Facts first
Do we move from facts to opinions, or do we prejudge first? Some dubious facts, incomplete information and over-generalizations from recent letters:
Gerald Holland (Letters, Jan. 2) notes most black murders are of black victims but omits the fact that most white murders are of white victims. (Latest FBI figures: 91 percent black on black crimes, 83 percent white on white crimes.)
Wesley Wood (Letters, Jan. 13) insists that anything growing is alive. However, crystals grow and so do viruses, which are considered to be only half-alive. In any case, this assertion by itself is not an argument either for or against abortion.
Wood also says the loss of life from abortions performed since Roe vs Wade — 55 million — is greater than “all the wars since the beginning of time.” However, counting civilian as well as battle deaths, either World War II or the Mongol Conquests of the 13th century by itself could match this figure. Total casualties from all wars would be in the billions.
Dale Lange (Letters, Jan. 15) asks why we do not hear from the moderate Muslims. Has he considered that the media he reads or watches simply do not carry their voices? Look up the “Not in my name” campaigns against ISIS by Muslims in Europe and elsewhere. Many organizations such as the French Muslim Council, the Muslim Council of Britain, the Council on Islamic-American Relations and the Arab League strongly condemned the Paris attacks.
Lange says “the news media love to bash Christianity.” His only example is monthly columnist Art Hobson, who on a few occasions has criticized Christian fundamentalism (which doesn’t represent all Christianity). Columns aren’t news. The difference between the news pages and the editorial pages should be taught in school.
With Ferguson’s voting population 60 percent black, Bob Pflager (Letters, Jan. 15) asks why they did not elect a more favorable government. Digging deeper, one finds the town’s demographics have changed rapidly in recent years, from 75 percent white middle-class in 1990 to two-thirds black and poor today. It takes time to organize politically. A New York Times article says of similar suburban towns with rapidly-changing populations: “Longtime white residents have consolidated power, continuing to dominate the city councils and school boards despite sweeping demographic change. They have retained control of patronage jobs and municipal contracts awarded to allies.”
Pflager implies if blacks have an incarceration rate nearly six times that of whites, it must be because they are committing six times the crimes. But statistics do not bear that out. For instance, African-Americans are 12 percent of drug users, 38 percent of those arrested for drugs, and 59 percent of those serving time in state prison for an offense.
You can find information online from credible news and educational sources. Do your research, folks, and don’t just base your arguments on popular pseudo-facts.
CORALIE KOONCE
Fayetteville