The Pundits Have It Wrong

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In the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict, pundits have talked ad nauseam about black-on-black crime and what's behind it. But in a piece for the Huffington Post, Jason Whitlock says they aren't hitting the mark. Hopelessness is at the root of it all. 

Televised simple-mindedness is not beholden to any particular race, political bent or sexual orientation. We should not be surprised that a cross-section of TV talking heads cannot identify the root cause of rampant black-on-black violence.

It is not poverty. It is not the disintegration of the black family. It is not cultural rot.

Hopelessness is at the root of the violence plaguing poor, black neighborhoods. Poverty, family dysfunction and cultural decay contribute to the feeling of hopelessness pervasive throughout black inner-city communities.

Read Jason Whitlock's entire piece at the Huffington Post.

The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff.

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