Every time the conversation turns to police brutality or systemic racism, someone throws out the same tired line: “What about Black-on-Black crime?” It’s almost like a script, designed to silence meaningful dialogue. But here’s the thing—this phrase, this idea, isn’t rooted in concern for Black communities. It’s a diversion. A weapon. A way to shift blame onto Black people while ignoring the systems that have created the very conditions they’re criticized for.

So, let’s take a closer look. Is “Black-on-Black crime” a real phenomenon, or is it just another tool of white supremacy to deflect attention from deeper issues?

Where Did This Narrative Even Come From?

The term “Black-on-Black crime” didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It’s a carefully created idea that gained traction in the 1970s, right around the time the Civil Rights Movement started forcing America to reckon with its racist history. Politicians, law enforcement, and the media began using it to paint Black communities as inherently violent and dysfunctional.

But here’s the truth: crime happens within communities. People commit crimes against those they live near. White people overwhelmingly commit crimes against other white people, just like Black people do within their communities. Yet, no one ever talks about “white-on-white crime.” Why not? Because it doesn’t serve the agenda of demonizing white people. It’s really that simple.

The Role of Systemic Racism in Crime

If we’re going to talk about crime, let’s get real about its root causes. Crime doesn’t just spring up out of nowhere. It grows in environments shaped by poverty, lack of opportunity, and systemic neglect. And guess what? Those conditions didn’t magically happen in Black communities—they were designed.

Economic Sabotage: Decades of redlining and housing discrimination forced Black families into underfunded neighborhoods, cutting them off from quality education, healthcare, and jobs. Generations of economic inequality don’t just disappear—they leave scars. And those scars manifest in crime rates.

Over-Policing, Under-Protection: In Black neighborhoods, the police often act more like an occupying force than a source of safety. Minor infractions get punished harshly, while serious crimes are ignored. This creates a vacuum where violence can thrive because trust in law enforcement is nonexistent.

The War on Drugs: Starting in the 1980s, the U.S. government launched the “war on drugs,” which disproportionately targeted Black communities. Harsh sentencing for drug offenses ripped families apart and left entire neighborhoods devastated. The war on drugs wasn’t about stopping crime—it was about criminalizing Blackness.

Media Manipulation: The Power of Perception

The media has done a masterful job of selling the “Black-on-Black crime” narrative. Nightly news segments show Black mugshots over and over again, while crimes committed by white people often get softer headlines—or no coverage at all.

Think about mass shootings. When a white man opens fire in a school or movie theater, the media asks, “What went wrong? Did he have mental health issues?” But when a Black person commits a crime, it’s immediately framed as a reflection of the entire community. This double standard isn’t an accident—it’s propaganda.

The Real Cost of This Myth

This narrative isn’t just annoying; it’s dangerous. It has real-world consequences that harm Black people in multiple ways:

Deflecting Accountability: Every time someone brings up “Black-on-Black crime,” it shifts attention away from systemic issues like police brutality, economic inequality, and mass incarceration. It’s like trying to put out a house fire by pointing at the sink that’s leaking.

Reinforcing Stereotypes: Constantly hearing about “Black-on-Black crime” creates a false perception that Black people are inherently violent. This fuels racism, justifies harsh policing, and influences everything from hiring decisions to jury verdicts.

Impact on Policy: Politicians use this myth to push policies that hurt Black communities, like stop-and-frisk or mandatory minimum sentences. These policies don’t solve crime—they make it worse by criminalizing poverty.

Crime Is About Proximity, Not Race

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: most crime is about proximity, not race. People commit crimes against those they live near, work with, or interact with. That’s why over 80% of white murder victims are killed by white perpetrators. But you don’t see “white-on-white crime” splashed across headlines or debated on cable news. Why? Because it doesn’t fit the narrative.

The phrase “Black-on-Black crime” is essentially meaningless. It’s a statistical observation dressed up as a moral failing. If we’re going to talk about crime in America, let’s talk about poverty, inequality, and access to resources—the real drivers of violence.

Who Benefits from This Narrative?

So, who gains when we focus on “Black-on-Black crime” instead of systemic racism? The answer is clear: white supremacy. This narrative keeps the focus on individual behavior while ignoring structural inequality. It’s a classic divide-and-conquer tactic, designed to pit Black people against each other and distract from the systems that oppress them.

Historically, this isn’t new. During slavery, enslaved people were pitted against each other through colorism and house-field divisions. During Jim Crow, the myth of the “respectable Negro” was used to shame poor Black people. And now, “Black-on-Black crime” continues the tradition of blaming the oppressed for their oppression.

Breaking Free from the Lie

The Black community has never been a passive victim of these narratives. Activists, educators, and community leaders are constantly working to address violence by tackling its root causes: poverty, lack of opportunity, and systemic neglect. But this work is often overshadowed by sensationalized stories that fit the “Black-on-Black crime” trope.

If we want to move forward, we need to stop using this term altogether. Crime is crime, and it doesn’t need a racial modifier. Instead, we should focus on dismantling the systems that create the conditions for crime in the first place.

Lastly! It’s Time to Kill the Myth

The idea of “Black-on-Black crime” isn’t just misleading—it’s harmful. It’s a distraction from the real issues and a tool of white supremacy to perpetuate racism and inequality. Crime is about circumstances, not skin color. And until we start addressing those circumstances—poverty, lack of education, systemic neglect—nothing will change.

So the next time someone brings up “Black-on-Black crime,” ask them this: Why are you so focused on the symptom instead of the disease? Because the disease isn’t Blackness—it’s a system designed to fail Black people.

It’s time to kill this myth once and for all.