Yesterday, a couple dozen people calling themselves the "Occupy the Hood Movement" ripped Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn. Their complaint was the Flynn failed to answer their questions about the way Milwaukee Police treated the mother of a homicide victim in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Maybe these people have a point, maybe they don't.
Regardless, this is what this group chooses to be outraged about and this is who the group chooses to be outraged at? Wow!
In the first six months of 2012, there were 38 homicides in the City of Milwaukee. 33 of the victims were male. Of these 33: 1 victim was white, 3 were Hispanic and 29 were African-American. 29!
People often ask me about whether I believe the City of Milwaukee has become more dangerous over the last few years? My answer is: "yes and no".
The fact is that most portions of the City of Milwaukee are extremely safe and remarkably crime free. On the other hand, there are some sections of town that are, from the perspective of crime, the equivalent of urban war zones.
Similarly if you're a white male or a Hispanic male, your chances of being a homicide victim in the City of Milwaukee is remarkably low. You can't say the same thing about African-American males.
So, where's the outrage from the "Occupy the Hood Movement"?
I guess I understand why some members of the community are upset with what they perceive as insensitive police treatment of the mother of a homicide victim. Still, aren't we missing the big picture here?
Why isn't "Occupy the Hood" storming public meetings to complain about the homicide rate in the African-American community? Why aren't they staging sit-ins at the offices of the largely African-American politicians that represent their community and demanding action? Why aren't they spending less time protesting and more time trying to make a constructive difference in the community? Why aren't they calling out the criminal element that is terrorizing their community?
In other words, where's the outrage - and why isn't it being directed at the bad guys instead of the police (who are just trying to do their jobs)?
Just asking?
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