A Rising Undercurrent of Fear
The conversation about race in America is often reduced to slogans, soundbites, and selective outrage. In the months since the last election, the tone has shifted sharply, with media outlets and political influencers—on both the left and the right—casting Black Americans into roles that serve their own agendas. Some call us “savages,” others use us as props to appear inclusive, but few are willing to confront the full truth. This post digs into the myths, the numbers, and the double standards that shape how we are seen, treated, and judged—and it sets the stage for my next piece, where I will revisit Uncle Tom’s Cabin to show how old narratives never truly die.
Over the past several months, an undertone of fear has been rising in this country. There is a growing sense that Black Americans have had enough of being mistreated and disrespected, and we are starting to fight back. The disturbing trend is that it is becoming violent at times, and that is uncalled for and stressful.
The best way forward is not through acts of violence but by using our power to vote. We saw what happened in the last election as more Black Americans shifted to the right, aligning themselves with Republicans for two reasons: first, because we love this country; and second, because we love our community.
A Shift in Political Assumptions
I believe Republicans have falsely assumed they had ADOS in the palm of their hands. But now, they are witnessing something unexpected: Black Americans standing up and forcing the national conversation to finally focus on our community.
Yet instead of seeing us as fellow Americans, some still treat us with disrespect. They use language like “savages” and show half-naked young women across our screens, suggesting that “White equals good,” then pretend that was not the message.
The Podcaster Divide
White men, emboldened by the last election, have taken to podcasts to draw lines. Some Black men, the ones who do not push back against their violent verbal assaults, are called “good.” Those like Officer Tatum and the Cartier Brothers are perfect examples.
They argue in percentages, condemning their own communities as if they are not Black men themselves, as if the world sees them as the “good guy.” The rest, they imply, are dangerous. It is the same old tale dressed in new language: that Black people need to be “whipped and chained,” locked in prisons for violence they are accused of committing, while every White savage, monster, rapist, and child predator slips by without the same scrutiny.
Media Framing and Manipulation
When a man of Hawaiian descent walked into a New York City building and opened fire over the NFL’s handling of player concussions, right-wing media was outraged that CNN called him a White man. They quickly flipped the story, calling him Black, though he was neither.
This was the White media’s attempt to frame the image of the Black man as violent and savage.
What the FBI Numbers Show
The FBI’s numbers tell a different story. In raw counts, White offenders commit more drug sales, more drug possession, more domestic violence, more property crimes, and more sexual assaults than any other group. Even for rape and pedophilia, Whites lead in total arrests.
Robbery is one of the few major crime categories where Black offenders outnumber Whites, and yet Blacks are the ones overrepresented in statistics.
The Family Values Myth
Right-wing media pretends to be the protector of marriage, women, and family, when in reality White Americans lead in the number of divorces.
In 2022, Census data shows over 1 million divorces in the U.S., with the majority involving White couples—far more than any other group. Divorce is not a crime, but this idea that evangelical Christians are more wholesome and family-oriented than Blacks is a straight fallacy. The fact remains that more White couples divorce than any other group.
Percentages vs. Raw Numbers
People like Charlie Kirk, Matt Walsh, and others will argue statistics in percentages. Whenever a larger population outnumbers a smaller one and you want to reject the truth, you frame your argument that way.
Statistically, they will say Black people are more violent or commit more crimes because they do not want to face the raw numbers.
FBI 2022 Arrest Data:
6,875 arrests for rape (66% of known offenders) vs. 3,150 Black offenders (30%)
Over 600,000 property crime arrests vs. 270,000 for Black offenders
More than 500,000 drug possession arrests vs. 220,000 for Black offenders
And let us be clear—these so-called “Black” crime numbers include every person who identifies as Black, not just ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery). The number of ADOS individuals committing crimes is overinflated because the statistics combine all Black people, including African and Caribbean immigrants and their descendants.
The raw data shows that White men commit more of these crimes in total than any other group. They are among the most vicious and vile offenders in America.
A Double Standard in Justice
The truth is simple: all men are capable of violence. Some are not savages or monsters, while others are innocent victims, regardless of race.
A perfect example of this is the situation in Cincinnati. Republicans are outraged that a Black man fought back against a White man who continuously verbally and physically attacked a group of Blacks, calling them the n-word and slapping one of the men.
They picked a fight, and when they got what they wanted, they cried, “We’re the victims.” The far right told the story as if it were unprovoked, framing it entirely from a single perspective caught on video.
The Media’s Selective Storytelling
Mainstream media outlets, podcasters, and even the Vice President showed and addressed only one side of the footage. They used words like “brawl” and “attack” to suggest that Black people randomly targeted a group of innocent White people.
In reality, the White group was drunk, kicking cars, and, to make matters worse, they were Russians. They were not arrested. Only the Black individuals were.
Yet many will argue this is not 1950, and perhaps that is true, but the behavior of their ancestors still manifests itself today.
The Historical Pattern Continues
This narrative reflects a long-standing expectation in America: if a White man strikes a Black man, the Black man is expected to turn the other cheek. But if he dares to fight back with rage and vengeance, suddenly he is the threat, the one who must be jailed. Law enforcement often aligns with this narrative, functioning like modern-day plantation overseers.
If any other group commits violence against us, we are told we must have started it, provoked it, or deserved it. People feel entitled to spit on us, call us names, and still expect our silence. They will pull us over for not having headlights on during the rain, even when the rain has stopped. If we do not comply, we will be punched in the face, handcuffed, and taken to jail.
The unspoken rule is clear: we should be used to violence by now. And God forbid we ever respond to it.
A Creeping Sentiment
Whites have long viewed Blacks as a quiet threat. Since the days of slavery, they have done all they could to keep Black people oppressed.
A creeping sentiment suggests that, because we are seen as violent, we need to be “checked.” Whites act on this by taking measures such as sending the National Guard into D.C. because a White person was allegedly carjacked by Blacks.
The underlying suggestion is that we, too, could find ourselves back in bondage with the right enforcement of laws, redistricting, the strategic shifting of party lines, and the consolidation of power in Congress.
Our Message to Both Sides
The pressure comes from both the left and the right, each with their own methods of keeping us in our place.
To White liberals, we say: we are not pawns meant to fuel your agendas or revive your communities.
To White conservatives, we say: your feigned superiority needs to be checked, and we welcome this fight as we will no longer be the victims in your den of hate, fear, and self-loathing.
The narratives that define us are not accidental—they are crafted, repeated, and reinforced until they feel like truth. But history tells us they can be challenged, reshaped, and dismantled. In my next post, I will turn to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, not as a sentimental relic of the abolitionist era, but as a blueprint for how stories have been used to control the image of Black Americans. Understanding those patterns is key, because until we name and confront the lies of the past, we will keep living under their shadow in the present.
The lies that bound the slaves in Uncle Tom’s novel still bind us; they have just been dressed in modern language.
