This is the post that I made to Thomson Reuters’ internal social media site, called the Hub, that precipitated a barrage of hateful and racially charged attacks from BLM supporters within the company.
Great research and wonderful presentation of the data and associated conclusions. As another "data guy", I really appreciate the dedication to presenting the actual information and letting the data inform the conclusions rather than feelings or pre-conceived notions.
Sadly, as I read this, I once again realized that the greatest problem we face in attempting to expose the truth is this: It requires a willingness to actually read and understand the truth. That takes time, often lots of time. It cannot be done in 90 seconds or less which the majority of people invest to read a headline or single-paragraph, social media post.
Thank you for posting this. It's important for the cultural record. There were many other voices at the time reporting as loudly as they could, that the claim of indiscriminate and disproportionate police killings of black males was simply untrue. Sadly, all of them were silenced like you. The secondary claim, that police killings of black victims was in itself, defacto evidence of racism, was never once challenged in the media. (eg: Derek Chauvin's "racism" was taken as accepted fact, despite said "racism" lacking a single shred of supporting evidence.) Was excessive force used? Undoubtedly. Was the motivation for said force "racist"? No evidence was apparently needed for this accusation to stick. Much has been written about the pursuit of "narrative" in the media, but it's time to call this narrative what it really is: Hate speech. Actual hate speech. Hate speech against the white working class. We also need to be clear from where this hatred originates. To be clear, it does not originate from African Americans. It originates from liberal, educated whites (particularly those in the media) who have a deep and virulent cultural loathing for their less well-heeled former neighbors. The white working class is the new [N-word].
I was just able to get through your piece as it is quite dense - understandably and rightfully so. But, it's remarkable. Thank you for it. I myself was originally perplexed when the BLM movement emerged as I knew the stats on police shootings were the opposite of what BLM was claiming. At first though, as a black woman myself, I thought "why not have a movement focused on black lives; maybe this will draw attention to the other issues plaguing the black community like black on black violence since we will be seeking to have a renewed focus on stopping violence against black people." As the rhetoric deepened; however, I realized how pernicious this movement was becoming (and maybe always was). It is in no way trying to "save black lives" clearly, rather it's pushing a political agenda that is actually not at all popular in the black community.
However, the other negative ramification from this 2 years of focus on police shootings of black men is the anxiety it's provoking in young black men. My brother who is highly intelligent and lives in a nice neighborhood of a northeast city is convinced that the police are hunting people like him down. Although he's very smart, I cannot now convince him that this is simply not the case. Three years ago he never had a thought that the police would intentionally harm him. Now, he's been convinced that he's a victim. That is true with many, particularly younger (like my brother) black men. Another negative effect of the BLM movement that I cannot forgive.
I completely agree. How can you thrive in school, job, or anywhere, when you believe that everyone is out to get you because of the color of your skin? I couldn't. There is no way. What could be more poisonous to someone's emotional wellbeing that to make them paranoid that their coworkers, peers, etc., are out to get them and the police are hunting and killing them. It's horrific.
False accusations of discrimination are often far more damaging to disadvantaged groups than they are to the accused. And yet, people supposedly worried about the welfare of those groups make a constant stream of false allegations without concern for the truth.
You can't reason with the people pushing these narratives, not because there isn't good reasoning to be had, but because they aren't open to understanding the truth. They aren't teachable.
I personally thought that the 2020 photo of a church sign announcing "We support BLM" while the church in the background was in flames from a BLM-instigated riot said it all.
I also thought it was very telling after the first stirrings of outrage had passed locally from the George Floyd incident, that subsequent efforts to organize BLM marches resulted in small crowds of young white 20-somethings with very few of their peers from the local black (and other minorities) community. They were conspicuous by their absence and lack of support for the movement.
This is a superb article. I posted comments similar to some of Mr. Kriegman's insights on the Canadian CBC website in reponse to an article praising BLM and announcing a major contribution to BLM by the CEO of Loblaws. My comments were immediately censored, while numerous highly inaccurate comments (many of which are debunked here) in favor of BLM went untouched.
Wow. I really hope this piece ends up with much wider circulation. I believe it might literally be the best analysis of the lies perpetrated and devastation wrought by the Black Lives Matter movement that exists.
As an officer, a sergeant, who patrolled the streets of Roxbury and Dorchester for many years, I applaud your courage in standing up for truth in reporting. Reuters will never get it; I don’t hold out much hope for the rest of the MSM. You paid the price. But as you so eloquently portray, the most disadvantaged among us will continue to pay the highest price while good officers choose other careers.
This is such a well written and thorough piece. Someone talented and funny should boil this down to more digestible pieces to spread out to people that just wouldn't read this. I started looking at crime stats back in 2014 and none of the underlying reality has changed, it's just the narrative around it. The woke narrative around this is akin to looking at medical accident related deaths and concluding that doctors are committing genocide on sick people because healthy people aren't dying at the same rates. Nonsense.
Unfortunately, the accuracy or truth of your research does not matter to the people pushing the BLM narrative. I believe their goal is social chaos and a breakdown of American society at large, accompanied by the financial bankruptcy described in the Cloward Piven strategy. They are in fact achieving their goals, which is more death, more chaos, and the moral, spiritual, and financial bankruptcy of America. It also keeps we the people occupied with our own survival while the government does God knows what behind our backs (or right in front of our face). Most of these BLM supporters are useful idiots who have probably never been punched in the face their entire lives, and vote for the kind of mayors we have in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, DC, etc. who just siphon off federal monies for their friends and families while parroting whatever the next leftist fad might be.
Hi there - not sure you'll see this but I wanted to add a quick note. I appreciate with your discussion of Dr Fryer's study that you're basically saying the proper denominator to determine the "correct" proportionality of police use of lethal force is to examine who's using lethal force on the police. It turns out that even when looking at broad statistics, African Americans/black Americans are "disproportionately" using lethal force against police officers.
Here's a post written by another writer that goes into the evidence:
I always get a little bit baffled by appeals to more abstracted measures such as crime rate and rates of encounters. It was always intuitive to me that the first step one should ask is "ok, well who's killing, shooting, and stabbing police officers?" But shockingly few people think to ask that question.
It is great to read an exhaustive analysis of the rational facts and statistics. My most recent exposure is in having read a number of articles by Heather Mac Donald who has been long-persistent in conveying the same message: Look at the statistics as opposed to the rhetoric of the narrative. Unfortunately, when one steps way back to try and discern purpose, it seems hard not to conclude that BLM efforts, however funded, are simply another demoralizing juggernaut contrived by the Left to sow upheaval and destruction within a traditional system that is "best brought down." But at whose expense, whose sacrifice? This article makes that quite clear. It seems that those funding this project care as little for the ultimate fate of the activists as for the injustice imposed by the results of their specious activities upon those for whom they allegedly stand. The agitation, ongoing tragedies and grievance seem the all-important goals. Were such activists yet again convenient tools for higher, strategic exploitation, any surprise would be misplaced. We also have today, well funded and organized, Antifa. And they seem a group perpetrating actions directly contrary to their stated charter and goals. Gatekeepers against some allegedly-rising fascism who initiate and employ mob violence to let their alleged enemy know that violence is absolutely the wrong tactic to even think of enlisting for a cause. Are they not merely similar, and similarly-misguided, agitators and disruptors? With arson and violence impartially doled out, even upon those they presume to protect? Both groups mutually share roles in perpetrating unrest and destruction; and ultimately human tragedy and suffering. They seem to achieve little that's positive and constructive; save for their street gatherings encouraging wildings for those spontaneously pursuing some form of emotional or social catharsis. But again, at whose expense? Society is diminished and endangered by their misguided actions and criminal excesses. The only 'problem' they seem suited to solve is that of the traditional, principled establishment; the money from which supports their existence. Such nihilism seems an ever-expanding torrent crashing through our contemporary culture. To what it may lead and leave in its wake is hard to visualize outside disaster and elevated suffering.
I just want to say thank you for standing up for truth. What's happening right now in America and other western nations is disgusting and terrifying. We need more people like you who are willing to stand up and speak the truth, even when that truth is unpopular. Thank you!!
I had my original Facebook account permanently disabled last year because of similar posts I made just trying to tell the truth about issues impacting the black community. I often said that those that love you the most will be willing to speak the truth always...even if it's something you might not want to hear. I don't know anyone who has ever been helped by following a lie.
Hi Issac,
Would you be available today Thursday January 6, 2022 to come Larry Elder's nationally syndicated radio show to discuss this.
Would love to be on the show. I'll email you.
Great research and wonderful presentation of the data and associated conclusions. As another "data guy", I really appreciate the dedication to presenting the actual information and letting the data inform the conclusions rather than feelings or pre-conceived notions.
Sadly, as I read this, I once again realized that the greatest problem we face in attempting to expose the truth is this: It requires a willingness to actually read and understand the truth. That takes time, often lots of time. It cannot be done in 90 seconds or less which the majority of people invest to read a headline or single-paragraph, social media post.
Thank you for posting this. It's important for the cultural record. There were many other voices at the time reporting as loudly as they could, that the claim of indiscriminate and disproportionate police killings of black males was simply untrue. Sadly, all of them were silenced like you. The secondary claim, that police killings of black victims was in itself, defacto evidence of racism, was never once challenged in the media. (eg: Derek Chauvin's "racism" was taken as accepted fact, despite said "racism" lacking a single shred of supporting evidence.) Was excessive force used? Undoubtedly. Was the motivation for said force "racist"? No evidence was apparently needed for this accusation to stick. Much has been written about the pursuit of "narrative" in the media, but it's time to call this narrative what it really is: Hate speech. Actual hate speech. Hate speech against the white working class. We also need to be clear from where this hatred originates. To be clear, it does not originate from African Americans. It originates from liberal, educated whites (particularly those in the media) who have a deep and virulent cultural loathing for their less well-heeled former neighbors. The white working class is the new [N-word].
So true.
I was just able to get through your piece as it is quite dense - understandably and rightfully so. But, it's remarkable. Thank you for it. I myself was originally perplexed when the BLM movement emerged as I knew the stats on police shootings were the opposite of what BLM was claiming. At first though, as a black woman myself, I thought "why not have a movement focused on black lives; maybe this will draw attention to the other issues plaguing the black community like black on black violence since we will be seeking to have a renewed focus on stopping violence against black people." As the rhetoric deepened; however, I realized how pernicious this movement was becoming (and maybe always was). It is in no way trying to "save black lives" clearly, rather it's pushing a political agenda that is actually not at all popular in the black community.
However, the other negative ramification from this 2 years of focus on police shootings of black men is the anxiety it's provoking in young black men. My brother who is highly intelligent and lives in a nice neighborhood of a northeast city is convinced that the police are hunting people like him down. Although he's very smart, I cannot now convince him that this is simply not the case. Three years ago he never had a thought that the police would intentionally harm him. Now, he's been convinced that he's a victim. That is true with many, particularly younger (like my brother) black men. Another negative effect of the BLM movement that I cannot forgive.
I completely agree. How can you thrive in school, job, or anywhere, when you believe that everyone is out to get you because of the color of your skin? I couldn't. There is no way. What could be more poisonous to someone's emotional wellbeing that to make them paranoid that their coworkers, peers, etc., are out to get them and the police are hunting and killing them. It's horrific.
False accusations of discrimination are often far more damaging to disadvantaged groups than they are to the accused. And yet, people supposedly worried about the welfare of those groups make a constant stream of false allegations without concern for the truth.
Show him this report. And, if possible show it to many people. It's sad all the damage blm is causing.
You can't reason with the people pushing these narratives, not because there isn't good reasoning to be had, but because they aren't open to understanding the truth. They aren't teachable.
I personally thought that the 2020 photo of a church sign announcing "We support BLM" while the church in the background was in flames from a BLM-instigated riot said it all.
I also thought it was very telling after the first stirrings of outrage had passed locally from the George Floyd incident, that subsequent efforts to organize BLM marches resulted in small crowds of young white 20-somethings with very few of their peers from the local black (and other minorities) community. They were conspicuous by their absence and lack of support for the movement.
This is a superb article. I posted comments similar to some of Mr. Kriegman's insights on the Canadian CBC website in reponse to an article praising BLM and announcing a major contribution to BLM by the CEO of Loblaws. My comments were immediately censored, while numerous highly inaccurate comments (many of which are debunked here) in favor of BLM went untouched.
CBC=BLM
Wow. I really hope this piece ends up with much wider circulation. I believe it might literally be the best analysis of the lies perpetrated and devastation wrought by the Black Lives Matter movement that exists.
As an officer, a sergeant, who patrolled the streets of Roxbury and Dorchester for many years, I applaud your courage in standing up for truth in reporting. Reuters will never get it; I don’t hold out much hope for the rest of the MSM. You paid the price. But as you so eloquently portray, the most disadvantaged among us will continue to pay the highest price while good officers choose other careers.
This is such a well written and thorough piece. Someone talented and funny should boil this down to more digestible pieces to spread out to people that just wouldn't read this. I started looking at crime stats back in 2014 and none of the underlying reality has changed, it's just the narrative around it. The woke narrative around this is akin to looking at medical accident related deaths and concluding that doctors are committing genocide on sick people because healthy people aren't dying at the same rates. Nonsense.
Unfortunately, the accuracy or truth of your research does not matter to the people pushing the BLM narrative. I believe their goal is social chaos and a breakdown of American society at large, accompanied by the financial bankruptcy described in the Cloward Piven strategy. They are in fact achieving their goals, which is more death, more chaos, and the moral, spiritual, and financial bankruptcy of America. It also keeps we the people occupied with our own survival while the government does God knows what behind our backs (or right in front of our face). Most of these BLM supporters are useful idiots who have probably never been punched in the face their entire lives, and vote for the kind of mayors we have in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, DC, etc. who just siphon off federal monies for their friends and families while parroting whatever the next leftist fad might be.
You brave bastard thank you!
Hi there - not sure you'll see this but I wanted to add a quick note. I appreciate with your discussion of Dr Fryer's study that you're basically saying the proper denominator to determine the "correct" proportionality of police use of lethal force is to examine who's using lethal force on the police. It turns out that even when looking at broad statistics, African Americans/black Americans are "disproportionately" using lethal force against police officers.
Here's a post written by another writer that goes into the evidence:
https://patterico.substack.com/p/police-shootings-are-said-to-be-disproportionate
I always get a little bit baffled by appeals to more abstracted measures such as crime rate and rates of encounters. It was always intuitive to me that the first step one should ask is "ok, well who's killing, shooting, and stabbing police officers?" But shockingly few people think to ask that question.
It is great to read an exhaustive analysis of the rational facts and statistics. My most recent exposure is in having read a number of articles by Heather Mac Donald who has been long-persistent in conveying the same message: Look at the statistics as opposed to the rhetoric of the narrative. Unfortunately, when one steps way back to try and discern purpose, it seems hard not to conclude that BLM efforts, however funded, are simply another demoralizing juggernaut contrived by the Left to sow upheaval and destruction within a traditional system that is "best brought down." But at whose expense, whose sacrifice? This article makes that quite clear. It seems that those funding this project care as little for the ultimate fate of the activists as for the injustice imposed by the results of their specious activities upon those for whom they allegedly stand. The agitation, ongoing tragedies and grievance seem the all-important goals. Were such activists yet again convenient tools for higher, strategic exploitation, any surprise would be misplaced. We also have today, well funded and organized, Antifa. And they seem a group perpetrating actions directly contrary to their stated charter and goals. Gatekeepers against some allegedly-rising fascism who initiate and employ mob violence to let their alleged enemy know that violence is absolutely the wrong tactic to even think of enlisting for a cause. Are they not merely similar, and similarly-misguided, agitators and disruptors? With arson and violence impartially doled out, even upon those they presume to protect? Both groups mutually share roles in perpetrating unrest and destruction; and ultimately human tragedy and suffering. They seem to achieve little that's positive and constructive; save for their street gatherings encouraging wildings for those spontaneously pursuing some form of emotional or social catharsis. But again, at whose expense? Society is diminished and endangered by their misguided actions and criminal excesses. The only 'problem' they seem suited to solve is that of the traditional, principled establishment; the money from which supports their existence. Such nihilism seems an ever-expanding torrent crashing through our contemporary culture. To what it may lead and leave in its wake is hard to visualize outside disaster and elevated suffering.
I just want to say thank you for standing up for truth. What's happening right now in America and other western nations is disgusting and terrifying. We need more people like you who are willing to stand up and speak the truth, even when that truth is unpopular. Thank you!!
Thank You for this. Honesty in media is getting rarer and rarer. Young people so need this.
I had my original Facebook account permanently disabled last year because of similar posts I made just trying to tell the truth about issues impacting the black community. I often said that those that love you the most will be willing to speak the truth always...even if it's something you might not want to hear. I don't know anyone who has ever been helped by following a lie.