*FOX News host Bill O’Reilly has blamed the Black Lives Matter movement for “killing Americans” — citing reports of rising murder rates in some of the largest cities to back up his claim.
O’Reilly says the “Ferguson effect” has made police officers reluctant to pursue crimes. This is a theory that criticism of excessive force used by law enforcement was heightened after 18-year-old Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri.
“Thousands more Americans are being murdered because police are being more passive since the Ferguson situation and the Black Lives Matter protests,” said O’Reilly.
The International Business Times states that there’s little evidence of a “new crime wave” sweeping across America. Several media outlets have also reported that the “Ferguson effect” is nonsensical. Many believe that only racists and white supremacist believe in the magical “Ferguson effect.”
According to O’Reilly’s race-based delusions, a “violent subculture” in Black communities has been fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement.
READ RELATED STORY: Roland Martin Calls Bill O’Reilly ‘Coward’ Over #BlackLivesMatter Coverage
“Blacks of all ages commit homicide at a rate of eight times higher than whites and Hispanics combined,” he said. “Conclusion: There is a violent subculture in the African-American community that should be exposed and confronted.”
#BlackLivesMatter was created in 2012 after George Zimmerman was acquitted for killing 17-year old Trayvon Martin, who was unarmed. According to the organization’s website, “Rooted in the experiences of black people in this country who actively resist our de-humanization, #BlackLivesMatter is a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-black racism that permeates our society. Black Lives Matter is a unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of black people by police and vigilantes.”
“NewsOne Now” host and Managing Editor Roland Martin spoke out against O’Reilly’s remarks about Black Lives Matter, saying: “Black Lives Matter has forced a level of accountability in America dealing with police that we have never seen,” said Martin. “Bill O’Reilly won’t call the cops out for not doing their job, but he will call out Black Lives Matter: the group holding cops accountable for not doing their job,” added Martin. “This is a perfect example of constantly wanting to shift the conversation from the real cause and that is to blame those who are fighting the system.”
