(05-10-2019 06:59 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-10-2019 06:07 PM)ausowl Wrote:  But, when I look at the both the data and reflect on my life experience (including: Reagan HS grad, long time VLS volunteer, kids in AISD, helped pick a jury in a police brutality case within the last 2 years, worked with and rep'd APD officers), I don't understand how someone residing in the US in 2019 can argue that our criminal justice system and policing are free of racial bias.
Recognizing a systemic imbalance in outcome and that racial bias might factor into that equation doesn't necessitate throwing out procedural equality. Granted a danger, but not required.

Recognizing an imbalance in outcome is not the same as concluding that racial bias is systemic and overwhelming. I would never assert that there is no racial bias anywhere. But I think blaming it all on racial bias is a cheap trick that may bring political hay but fails to address other non-racial-bias causes that need to be addressed.

You have white suburban kids growing up being told that police officers are your friend and should be obeyed, and black inner city kids growing up being told that cops are racist and cannot be trusted. Now assume you have an interaction between officer and citizen where both have some reasonable fear of death or injury being a possible outcome. White suburban kid or black inner-city kid, which one is going to end better?

Neither experience nor data support "blaming it all on racial bias". Agree with you about the political hay making.

But conflating a mention of racial bias as one of several factors with "blaming it all on racial bias" is equally problematic.

White suburban kid with an ounce of MJ and A-A inner-city kid with an ounce of MJ. Which one gets his car searched, which one gets a warning/pass, which one gets a decent attorney?

Your example and my example can both be true.

Criminal justice reform is interesting since you can come at from very different perspectives and wind up in the same place.