We have had way too many shootings lately. The Black Lives Matter groups are protesting about police shootings. Trevor Noah aptly said that it is possible to be pro-black and pro cops. Donald Trump and his horde are blaming President Obama and Hillary Clinton and other liberal politicians. He called President Obama a “great divider.”
Some have declared that there is a “war on cops” under the Obama administration. However, statistics show that there have been far fewer fatal police shootings under the Obama administration.
That graph is correct. Fatal police shootings are at a record low. Only 314 have happened under President Obama. The GOP’s hero, Ronald Reagan, had 576 fatal police shootings during his presidency. This data in the figure above is the number of fatal police shootings up until September of the seventh year of each administration.
Conservatives everywhere are trying to blame Obama for this. Former Republican congressman, Joe Walsh, said:
“Obama’s words & [Black Lives Matter]’s deeds have gotten cops killed.”
Texas congressman, Roger Williams, said that this contributed to the killings:
“…the spread of misinformation and constant instigation by prominent leaders, including our President.”
Yes, there are many people who hate the police, but this notion of a “war on cops” is an oversimplification.
This notion has spread so much that it is being taught to new recruits in police academies.
An Iraq War veteran, writing under the name “Clayton Jenkins,” said:
“The War on Cops is a grossly inaccurate response to recent police killings which are on track for another year that will rival the safest on record. Gunfire deaths by police officers are down 27 percent this year, according to the Officer Down memorial page, and police killings in general are at a 20-year low, given current numbers for 2015. Police deaths in Barack Obama’s presidency are lower than the past four administrations, going all the way back to Ronald Reagan’s presidency.”
Stop trying to turn this into a war. Stop the murder. Stop the hate.
Here is a clip from the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore talking about this “war on cops:”
Featured image via Flikr by Jack available under a Creative Commons license
