Before I try to answer directly it's worth pointing out that our perceptions are often subtly guided by media. In the UK, it's interesting to read certain newspapers when a person of colour has committed a crime. It's slightly different from when a similar crime is committed by a caucasian. In the case of the caucasian they might provide the individuals name, but they make no reference to race. But in the case of the Asian or the black they will make a very specific reference to race. Now the reality is that there aren't anymore crimes committed by minorities than by caucasians, but it sells copy. Why report on just another crime when you can add a subtle narrative to the story that gives it added weight?
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Now here's the thing about crime in the United States. First and foremost violent crime is committed overwhelmingly by what you might term the underclass regardless of race. The fact that as a proportion of society African Americans are more likely to be economically disadvantaged, it shouldn't be a big surprise that a disproportionate percentage of that demographic is involved in violent crime. But that doesn't mean that African American's commit more crimes than caucasians in absolute terms. The statistics don't support that. But the media never really adds context to their reporting. If a crime is committed by African Americans it seems to immediately become an indictment of the race as a whole. Why is that? Even if in absolute terms more crimes are committed by non-African Americans and no one uses that as a opportunity to associate those crimes with some cultural or genetic flaw in those races. There is an insidious narrative that indicates that while the battle for civil rights  were won in the 60s it will take a longer time for perceptions to change. But of course that doesn't excuse the fact that a disproportionate amount of crimes are committed within the African American community. But I would throw back this question, when you look at the data, an African American is far more likely to be given a harsher sentence than someone from another race. They commit crimes that are sentenced as custodial where a caucasian would receive a non-custodial sentence for the same thing. The difference in sentencing is well known and goes beyond discussions of statistical significance. It is blatant. We now see a situation in the United States where a significant proportion of the African American community is incarcerated which has devastating social consequences. You might say that the African American community needs to get its act together, should straighten itself out, seek to advance economically and combat all of its ills. I don't have a problem with that, I agree! But here's the thing, if you're not inside that community, it's hard to understand the lack of belief a significant proportion of them have in the American dream. They don't believe they'll be given the chance to succeed. They see the evidence in racially biased sentencing decisions and are naturally pessimistic about their chances. But then what about schools and education? Again this - to me - is a function of economics. It's a fact that the schools in areas dominated by African Americans are under-resourced, that's not a sufficient excuse by itself to suggest that there shouldn't be self advancement. But I find it strange that no attention is paid to the fact that this community has faced slavery, discrimination, economic disadvantage and yet there is this expectation that all of that history can be set aside. It's going to take a lot longer than a generation.
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And now to the police. Remember just a generation ago, police largely turned a blind eye to lynchings. It's not an easy thing within a previously oppressed community to change from perceiving your oppressor as the enemy to your protector. Look... I'm not saying that attacks against police should be forgiven. Far from it. That should carry the harshest penalty. I'm just saying that the police have made very little effort in a lot of communities to bring the communities in. The proportion of African Americans in some police forces is laughable in comparison to the population getting policed. Â This has to be worked on, but I can tell you this.. when a Sarah Bland can die from a trivial traffic stop, that you can be certain wouldn't have even resulted in an arrest if it had been a blond woman in exactly the same circumstance there's a problem. I want to make one thing very clear, I'm not suggesting a free pass for the African American community. Far from it. What I reject utterly is the kind of mentality that will argue that the actions of individuals can be used to indict an entire race, that's flat out racism. My natural instinct in that scenario is to try to put forward a clearer historical context in order to have a more objective view about what's actually going on.
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I hesitate to make any comment about the employment conditions in your workplace in Canada. You're there and I'm not. I'll only say this, you don't strike me as the sort of individual who would be particularly observant about whether discrimination is actually happening there or not. I don't mean to offend, although I accept that it's inevitable that you'll take umbrage about that comment. It's not directed at you specifically, but in general I find people don't often question a narrative which is supportive of their own personal needs. Its just human nature. I'll stop for now..
Yes I have been treated unfairly in my life. Â I have experienced discrimination. No I have never been displaced. Yes I have a relative who worked in a police force. Yes I've driven through some poor and violent parts of American cities, not Detroit though.
