# why is it that African Americans never seem to be charged with hate crimes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 26, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002 "2012-04-26T12:10:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/21 "2012-04-27T00:46:40Z")
The first few replies in this thread was some seriously fancy ignorance fightin’. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/22 "2012-04-27T00:50:07Z")
> [@IntelliQ](#): > > It’s not that blacks arent charged with hate crimes, it’s simply that many news stations will not report black on white crime unless there’s a public outcry large enough to force their butts to move on it. Did anyone die in the Owens incident? Did the police decline initially (and for a good deal aftetward) to arrest the acknowledged perpetrators on the spot, as they did in the Zimmerman-Martin incident (even though arrest of shooters causing a death of an unarmed pedestrian is typical)? In what way do you suppose these incidents are alike and therefore deserving of equivalent media coverage? ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/23 "2012-04-27T01:01:49Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Did anyone die in the Owens incident? Did the police decline initially (and for a good deal aftetward) to arrest the acknowledged perpetrators on the spot, as they did in the Zimmerman-Martin incident (even though arrest of shooters causing a death of an unarmed pedestrian is typical)? In what way do you suppose these incidents are alike and therefore deserving of equivalent media coverage? You are obviously a sheeple brainwashed by the liberal media. ---
**Author:** ![IntelliQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e99b99/32.png) [@IntelliQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IntelliQ)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/24 "2012-04-27T01:05:13Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Did anyone die in the Owens incident? Did the police decline initially (and for a good deal aftetward) to arrest the acknowledged perpetrators on the spot, as they did in the Zimmerman-Martin incident (even though arrest of shooters causing a death of an unarmed pedestrian is typical)? In what way do you suppose these incidents are alike and therefore deserving of equivalent media coverage? I stated the obvious, you’re free to google same exact results. It doesnt matter if someone died, a mob of 20 blacks - and one white victim beaten into critical condition is newsworthy especially when one of the mob shouts “that’s for trayvon” (or whatever burst of wisdom it was). Fox news covered both: +1 Alphabet news seriously screwed up the one which they covered: -1 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/25 "2012-04-27T01:14:12Z")
> [@IntelliQ](#): > > It’s not that blacks arent charged with hate crimes, it’s simply that many news stations will not report black on white crime unless there’s a public outcry large enough to force their butts to move on it. > > For example, the Trayvon case turns up tons of results on CBS and NBC / MSNBC. Google it. > However those same news outlets when doing a google search (and searching their sites) for “Matthew Owens” turns up ZERO articles. > > _(Matthew Owens was the white guy beaten by some blacks the other day and someone shouted “This is for Trayvon” or something similar)_ > > It does appear the local media outlets do cover these things, but dont look for the big Alphabet news to keep you informed unless it fits their politically correct narrative. Strain yourself here and think about what you’re saying. The news media don’t try and report every serious crime that occurs in the nation. They report things which are seen as being newsworthy because they are different and unusual. So if they’re reporting white-on-black crimes, they’re essentially saying white-on-black crimes are out of the ordinary. And by the same standard, when they don’t report black-on-white crimes, they’re tacitly saying they regard these crimes as routine. This is the same principle that explains why the disappearance of a white child is major news and the disappearance of a black child gets put on a milk carton. Now do you want to take a shot at how that fits in with your claim of there being a “politically correct narrative”? ---
**Author:** ![IntelliQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e99b99/32.png) [@IntelliQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IntelliQ)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/26 "2012-04-27T01:40:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Strain yourself here and think about what you’re saying. > > The news media don’t try and report every serious crime that occurs in the nation. They report things which are seen as being newsworthy because they are different and unusual. > > So if they’re reporting white-on-black crimes, they’re essentially saying white-on-black crimes are out of the ordinary. And by the same standard, when they don’t report black-on-white crimes, they’re tacitly saying they regard these crimes as routine. > > This is the same principle that explains why the disappearance of a white child is major news and the disappearance of a black child gets put on a milk carton. > > Now do you want to take a shot at how that fits in with your claim of there being a “politically correct narrative”? They’re not saying that. Cute missing kid coverage is a different issue. Nice try at derailing though.. White on black gets reported by everyone. Black on white gets covered locally but not nationally unless there is pressure to cover it. The current situation is the perfect example (among many). ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/27 "2012-04-27T01:47:39Z")
To be fair to the OP if you watch mass media they don’t cover them, name one case that got national attention…I’ll wait… EDIT:My point being why is the media creating a fictional reality so divorced from the true state of the nation? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/28 "2012-04-27T01:58:24Z")
> [@IntelliQ](#): > > For example, the Trayvon case turns up tons of results on CBS and NBC / MSNBC. Google it. > However those same news outlets when doing a google search (and searching their sites) for “Matthew Owens” turns up ZERO articles. A search on “Matthew Owens” (in quotes) on [MSNBC.com](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/) actually turns up [4 articles](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/?id=11881780&q=%22Matthew+Owens%22). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/29 "2012-04-27T02:05:27Z")
> [@grude](#): > > …EDIT:My point being why is the media creating a fictional reality so divorced from the true state of the nation? Mostly, the do it because if they told you the truth, you’d change the channel. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/30 "2012-04-27T02:18:28Z")
> [@IntelliQ](#): > > They’re not saying that. > > Cute missing kid coverage is a different issue. Nice try at derailing though.. > > White on black gets reported by everyone. > Black on white gets covered locally but not nationally unless there is pressure to cover it. > > The current situation is the perfect example (among many). Which is exactly what I said. And I then explained why it means the opposite of what you said it means. But apparently you chose not to strain yourself. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/31 "2012-04-27T04:32:06Z")
> [@IntelliQ](#): > > They’re not saying that. > > Cute missing kid coverage is a different issue. Nice try at derailing though.. > > White on black gets reported by everyone. > Black on white gets covered locally but not nationally unless there is pressure to cover it. > > The current situation is the perfect example (among many). The FBI statistics pointed out by **black rabbit** indicate that in 2010 there were over 3,000 white-on-black hate crimes. You say “among many,” but how many big hate crime stories from 2010 do you remember? If white on black hate crimes are reported by “everyone,” why aren’t we deluged with these cases constantly? Even if they only reported on the most sensational, most heinous 1% of white on black hate crimes, there’d be dozens every year. And why did the Zimmerman-Martin case get picked up in the first place (Zimmerman being Hispanic and all)? Because there are other issues in play here besides the race of the accused. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/32 "2012-04-27T04:49:35Z")
Black on white crimes never get coverage?:dubious: Somebody name a white on black crime that got remotely the coverage that the O.J. Simpson trial got. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/33 "2012-04-27T04:55:10Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Black on white crimes never get coverage?:dubious: > Somebody name a white on black crime that got remotely the coverage that the O.J. Simpson trial got. How was that a hate crime, or racially motivated? Pretty sure it was a good ol’ murderous ex crime. ---
**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:** [April 27, 2012, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/34 "2012-04-27T07:15:14Z")
> [@grude](#): > > How was that a hate crime, or racially motivated? Pretty sure it was a good ol’ murderous ex crime. With a bit of classic eliminate-the-witness thrown in for spice. ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/35 "2012-04-27T10:26:38Z")
to be fair…question to the people claiming that the media does not have some kind of a PC agenda: Would it or would it not be a nationwide headline story if 20 white people attacked a single black person? of course it would. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/36 "2012-04-27T11:21:24Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > to be fair…question to the people claiming that the media does not have some kind of a PC agenda: > > Would it or would it not be a nationwide headline story if 20 white people attacked a single black person? > > of course it would. I don’t think that’s indicative of a PC agenda so much as an agenda to report on what they think the audience may find interesting. “Guy shoots teenager dead, isn’t even arrested”, is a story. “Big group beats the hell out of some guy after he threatens kids with knives and racial insults” is less so. Oh, you didn’t know about the knives? It’s interesting how differently this story is being reported by the news agencies. Now _that_ shows a political agenda. ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/37 "2012-04-27T12:53:38Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I don’t think that’s indicative of a PC agenda so much as an agenda to report on what they think the audience may find interesting. “Guy shoots teenager dead, isn’t even arrested”, is a story. “Big group beats the hell out of some guy after he threatens kids with knives and racial insults” is less so. > > Oh, you didn’t know about the knives? It’s interesting how differently this story is being reported by the news agencies. Now _that_ shows a political agenda. You are right - I Did not know about a the knife and the slurs, and yes it does bring some “nuance” to the story. My point remains though, media do have an agenda and a certain narrative, my own pet theory is that media prefers the underdog perspective. In the black and white world of media news (no pun) white people are regarded as superior by definition, therefore crime towards that group of people are not as sexy/selling/whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/38 "2012-04-27T13:48:28Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > In the black and white world of media news (no pun) white people are regarded as superior by definition, therefore crime towards that group of people are not as sexy/selling/whatever. I would agree in general that there are many biases in news reporting. Sometimes it’s pushing an agenda, but more often it’s telling the public what they want to hear, no matter how irrational that may be. In this case though, I’m not convinced the two situations are analogous and it’s only latent racism that has made one story more well-known than the other. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/39 "2012-04-27T14:34:24Z")
[Detroit Tigers black outfielder Delmon Young faces a hate-crime charge](http://www.freep.com/article/20120427/SPORTS02/120427015/Tigers-outfielder-Delmon-Young-accused-hate-crime-related-assault-New-York-City) in NYC after an early-morning assault. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002/40 "2012-04-27T14:52:41Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > You are right - I Did not know about a the knife and the slurs, and yes it does bring some “nuance” to the story. My point remains though, media do have an agenda and a certain narrative, my own pet theory is that \*\*media \*\*prefers the underdog perspective. In the black and white world of media news (no pun) white people are regarded as superior by definition, therefore crime towards that group of people are not as sexy/selling/whatever. You can replace “media” with “humanity.” As to your second point, I don’t know how you can admit that the media tacitly thinks that white people are regarded as superior, and at the same time think that they have an anti-white agenda. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-that-african-americans-never-seem-to-be-charged-with-hate-crimes/620002.md?page=3)