A new poll was conducted and just released by the New York Times and CBS News, which found that 69% of Americans believe race relations are bad. This number is at its highest since the 1992 LA riots.

Do you believe we are at a low point for race relations? And if so, why?

Eight years ago we elected our first black President and have had black Attorney Generals since then.  Why during this period of our history have race relations deteriorated so badly?

Why people feel this way under our first black President and black Attorney Generals, I do not know.  Might it be that the President and the Attorney General’s, especially Eric Holder, have stoked these feelings or never adequately addressed them?

Americans were asked if they believe the “police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a black person than a white person”, they responded in the following way:

  • 75% of African-Americans answered yes
  • 56% of whites said that the race of the suspect made no difference in the use of force;
  • 18% of black Americans said the suspect made no difference in the use of force by the police

When the participants were asked to rate the job of their local police department they responded in the following way:

  • 80% of whites said they were doing an excellent or good job
  • 57% of blacks answered fair or poor.

What many of us have to be concerned with and understand is that a little more than 20% of black people say the police in their communities make them feel more anxious than safe.

Whatever you may think of your local police department, we have to accept and attempt to address the concerns black Americans have, that the police make them feel more anxious than safe.

Whether you believe it is just perception or not, perception is reality.

The question is, how do we address this?

Let’s talk about this today on The Live with Renk Show which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595.

Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section.

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