I’ve been posting a graphic like this for several weeks. (Here’s a refresher in case you missed the last two.)
Why?
Because the numbers simply do not support the narrative that cops are targeting and needlessly killing African Americans en masse. And you’re not hearing this anywhere.
The percentages are virtually the same as the sampling 3 weeks ago (and 2 weeks before that), and they paint a similar message: the media and social justice narrative on Blue on Black deaths is simply false.
But don’t let me sway you – look at the numbers and you be the judge.
Wonder what the averages have looked like since I’ve started doing this graphic?
A Future Free 
First I would like to know if those statistics are from a credible source. I would also like to also state that regardless of the numbers of black people getting killed by police. The police have been targeting black people for years. From experience I have had encounters with the police and was nervous I might lose my life just because I was speeding or didn’t stop at a stop sign long enough. So to say that the police is not a issue in this country would be a understatement and it kind seems like you’re “trying to avoid the major issue”. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Hi Jay,
Thanks for reaching out.As noted in the post, the source is The Guardian, which is definitely not a source that’s bent in favor of the police. All I’ve done is simply use the data they’ve provided. You can visit their interactive source here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database
As for your experiences, I’m sorry if you’ve had a negative or frightening experience with law enforcement. However, while pertinent to an overall discussion, it’s anecdotal. In this conversation, I’m looking at whether the numbers prove the narrative that police are actively and routinely targeting and killing black Americans. According to the data, they are not. That’s my point here. If we’re going to have a conversation about improving police interactions with certain communities or groups of people, then we need to start with the facts.
I encourage you to also read this piece, which gets deeper into the subject of interaction: http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/10-things-you-should-know-police-shootings-race-and-reality/
Granted, #5 in the above piece was YTD at that time, and those figures (per this blog post ) have been updated. But the percentages are nearly the exact same, which suggests a trend that Black Lives Matter and other groups simply don’t want to address– and that is that while no one is saying that problems don’t exist, it is not commonplace nor widespread.
Again, thanks for reaching out. Would love to chat more if you still have questions or thoughts.
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