Barry Richard – Do Chicago Homicides Concern Black Lives Matter?

When I question the motives and intents of Black Lives Matter my email in-box fills instantly with insults from some pimply-faced college kids and even some more seasoned “advocates,” who insist I am at least ignorant if not totally racist and bigoted. It comes with the territory and so I deal with it. Problem is most know nothing at all about me or my street creds. That's okay though as this is not about defending myself against childish rants but more about stating the case for the real problem that is being ignored while we debate raising flags and marching around the streets in search of a reason to be offended.

Government statistics and credible news reports have largely debunked the myth that there is a wholesale slaughter of black males at the hands of racist police. Is there racism in America? Of course there is, anytime you put a bunch of different kids in the sandbox together there will be those who cannot get along. Is racism systemic? No, although there are those who will want to make you believe that for political or financial gain.

Where BLM loses me is that it refuses to go after the areas where blacks are really being victimized and it's activism could make a positive difference. Planned Parenthood is one place to begin, but also, too many minorities are trapped under the weight of government programs in our inner cities. They deserve better housing, good paying jobs and better schools for their kids and have been largely ignored. When that happens you have situations like in Chicago where black and other minority kids are being slaughtered with very little being said or done about it.

Statistics for Chicago for December 1st-19^th of this year:

• 32 people have been shot and killed
• 130 people have been shot and wounded
• There have been a total of 34 homicides in Chicago since December 1^st
• Most of the victims were young, black males, shot by other young, black males

For All Of 2016 So Far:

• 692 people have been shot dead
• 3,553 people shot and wounded
• There have been 770 homicides
• Most of the victims were black males, killed by other young, black males
• 3,841 of the total shooting victims so far this year have been male
• 425 of the total shooting victims have been female.
• Police have been involved in only 25 shootings this year, eleven of them fatal.

A person is shot every two hours in Chicago while every eleven hours a homicide is recorded.

I don't hear BLM talking about any of this. I don't hear elected officials talking about this. I don't hear the media talking about this. I do hear all of the above trying to make a case that white police officers are on a killing spree involving young, black men. I suppose it's easier to chase the straw man than to try and find solutions to the real problems facing the minority communities in this country.

By the way, anyone interested in doing their own research, a good place to begin is “heyjackass.com,” Illustrating Chicago Values. That is of course if you really want to know.