White on White Waco Whackos

Recent events in Waco showcase how differently white violent criminals are perceived

By now most have heard about the massacre in Waco, Texas. Five biker gangs were involved in a shoot out that left nine dead, 28 injured and led to approximately 160 arrests outside a restaurant called Twin Peaks. The defendants had to be moved to the convention center for processing and all have been charged with organized crime (conspiracy) and capital murder. Bail has been set at a million dollars for each defendant.

On the same day, the head of one of the predominant gangs was bailed out in hours. Biker gangs have a lot of money, but when it comes to 192 gang members getting bailed in the amount of a million dollars each it’s just not possible. Today, the police chiefs of all Texas departments are on heightened alert. Threats of other biker gang members coming to Waco and other cities for an all out war on police have been threatened.

However, video of the incident shows that nobody resisted arrest or even tried to evade it. One thing about gangs, if the leader calls for everyone to stand down, they do. There was no police brutality, pepper spray, or hog ties (some plastic handcuffs were used) after these murderers. Now the gangs are blaming other gangs. Nobody can deny that these thugs shot at police.

These bikers were wearing their gang affiliation on their leather vests. That means they were seeking control and power in, of all places, Texas. Even Al Capone and his underlings wore suits and ties so they fit in with the people of the community. Not so with these guys, they were there announcing their intentions. They were there for trouble and didn’t care who knew it.

So why is this not being covered in the media like Trayvon Martin or Michael Brown, with the same denouncement of white culture that we saw many pundits issue against black culture? Is this just another way of demonizing black on black crime and glamorizing white on white crime? White shooters are mentally ill and black criminals are “thugs,” right? This story could end here but it doesn’t.

For example, nearly every action film and television show glamorizes white on white crime. Hollywood magic spins this fantasy into reality. Just watch an episode of Gangland or Sons of Anarchy for perfect examples. Many other films glorify white on white violence, dating back to before The Godfather right up to Furious 7. Even Breaking Bad made Walter White a hero. And people buy into this, feeding their fantasies that white men are somehow “better” and don’t deserve arrest. Need proof? Just read the comments of returnofkings.com.

White on white crime can be both highly sophisticated and as “street” as any other crime, regardless of the race of the perpetrators. Whites distribute methamphetamines and heroin while blacks pedal crack cocaine. This has nothing to do with the stats of arrests versus how black and white suspects/defendants are prosecuted. Just the stats of arrests for 2015 total over 400, most black assailants who were murdered by police.

Most arrests of black men are for petty crimes. Things like jay walking, speeding, and petty theft is usually as bad as it gets. They’re usually set up to miss a court date or violate probation for a minor misdemeanor. As many black people live in poverty, their means of survival are different than whites, so the differences in their arrests and prosecution are markedly pronounced.

So what’s the difference in the trailer park where whites cook meth and a housing where black people sell crack? This is where it becomes a socioeconomic issue as well as a race issue. The stats on white on white compared to black on black crime are relatively the same. However, according to David How, of the UCLA University Law School and prosecutor for Los Angeles District Attorney’s office, most perpetrators in white on white cases commit many crimes before finally being arrested.

Approximately 100 crimes are committed by whites before an arrest is made. Compare this to black suspects arrested for minor offenses like jay walking, selling single cigarettes (a great idea) and other petty crimes.

Now consider Caucasians who have charges dropped or lowered depending on if they use the public defender or a private attorney. Many white folks, including bikers, can afford a private attorney. Of course if the prosecutor doesn’t think he or she can get a prosecution charges get dropped.

So what is going to happen in Waco? So far three suspects were already released, two were subsequently re-arrested, and one is still out there at the time of this writing. CNN called this mass murder a “brawl.” Despite open threats against police that there will be violent retribution for the arrests, there are no curfews, no lockdowns, and no riot police patrolling the streets in armored vehicles.

Both black on black and white on white crime are statistically the same, but circumstances don’t always reflect that. There is a real racial bias when it comes to the justice system. From the police, to the prosecutor, to the public defender and finally the judge, racism is rampant and every state’s judicial system needs to be called out on their institutional incarceration of black men and women in general.

To sum things up, most crime, regardless of race, is equal. It’s too bad that Justice is not.