We Refuse To Release Crime Surveillance Videos Because It Will Make People Racist

[GURPS]

San Fran Transit: We Refuse To Release Crime Surveillance Videos Because It Will Make People Racist
Releasing videos "would create a racial bias in the riders against minorities on the trains."


Video surveillance footage of crimes committed on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service by minority youths is being withheld by San Francisco authorities due to their concern that the videos might perpetuate racial bias and stereotyping.

In three months time, at least three robberies have transpired at the San Francisco station by groups of teenagers. One such attack, on April 22, was committed by some 40-60 teens, reports KPXI-TV.

“I think people are genuinely concerned — they are fearful about the stories that have come out about the recent attacks, the assaults, the thefts,” explained a member of the BART board of directors, Debora Allen.

Yet, authorities are refusing to release footage of the crimes.

So, when Allen pressed for the rationale behind withholding the important evidence from the public, she was eventually told the release of the videos “would create a racial bias in the riders against minorities on the trains.”

In an email, Allen inquired: "I don’t understand what role the color of one’s skin plays in this issue [of whether to divulge information]. Can you explain?"

 

[Hijinx]

San Fran Transit: We Refuse To Release Crime Surveillance Videos Because It Will Make People Racist
Releasing videos "would create a racial bias in the riders against minorities on the trains."


Video surveillance footage of crimes committed on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service by minority youths is being withheld by San Francisco authorities due to their concern that the videos might perpetuate racial bias and stereotyping.

In three months time, at least three robberies have transpired at the San Francisco station by groups of teenagers. One such attack, on April 22, was committed by some 40-60 teens, reports KPXI-TV.

“I think people are genuinely concerned — they are fearful about the stories that have come out about the recent attacks, the assaults, the thefts,” explained a member of the BART board of directors, Debora Allen.

Yet, authorities are refusing to release footage of the crimes.

So, when Allen pressed for the rationale behind withholding the important evidence from the public, she was eventually told the release of the videos “would create a racial bias in the riders against minorities on the trains.”

In an email, Allen inquired: "I don’t understand what role the color of one’s skin plays in this issue [of whether to divulge information]. Can you explain?"

It's a little late for that isn't it? Most of us read about things like this and assume it is the usual suspects.
Of course there are those here who will accuse me of being a racist for saying that, but it is an assumption that usually bears true.
In fact her statement is racist, because it testifies to the assumption.

 

[GURPS]

.... and assume it is the usual suspects.

That's Racist

 

[Wishbone]

Video surveillance footage of crimes committed on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service by minority youths is being withheld by San Francisco authorities due to their concern that the videos might perpetuate racial bias and stereotyping.

Truth is not stereotyping.

 

[Hijinx]

That's Racist

But true.

 

[vraiblonde]

So, when Allen pressed for the rationale behind withholding the important evidence from the public, she was eventually told the release of the videos “would create a racial bias in the riders against minorities on the trains.”

Here's where "the authorities" go wrong:

Not all black people fit that suit - there's a menace factor that most people instinctively recognize before they even notice skin color. If you saw 5 or 6 young black kids on the train, clean cut and well dressed, chatting and laughing among themselves, clearly nice young people, you wouldn't look twice at them or be alarmed by them. However if those 5 or 6 young blacks were swaggering, glaring, being belligerent, swearing, obviously aggressive, you would get off at the next stop.

White people are the same way. Exchange white for black in the above paragraph, same thing. Asian, Hispanic....menace is menace and you can usually get a vibe for threat assessment that has nothing to do with race.

“What is the priority of BART?" asked Allen during an appearance on KPIX-TV. "Is the safety of the passenger — of all passengers — is that a lesser priority than the race bias issue?"

Clearly that is the case. But that's what happens when you're a progbot racist who has bought into the idea of a "black community". Because they see all black people as the same - aggressive, criminal, menacing, threatening - they think everyone sees it that way.

 

[Clem72]

.... and assume it is the usual suspects.

That's Racist

The usual suspects aren't racist. Only one of the 5, Del Toro, is not white!

 

[GURPS]

Here's where "the authorities" go wrong:

Not all black people fit that suit - there's a menace factor that most people instinctively recognize before they even notice skin color.

apparently the inconvenient fact is a majority of the criminals caught on surveillance camera are brown [Mexicans / Americans of African Decent]

 

[Wishbone]

apparently the inconvenient fact is a majority of the criminals caught on surveillance camera are brown [Mexicans / Americans of African Decent]

Maybe it was face camo.

 

[Lurk]

apparently the inconvenient fact is a majority of the criminals caught on surveillance camera are brown [Mexicans / Americans of African Decent]

If it represents multiple races, how is publication of the videos racist?

Let's ask watermelon boy to answer that one.

 

[glhs837]

Ah, so this Allen person is seeking release of the video, and BART is resisting..... look over this quote.... bolding mine

"If we were to regularly feed the news media video of crimes on our system that involve minority suspects, particularly when they are minors, we would certainly face questions as to why we were sensationalizing relatively minor crimes and perpetuating false stereotypes in the process," responded BART Assistant General Manager Kerry Hamill.

So, the publics right to know takes a back seat to them not wanting to answer questions. I would debate those points with A) Releasing video of crimes isn't sensationalizing anything. If you produced a Reefer Madness style "documentary", perhaps, but simply releasing the video isn't that. B) Again, the video shows what it shows. Unless someone doctored the footage, then it doesn't perpetuate anything. Or if you only released video of one group committing the crimes while suppressing the video of other groups, say the San Jose High Math or chess Clubs.