In the first instance, a group of black women, including Harry Belafonte's daughter, claimed that two racist cops mistreated them. They made a big deal of it online. So the cops released the bodycam footage and found that the cops not only weren't even rude to them, but the cops were lighthearted and joking around. The women were even laughing... until they decided to scream racism. The video exposed their lies.
In the second instance, a black woman claimed to be harassed by a racist cop at a traffic spot in Virginia. She posted a tearful video in which she said: "I just was threatened by this police officer... all of my African-American and people of color out there are going to know exactly what I'm talking about." Enter the bodycam footage. The cop was calm, respectful and all business. He never said anything racist or hostile. In fact, she was the aggressor. She refused to sign the ticket, which caused him to inform her that he would need to arrest her and impound the car if she didn't. She signed. He thanked her. He left. The end... until the false video.
This is why lots of leftist and race groups now want the bodycams gone, because these videos are exposing the fraud that is their cry-racism industry. And with it, it will disprove the claim that the cops are out there harassing blacks, and that will kill one of the few tools left in the race baiting tool box. With that gone, the race baiting industry's already-shrinking influence will continue to shrink. The more that shrinks away, the more race relations will finally normalize.
15 comments:
I agree with your point about bodycams helping cops deflect spurious charges. However, I don't think it will impact the public debate because most people will believe what they want to believe, evidence be damned (unless the evidence suits theirs narrative).
Last and least I haven't heard about Harry Belafonte's daughter having a run in with police and Google turns up nothing. Are you talking about Bob Marley's granddaughter and the rented house?
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/09/california-police-release-bodycam-footage-defend-detaining-bob-marleys-granddaughter/
Anthony, My mistake. It's Bob Marley. I was watching a movie with Belafonte in it and got my wires crossed.
In terms of the effect, I think it will eventually change everything. The first thing is that most of the whites I know already don't believe claims of racism but had lacked proof. This is proof. And they will use it to argue with their moderate friends, who will eventually agree with them. That's about 70% of whites. The rest are doctrinaire liberals who are immune to evidence, but they're also a small minority.
Then comes the next phase. The conservative media will start to discuss these instances as normal. The liberal media, which tries to ignore these incidents, will try to respond and their response will essentially confirm what the conservatives are saying -- liberals are horrible at defending the lies they believe.
That will shift over even more people and eventually make these arguments untenable. At that point, the race industry will jump horses to keep the game alive. The problem is that they will be tarred by the opportunists who keep making this claim. The end result is that they face a real mess and even their allies won't believe their claims.
In my lifetime, I've seen the left abandon the religious, old people, Jews, and (currently in motion) gays. The race industry is a core constituency, but (1) the race industry isn't stupid and won't push a theory that brings snickers and eye rolls, (2) blacks are losing control over the Democrats to professional women, and (3) black demographics mean that black influence is collapsing AND the rise of other minorities (Asians, Hispanics) means a growing hostility to black issues.
A) Motive is irrelevant what matters is what misconduct. Misconduct is rare but it happens.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/north-carolina-officer-beats-black-man-accused-of-jaywalking-in-bodycam-video_us_5a9990ace4b0479c02520ffb
Doesn't matter. People will watch the videos that support what they want to believe. As it stands cops have little to fear from juries (one can count convictions on on hand) but departments are willing to fire cops who cross the line. I suspect that will be the case for the foreseeable future.
B) I don't think blacks controlled the Democrats pre or post Obama but I agree influence is declining due to demographics.
The race industry and every other victim based industry is stronger than ever. Both parties are filled with and led by people who perpetually whine about victimization and conspiracies. Those people (even those with seemingly conflicting delusions) support each other.
I agree, Andrew,
Although I would
Still like to
See politicians wearing body cams.
Body cams have definitely proved to be a major asset, haven't they? Glad they're shutting down so much of the lies and BS the identity politics industry is churning out. I hope you're right about them being a key part of moving forward on race issues but sadly I suspect Anthony is right, at least to an extent. From what I've seen it's not so much that the general public buys their garbage as much as it is that the SJWs scare people of influence into kowtowing to them and get their way through that. It does seem like far too many people ignore evidence like the cam footage, too. Either way I'm beyond sick and tired of these identity politics nuts crapping all over everything... I really hope you're right, Andrew.
DC completed a landmark study of body cams late last year. They found no significant difference in police behavior or number of complaints before vs. after the implementation of body cameras. The various interpretations are predictable. Officials say it shows that the police were already doing their job properly. Critics say it shows body cameras don't change police behavior.
Of course, those aren't different interpretations at all, are they?
Thanks Allena! That would be a fantastic idea. LOL!
Daniel, It's important to keep in mind that the SJW's don't matter. You will never change minds on the left. But left and right ultimately don't matter. What matters is who wins the apolitical center. Those people don't like conflict to begin with and they definitely aren't going to side with the left if there is a growing body of evidence of crying wolf.
What I see happening is not that identity politics goes away, but it becomes an impossible sell to the people they left needs to win.
tryanmax, I've seen people on the left try to explain it away by saying without explaining it. My personal favorite quote (from memory) was "the cameras aren't showing what they were supposed to, so they are useless and need to go."
Wrap your head around that one.
Anthony,
(A) You need to differentiate between voters who can be swayed and those whose ideas are fixed. You can't change those who are fixed. But most people (at least whites and some minorities) fall into the category of not holding firm opinions. A growing evidence of wolf-crying will sway those people and eliminate the ability of the race industry to win those people over.
(B) Blacks have never controlled the Democrats, but they have been the second or third most important group and have punched way above their numbers. But their influence has been fading.
1970's -- victims of Jim Crow... wonderful optics. Blacks become the wedge for affirmative action, welfare/Great Society socialism
1980's -- blacks still wedge for affirmative action, and now also gerrymandering, blackmailing of corporate America, tarring GOP as racist. But Great Society in retreat.
1990's -- rise of feminists and atheists/gays pushes blacks further down the food chain in Democratic Party. Deals to gerrymander limit influence within Democratic Party. Affirmative action in retreat. Blackmailing corporate America peaks (with radio stations). Still used to tar GOP, but this is causing white flight to the GOP. The South shifts to the GOP.
2000's -- gerrymandering overturned. Affirmative action overturned. Corporate America discovers Hispanics as new preferred minority, reducing influence on television and ability to blackmail companies. GOP now controls most whites and starts fighting back against racism charge.
2010s -- Racism charge is all the influence that is really left, but racism charge loses effect. BLM tries to revive the charge with claims of violence against blacks. Bodycams disproving. BLM royally pisses off Democrats... white professional women/teacher's union women seize control of Dems, shaky relationship with BLM.
This is not a happy timeline for black influence.
Well said, Andrew!
Most people I know are sick of the fringes.
Many of which, you have talked about.
They respect civility, good character, manners and human decency.
1) Given that your position is that soon everyone will reach a point where evidence doesn't matter because they know a basic truth (X group is always innocent or always guilty), and my position is that evidence doesn't matter already, our only disagreement seems to be timing.
2) Blacks never really had that much of an agenda for the Democrats so while I agree about the decline in influence I'm not sure it will impact voting patterns.
Black voters tend to go as far left as is viewed as doable. That results in very liberal local candidates (most of whom are too liberal for national office, well to the left of even Obama) but means they tend to go along with whatever liberalish person looks most likely to win at a national level (black voters lagged behind whites when it came to throwing support behind candidate Obama in 2008).
Moving onto another subject, as I've said for a few years now, Black Lives Matter owed its brief bout of popularity to a chasm between what was seen on video and what happened to the perpetrators. That gap was mostly closed a while ago and neither politicians nor the general public (juries usually don't convict cops who cross the line even if the misconduct is on videotape) were involved. Cops who cross the line have the support of many politicians and a big chunk of the public, but their departments tend to cut them loose and that is enough to discourage future bad behavior and quell protests.
http://commentaramapolitics.blogspot.com/2015/08/lions-black-people.html
The latest cop involved in a squirrely shooting of a black guy (in Cincinnati) is being prosecuted and charged with murder so its not a good time for the black lives matter movement.
http://commentaramapolitics.blogspot.com/2016/08/black-lives-manifesto.html
Video is a beautiful thing because it means less having to take things on faith. It will benefit most cops because most are honest, fair minded and competent. There are exceptions to the rule and video is going to hurt those exceptions.
Thanks Allena. I think it's true and that's why I periodically point out how small the audiences are for politics compared to other things and that most people outside of the political class don't share the fringe views of the political class. I really think there is a huge disconnect between the political class and the public, not only in terms of values but in terms of what they want to see done.
Anthony,
Given that your position is that soon everyone will reach a point where evidence doesn't matter because they know a basic truth
That's not my position at all. In fact, I'm saying the opposite. I'm saying that as the evidence piles up that people are crying wolf, the idea that this stuff is real will be replaced with the idea that it is not real. That doesn't mean instances can't be proven. What it does mean is that the public will no longer accept the idea that "blacks" are put upon by the cops... though individual blacks may still show that they were abused. Right now, the race industry relies on people believing that this is both true and a societal issue. Crying wolf will kill that.
(2) Blacks never really had that much of an agenda for the Democrats
Affirmative action, minority set asides, gerrymandering, shared political power/appointments, reparations, anti-discrimination laws, shakedowns of corporations, "hate crime" legislation, criminal justice reform, etc. etc. You don't think that's a massive agenda?
so while I agree about the decline in influence I'm not sure it will impact voting patterns.
I don't think it will change black voting patterns, because the black community is pretty stuck ideologically. That's why the Democrats can take advantage of them. What I suspect will happen is that black enthusiasm will fall and you'll see a couple percentage point drop, which is bad in a 50/50 world.
1) If you think most people will be willing to let facts get in the way of whatever narrative they prefer to believe, you are more optimistic than I. Time will tell.
2) I'm going to address all of your points.
A. I have seen no evidence affirmative action is something most blacks care much about (honestly its probably more of a rallying cry for white Republicans). In recent years it has been less of a issue of discussion than the Voting Rights Act.
I suspect the problem is while most don't vote, even fewer benefit from affirmative action. Affirmative action is more of a middle/upper class benefit and most blacks aren't in that class.
B) Gerrymandering has been a thing since forever and is not specifically a black thing (lawmakers like to carve themselves safe seats) though of course seats were once carved out for black lawmakers.
C) The expectation of 'shared political power/appointments' is a crime every group participating in power is guilty of.
D) Anti-discrimination laws are a particular concern of blacks so I agree with you there.
E) 'Shakedowns of corporations' is a bad thing everyone engages in (contribute to X politician's favorite cause or stop contributing to their least favorite cause).
F) I agree with you on hate crime legislation.
G) Criminal justice reform is pretty common talk on both sides of the aisle, but like affirmative action its not something blacks seem to feel strongly about/vote on. Bill Clinton campaigned on being tough on crime (he didn't want to be Willie Hortoned) and he enjoyed strong support from most black voters.
As for black enthusiasm falling, I think that will be more contingent on the presidential candidates than anything else.
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