In the aftermath of Ferguson, and after the death of Eric Garner in New York City, “Black Lives Matter” has become a rallying cry for protesters. The slogan’s overt accusation is that whites and so-called white institutions, such as police departments and government in general, don’t value the lives of black citizens.
Let’s first examine the claim that police officers don’t value black lives. The protesters would have us believe there is an epidemic of police killing blacks. Is there?