Once again, the recent spate of violent crime in Los Angeles, especially in South Central, is causing heightened concern and has LAPD scrambling for stop-gap solutions. Police practices are a major factor in the violence equation but long-term solutions are ultimately the responsibility of the community itself. And prevention should be given greater weight than intervention; the latter occurs after the fact. Also, public policy must take into full account causal factors and require closely monitored implementation of all violence reduction programs.
The fact is, this country was birthed from violence and variations of “acceptable” violence are evidenced in both its domestic and foreign policies. Violence among Blacks, especially in the inner cities, is a conditioned manifestation of that norm, and given the oppressive conditions of Black inner-city life, is there any doubt that the amount of violence correlates with the oppressive conditions in those communities? Violence among Blacks not only reflects, but reinforces those conditions and without sustainable prevention and intervention things will not change.
It is axiomatic that statistics can be misleading. Case in point is the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) periodic reports on reductions in homicides and violence, especially during Chief William Bratton’s tenure. (His successor, Charlie Beck, initially showed signs of being an improvement over Bratton, but over time, he has reverted to classic, non-transparent, defensive police chief behavior. In many South Central LA neighborhoods and surrounding areas, homicides and other forms of violence have become the norm. The many vigils and requiems for victims reflect the gut-wrenching loss of human life and the pain of victims’ families and friends.
The widely used term, “Black-on-Black violence,” is misleading and should never be used; it feeds a damning stereotype that implies Blacks may have a genetic propensity for violence, which is preposterous. Think about it. Is violence among whites or Latinos called white-on-white violence or Latino-on-Latino violence? No, only Blacks are so maligned. Sadly, use of the term is often used by Blacks themselves.
Violence among Blacks is likely an expression of self-hate, spawned and nurtured by racism, discrimination, and a host of other factors. Moreover, middle-class Blacks tend to delude themselves by acting as though violence is no longer their problem. But as long as race is the basis of who is, or is not, privileged, Blacks will be painted with the same stereotypical brush.
(In Los Angeles, many Blacks labor under the false notion that Black-Latino violence is the real problem. Actually, these days, violence against other Blacks-and Latinos against Latinos- is by far, more common and more devastating.)
Most people are aware of the major factors contributing to violence in the nation’s inner cities: poverty, failing schools, gang violence, etc. Equally important are the devastating effects of these conditions on Black youth. Without positive parental, other adult role models, and sufficient political support, the culturally coded behavior of local gangs is adopted by neighborhood youth-a reflection of the dominance of group pressure in the inner city. These destabilizing factors also contribute to a dis-connect between what public schools expect and offer, and the totally different world of many Black children. (Black leadership’s silence on violence (and other key issues is reprehensible.)
Continuity of culture and identity are the foundation of social, economic and political advancement. In recent times, this has not necessarily been true for Blacks who, though remarkably resilient, still suffer the debilitating scars of slavery. The horrific treatment of Black slaves and the attempt to eradicate their culture, language, family, and values have caused the current prolonged period of disunity that is a major obstacle to Blacks’ advancing. Since systemic disenfranchisement denies Blacks full access to society’s benefits, violence, anger and frustration are predictable responses to the resulting inequities.
Previous Black social movements emphasized pride and community service. Not so today, the Black Lives Matter movement, notwithstanding. Social media, the Internet, texting, etc. add immeasurably to convenience, information and communication but contribute little, if anything, to the quality of life. For Blacks, 21st Century challenges are profound, but largely unattended. And the degree and scope of violence among Blacks, coupled with a failure to hold their leadership accountable, remain serious problems.
Fanon advised the oppressed, after a period of time, adopt the views and values of the oppressor. 21st Century America still sends a message to Blacks, and other people of color, that their lives are less valuable than white lives. One of the ways public institutions, including the courts, perpetuate that erroneous but pervasive myth is subjecting Blacks to a double standard. The courts, for example, treat crimes against Blacks less seriously than crimes Blacks commit against whites. Unfortunately, having internalized values of the white majority, for many Blacks, challenging the “system” is, psychologically, tantamount to challenging themselves.
Solutions to violence are in short supply but should include the following: honest assessment of the problems, strategic planning that addresses existing barriers, greater emphasis on prevention—although intervention is also important, and sustained discussion and a call for concrete violence reduction action by both Black leadership and the
Black community itself.
For Black people, violence is a byproduct of ongoing oppression, It is also a manifestation of vision lost, hopelessness and only episodic outrage, all which tend to perpetuate conditions contrary to their own best interests. Reducing violence among Blacks is a moral imperative that requires new thinking, new priorities and new behavior.
