# What exactly do cops have to fear from black males? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819 "2014-10-09T02:28:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/61 "2014-10-16T17:37:00Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Wow! Just wow. That is some incredibly racist ranting right there. What precisely is it that us white people should do? I have no more power than you do or any of us do. There’s not a damn thing racists about it, it’s the truth. Like it or not, and believe me I don’t, it’s what white people think that matters in this country, not us. You can easily figure this out by looking at the history of civil rights, or most recently gay rights. Where do you start? By not engaging in the same minimizing and excuse making that allows these things to happen again and again. Stop victim blaming. Do you not realize how demeaning it is for us to have to wait for your (again collectively) verdict to come in on whether or not this particular shot dude is worthy of basic rights and dignity? Then next week, when it happens again, we get to play again, yay! ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/62 "2014-10-16T17:44:54Z")
Nice dodge on my question there, Stuffy. Again, what is it that US WHITE PEOPLE are supposed to do? Nobody is justifying bad or illegal behavior of Police. You, however, are generalizing all white people in the same way that white bigots have generalized blacks. Same thing, same racism. You label all Police for the actions of a few. You are coming across as a troll. Shrieking is not the same thing as making a valid and reasonable point, but shriek away. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/63 "2014-10-16T17:56:59Z")
You with the Face, I was not suggesting that black men in general were part of the problem with cops. I was suggesting that Stuffy’s attitude in specific might be a part of why he personally might encourage animosity with cops. That isn’t to say that there aren’t times when the cops are acting badly and even illegally. Nobody is minimizing that. The fact is that in case of many incidents with the LAPD and the Ferguson issue, the cops were utterly wrong. Nobody on this board is minimizing that behavior. However, when posters take the actions of some Officers and extrapolate that behavior to ALL cops, that is just stupid. Personally, I wish that every LEO was required to wear a body camera and just as importantly, a gun camera. I don’t want a single cop who illegally murders an innocent of any color to go free. Most people want justice as do I. The question becomes in these situations, what is just? It is very rarely a world that lends itself to good v bad, black v white. Most often, everything is tainted a grey. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/64 "2014-10-16T18:04:31Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > I was suggesting that Stuffy’s attitude in specific might be a part of why he personally might encourage animosity with cops. And I still say that is an uncalled statement given the topic and what proceeded it. If **Stuffy** does have an anti-cop attitude, perhaps he has a good reason for that which is probably beyond your diagnostic abilities. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/65 "2014-10-16T18:17:19Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Nice dodge on my question there, Stuffy. Again, what is it that US WHITE PEOPLE are supposed to do? Nobody is justifying bad or illegal behavior of Police. yes. Yes you are. I also answered: Originally said by me: > [@](#): > > Where do you start? By not engaging in the same minimizing and excuse making that allows these things to happen again and again. Stop victim blaming. Do you not realize how demeaning it is for us to have to wait for your (again collectively) verdict to come in on whether or not this particular shot dude is worthy of basic rights and dignity? That’s an answer you may not like it but it’s an answer. > [@](#): > > You, however, are generalizing all white people in the same way that white bigots have generalized blacks. No that’s not a geralization, that’s the reality on the ground. If you want change in this country you have to get Middle America on your side, that’s white people. > [@](#): > > Same thing, same racism. You label all Police for the actions of a few. You are coming across as a troll. First Liar now troll? > [@](#): > > Shrieking is not the same thing as making a valid and reasonable point, but shriek away. :dubious: Just because you don’t like my points doesn’t make them invalid. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/66 "2014-10-16T19:37:44Z")
Every racist ever justified their racism by saying it is just reality on the ground. You cannot begin a sentence with ‘all white people,’ or ‘all black people’ and not end up with your racist preconceptions rolling right out. I have had negative contact with the Police. When I run into an asshole cop, I think, ‘gee, that guy is an asshole.’ I suspect that Stuffy says, that cop hates black people. Again there are thousands of contacts between the public and police that do not lead to anyone being shot. Are too many black people being arrested and/or shot by police? Absolutely. I am absolutely against the militarization of the police. I am absolutely horrified by the cops that have illegally murdered blacks. My problem with that is that the DAs are failing to present to grand juries, grand juries are failing to return indictments and juries are failing to convict. In those instances where cops misbehave, I want them treated exactly as if anyone else in the community had done the same thing. Nobody is minimizing the actions of the bad cops. Thinking that every cop is out to get you is paranoid. Right now, when a black person gets shot by cops, it is instantly news and almost immediately judged by the press and the public way way before anything goes to trial. When my friend, the black female cop was shot by a PTSD-addled ex soldier, it made the news for about 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/67 "2014-10-16T20:16:22Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > In those instances where cops misbehave, I want them treated exactly as if anyone else in the community had done the same thing. Nobody is minimizing the actions of the bad cops. Good luck with that. If courts and politicians stop protecting policemen, policemen will stop protecting politicians and courts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/68 "2014-10-17T00:15:31Z")
I cannot help when others misbehave. I live in a world that I wish was right, even when it isn’t. While I bitch at Stuffy, I have heard, but not experienced that travelling across country is a different experience for blacks than I;I wish it were not so. I am so glad that I am not a 12th century peasant, I wish this were a fair and right world. That it isn’t does not make my heart greater, but less. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/69 "2014-10-17T00:20:33Z")
> [@LynnM](#): > > I’ve seen this statistic a number of times: > > Twenty-five percent of adult black males are convicted felons. > > Is this correct? Looking through the CDC’s website a few years back, black males in the 19-24 age group had a homicide rate roughly three time the overall national average. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/70 "2014-10-17T00:46:50Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Grow up. > [@Stuffy](#): > > Really? That’s great, now I’m a liar, for 15 years apparently. Here I thought your earlier post was insulting. > [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Wow! Just wow. That is some incredibly racist ranting right there. > [@Stuffy](#): > > Do you not realize how demeaning it is for us to have to wait for your (again collectively) verdict to come in on whether or not this particular shot dude is worthy of basic rights and dignity? Then next week, when it happens again, we get to play again, yay! Take this up with each other in the Pit or PM, but it’s getting off the track (and out of hand) in this thread, so dial it back please, both of you. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/71 "2014-10-17T00:58:39Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > While I bitch at Stuffy, I have heard, but not experienced that travelling across country is a different experience for blacks than I;I wish it were not so. A guy I know drove from Arkansas to Florida for his Father’s funeral. He was bitching about getting hassled by the police in Mississippi, I think. I asked, “Was he giving you a hard time because you are Black?” “No, because I had out of state plates.” 🙂 If anyone takes it to the pit, please post in the thread. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/72 "2014-10-18T10:54:23Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Given that many guys in Arkansas have committed crimes while on parole or with a suspended sentence, I wonder if the same person convicted five times constitutes one or five convicted felons in the statistics. The statistic I read isn’t about multiple convictions. Given a random sample of 100 adult black males, 25 of them are _ **convicted felons** _. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/73 "2014-10-18T12:29:59Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Do they have grip safeties, like the 1914A? The most common police issue weapons (various Glock models) do not have any type of safety of the type you imagine (namely, flip a switch to make the weapon impossible to fire). There are, however, “always on” safeties that make the weapon impossible to fire accidentally\* which is the way most police prefer it. If the weapon is drawn and the trigger pulled, they want the goddamn thing to fire every time. I think I agree with this reasoning, but I’m starting to get into a major derail of the discussion here so I’ll just leave it at that. \*for[varying](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrJMQupYxaw)definitions of “impossible,” to include “absolutely possible and not even particularly uncommon.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/74 "2014-10-18T15:02:55Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > The most common police issue weapons (various Glock models) do not have any type of safety of the type you imagine (namely, flip a switch to make the weapon impossible to fire). > > There are, however, “always on” safeties that make the weapon impossible to fire accidentally\* which is the way most police prefer it. If the weapon is drawn and the trigger pulled, they want the goddamn thing to fire every time. I think I agree with this reasoning, but I’m starting to get into a major derail of the discussion here so I’ll just leave it at that. > > \*for[varying](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrJMQupYxaw)definitions of “impossible,” to include “absolutely possible and not even particularly uncommon.” You \*do \*understand that the 1911A grip safety is exactly that sort of passive safety design, don’t you? It is exactly NOT “flip a switch to make the weapon impossible to fire” ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/75 "2014-10-18T15:41:20Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You \*do \*understand that the 1911A grip safety is exactly that sort of passive safety design, don’t you? It is exactly NOT “flip a switch to make the weapon impossible to fire” You’re right, of course. I was imagining an active safety (on the grip) when I made that post. Still, the most common police weapons do not have a grip safety. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/76 "2014-10-18T16:54:26Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > … Still, the most common police weapons do not have a grip safety. Agreed. Grip safeties have certainly gone out of style. Or more thoroughly, never really caught on as design features for SA semi-automatic pistols. The widespread changeover to DA semi-automatics makes the whole idea of a “safety” a little bit different. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819/77 "2014-10-18T18:30:18Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Agreed. Grip safeties have certainly gone out of style. Or more thoroughly, never really caught on as design features for SA semi-automatic pistols. The widespread changeover to DA semi-automatics makes the whole idea of a “safety” a little bit different. The same reason revolvers do not have safeties? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-do-cops-have-to-fear-from-black-males/700819.md?page=3)