'Black on Black' Crime Does Not Exist

'Black on black' crime does not exist. It is a false narrative created and perpetuated by the government, by the police and by the media to carry out stereotypes that aim to criminalize Black people. Here is how it works:

• If ‘black on black’ crime exists, and is perpetuated in the media, then Black people are narrated as NATURALLY and INHERENTLY violent, hence they are CRIMINALIZED.

• Once they are repeatedly criminalized in the media, the actions taken against Black people are JUSTIFIED. Police brutality, justified. Longer sentencing, and mass incarceration of Black and Brown people, justified. Carding, justified. Monitoring, justified. Karen and Kens out here policing Black people as they do everyday activities, justified. Systematic intervention into Black families (i.e. Black children have a far higher chance of being placed in foster care than white children), justified. High drop-out rates of Black students due to the failure of the educational system to provide an environment conducive to success, justified. White nationalists gunning down and murdering Black people, justified.

• The justification stems from the idea that Black people are inherently violent, that they are prone to become criminals or are secretly involved in criminal activities, even as they are taking a walk down the street, jogging, or sitting in their own backyard.

• Justification stems from this idea that Black people need to be monitored, policed, incarcerated, beaten, and killed, because they are naturally violent. Therefore these actions against them actually benefit society, by keeping ‘society’ safe from Black violent criminals.

The nay-sayers, the delusional, the racist and white nationalist, love to reference ‘black on black’ crime as a way to deflect from the issues that are actually happening. When Black and Brown people are murdered and brutalized by the police, public out-roar follows, and with that ignorant and misguided comments like:

‘why do you guys care so much when a white cop kills a black man, when ‘black on black’ crime kills more black people’

(Pause to kiss teeth and roll ya eyes at this foolishness)

In response to that comment and similar ones, I say… Black people who kill other Black people are not doing it because either of them is Black.

When a white police officer kills a Black man or woman, it is entirely about race. We have seen many incidents where white criminals resist arrest and survive, where they yell and cuss in the officer’s face and survive, where they fire their gun at the police and still make it out alive. We have seen KKK gatherings where white nationalists hold their rifles against their chest and don’t get tear-gassed, arrested, assaulted, or beaten. Police brutality on Black and Brown bodies is ENTIRELY a race issue. Racism is sewn into the very fabric of every single institution. Racists who carry badges, abuse their power and their position to beat and murder Black and Brown men and women.

To then compare that to Black people who kill other Black people is completely misguided (and utter bullshit) because there is NO connection.

The issue in regard to Black people murdering their ‘own’, is predominantly related to gang violence. To label it ‘black on black’ crime is to label gang violence as a ‘black issue’. The government would rather label it a ‘black issue’ than take responsibility for gang violence. Don’t get me wrong, race does play a factor because gang and gang culture stems from poorer, disenfranchised neighbourhoods that are disproportionately made up of Black and Brown people. Now you must ask yourself WHY that is? Is it because Black and Brown people don’t have the motivation, the aspirations, the dreams, or the drive to succeed and get out of poverty? I mean, I’m sure they would like for you to believe that, but that is just not the case.

Black and Brown people make up most of these neighbourhoods because of systematic and institutional barriers that limit and hinder their means to reach success. Racism (that is day-day, but also prevalent in every single institution), discrimination, socio-economic oppression, and stereotypes all play their part in keeping Black people in poverty. I am not trying to generalize, there are plenty of accomplished, middle class, and rich Black people (who reach success regardless of the many barriers), I am just speaking directly about Black people who are living in these communities. Who are not only dealing with all the above-mentioned barriers but also poverty. Gang’s arise out of these communities. In my opinion, it is a means for disenfranchised black men (and women) to acquire some form of power. But there are many factors that contribute to it that I will not get into here. (Do your research!).

From my own experience of living and growing up in these communities, I know how much environment influences your psychological and emotional state, your actions, and your decisions. Most of these areas are falling apart, no care is taken, its dark, its grey, its rusting, its cracking. There are roaches and sometimes bed bugs. There are broken doors, and unkempt, broken-down laundry rooms. Like I said, no – to very minimal – care is taken. We are segregated from the rest of the city. Pocketed, back pocketed. On top of that, there are cameras and police who constantly monitor the neighbourhood, which aim to instill fear in the ones who live there. (Of course, there is beauty to be found, mostly in regard to the people who live there). But there is also pain, anger, and frustration. I truly believe, if the roles were reversed, and white people were placed in the same environment and forced to deal with all the same structural and institutional barriers solely based on the colour of their skin, they would act out in the same exact way.

It is not ‘blackness’ that facilitates gang culture, gang relations, or gang violence. It is about the environment, and the institutional barriers that stand on their backs, causing them to feel hopeless, broken and defeated. Instead of the government implementing plans and programs to help Black and Brown people in these communities to reach their goals, graduate and continue their studies, to reach all levels of success, and get out of poverty, they just heighten police presence and monitoring, turning the community into a prison. (Don't get me wrong, Black, and Brown people be achieving their goals and getting out of poverty on their own, but this is not true for everyone. And, like it should be, no?) If the government put as much effort into establishing programs that would help Black and Brown people succeed, as they do into the policing of Black and Brown people, I believe there would be FAR less gang violence.

I am not justifying gang violence. I am just saying THERE ARE LEVELS TO THIS SHIT.

Labeling gang violence as ‘black on black’ crime places all the fault and responsibility on Black people and Black communities. The government then excuses any involvement or fault. The issue of gang violence is not regarded as the CITYS problem, as the COUNTRYS problem, as the GOVENMENTS problem, as SOCIETYS problem. It is just a ‘black’ problem. Black people either need to fix it or continue to be policed, monitored, beaten, incarcerated, and murdered. There are no efforts or solid solutions put forth by the government that aims to get to the root of the issues that cause gang violence. Because if they were to peel back the skin and inspect the insides, blood would undoubtedly be on their hands. They would have to acknowledge how they have failed Black and Brown people. And that is just not a burden that they will ever carry.

And really, they do not want Black and Brown people to succeed. They do not value or respect Black and Brown lives. So, it becomes crucial for them to keep Black and Brown people stuck in poverty and prisons, and to make sure they are repeatedly criminalized.

So, there you have it.

I just want this piece to encourage people to do their own research. And to not allow the media to influence their perception of Black people. Do not allow people to devalue the lives of Black people, to disrespect the ones who have been murdered, by making non-existent connections, by placing blame on the victim and by praising the murderer as someone who was just doing their job. I just wanted to dissolve and break down the false narrative of ‘black on black crime’ and to speak to what is REAL, what is REALITY, what is TRUTH. Which is, unfortunately, too often missing when it comes to speaking, writing, and talking about Black people.

If we allow the oppressors to tell our stories, we will always be the villain. We will always be silenced.