Hope,
First, you said your wife was Puerto Rican, not a black American DESCENDED from a slave. This is the problem with the practicality of reparations.
Secondly, and to be honest, I did not reply to your scenarios because I found them to be a bit stereotypical. For example, loud stereos are not confined to black Americans nor is it something that is predominantly black. On any given day, I can drive in my car and hear everything from rap and hip-hop, to rock and alternative, to country blaring on car radios of all races. This is true not only for Orlando, but also Lexington, Louisville, Columbus, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Miami, Ocala, Kissimmee, Raleigh, Ida (MI), Toledo, Westminster, Westchester, Baltimore, Richmond, Charleston, and DC (all places I have visited in the past year and a half). Please provide citations for these cases you have presented, and then I will respond. I would like to read them in detail.
As far as racial profiling is concerned, again back up your comment documentation. How exactly are Black Americans getting a free ride? The last time I checked Black Americans are Disproportionately represented in the prison population. If you really want to dive into crime stats, lets compare DUI's and drug possession. Which race is more likely to be arrested on drug possession charges? Black. Which race is responsible for approximately 78% of DUI's? White males. IMO, DUI's are just, if not more, dangerous than drug possession, however, DUI's are typically charged as misdemeanors with sentences involving fines, license suspension, and probation. Care to guess about drug possession? They are typically charged as felonies with mandatory incarceration. Now is this a clear black and white issue? Probably not. What is also interesting to note is that DUI offenders are commonly middle-class, and the majority of drug possession offenders are low income. So, socioeconomics is another key factor, as is urban vs. rural. Studies have shown that crime is more actively prosecuted in urban areas, mainly because they have more resources to do so.
Let's look at the history marijuana policy. Before the 60's marijuana was perceived as the drug of choice for black jazz musicians, (as noted in the files of Harry Anslinger head of FBI Narcotics for three decades). He kept a file "Marijuana and Musicians". In, I believe, 1950, The Boggs Act, which set mandatory sentences for 1st time marijuana possession with 2-5 years incarceration, was passed. By the 60's, JFK and Johnson set up commissions to study the "prevailing assumption of a direct link between marijuana and violent crime or heroin use". I wonder why? Could it possibly be that many young middle class white American college students were being arrested for marijuana possession? The 1970 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act differentiated marijuana from other narcotics and lowered federal penalties for possession. The states followed suit. Do you know the sad part, though? Racial disparity still existed. Take Milwaukee, during this time frame, for example. In the city it was a misdemeanor, resulting criminal records. In the outlying suburbs, it was an ordinance violation, resulting only in a ticket and fine. There are many sources of information on these and other crime issues, such as the death penalty. I suggest the research of Marc Mauer, or the DC based group The Sentencing Project. There are many others if you are interested.
Now I am not excusing criminal behavior, crime is crime, and should be punished; but I do acknowledge racial disparities when they are present. I certainly do not agree with the "free ride" notion you have presented. Like I said before, behavior profiling is one thing, racial profiling is completely different. Also as I have said in other threads, black Americans may be the majority of the prison population, but the majority of black Americans are law abiding citizens.
As far as your comments about littering. Again, provide documentation. Also, the public official should be blasted about being racist if he commented on all the trash "blacks" were throwing on the ground. I seriously doubt that blacks are the only, or the predominant, littering offenders in said city.
