In an appearance on MSNBC's Black History and Culture special titled "Black Men in America: Road to 2024" on Feb. 4, civil rights attorney Ben Crump played pool with MSNBC contributor Charles Coleman Jr. and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton as they discussed police brutality and the Biden administration’s justice system.
"We can get rid of all the crime in America overnight, just like that," Crump told his fellow guests. "And people ask ‘how attorney Crump?’ – change the definition of crime." He added that if one gets to define what conduct is going to be made criminal, then one can predict who the criminals are going to be… They made the laws to criminalize our culture – black culture," he said.
The most insane thing you have ever heard from@MSNBC
Celebrity Black activist lawyer @BenCrumpLaw
says that criminal behavior in America is just Black culture. Demands the legalization of crime.@TheRevAl and other Black racial activists all express agreement. pic.twitter.com/bfEQr0b7AU
— National Conservative (@NatCon2022) February 17, 2024
Crump specializes in civil rights cases and was the attorney for the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
For legal scholar and political scientist Dr. Carol Swain, what Crump said was "problematic" and "ludicrous." "We need laws to be obeyed and we need a public that's informed. And under no circumstances should we redefine crime so that it isn't a crime," Swain told Fox News. "Are we going to redefine murder? Are we going to redefine rape? No, we don't want to go down that path."
She pointed out that these comments from the attorney would only create more hostility between black youths and law enforcement. "What he is saying is false, and it will lead to the loss of Black lives. Unfortunately, people who are not well-educated, or people who have been indoctrinated with Marxism, will believe him, and that will be unfortunate for America," she said.
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Swain, who is also black, said it hurts to admit that there is a disproportionate amount of crime within the back community. In fact, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data shows that blacks committed 46.8 percent of violent crimes and 36 percent of drug crimes in the U.S. in 2022, despite making up only 14.4 percent of the population.
"The argument that the crimes that Black Americans and maybe other minorities are being arrested for, that somehow these are biased, somehow targets them, I think it's ludicrous," she told the news outlet. "In fact, there are some things that they are not being arrested for that I would arrest them for."
Instead of perpetuating rhetoric that breeds more anger and distrust toward authority figures, Swain said prominent figures like Crump should work on finding real solutions to improve the lives of Black Americans.
Crump faces backlash on controversial comment
The said interview gathered various reactions from X, formerly Twitter, users. Some asserted that he probably didn’t intend to advocate legalizing crimes, just because they are linked to the black community and he is black.
A commenter replied on the thread: "I mean, this has been the Democrat position for a long time, he's just saying it out loud." Another user pointed out, "They are going to change the DEFINITION of crime... how very 'Democrat thinking' of them." (Related: State of Washington Democrats propose "overreaching" bill prohibiting self-defense weapons in public areas such as bus stops.)
Another one agreed with Crump but emphasized he did not want it in America. "Actually he's pretty close to right. Black African and Tribal cultures allow a lot of killing, and taking of property. The concept of Private Property is really from European culture. But, if they want to live like that they should go to Africa. We don't want it here," free-range naturist Bob Allen tweeted. Another one wanted to give the controversial trial lawyer and his colleagues a chance to prove their words: "Let's hear them out. I want a list of actions that are currently criminal that they want to decriminalize. I'm all ears."
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