President Obama issued the following racially inflammatory statement about two black men killed by police hours before the Dallas massacre:
"All Americans should be deeply troubled by the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. We've seen such tragedies far too many times, and our hearts go out to the families and communities who've suffered such a painful loss. Although I am constrained in commenting on the particular facts of these cases, I am encouraged that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation in Baton Rouge, and I have full confidence in their professionalism and their ability to conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and fair inquiry.
But regardless of the outcome of such investigations, what's clear is that these fatal shootings are not isolated incidents. They are symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system, the racial disparities that appear across the system year after year, and the resulting lack of trust that exists between law enforcement and too many of the communities they serve. To admit we've got a serious problem in no way contradicts our respect and appreciation for the vast majority of police officers who put their lives on the line to protect us every single day. It is to say that, as a nation, we can and must do better to institute the best practices that reduce the appearance or reality of racial bias in law enforcement...
In the meantime, all Americans should recognize the anger, frustration, and grief that so many Americans are feeling -- feelings that are being expressed in peaceful protests and vigils. Michelle and I share those feelings. Rather than fall into a predictable pattern of division and political posturing, let's reflect on what we can do better. Let's come together as a nation, and keep faith with one another, in order to ensure a future where all of our children know that their lives matter."
This kind of talk is for one purpose only: to increase racial agitation. What the president stated is the opposite of the truth. There have been many studies conducted by reputable organizations. The facts are these:
1. Police killed twice as many whites in 2015 as blacks. Why did the president not mention Dylan Noble, a 19-year-old white man killed by police in Fresno, Calif. on June 25?
2. More whites and Hispanics are killed by police than blacks. Actually, 12 percent of white and Hispanic homicide deaths were due to police officers, while only 4 percent of black homicide deaths were the result of police officers. The majority of black homicides are the result of killings by other blacks.
3. Unarmed black men are more likely to die by the gun of a cop than unarmed white men...but that fact alone does not tell the whole story. Black men, more often than white men, will attempt to assault the officer, grab the officer's gun, or otherwise attack the officer. In several cases, the man attacked and began to beat the officer, and in some cases where a physical altercation was involved, there was an accidental firing caused by his own assault on the officer. Statistically, these are all considered a death of an unarmed person.
4. Black and Hispanic officers are more likely to fire a gun at blacks than white officers.
5. Blacks are more likely to kill cops than to be killed by cops. Forty percent of cop-killers are black.
Providing inaccurate information to the public by the administration has deadly consequences.
Gary Aminoff lives in Los Angeles, writes at Bear to the Right, and can be reached at gaminoff@gmail.com.
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