Race Card!

[Annie]

Kerry playing the race card:

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=546079&section=news


But he lies:

“We’ve got more African Americans in jail than we do in college. That’s unacceptable,” he added.

http://www.usefulwork.com/shark/archives/002309.html

In fact, it seems that there are more than twice as many African Americans in college than in jail.

U.S. Census Bureau (2000): African Americans in college: 2,224,181

U.S. DoJ Office of Justice Programs: "Prison and Jail Inmates at MidYear 2003" (p.11): "Table 13. Number of inmates in state or federal prisons or local jails" -- Black Americans in jail: 899,200.

Those nearly 900,000 incarcerated African Americans still represent a tragic waste of lives and potential. But fortunately, things are not nearly as gloomy as John Kerry wants to believe they are.

It's possible that Kerry is basing his claims on other data, but it would be interesting to learn what his sources are.

UPDATE: As a commenter notes below, this Kerry howler was already debunked a month ago. But then why is Kerry still making the same claim today? What kind of an echo chamber is his campaign that none of the staff read Kerry's sharpest critics? Not a good sign for those who look to Kerry to improve intelligence capabilities or cure government agencies of their dysfunctional groupthink culture.

FOLLOW-UP: A deeper examination of census data reveals the surprising (for me, at least) observation that blacks are proportionately better represented in college than whites are.

FOLLOW-UP 2: Jesse Jackson is also repeating the canard that "there are more African Americans in jail than in college"

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 12, 2004 08:18 PM

 

[Avatar4321]

Interesting how he expects to get the black vote after essentially telling them they are garbage...sad that he probably will get alot of it.

 

[Annie]

Originally posted by Avatar4321
Interesting how he expects to get the black vote after essentially telling them they are garbage...sad that he probably will get alot of it.

I hope that the black community is getting much more savvy than the dems give them credit for. Those I know certainly are and don't take kindly to this kind of condescension.

 

[freeandfun1]

as more and more black Americans gain wealth, the left will start losing them to the GOP. You are already starting to see that. Furthermore, the more left the Democratic party gets in regards to social issues, the more they will lose the black vote. The Democrats seem to forget that a lot of black Americans are big time "Bible thumpers".

 

[Annie]

Originally posted by freeandfun1
as more and more black Americans gain wealth, the left will start losing them to the GOP. You are already starting to see that. Furthermore, the more left the Democratic party gets in regards to social issues, the more they will lose the black vote. The Democrats seem to forget that a lot of black Americans are big time "Bible thumpers".

Being in DuPage County, we're already seeing it. I had the 'honor' of being at the rally where Jack Ryan announced he would not fight the opening of his divorce proceedings. There had to be 50 blacks out of 300 guests. They were as raucus as the rest, for the same results. In this county, one of the most Republican and wealthiest, the blacks are as much conservative as the rest. They need to protect their future.

They will back Bill Cosby take, be it Dem or Rep. it's the message of success and enablement.

 

[TheOne]

I am not making any apologies for Kerry, but it seems there is some data that backs up his claims.

For starters, the Justice Policy Institute released a study in 2002 that mirrors exactly what Kerry was saying:

article

Or maybe Kerry read the following article from the ASA from May of this year which stated that

Being jailed in federal or state prisons has become so common for African Americans today that more young black men in the United States have done time than have served in the military or earned a college degree

article

Kerry may have mispoken based on this data. I think it is evident from these reports anyway, that the problem does exist and is an issue.

Doesn't look like what Kerry said was that big of deal.

 

[phadras]

is due to Republicans? I don't get the connection....
Or maybe Carrie oops Kerry is just blaming society in general...

 

[TheOne]

It didn't seem he was blaming the GOP for the problem itself, but stacking it up against the tax cuts for the wealthy. I think he is blaming the GOP for inaction and deference to the upper class. I also think Kerry is trying to capitalize on Bush deciding not to attend any NAACP meetings since he was elected.

I may have interpreted it wrong, but that's what he seems to be saying based on that Reuter's report.

 

[Annie]

Originally posted by TheOne
I am not making any apologies for Kerry, but it seems there is some data that backs up his claims.

For starters, the Justice Policy Institute released a study in 2002 that mirrors exactly what Kerry was saying:

article

Or maybe Kerry read the following article from the ASA from May of this year which stated that

Being jailed in federal or state prisons has become so common for African Americans today that more young black men in the United States have done time than have served in the military or earned a college degree

article

Kerry may have mispoken based on this data. I think it is evident from these reports anyway, that the problem does exist and is an issue.

Doesn't look like what Kerry said was that big of deal.

Not that hard to get the correct data. I know if I was black and middle/upper class I'd be damned mad to have someone running for government sending my kids the message that he/she has a better chance to be in prison than college, when it's not true at all.

 

[William Joyce]

More blacks are in prison than college because blacks are inherently less intelligent and prone to impulsiveness and violence. Much more testosterone courses through them than whites. This is a fact. It is a result of evolution. No policy or wishful thinking will change it, whether it comes from liberals or conservatives.

Blacks will not change. Whites will not change. The two will never get along. That only happens on TV and in the movies, so the dummies in the Midwest all believe it. I'd like to toss some of these jokers into East New York for a month and see what they think. Maybe then they'd be jolted from the warm and fuzzy propaganda.

 

[TheOne]

Not that hard to get the correct data. I know if I was black and middle/upper class I'd be damned mad to have someone running for government sending my kids the message that he/she has a better chance to be in prison than college, when it's not true at all.

And if I was black, I would be damned mad that Bush is the first sitting President since Herbert Hoover to not meet with the NAACP during his entire term of office.

 

[Annie]

And if I was black, I would be damned mad that Bush is the first sitting President since Herbert Hoover to not meet with the NAACP during his entire term of office.

So they may be mad. Truth is, last time he met and was treated badly. He doesn't have to appear where he is not wanted. Kinda like asking Kerry to appear on FOX or 700 Club.

 

[dilloduck]

And if I was black, I would be damned mad that Bush is the first sitting President since Herbert Hoover to not meet with the NAACP during his entire term of office.

There are many blacks who agree with Bushs decision not to speak there after Bond came out with his bullshit tirade !! They ALL don't suck up to the NAACP.

 

[Yurt]

How many minorities in Bush's inner circle?

How many black people were in Clinton's inner circle? Yet, he is still, the "black" president. If Kerry wins (hope not) be interesting to see how many in his inner circle are minorities.

 

[Annie]

right you are Yurt!

How many minorities in Bush's inner circle?

How many black people were in Clinton's inner circle? Yet, he is still, the "black" president. If Kerry wins (hope not) be interesting to see how many in his inner circle are minorities.

 

[insein]

ill direct you people to this thread.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8902

Bush has not dissed the black community. He has simply chosen to speak to those willing to listen.

 

[dilloduck]

Ya gotta love the NAACP defenders. They say that Bush should is too "thin skinned" and should ignore the insults and speak anyway. This is one of the most hypocrital things I've heard said in ages. WHO IS IT THAT WILL GO TO ANY LENGHTS TO POINT OUT RACIAL SLURS AND ATTACK THEM ? :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: