How did I break site guidelines? The comment I was replying to made wildly exaggerated claims about police violence and racism. I am simply trying to improve the quality of discussion by focusing on what the evidence actually allows us to conclude.
I understand that for controversial topics many people have deeply held beliefs and so experience a strong emotional reaction if they are questioned. It is easier to dismiss someone as a "troll" rather than examining why they hold these beliefs.
This was admittedly my lowest quality comment, but it is hard to see what was objectionable about the previous three comments, which were almost instantly flagged. The statistical evidence points to a very small role for racial bias in explaining differences in the use of deadly force by the police. What's wrong with pointing that out when it is directly relevant to the discussion?
A selective list of video clips does not prove anything about racial bias in the use of deadly force by the police - the whole motivation for the riots that are causing so much destruction throughout the country.
Copying lists of videos is not an attempt at meaningful discussion.
Like most commentary from the mainstream press, it assumes that there is strong evidence and reason to believe that police use deadly force in a racially biased way. But the percentage of black people killed by the police is actually lower than the percentage of violent crimes, homicides and police killings that are committed by black people. It's not clear why the the dominant narrative focuses on racial bias for which there is little strong evidence, rather than excess use of force in general.
There is no strong evidence for a racially biased use of deadly force by the police in the USA. It is crazy the entire public debate around this issue does not even question this assumption.
I understand that for controversial topics many people have deeply held beliefs and so experience a strong emotional reaction if they are questioned. It is easier to dismiss someone as a "troll" rather than examining why they hold these beliefs.
This was admittedly my lowest quality comment, but it is hard to see what was objectionable about the previous three comments, which were almost instantly flagged. The statistical evidence points to a very small role for racial bias in explaining differences in the use of deadly force by the police. What's wrong with pointing that out when it is directly relevant to the discussion?