4/11/2007

Crime Surge in England: Tony Blair Blames Black Culture

Possibly Bill Cosby could get away with something like this, but politicians really take a big risk discussing these topics. Black on black crime, whether it is in the US or the UK, inflicts a massive cost on the black community. My own belief is that a stricter law enforcement system with more real penalties would help. If you increased arrest and conviction rates in those communities, my guess is that crime would also go down there.

Tony Blair yesterday claimed the spate of knife and gun murders in London was not being caused by poverty, but a distinctive black culture. His remarks angered community leaders, who accused him of ignorance and failing to provide support for black-led efforts to tackle the problem. . . . .

Giving the Callaghan lecture in Cardiff, the prime minister admitted he had been "lurching into total frankness" in the final weeks of his premiership. He called on black people to lead the fight against knife crime. He said that "the black community - the vast majority of whom in these communities are decent, law abiding people horrified at what is happening - need to be mobilised in denunciation of this gang culture that is killing innocent young black kids".

Mr Blair said he had been moved to make his controversial remarks after speaking to a black pastor of a London church at a Downing Street knife crime summit, who said: "When are we going to start saying this is a problem amongst a section of the black community and not, for reasons of political correctness, pretend that this is nothing to do with it?" Mr Blair said there needed to be an "intense police focus" on the minority of young black Britons behind the gun and knife attacks. The laws on knife and gun gangs needed to be toughened and the ringleaders "taken out of circulation". . . .

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4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Has America really overcome its ugly past of racism and discrimination? You decide, as you read Mark Rosenkranz's interviews with eight different people, including Brian Swann (brother of the former Pittsburgh Steelers star Lynn Swann who was also the 2006 gubernatorial candidate for the state of Pennsylvania.) Is it racism, or simply white male privilege? Either way, it is an issue that remains to be grappled with.

4/12/2007 1:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Has humanity as a whole repudiated its ugly past of racism, sexism, fascism, bigotry and cruelty?

Judging by humanity's *present* state, I think it's safe to say that it hasn't...and won't.

Whining about slavery & racism - and trying to blame America for everybodys' woes & wantsb - is pathetic.

-dk

4/13/2007 10:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't ask the good black citizens of England to face down a criminal with a knife unless you're willing to give the good folks a right to have a gun.

Doug in Colorado

4/13/2007 3:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, anonymous, name me one country anywhere in this world at any time where there has been more freedom and more opportunity for everyone, regardless of race creed or color. Humans aren't perfect. Human society is not and won't ever be perfect. The problem is in the human heart. America has gone farther and overcome more than any other country I am aware of.
Doug in Colorado again.

4/13/2007 3:32 PM  

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