The truth is coming out about how cops, and ex-cops, really feel about the Black people they are allegedly sworn to protect. On Monday (July 11), former NYPD detective Harry Houck said on national TV that Blacks are “prone to criminality” and that they should essentially stop blaming the police for their struggle.
Marc Lamont Hill was on said panel, on CNN’s New Day, and needless to say, he wasn’t having it.
The topic of discussion was relations between Black people and law enforcement in the wake of the police killing of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling and the shooting deaths of five police officers in Dallas.
“The police have already recognized the fact that we have some issues that we gotta deal with,” said Houck, who is billed as a “law enforcement analyst.” “Now the Black community has gotta also understand that they have issues that they have to deal with.. This is not a one-way street here.”
Okay, that sounds like victim blaming. Especially when Houck suggested “we don’t know what happened” regarding the deaths of Castile and Sterling. He then pointed to a sheet of paper loaded with distorted facts (i.e.c NYC’s Blacks are 20% of the population but make up 75% of shooting arrests…mind you, the lion’s share of policing being done in “Black” neighborhoods). He then started roiling off about “racial demagogues” who are quick to says Blacks are being “picked on” by police.
Hill countered Houck’s point, noting that police should be subject to scrutiny considering they are not always telling the truth. Both then began arguing loudly over racism in the Ferguson police department and the tension got thick.
Despite host Chris Cuomo trying to maintain order, Hill had enough, and said “Harry’s still on national TV and just said that Black people are prone to criminality. I want to be able to respond to that.”
“Well they are,” said Houck. This is where we point out that Houck is the same guy who referred to Black people as “you people” last year.
Marc Lamont Hill did raise his voice, but you can’t help but feel a way that he was being chastised for his passion by the host. Also on the panel was Philip Banks, an ex-NYPD higher up who was more even keel in refuting Houck’s malarkey.
Watch the tense segment below and tell us what you think in the comments.
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Photo: screen cap
