But allow a quick quibble with the assertion that the increased police scrutiny, increased police awareness of Black behavior, which quite predictably results from racially imbalanced crime rates, is somehow unfair. It's not.
If you and I are playing basketball...and you average 25 points / game shooting from beyond the 3-point-arc, is it 'unfair' if we double-team you when you go outside? Of course not. Indeed, it's eminently fair because your demonstrated scoring ability directly threatens us (and our ability to win the game). We'd be stupid if we didn't recognize the threat that you represent. We'd be extraordinarily stupid if we defended you the same way we defend your 7' center who misses every shot beyond 3 ft.
Fairness is not treating everyone equally. It's treating everyone according to their merit, in accordance with what they've earned and what they 'deserve'. If I shovel Bill's sidewalk and you don't. It would be unfair if Bill gave us both, $5. Conversely, it would be entirely fair if Bill gave me the $5 I earned and gave you nothing. You'd be unhappy, but the outcome would be absolutely fair.
So, if we consider the Police the same way we'd consider a defensive BBall Team, then their increased scrutiny of a population segment well-recognized as much more prone to commit criminal acts would be both entirely fair....and entirely frustrating to the good people being scrutinized simply because they're members of a demographic which commits proportionally more crimes.
Undoubtedly. I'd hate it if I were a member of a demographic which was, by nature, more subject to police scrutiny because it was, by nature, statistically more prone to commit criminal acts.
Men are much more subject to police scrutiny than women. And statistically more prone to commit criminal acts. So if you’re male you’re in that demographic. But it’s a pretty boring conversation I guess. Considering I never hear any conversations about that. It doesn’t really serve anyone’s narrative.
Yes,
But allow a quick quibble with the assertion that the increased police scrutiny, increased police awareness of Black behavior, which quite predictably results from racially imbalanced crime rates, is somehow unfair. It's not.
If you and I are playing basketball...and you average 25 points / game shooting from beyond the 3-point-arc, is it 'unfair' if we double-team you when you go outside? Of course not. Indeed, it's eminently fair because your demonstrated scoring ability directly threatens us (and our ability to win the game). We'd be stupid if we didn't recognize the threat that you represent. We'd be extraordinarily stupid if we defended you the same way we defend your 7' center who misses every shot beyond 3 ft.
Fairness is not treating everyone equally. It's treating everyone according to their merit, in accordance with what they've earned and what they 'deserve'. If I shovel Bill's sidewalk and you don't. It would be unfair if Bill gave us both, $5. Conversely, it would be entirely fair if Bill gave me the $5 I earned and gave you nothing. You'd be unhappy, but the outcome would be absolutely fair.
So, if we consider the Police the same way we'd consider a defensive BBall Team, then their increased scrutiny of a population segment well-recognized as much more prone to commit criminal acts would be both entirely fair....and entirely frustrating to the good people being scrutinized simply because they're members of a demographic which commits proportionally more crimes.
Point taken. I guess I really meant that it "seems" or "feels" unfair to upstanding black people, which no doubt it does.
Undoubtedly. I'd hate it if I were a member of a demographic which was, by nature, more subject to police scrutiny because it was, by nature, statistically more prone to commit criminal acts.
Men are much more subject to police scrutiny than women. And statistically more prone to commit criminal acts. So if you’re male you’re in that demographic. But it’s a pretty boring conversation I guess. Considering I never hear any conversations about that. It doesn’t really serve anyone’s narrative.