Suchergebnisse

ATTEMPTS TO UNDERSTAND CRIME PATTERNS AMONG BLACKS IN THE US HAVE SYSTEMATICALLY FAILED TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF SLAVERY & RESULTANT RACIST POLICIES ON BLACK SELF-ESTEEM. THE THESIS THAT CULTURAL DOMINATION WAS FUNDAMENTALLY MORE DAMAGING THAN ECONOMIC DOMINATION TO BLACK SELF-ESTEEM IS EXPLORED. THE RUTHLESS ATTACKS ON BLACKS & BLACK CULTURE, USUALLY JUSTIFIED BY LEGAL INTERPRETATIONS BY WHITES, DESTROYED THEIR FAITH THAT JUSTICE COULD BE SECURED IN THIS SOCIETY. DATA ARE PRESENTED WHICH INDICATE THAT SOCIAL INEQUALITIES HAVE BEEN PERPETUATED UNDER THE LAW & BLACKS WERE AWARE OF THIS. THE LAW APPEARS AS A MAJOR INSTRUMENT OF RACIAL OPPRESSION & HISTORICALLY MANY BLACKS HAVE RESISTED OPPRESSION THROUGH ILLEGAL ACTS. ECONOMIC OPPRESSION OF BLACKS UNDER THE LAW & THEIR RESISTANCE CREATED THE CONDITION IN WHICH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CRIME & PUNISHMENT LOST THE POWER TO CONSTRAIN ANTISOCIAL ACTS. BLACKS OFTEN SECRETLY ADMIRED RESISTANCE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO FELT OPPRESSED, WHILE WHITES DEVELOPED EXTREME PARANOIA THAT BLACKS WERE OUT TO TAKE THEIR LIVES & PROPERTY. THE EUPHEMISM 'CRIME IN THE STREETS' IS THE PERPETUATION OF THIS PARANOIA. BLACKS MAINLY VICTIMIZE BLACKS & CHANCES ARE FAR GREATER FOR A WHITE TO BE VICTIMIZED BY ANOTHER WHITE THAN BY A BLACK. THE PREDOMINANT CRIME PATTERN AMONG BLACKS IS AGAINST PROPERTY, & THE RATE IS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN FOR WHITES. IN CRIME AGAINST PERSONS, BLACK RATES ARE HIGHER THAN WHITE RATES. 4 TABLES. MODIFIED HA.

Attempts to understand crime patterns among blacks in the United States have systematically failed to consider the impact of slavery and resultant racist policies on black self-esteem. This paper explores the thesis that cultural domination was fundamentally more damaging than economic domination to black self-esteem. The ruth less attacks on blacks and black culture, usually justified by legal interpretations by whites, destroyed their faith that justice could be secured in this society. Data is pre sented which indicates that social inequalities have been perpetuated under the law and blacks were aware of this. Indeed, the law appears as a major instrument of racial oppression and, historically, many blacks have resisted oppression through illegal acts. Economic oppression of blacks under the law and their resistance created the condi tion in which the connection between crime and punishment lost the power to constrain antisocial acts. Blacks often secretly admired resistance, particularly those who felt op pressed, while whites developed extreme paranoia that blacks were out to take their lives and property. The euphemism "crime in the streets" is the perpetuation of this paranoia. The records show that blacks mainly victim ize blacks. Chances are far greater for a white to be victim ized by another white than by a black. The predominant crime pattern among blacks is against property, and the rate is not significantly higher than for whites. In crime against persons, black rates are higher than white rates.

Africans have, since the early settlement of America, influenced the nation's language, manners, religion, literature, music, art, and dance. One of our most crucial ur ban problems, the Negro low-status family, may have Afri can origins. In the realm of politics, the civil rights fight in America from its origin has been linked to the struggle for Af rican freedom, and American Negro intellectuals have identi fied with African culture from the beginning of the century, an identification accelerated since 1956 with the formation of the International Society of African Culture and the American So ciety of African Culture. American Negro leadership has col lectively thrown its considerable political weight on the side of African freedom, and black nationalist organizations have kept up a noisy gadfly agitation. In the midst of this, America must deal with a considerable African presence in the United Nations.

Africans have, since the early settlement of America, influenced the nation's language, manners, religion, literature, music, art, & dance. One of the US' most crucial Ur problems, the Negro Ls fam, may have African origins. In the realm of pol, the civil rights fight in the US has been linked from its origin to the struggle for African freedom, & US Negro intellectuals have identified with African culture from the beginning of the cent; this identification has been reinforced since 1956, with the formation of the Internat'I Society of African Culture & the Amer Society of African Culture. US Negro leadership has collectively thrown its pol'al weight on the side of African freedom, & black nat'list org's have maintained great agitation. In the midst of this, the US must deal with a considerable African oresence in the TIN_ AA.