Black Lives Matter, supported by many in the press and a large number of politicians, selectively pick tragic police encounters with blacks to accuse the country of systemic racism. The result of this focus on finding and emphasizing the worst in America has been riots, resentment, deaths, and a setback of race relations by 50 years. According to the Washington Post, in 2019 there were 13 unarmed blacks killed by police, out of a population of 47 MILLION BLACKS. From the last EIGHT YEARS, BLM picks a tiny sampling. They further distort the facts by accusing those involved, who are not black, of racism - without proof - and in some cases with outright lies about the facts - as in the case of Michael Brown. In this case, a city burned because politicians and the press repeated events that were fabricated. "Hands up, don't shoot" was a repeated fictional event. It's still being repeated today. It never happened.

In the two cases that inspired the movement, Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin, the courts and the justice department found NO EVIDENCE OF RACISM.

Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, Daunte Wright.

These names are repeated, used as slogans, to fuel anger. A more humane and useful examination would explore what commonalities, other than race, did these mostly troubled citizens share, that led them to the altercation and the tragedy of their death, and how could it have been prevented.

I am Daunte Wright - 2021

Developing story. Wright was shot while resisting arrest.

Daunte Wright: Shot once as he broke free from police and jumped into the driver's seat of his car. He was shot accidentally as evidenced by the video where the officer yells “Taser, Taser!” during the arrest, apparently unaware that she’d pulled out her handgun when she fired the single shot that killed the 20-year-old man. After being shot Wright continued to flee, driving several blocks before crashing the vehicle. The officer who was arresting Mr. Wright was black. The officer who shot him was white. Mr. Wright's mother is white. This incident has nothing to do with race. Mr. Wright had an outstanding warrant for a violating parole, having been seen in possession of a gun on social media posts. The open warrant for his arrest related to an aggravated armed robbery attempt where he choked and attempted to rob a woman at gun point. Brooklyn Center City Manager Curt Boganey (a black man) was fired, Monday, after suggesting that the police officer involved in the shooting death of Daunte Wright should be afforded due process before being fired from her job.

I am Jacob Blake - 2020

UPDATE April 2021. The officer who shot Mr. Blake (Sheskey) said he was in fear for his life as Blake had a knife in his possession, and that he also feared that Blake's intent was to drive away, kidnapping the children in the car. Officer Sheskey was investigated by the District Attorney's office, the State's Department of Justice, an outside agency and an independent expert. Sheskey was cleared of wrong doing and returned to duty.

Jacob Blake: Struck by four bullets fired by police in his back. Various sources report that the police were called , that he had or was thought to have a knife, that he was tased with no effect, that he had fought with police, that officers did not know if he had a gun in the car. That he was involved in a domestic dispute. He forcibly took the keys from his girlfriend and was taking their children with him in her car. He was known to police. Online court records indicate Kenosha County prosecutors charged Blake on July 6 with third degree sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct in connection with domestic abuse. An arrest warrant was issued the following day. We can say that he was not shot because he was black, but because - even with officers ordering him to stop - he attempted to drive away, apparently armed with a knife, with three children in the car and in the middle of a domestic dispute.

Kamela Harris, Vice Presidential Candidate, "Yet another black man shot by police... It's all too familiar... Tragically common in country."

I am Eric Garner - 2014

Garner had been arrested by the NYPD more than 30 times since 1980 on charges such as assault, resisting arrest, and grand larceny

Eric Garner: Eric Garner's death was an accident. He did not die of racism. There was no intent to kill him. The intent was to restrain him after he resisted arrest. The sergeant who was supervising the arrest was an African-American and she at no point interceded. She stated, "The perpetrator's condition did not seem serious and he did not appear to get worse". Cause of death was compression of neck (a 15 second choke hold), and then compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police. Asthma and heart disease were cited as contributing factors. When the policeman approached Garner from behind and attempted to handcuff him, Garner pulled his arms away, saying, "Don't touch me, please." The policeman then placed his arm around Garner's neck and pulled him backward in an attempt to bring him to the ground. Garner was a much larger man. How would you have handled this situation if you were the policeman? What reasons are given for saying this was a racist killing by police?
Eric Garner - Wikipedia

I am Michael Brown - 2014

Michael Brown commited a strong arm robbery at a nearby market. Shortly thereafter he refused to follow officer's instructions. Tried to grab officer's gun. Charged at officer. U.S. Department of Justice concluded that Wilson (the officer) shot Brown in self-defense. (Justice Dept report) .

Michael Brown: Committed a strong arm Robbery, assaulting the store owner. When instructed by the police to move out of the street, he argued. He grabbed the policemen's gun. Wilson, the policeman, shot Brown saying he feared for his life. Forensic evidence and credible witnesses corroborated Wilson's account. Brown did not have his hands up when he was shot. The cause of death was not racism. It was violent confrontation. If he had obeyed the policeman's instructions he'd be alive today.
Michael Brown - Wikipedia

I am Trayvon Martin - 2012.

Trayvon Martin had ealier been expelled from school for bringing a gun to a high school basketball game. He was expelled more than once. When this incident occurred he was in the middle of another expulsion. He'd bragged about multiple fist fights - he was proud of his fighting abilities. Shortly before this incident he texted a friend “U got heat??”. Among the last words Martin said on the phone to his girlfriend was that he was being followed by a "Creepy ass Cracker". (Troubled Background).

Trayvon Martin: Trayvon Martin physically attacked a neighborhood Watch volunteer, George Zimmerman. Zimmerman had been watching the neighborhood for months. Suspicious of Martin, he dialed 911 and followed Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin physically attacked Zimmerman. He knocked him down, then straddled and punched him repeatedly. Cries for help from Zimmerman were heard before Trayvon was shot. The trajectory of the bullet shows that Martin was on top of Zimmerman when he was shot. The cause of death was not racism. It was violent confrontation. Zimmerman suffered a broken nose and lacerations to the back of his head.A jury of his peers found Zimmerman not guilty. Martin could have asked Zimmerman "Why are you following me?" and he'd be alive today. Civil rights investigations were conducted by the Justice Department and the FBI. Both were terminated for lack of evidence.
Trayvon Martin - Wikipedia

I am Ahmaud Arbery - 2020.

Ahmaud Arbery was on probation for a shoplifting conviction. He was arrested and charged in December 2017 (Video) . A month earlier, in November 2017, he argues with a police officer "Bitch, damn, shit, boy, you can't touch me", "I’m in a F*ck*ng park! What the F*ck you talking about?" (Video) . In that incident, even though he curses at the police, even though they find his license is suspended, even though and there is a strong suspicion of drug use, they let him go.

Ahmaud Arbery: Ahmaud grabbed the gun of an armed man who was attempting to arrest him. He hit the man full force with his right fist. The cause of death was not racism. It was violent confrontation. Had Ahmaud stopped at any point and said "What's the problem?" he would be alive today.
Ahmaud Arbery - Wikipedia

I am George Floyd - 2020.

Floyd was sentenced to jail terms eight times on various charges, including drug possession, theft and trespass. In 2009 he was sentenced to five years in prison for armed robbery in a home invasion and was paroled in January 2013. Although he appeared to be turning his life around at the time of this death he was high on Fentanyl and had passed a counterfeit note, which is why the police were called.

George Floyd: At least one officer, Derek Chavin*, clearly applied excessive force. There is no evidence of racism except that the officer is white and Mr. Floyd is black. One of the officers charged is an African-American and one is Asian. Initial contact with police was in response to a 911 call after Mr. Floyd used a fake bill at a local store. Mr. Floyd was described as 'drunk' by the complainant. When police approached Mr. Floyd was highly agitated and fearful, a large man, he refused to cooperate and physically resisted police instructions when placed under arrest. The cause of death was not racism. It was improper police methods of restraint coupled with intoxication and pre existing health problems.
George Floyd - Wikipedia

* Derek Chavin had multiple complaints against him in his career. The only other incidents we know the details of, other than George Floyd, was his abuse of white citizens. One involved his forcibly removing a white women Melissa Borton from her car for a minor traffic stop. The other complaint was filed against him by Kristofer Bergh when he and four of his white teenage friends were mistreated by Chavin. Thus, the available record shows that Chavin used excessive force across all races. But the media and BLM focus only on the black and white component of his interaction with George Floyd to promote race as the motivation.

I am Breonna Taylor

Her involvement was due to her long term relationship with the criminal suspect police were tracking, Jamarcus Glover. Glover, a boyfriend of four years that she purportedly broke up with the previous month, was seen visiting her house. He repeated in a phone call that he had given her money to hold for him. Police suspected that her house was used as a drug drop for Glover. Her new boyfriend shot and wounded a policeman as police entered the house - thinking it was Glover (NY Times 8-30-20). Brianna was killed in the return fire from police.

Breonna Taylor: Shot in the hallway of her home. Police returned fire after her boyfriend shot a plain clothed police officer, as the officers entered the home, after knocking. Tragically had the police not knocked, they would have entered without being fired upon. If they had not knocked and announced their presence, the boyfriend would not have had time to find his gun and set himself up at the end of the hallway, facing the front door. He and Breonna would have been safely in bed. Breonna's death was caused by the boyfriend shooting at police with Breonna standing at his side. The problem is not racism. It was the police executing a lawful warrant being fired upon.
Breonna Taylor - Wikipedia

If racism is truly systemic, and if the police are in fact racist looking to harm, to kill, innocent blacks across the country, then why are these few incidences largely limited to individuals who had troubled lives, who were familiar with violence and criminal activity, or even when innocent, participated in the violent exchange (Breonna Taylors’ boyfriend shot first, wounding a police officer). Where is the black teacher, postman, engineer, graduate student, lawyer, accountant, construction worker, federal employee, store manager, garbage collector, councilman, who has been shot and killed by police, just for being black?

There is only one group in America that truly cares about the lives of black people in the urban ghetto, and it's the American police officer who goes out there on a daily basis to protect who? Black people."

Sheriff David Clarke with Don Lemon on CNN.

Now black parents are fearful, and black children believe, that they hated by the police, and may be killed by them. But this is a dark, carefully built nightmare, designed to instill fear and mistrust. In each case below you will see that the individuals had criminal pasts, and/or were familiar with violence, and/or resisted or otherwise participated physically in the events that led to their deaths. These were not racist, biased killings, they were tragedies born out of violent circumstances.

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