Black on Black Crime

Do Black lives really matter?

This is a very important question to ask the same activists and community members calling for police reform that do not express the same outrage when someone who is Black is killed or injured by another Black person?

Is Black on Black crime increasing because of weak laws or because Blacks do not respect each other? Black on Black crime is increasing at an alarming rate.

How can Black lives matter if Blacks are senselessly killing each other?

Black crime is a serious issue. The Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2019 crime victimization statistics report shows those who commit violent acts tend to commit them against members of the same race as the offender. Do you believe certain communities are conditioned by the system to create killers? Who is responsible for the conditions? Some people believe that the community should be responsible for preventing and resolving Blacks criminal activities.

Crimes in the community create uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Crimes have driven small businesses and jobs from many communities causing economic deficiencies annually. The younger generations have been mostly affected by crimes because they are the main victims and perpetrators of their environment. Some of the contributing high-risk factors for causes of crimes are racism, lack of employment, lack of family values, under-educated, emotional setbacks from life treatment of other people and an unjust criminal justice system.

The media may also contribute to the crime problem because of the negative information provided to the public about Blacks, violence in the movies, the lying

Continued on Page 5

‘A Political View’ By Sherry Holliman SHERRY HOLLIMAN (cont.)

news, and other social media outlets. Black on Black crimes decrease economic opportunities, interfere with police reform and instead of giving new chances to the younger generations called the American Dream they are exposed to the American nightmare. Do you think creating more programs will alleviate Black on Black crimes? What about introducing counseling or therapy at a young age to individuals that are high risk for becoming potential killers? As these shameful violent acts are committed every day by young and old people and sometimes groups referred to as gangs the greatest danger for Blacks in America to face is not only a police officer, but also the real danger for a Black person in America today is another Black person.

When Black people commit crimes against their own neighbors, they are causing harm in their community. This article is not to support or suggest that police brutality is acceptable because Blacks are killing Blacks. The law still applies to them. Police brutality is horrific, traumatizing, and unlawful. No individual should have to fear for their life because of their race. It is to educate about respecting one another and following the law.

To understand that all killers should be punished according to the court of law not man’s law.

If Black lives matter, they have to matter all the time, and end Black-on-Black killings, any killing that is unnecessary. Elected officials and community leaders need to address the complex socio economics issues that are causing the continuous killing cycle for Blacks.

This conversation should include how blacks are arrested, incarcerated and given unfair sentencing compared to other races committing the same crimes. Why are schools with large percentages of blacks underfunded even though they have the same tax base and incomes?

Most importantly the wage gap and unemployment disparities? All of these factors contribute to crime rates.

The lack of conversation about black-on-black crime, among each other has caused it to transition into your state, city, and community, maybe one day in your home. Could solutions such as community refacing for each generation change the expectations of potential criminals in low-income neighborhoods? Also providing more resources for single parents to offer group communications concerning elephant in the room topics? At the end of the day

Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County and has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her neighbors. She serves on the Marion City Council.