By Sam Madden
(Updated: September 13, 2020, edited September 14, 2020
Original Publish Date: September 10, 2020)
Philosophy – “a particular set or system of beliefs resulting from the search for knowledge about life and the universe. a set of beliefs or an attitude to life that guides someone’s behavior.”
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/philosophy#:~:text=philosophy-,noun,philosophy%20a%20degree%20in%20philosophy
Epistemological – Philosophy
- The theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/epistemology - Systemic – “of or relating to an entire system” (Merriam Webster)
- Racism “A belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and race and that racial differences produces an inherent superiority of a particular race.” (Merriam Webster)
We know that racism exists in the United States but is it systemic? We will take a philosophical-epistemological approach to this question. - 1.) Can a Black person get into College – Yes
- 2.) Can a Black person get a high paying prestigious job – Yes
- 3.) Do Black people attend College and obtain high paying prestigious Jobs – Yes
- 4.) 1/3 of all Black Males have a felony on their record
5.) 52.7% of all homicides are committed by Blacks
6.) 50% of all violent crimes in the youth category are committed by Blacks. - 7.) Is it possible that a felon/criminal regardless of their race go to college and get a high paying prestigious job – Yes
- 8.) Is it likely that a felon/criminal regardless of their race will end up going to college and get a high paying prestigious job – No
- 9.) Can a Black Person get a law degree and also become a Judge – Yes
- 10.) Are there Black Lawyers and Black Judges – Yes
- 11.) Can a Black person be a Politician, even become a person of Congress or even President of the United States – Yes
- 12.) Are their Black congress persons, and has the United States ever had a Black President – Yes
13.) Which race is killed more every year at the hands of a police officer whether justified or not – Whites.
14.) Does the National Media and Social Media sensationalize the killing of a White person by a police officer – No- 15.) Does the National Media and Social Media sensationalize the killing of a Black person by a police officer – Yes
16.) How many blacks were victims of homicide in 2019 – 7,407
17.) How many blacks died in 2019 at the hands of a police officer whether justified or not – 234.- 18,) Definition of Systemic – “of or relating to an entire system” (Merriam Webster)
- 19.) Definition of Racism – “A belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and race and that racial differences produces an inherent superiority of a particular race.” (Merriam Webster)
Conclusion:- Systemic Racism does not exist in the United States, because if it did by definition, it would be system wide, and blacks would not be able to attend college, get jobs, become Lawyers, Doctors, a President of the United States, a politician, a Judge, Chiefs of Police, Professors at Colleges with PhD’s, etc.
Sam Madden is a Representative and Board Member for the Center For Pluralism. He can be reached at sam@centerforpluralism.com
Sources:
1.) https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2016/crime-in-the-u.s.-2016/topic-pages/tables/table-21
2.) https://news.uga.edu/total-us-population-with-felony-convictions/
3.) https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/IN10234.pdf
4.) https://edition.pagesuite.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=9f64c0a6-c354-4319-8f79-43048eb03a94&fbclid=IwAR3ihAiwhg9QB8oiUWAYGhb8mzbG8PlcNiDmFmk5dfzNXAiAj-CVeNHYD-4
5.) https://www.statista.com/topics/1750/violent-crime-in-the-us/
6.) https://www.statista.com/statistics/251877/murder-victims-in-the-us-by-race-ethnicity-and-gender/
7.) https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/Abstract.aspx?id=166110
8.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/police-shootings-2019/
9.) https://vpc.org/revealing-the-impacts-of-gun-violence/black-homicide-victimization/
10.) https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/
11.) https://www.npr.org/2019/07/26/745731839/new-study-says-white-police-officers-are-not-more-likely-to-shoot-minority-suspe?fbclid=IwAR2ji2_8ZBcEtmzJBkYd8R0hHfmE-LpOzO5_nrw3PpOZnMUNIjVm1TZeJNk
12.) https://centerforpluralism.com/death-of-george-floyd-and-racism/
13.) https://centerforpluralism.com/black-lives-matter-but-when/
14.) https://centerforpluralism.com/the-new-jim-crowe-by-michelle-alexander/