Lashawn Martin, an African American, age 40, received a sentence of 25 years in jail for punching Jeffery Babbit in the face. Babbit was a white male, 65, who was innocently and unsuspectingly entering the subway at Union Square in New York City. Babbit was hit with such force, he collapsed, slammed his head, and died a few days later. Martin then hit a few more white people, who came to help Babbit.
Martin had a long history of hitting innocent white people, including a couple of cops. The longest sentence he ever spent was 30 days. He had a history of schizophrenia and of going on and off his medication. He had been living in a homeless shelter and played chess for money at Union Square.
Martin claimed he was off his medication and was angry at white people. Someone speculated that perhaps a white person had just beat him at chess.
Many themes pop up with this all-too-occurring incident.
First, Black Lives Matter doesn’t want to hear it. Black lives matter, not innocent white lives.
Secondly, Martin was angry at white people. And what healthy, full blooded, black man is not angry at white people. Look at how whites have treated him for the last 300 years, including discrimination every day. Forget that whites have paid for his support for 40 years, they housed and fed him. Forget that white doctors treated his schizophrenia for perhaps 20 years, being in and out of hospitals, including all his other medical bills. Forget how the justice system let him off with only 30 days in jail for all his assaults. Forget how he hasn’t had to work a day in his life. (Note: this idea has the assumption that whites pay over 90% of the taxes that paid for these services.)
Martin may have believed that without white discrimination he would the President of the United States, or at least the black Bill Gates. So why shouldn’t he be angry?
Martin’s cold-cocking an innocent white person recalls the periodic game that some black youth’s play: see if they can knock out an unsuspecting white person with one punch. About a year ago there was as rash of such incidents. A couple of whites were killed and about a dozen injured. Of course, the press didn’t report this as a racial issue: black youths cold-cocking unsuspecting white adults, but rather, “youths punching adults.”
Pointing out the reality that some black youths were assaulting whites, without cause, could result in some whites being careful around black youths. This would be committing the great sin in America: racial discrimination, or more specifically, racial profiling. The antithesis to this practice is that not reporting it as a racial trend made innocent white persons more vulnerable to black assaults: they were less careful about having black youths behind them. But who cares? White lives don’t matter.
Another theme of the Martin incident is the eternal excuse. Any crime that a black individual commits can be analyzed by a progressive con or a black con as being caused by social inequalities, white racism or, in this case, mental illness. An antithesis to the eternal excuse is that everyone, with rare exceptions, has equal ethical and legal responsibilities.
This antithesis has been agreed upon by our justice system. The courts have decided that even a person with a serious mental illness has the capacity to decide whether to punch an innocent person or to refrain from punching him (regardless of what his voices may be telling him to do).
And thus, Martin got 25 years. So, let’s celebrate. Wait………maybe we shouldn’t celebrate. With the costs of jail being around $30,000 a year, this means that the white sucker will be out $750,000. Let me think, who got punished in this incident?
See also “The Black Con and the White Sucker”
That last part got me RG. I totally agree with what you are trying to say here. The two sides of race and color has been really complicating our society.
David,
Tx for your comment. I think you’re right on target: the two sides are complicated, especially in the recent controversy over kneeling for the national anthem at NFL games. I feel the best way to look at this is the political phenomenon as a thesis and an antithesis. In human history there as always been thesis’ and antithesis’ and there always will be. Just make a political statement — any statement — and as soon as the words are out of your mouth, there will be someone who opposes the idea.
The whole problem with the racial conflict in the U.S. is the antithesis is seldom heard (look up Tomi Lerhan on YouTube for an antithesis). The majority in the country has labeled the antithesis as evil, racist, oppressive, and any other slur you can come up with. Thus the thesis — African Americans have gotten a raw deal in America and thus have a moral blank check and an eternal excuse for their behavior — is forced upon our minds and there is little response.
Tx again,
RG
I believe that Black Lives Matter folks are just a bunch of scallywags who walk around wanting free stuff and not wanting to work. They feel that they deserve it because they are Black. Well, I’m here to tell em that Blue Lives, White Lives, Brown Lives matter too.
Marie,
Tx for your comment, and your thoughtful reading of my essay. I would question that the Black Lives Matter (BLM) folks are “scallywags.” For one thing, they DO have a point. There are SOME racist cops and some of the killings of black suspects have been totally wrong. But the BLM folks ignore the fact that black males kill white cops 18 times more than white cops kill black males. That’s 18 times!! Thus, say, white cops kill 10 innocent black males a year. This would mean that black criminals kill 180 innocent white cops a year!
Ok, some white cops are racist and do immoral things, but what about looking at the log in your own eye rather than the toothpick in the other guy’s eye?
Also, many of the BLM group is making a whole career and a lot of money out of the movement. (We can’t forget self interest, can we?).
In addition, the underlying goal of the BLM is not to stop the killing of innocent black men, but rather to increase black power. Ideally they would like to see people of color have total control over the country. Then we would have paradise.
Tx again
RG
I couldn’t agree more with you Maria. What a bunch of losers! If they actually believe that Black Lives Matter….where are they in the South Side of Chicago?
I agree with you too Maria. I couldn’t believe how some people think they can have and they (rightfully) deserve good things but they don’t even want to work for it.
David,
Tx for your comment. I agree with you about the concept of work. It seems that everything good in this world takes hard work, and many African American individuals have a taboo against hard work. This is not to say that the vast majority of African Americans — especially the youth — are hard working and law abiding. But then there is the over 25% who have a firm belief that they can — and should — live off the fruit of the land. Because of the terrible way whites have treated them — and continue to treat them — whites should work their asses off and supply the black con with whatever he/she demands.
Tx again,
RG
R G, would love to hear what you have to say about these deranged football players who have never set foot on a battlefield yet have the audacity to disrespect our flag.
Jeff,
Tx for your comment and your request that I irritate my readers with more of my arrogated wisdom.
I retreat back to my concept of thesis and antithesis. I feel it is important — and interesting — to understand the other person’s point of view.
The protesters — as usual — have a point. Colin Kaepernick may feel outraged at the incidents of killing of innocent black men (while ignoring black men killing innocent cops at a rate of 18 times more, see above). Everyone agrees that he also has the right of free speech.
Then there is President Trump. Trump has a lifelong habit of antagonizing his opposition and revelling in their hostile response. If you wave a red cloth in front of a bull, the bull responds. Trump calling the protesters “sonsofbitches” can expect a response.
On the other hand (the antithesis) is that each of us has the duty to respect our country. With an increasing group of Americans trying to tear the country apart, to gain political power, there is an increasing need for the rest of us to respect the country — and one of the ways we do it is to stand at the National Anthem.
Then there is this concept: “Ingratitude is the greatest of sins.” Here is Kaepernick, making perhaps $15 million a year for throwing a football. He was raised by an adoptive white family and attended white colleges. Then he receives all the benefits of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives for the flag and for what it represents — and for abundance that Kaepernick receives.
Perhaps Kaepernick should try playing football in another country, perhaps Canada. Or he can just retire with his millions in his bank account, and then live off the backs of working people, people for whom he may have contempt.
In conclusion, I disagree with him.
RG
What do you think we can do about this? Can we stop these black cons?
Rachel,
You have hit the nail on the head! That is the big question, “what can we do?” As I have argued, many responses to the black con are met with accusations of us being racist, oppressors, ethnocentrists, and the rest. These accusations can be crippling in our careers and income earning potentials.
The only thing is can see to do, is to respond to the black con with reason: calmly and rationally present the (accurate) facts and arguments, not only to individuals but also to political leaders. Then calmly and civilly go into a voting booth and pull the lever on those leaders who will be good for all groups in the society in the long run.
Truth to power! Not truth for power. But truth to make a better world.
Tx for your question,
RG
A lot of stories like these have been told and it’s just saddening that these kind of unfair stories have still been continuing. What can we do about it?
David,
Tx for your question. It seems you and Rachel are on the same page.
In addition to what I suggested to Rachel, let me suggest that you find the phone numbers and email addresses of your political leaders. Then put your two cents in (that is often good enough). They say a call or an email is one of the most effective things you can do. To the politician, each call or email represents numerous voters (who share your opinion but don’t have the will-power to call or to write). Perhaps it even represents up to 5,000 voters!
RG