Let's Debate The Real Issue

Regarding "Pain on the streets in Dallas" (Sunday front page), this article and a handful of others in the Chronicle all portray the problems in race relations the same way: 1) black people are victims; 2) white people don't understand their plight; 3) a streak of racism by cops causes them to shoot black men.

On two points, this portrayal is dead wrong.  Overwhelmingly, white people understand that blacks are victimized, but not for the reasons or by the people you think.  As to the racist cop angle, that is laughably disprovable.  Of recent high profile cases involving the death of black men by cops, the majority have been black and Hispanic.

As to the victimization of my black brothers and sisters by white people, that is real, but the wrong white people get blamed.  The Democrat Party traditionally blames average Americans, when in fact it is the white power brokers of the Democrat Party that are at fault.  For 50 years, their social and criminal justice policies have a) destroyed the black family, b) deprived young black people of job opportunities and c) fast tracked young black men into the criminal justice system.

Democrat policies on illegal immigration have provided jobs to tens of millions of illegal immigrants for low wages that would otherwise have gone to black men for decent wages.  Democrat policies on welfare, food stamps and Aid to Dependent Children have encouraged black women to have children out of wedlock, and discouraged black men from being role models to those children.  The result of all of these policies together has been the creation of generations of "super-predators", young black men with no prospects, a rap sheet, easy access to drugs and guns and a depravity born of hopelessness.

You don't need to take my word for about the existence of the super-predator.  In 1993 Jesse Jackson said “There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”   In 1994, Hillary Clinton spoke extensively of the "super-predator", declared that "we have to bring them to heel", and used it to defend "three strikes and you're out" life sentences.

Things have only gotten worse since the mid-90s, the last time prominent Democrats even touched on the real problem with black crime.  Since then, the default explanation has been "white racism", shouted from the rooftops, and things have only gotten worse.  That was never more evident than in Dallas the other day, when five white policeman tasked with ensuring the safety of Black Lives Matter demonstrators were assassinated by a racist black man.

It is now open season on white cops by black men.  Rather than double down by continuing to blame white cops, Democrats need to take a good long look in the mirror and ask themselves if their policies are in any way responsible.

Pete Smith
Cypress, TX