b'VIEWPOINTSThe Far-Right Political PlaybookThe Peculiarly Silent Pandemic of Gun Is a Threat to Our Health,Violence in the Black CommunityOur Schools, and Our Democracy By Fatimah Loren DreierBy Ben Jealous I nhisrecentbook,APeculiar Indifference:TheNeglectedToll of Violence on Black America, Elliot T heNewYorkTimesrecentlyCurriehighlightsthedispropor-reported that the public healthtionate impact community violence systemintheUnitedStatesmayhas on the African American com-be less prepared for the next pan- munity.Shockingly,accordingto demicthanitwasforthecurrentCurrie,fromtheyears2000-2018 one. Given everything we have beenover162,000AfricanAmericans through,andeverythingwehavediedviolentdeaths.Ofthattotal, learned, how can that be? 139,000wereBlackmenwith Theanswerisdisturbing.Our85% of those killed, dying by gun publichealthsystemisbeingputviolence.Thisstarkrealityis at risk by the same right-wing dis- underscored by an analysis of the information tactics that are under- CenterforDiseaseControland mining our educational and electionPreventions (CDC) 2019 gun mor-systems. tality data, which found that young Right-wingmediaoutletsandBlack males ages 15 to 34 are the socialmediaspreadfalseinfor- mostdisproportionatelyimpacted. mationandconspiracytheories.Despite making up just two percentFatimah Loren DrelerConservativeactivistsandpoliti- ofthepopulation,theyaccounted ciansopposedpublichealthmea- for 37 percent of all gun homicidesAmericans, to unveil another, more sures as a form of tyranny. AngryBen Jealous in 2019a rate of firearm homicideinsidiousepidemicthecrisisof peoplehaveharassedandthreat- that is 20 times higher than whitegunviolencewhichhasfortoo enedpublichealthofficials,andfeeding the Big Lie about a stolenmales of the same age group. longbeenignoredwhiletakinga politicians have passed more than2020 election. Its all coming fromElliotsselectionofthebrutal toll on our communities.100 laws restricting their authoritythe same playbook. term peculiar indifference is apro- Since the start of the COVID-19 to take action to protect the public. Allacrossthecountry,schoolpoit was first coined in 1899 bypandemic, gun violence has soared Thosenewlaws,combinedwithboardmeetingshaveturnedintoscholar and activist W.E.B. DuBoisin our communitiesin some plac-chronicunderfundingandstaffangrymobscenes.Parentsfrus- inhisgroundbreakingbook,Thees to record highs in the past year, burnout,aremakingusallmoretrationoverschoolclosingsandPhiladelphiaNegroconsideredbywhenournationsawover21,570 vulnerable to health threats in themask requirements has boiled oversometobethefirstsociologicalhomicides and experienced the larg-future. So is the fact that extrem- insomeplaces,anditisbeingstudyinAmerica.DuBoisargued:est annual jump in homicides in the ismisbeingembracedbypublicinflamedandexploitedforpolit- Themostdifficultsocialproblemnations history.officials, not just agitated activists.icalpurposes.TomakemattersinthematterofNegrohealthisInChicagoalone,thirtythou-The Times reported that one countyworse, right-wing media and politi- the peculiar attitude of the nationsandpeoplehavebeenshotover sheriff in Washington state threat- calgroupshavemanufacturedatowardthewell-beingoftherace.thepastdecade,andthecityhas ened to arrest any government offi- panic about the supposed threat ofThere have, for instance, been fewalreadysurpassed500murders cialenforcinghealthrestrictionscriticalracetheorybeingtaughtothercasesinthehistoryofcivi- thisyearandisonpacetoreach thathethoughtwereunconsti- in schools. lized people where human sufferingthe highest number of homicides in tutional.NewlawswillmakeitCriticalracetheoryisanaca- has been viewed with such peculiara single year since the end of the harder for schools and hospitals todemic framework for understandingindifference. crack era in 1996, when nearly 800 enforcevaccinerequirementsthathowsystemicracismaffectspeo- If DuBois were alive todaywhenwere murdered.have been in place for years. ples lives. But right-wing activists,moreBlackAmericansaredyingIn Baltimore, there have been over Weareseeingthisdestructivewith a big boost from Fox News andfrom violence in the streets of this200 murders a year since 1979, and politicaldynamicplayoutinourDonald Trump, are getting parentscountry than in its foreign wars over300annuallysince2015.In schools and elections as well. riled up with claims that honestlyhemightofferasearingassertionPhiladelphiathisyear,homicides Theoppositionragingagainstteachingabouttheracisminourthat America has largely normalizedhave already passed the 400 mark.public officials trying to protect ourhistory and institutions is part of athe pandemic of Black death. Furthermore,justlikesoldiers health care is the same oppositionMarxist plot to impose tyranny bySadly,ittooktheCOVID-19returningfromwarzones,those raging against teaching about sys- pandemic,anditsdisproportion-temicracisminourschoolsandContinued on Page 18 ateimpactonBlackandBrownContinued on Page 18Critical race theory is an academicSadly, it took the COVID-19 framework for understanding howpandemic, and its disproportionate systemic racism affects peoples lives.impact on Black and Brown But right-wing activists, with a big boost from Fox News and Donald Trump, areAmericans, to unveil another, more getting parents riled up with claimsinsidious epidemicthe crisis of that honestly teaching about the racismgun violencewhich has for too in our history and institutions is part of a Marxist plot to impose tyranny bylong been ignored while taking a making students hate America. brutal toll on our communities.10 NOVEMBER 2021 BOCNEWS.com'