David Harsanyi writes for the Federalist about a key element of Democrats’ electoral strategy.
“It’s natural to wonder if democracy you hear about actually works for you,” Joe Biden told graduates of the historical black college of Morehouse. “What is democracy if black men are being killed in the street? What is democracy if a trail of broken promises still leaves black communities behind? What is democracy if you have to be 10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot?”
These are three of the most pernicious and divisive lies about American life.
To begin with, the notion that the only way for a black graduate to succeed in America is to stratospherically overachieve is an obvious myth. The United States isn’t a utopia for black Americans — or anyone else, for that matter. Black neighborhoods are plagued by terrible Democrat- and state-run schools, the welfare state, and other factors. There is plenty for individuals to overcome.
But most companies, schools, and institutions these days go out of their way to find nonwhite candidates to diversify their operations. According to Morehouse’s own statistics, nearly 83 percent of its graduates have a job right now or are continuing their education. The 70 percent employment rate is the same as the national average. …
… Could it be better? Yes. But if black Americans in the United States formed a nation unto themselves, they would have a higher living standard and more wealth per capita than nearly any other country in the world — including most of Europe. The contention that black Americans are systemically held back in the job market is paranoia.
Worse, Biden insinuated that the state is targeting black lives. …
… Cops fatally shoot just over 1,000 civilians per year, almost all of them dangerous, very few of them unarmed. One innocent person is too many, but the number is nowhere near what most Democrats have been programmed to believe.
