Race of sniper suspects taps unwarranted guilt

USA Today ^ | 10-28-02 | By Roland S. Martin

[Oldeconomybuyer]

From the moment the ethnicity of the men wanted in connection to the deadly sniper killings was revealed, you could hear a collective gasp from people of color across the country.

African-Americans were stunned to hear that two black men could conceivably be behind such heinous and cowardly acts. And despite the mounting evidence that points to John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo as the likely shooters, some blacks still don't believe the reports.

[nonliberal]

I don't think many people see this guy as simply a black guy. He was a MUSLIM (yeah, that peaceful religion) who happened to be black. Being a good Muslim he felt it incumbent upon himself to begin slaughtering infidels.

[fooman]

and jamacan/anitgua. As far as I am concerned this nothing like the dudes I grew up with in SC

[NativeNewYorker]

Slightly more than 4% said a black person could do the crimes

Given the overwhelming statistical evidence that young black men commit a large % of violent crimes, far larger than their proportion of the population, this statistic looks like a frightening example of denial.

[2banana]

In related news in the black community:

Reparations lawsuits go full steam ahead
Affirmative action is not seen a reverse racism
Quotas not seen as reverse racism
Minority scholarships not seen a reverse racism
Still think that black churches were targeted for arson
See no problem in the high number on black on black and black on white crime rate

[evad]

Case in point, Juan Williams quote yesterday on Tony Snow's show..

"I was SHOCKED that it was a black man".

[Oldeconomybuyer]

...and 68% said, "Race has nothing to do with this. Crime is crime...

And terrorism is terrorism. It makes no difference if it's a teenage girl in Gaza or a black muslim in Virginia.

[stainlessbanner]

IMO, I think we are all just stunned anyone would do this - black, white, yellow, red, etc.

[Nonstatist]

Given the overwhelming statistical evidence that young black men commit a large % of violent crimes

Yea, but theyre not usually serial killers. But having said this, I agree with the other posters that this guy is more in the "disaffected Muslim male" category than just person of "color".

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[martin_fierro]

...there is a collective embarrassment felt when "one of us" is caught in a crime.

I'll be sure to remind the O.J. jury.

[BenLurkin]

This has got to be a joke. John Mohammed is from the same pool of dis-affected African Americans which gave us Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, and Cinque (SLA founder and leader).

The undercurrent of hatred and violent ideations in the black community is as strong today as it was thirty years ago.

If an African-American tells you they are "shocked" that the sniper was black, then it is because he was portrayed in the media as a garden variety serial killer (the bulk of whom are in fact white). Not because they could never conceive of a black American taking up arms against his country.

[NativeNewYorker]

Actually, here in fair Gotham, it is not at all unusual for a busted perp - of any race - to have a string of homicides under their belts.

[Snowy]

Here is some info from the following site -> http://www.islam101.com/history/population2_usa.html

U.S. Muslim Population Table

Ethnic Grouping 

Population 1000 (1990) 

Percent of Total Muslim Population 

Definition of Terms 

African- 
American 

2,100

42.0 

African-Americans: Those persons of African descent native to the United States of America.

South Asians

1,220

24.4 

South-Asians: Those of Indian/Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, or Afghan descent now residing in the United States as citizens or permanent residents.

Arabs

620 

12.4

Arabs: People from Arabic-speaking countries of the Middle East and North Africa who are permanent residents or citizens of the United States.

Africans

260 

5.2

Africans: People from the African continent who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States

Iranians

180 

3.6

Iranians: People of Persian descent, usually from Iran, who are citizens or permanent residents.

Turks

120 

2.4

Turkish: People of Turkish descent who are citizens ro permanent residents.

South East Asians 

100

2.0 

South East Asians: People of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Indochina, or the Phillippines.

American Whites

80

1.6 

American Whites: Those of West European descent, who are native to the United States.

East Europeans

40

0.8 

East Europeans: People from various regions of Eastern Europe.

Other

280 

5.6

Other: All other groups.

Totals 

5,000 

100 

Geographical Distribution:  The table below represents a breakdown by states of the largest Muslim communities in the United States. It shows that there are an estimated 3.3. million Muslims in these states. The figure represents 62 percent of the estimated 5 million Muslims living in the United States. 

Muslim State Population Table 

State	Muslim Population   (1,000)	Percentage Total Muslim Population	Percent of Total State Population
California	1,000	20.0	3.4
New York	800	16.0	4.7
Illinois	420	8.4	3.6
New Jersey	200	4.0	2.5
Indiana	180	3.6	3.2
Michigan	170	3.4	1.8
Virginia	150	3.0	2.4
Texas	140	2.8	0.7
Ohio	130	2.6	1.2
Maryland	70	1.4	1.4

* Estimates under column 2 have been rounded to the nearest even number. 

[uncbob]

43% of sniper killers are black
33% of mass murderers are black
22% of serial killers are black
Blacks are 11% of the population
So being shocked that black men could do this is the result of the demonization of white men by the media

[dirtboy]

Race of sniper suspects taps unwarranted guilt

However, had this been a right-wing white male, the media would have been serving up heaping, steamin' spoonfuls of collective guilt...

[BenLurkin]

No, those statistics are simply evidence of racism in law enforcement.</sarcasm>

[AD from SpringBay]

It's terribly sad that we feel shame due to the actions of someone most of us don't know.

Yet this is exactly the same idea that has been thrown, time and again, on the backs of white people. Evil white men are responsible for most (if not all) of the calamities of the past - thus sayeth academe, thus sayeth the media, and thus sayeth the Democrat. Maybe we can ALL breath a sigh of relief and begin hold the individual responsible. I say this with no apologies to the Revrun's Jackson and Farrakah and any others who feel the need to cultivate this type of shame.

[xJones]

43% of sniper killers are black
33% of mass murderers are black
22% of serial killers are black

Just curious, where did you get those statistics?

[BraveMan]

OK, so angry white males don't have a lock on being serial killers. Another stereotype bites the dust . . .