It's really a two-step thing. First, there's the dichotomy, which it seem like you're starting to recognize, and that part is completely a priori. And then there's how you handle the dichotomy without direct evidence. Do you assume that the problem is the people, or do you assume that the problem is the system?
Until you have direct empirical evidence for one or the other, you should make no assumption at all. You should simply suspend judgment.
That's why I'm insisting that a simple disparity isn't evidence of anything.
You of all people should know that empiricism isn't the only means to knowledge.
If we are discussing an empirical matter of fact, we need empirical evidence. It's really that simple.
That's just a straw man. Racism doesn't always self-identify, and it isn't always even intentional. That doesn't mean it isn't racism.
Nonetheless, you get my point. Show me clear, unequivocal evidence of racism. Don't show me something that's open to interpretation. Show me something which is undeniably racist.
But you can't do that, can you? Because if you could have, then you and you other social liberals already would have.
Both is an acceptable answer in terms of the original construction. The dichotomy doesn't mean that only one answer is always the right one in every situation.
I'm still uncomfortable with the dichotomy as stated. Either systematic bias or else racial defect. I'll grant that the disparity is due either to the
operation of the system, the defect of the persons "caught" by the system, or else, both. I.e., there's a disparity either because:
1. The system works in such and such a way.
2. Because criminals work in such and such a way.
3. Or both 1 and 2.
In fact, I assert 3. Again, you insist on using these vague terms and formulations. I want to stick to the concrete:
There are lots of black convicts because:
1. There are lots of black criminals and
2. Police are good at catching them, DAs are really good at trying them and judges and juries are really good at putting them away.
And I repeat: there's nothing wrong with this.
All I'm asking is that the police work on catching white criminals as frequently as those of other colors, and prosecutors and judges work on sentencing equality.
1. What you are saying is racist. Why should it matter if they catch white criminals, black criminals, asian criminals, or whatever? They should be catching criminals. Period. If they're catching criminals, then the system works. It doesn't matter what the race of those criminals is.
2. You're assuming that all factors are equal. They may not be. Again, this sort of thing should be left to the discretion of the police, DAs, judges, etc. They should be doing whatever "works" and is suitable given their time, manpower, resources, etc.
It doesn't make sense for policemen to go looking in the suburbs for white criminals when the ghetto already is a known high crime area. If my goal were to catch criminals, then I would be going to go where I
know I can catch them. I would be going to go where I am getting a lot of reports of criminal activity.
Again, you cry "racism." I answer "common sense."
If people aren't reporting crimes in the white suburbs and the white suburbs aren't known to be particularly dangerous or infested with criminal activity, but the ghetto is, then the ghetto is where the police should be. It's really that simple.
If that produces a disparity, then so be it. There's nothing wrong with that. They're catching criminals. Mission accomplished.
The laws are a result of a political process that is supposed to be participatory. When it targets mostly minorities, it's easy for the majority to passively endorse it. But if the majorities were being impacted just as much as minorities, it might cause us to rethink how we handle prisoners and crime, and it might actually break the cycle for a lot of people.
What you are saying is utterly irrelevent when we are talking about law enforcement and criminal justice. The political interests of the people in question doesn't matter. Criminality alone is relevent.
You don't have a problem with crime?
Utter non sequitur.
So would I. It's not a part of my argument. I'm honestly not sure where you got it. There are only a few traits, even genetic ones, that are absolutely binary like that. Even the BRCA1 and 2 genes only gives a highly elevated risk of breast cancer. But...a shockingly high proportion of black people in this country will end up there are some point in their lives.
Yes. A shockingly high proportion of black people in the country will end up in prison...because a shockingly high proportion of black people in the country are criminals.
Again: so what?
As far as I know, police don't have a habit of targetting middle class black people in the suburbs. They target and "profile" based what's proven, experientially, to be useful at catching criminals. It works.
There's no cause for complaint in any of this.
Specifically, which part? Use a dictionary if you need to.
You're rejecting a possibility simply on the grounds that it would be racist to assert it. I'm denying that you can deny something on those grounds. Maybe reality
is racist. We need empirical evidence to support or reject that.
Of course, black people who commit crimes should be punished, but that should happen in the same manner as white people who commit similar crimes, all the way from the initial discovery of the crime through prosecution, sentencing, and punishment.
No, not necessarily. The police should be doing whatever works the best.
If a disparity persists, let it be justified in concrete terms with evidence, not because you assume that there must be circumstances that justify the disparity.
Again, I deny that the disparity matters. The only way it would matter is if those black people were innocent. The job of the police is to catch criminals. It doesn't matter if those criminals are white, black or anything else. Who cares if way more black people are locked up than white people (ignoring, of course, the possibility that black people are more likely to commit various kinds of crimes)? Fact is, they're guilty and they deserve to be in prison. The job of the police is to catch criminals? Well, they've caught them!
They've done their jobs.
Who gives even a single fig what the racial numbers are? That's just stupid.