Protests have been a successful tool used by generations since the Revolutionary War. The civil rights marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a pacifist, were also very effective in mobilizing public opinion against Jim Crow laws and bias in general. Dr. King got a lot accomplished before he was assassinated. Now we have another protest situation in the USA whereby many African-Americans feel that law enforcement works actively against them. Newt Gingrich came out essentially for the African-American community in the United States.
“If you are a normal, white American, the truth is you don't understand being black in America and you instinctively underestimate the level of discrimination and the level of additional risk.”
Mr. Gingrich is essentially correct. Skin color is a very personal situation. Every one of my Black friends has felt diminished at times because of their complexions. It's wrong. There's no excuse for it. But it happens in every country.
Enter American law enforcement, which is now under siege for allegedly treating Black Americans more harshly than white Americans. What is happening here is cause and effect because Black Americans commit far more crimes proportionally than whites or other ethnic groups, they come into contact with police more often. And that contact sometimes turns volatile.
However, the key stat in the U.S. is that less than 2 percent of all police-civilian interactions result in any kind of physical confrontation. That is extremely low. The issue of incarceration again deals with crime. The inner-city drug traffic and the violence that comes along with it has put American police agencies and law-abiding civilians in a dangerous place. It is no surprise that Black and Hispanic drug traffickers are arrested and incarcerated. Their numbers are greater, proportionally, than white drug traffickers.
The key group driving violence on the streets is Black Lives Matter. After five police officers were killed in Dallas, a Black Lives Matter organizer — Sir Maejor — said this according to the Associated Press:
"Black Lives Matter doesn't condone shooting law enforcement. But I have to be honest: I understand why it was done. I don't encourage it, I don't condone it, I don't justify it. But I understand it."
That is provocative in the extreme. Understanding terrorism, which is what happened in Dallas, is not difficult. You get an evil human being who kills people, a 5-year-old can understand it. Maejor says he doesn't condone it, so what's the point of understanding it? Again, a ridiculous, irresponsible statement.
But we have come to expect that kind of thing from the Black Lives Matter crew, which chanted about police here in New York City “Pigs in a blanket fry them like bacon.” Unfortunately, President Obama does not seem to understand the vitriol.
With all due respect to the president, well-meaning activists do not associate themselves with a group that often commits violent acts and encourages violence through irresponsible rhetoric. Dr. King would not participate in Black Lives Matter. Of course, the liberal American media is largely sympathetic to the street demonstrations, even if they do turn violent.
How many more times are we going to have to see Black Lives Matter protesters destroy stuff? How many more times? Yet if you criticize that group, you are branded a bigot by some far-left media precincts. Do you know that shortly after the Dallas police were murdered, a cop in Missouri was shot and critically wounded by a Black man? The St. Louis County police chief says it was an assassination attempt. The accused shooter, 31-year-old Antonio Taylor, has a long rap sheet. He's a thug.
In Minnesota, another police officer was hit in the head by a concrete brick thrown by a protester on Saturday night. You guessed it, the demonstration was organized by Black Lives Matter. So again, Mr. President you might want to back away from protesters who believe violence is acceptable. Summing up, want to protest well? Make sure you have your facts straight. And don't hurt anybody or destroy anything.
