarely is it as vocal.
   Perhaps it's easier to criticize police officers when they shoot a suspect. They're a clear and visible target.
   Maybe it's difficult to criticize black criminals who victimize other African-Americans. The answers to the problem aren't as clear-cut. Perhaps that's why people who would be leaders on other issues are silent about this one.

But isn't that what leadership is about? Isn't leadership about taking on hard issues -- issues that others see as insurmountable -- and developing solutions for them?
   Let's face it: Whites won't take a leadership role when it comes to black-on-black crime. Some don't care; others feel it's not their concern; others fear being called racist if they speak up.
   Clearly, African-Americans here need to step up to the plate.
   The Black Leadership Roundtable here is addressing the issue of education and why black students don't fare as well as white students. They've got smart folks working on that, and you can bet they'll make a difference.

There are folks who are trying to get some sort of civilian police panel established that would review questionable actions taken by police officers. Sooner or later, my guess is that some sort of panel will be established.
But what about black-on-black crime? How many blacks have I heard suggest that international terrorism is nothing new to them because they live through terror every night on their own streets? How many more mornings do we have to open the morning paper to learn about another black-on-black shooting that's taken place the night before? Or find another case where someone has taken another's life so they could get enough money to buy a rock of crack cocaine?
All this must come to a halt.

But it's an issue where a community looks to leadership for help. After all, there's nothing about crime that equates with being black, and black folks who abide by the law shouldn't have to deal with it.
So the question remains: Is there anyone in St. Louis willing to take on a leadership role when it comes to dealing with black-on-black crime? Or is Eric right, that it's OK for black-on-black crime to be condoned?

Daniel Schesch - Webweaver

back