# Thought experiment for white people regarding race. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652 "2011-07-20T00:50:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/1 "2011-07-20T00:50:25Z")
A thought experiment, aimed towards white people. A lot of people on these threads claim not to see a correlation between violence and race. Perahps this sentiment is right.I do not agree, but again I can only base my notions on anecdotal evidence. So here is the scenario You are walking alone at night in a dark Alley in city X.(in the US), Would you prefere to meet a group of 5 caucasian males or a group of 5 african-american males. Those are the variables in this scenario, fair skinned or dark skinned. City is X and the time is “night”.All I want to know is this Thats it What would you prefer? or it doesnt matter? Why does it matter? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/2 "2011-07-20T00:52:30Z")
[The 5 caucasian males](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9CSnlb-ymA). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/3 "2011-07-20T00:56:46Z")
No preference. If five guys are hanging out in a dark alley, the reason they’re there is likely equally dodgy regardless of color. Anyway, why am I walking through a dark alley unless I’m looking to score? My man! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/4 "2011-07-20T01:00:29Z")
Since blacks statistically commit more violent crimes per capita, especially against people they don’t know, the answer seems pretty obvious. Your chances are much greater of being unmolested by the whites. As [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_crime_in_the_United_States) puts it, > [@](#): > > though White Americans constituted the vast majority of total arrests made, African Americans were disproportionately represented in all forms of violent crime and property crime, as well as in the three measured forms of white-collar crime, with the average rates of representation 2 to 3 times higher than African American representation in the general population.[33] Such disparities become greater if calculating crimes per person for different races since overrepresentation for one group also means underrepresentation for other groups. Concluding otherwise makes you either a masochist or a racist. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/5 "2011-07-20T01:02:17Z")
I must partly agree with BG. I don’t really want to meet anyone in a dark alley. And if I do, race is going to mean very little next to dress, attitude, and presentation. Now, I don’t deny that mathematically, urban African-American populations have a high crime rate. I can’t, because the evidence is clear. But that’s rather less important to me than the specific individuals who might want to goddamn mug me. Amazingly, I care less about race in the abstract than the possibility of being knifed in the flesh. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/6 "2011-07-20T01:02:18Z")
I see a correlation because (statistically) there is one. I don’t think that correlation is anything other than environmental, however. If you rewound history and let it play out in a different manner, there’s going to be an even chance for any particular racial or ethnic group to create the largest percentage of criminals of society. But as said, in a dark alley, I basically don’t want to meet _anyone_. ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/7 "2011-07-20T01:03:55Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I see a correlation because (statistically) there is one. I don’t think that correlation is anything other than environmental, however. If you rewound history and let it play out in a different manner, there’s going to be an even chance for any particular racial or ethnic group to create the largest percentage of criminals of society. Great way to NOT answer a super EASY question…my god…so your answer is??? ps…stuck up people like you.hmm..not my favorite…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/8 "2011-07-20T01:09:08Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > Since blacks statistically commit more violent crimes per capita, especially against people they don’t know, the answer seems pretty obvious. Long ago I saw a statistic that the vast majority of crime is committed within racial groups, meaning that I face a greater threat from white people than from black people. That’s not specific enough to the scenario, however, since the real question is what danger I face from strangers of particular races: do I, a white guy, face more danger of attack from a random white stranger or a random black stranger? But even that’s not the question, because #1 I’m not going to be researching the stats under the circumstances of being in an alley, and #2 it wouldn’t matter, since I couldn’t ever actually make such a choice. So my answer has to be based off my original link. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/9 "2011-07-20T01:12:28Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > ps…stuck up people like you.hmm..not my favorite…😉 For someone who is deliberately posting to get a rise out of people, posting insults, even accompanied by a smiley, is not a good way to keep your thread open. Stick to the topic and leave the personal comments for the BBQ Pit. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/10 "2011-07-20T01:19:54Z")
Depends on if it’s a predominantly black or white neighborhood. I’d be more comfortable running into whomever is more likely to just be walking home. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/11 "2011-07-20T01:22:28Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Great way to NOT answer a super EASY question… That’s because it is a stupid question; designed specifically to prove an already known fact. The correlation itself isn’t important as the reason behind the correlation. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/12 "2011-07-20T01:27:21Z")
I didn’t notice that it was a dark alley at first. I agree that I’d be afraid of them both due to the circumstances. If it were just a regular sidewalk, it would be the blacks because I’ve suffered more random street violence from blacks than whites (which isn’t to say a lot). If they were 5 people in a car, it would be the whites for the same reason. (Only caucasians have shot pellet guns/thrown stuff at me from their cars.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/13 "2011-07-20T01:40:47Z")
\*\*scamartistry \*\* - why don’t you walk down a bunch of a dark alleys and collect some information about this? You don’t seem like the gullible type who will believe anything you read on the internet when you can go out and find out for yourself. You could come back and post your results, and maybe even crow about how you turned out to be right. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/14 "2011-07-20T01:45:23Z")
As a woman, I’d be a fool to take a walk down a dark alley by myself, regardless of the racial group I might encounter. Five white guys approach and I’d be thinking frat boy gang rape, so I think I would prefer the black guys. I don’t know if it’s rational, but that’s how I’d feel. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/15 "2011-07-20T01:48:02Z")
I don’t think it would matter to me at all. I’m going to be extremely nervous. Of course, in my neighborhood, I’d be most likely to encounter five Hispanic men in the alley. Hmm. Because of the racist application of law enforcement, I’m probably a little safer with the black guys than the white ones (I’m white). ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/16 "2011-07-20T01:50:12Z")
The whites not out of racism but due to simple statistics. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/17 "2011-07-20T01:50:58Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Great way to NOT answer a super EASY question…my god…so your answer is??? ps…stuck up people like you.hmm..not my favorite…😉 Your OP makes the assumption that if you believe a black person is more likely to commit a crime, then you are a racist. This isn’t true; you can be non-racist and still believe that a black person is more likely to commit a crime. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/18 "2011-07-20T01:51:14Z")
There are so many variables, and race is at the very bottom of my list\*. What are they wearing, how old are they, how are they acting before they approach or I approach them? You really think people are weighing crime statistics in their head when they’re wandering in a city and see an 80-year-old black man on one side of the street and five 18-year-old buskers on the other? (Also, as a woman, if I come across a group of five younger men who are being rowdy I usually brace myself for some catcalls – older men, at least the well-dressed ones, tend to just look or comment under their breath while in packs, and do the gross stuff while all alone). \*Race (or at least perceived race) does play into things in certain cities. IME in North Africa, for example, men who’d never act a certain way with women who might be related to them or friends of the family will do so with women who are obviously European/American or sub-Saharan African. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/19 "2011-07-20T01:54:34Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > A thought experiment, aimed towards white people. Why is it aimed towards white people? Aren’t the answers of black people equally interesting? Obligatory mention here of Jesse Jackson’s line re: walking down the street and hearing footsteps and thinking about robbery, only to look around and see somebody white and feel relieved? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/20 "2011-07-20T03:35:05Z")
[White guys](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMjtvSABQ3Q) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652.md?page=2)