Crime Narratives
The New York Times claims that “outrage over” the murder of Iryna Zarutska is “part of a pattern in which President Trump and his allies highlight horrific crimes to bolster their case that the country is plagued by ‘American carnage”.”
IN FACT, people of all political stripes highlight horrific crimes to bolster various narratives. The difference is that some crimes are common while others are rare, including about:
- 18,816 murders per year.
- 8,327 murders of black people by black people per year.
- 1,415 murders of white people by black people per year.
- 629 murders of black people by white people per year.
- 611 murders by non-citizen immigrants per year.
- 26 murders of transgender people per year.
- 2 murders of black people by police officers per year.
With disregard for the facts, the New York Times and other media outlets have consistently focused on and exaggerated the least common of these crimes while whitewashing and downplaying those that are widespread.
