"Real Time" host Bill Maher called out the lack of attention to high Black-on-Black crime rates in cities such as Chicago during his show on Friday.
Hosting a panel with Brown University economist Glenn Loury and international relations scholar Daniel Bessner, Maher questioned the rise in crime in major cities and why it has not been addressed.
"Like Chicago: Most of the shootings are young Black men killing other young Black men. Is that not correct?" Maher asked.
After Loury confirmed it was true, Maher continued, "Okay, much more than what the cops do. Why doesn't anybody talk about that? Why aren't there a hundred giant Black celebrities who would have the respect of those people saying what are you doing to yourselves? Why are you killing each other?"
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Although Chicago's mayor-elect Brandon Johnson has condemned criminal activities such as the "Teen Takeover" of the streets on April 15, he criticized people for "demonizing" their violent behavior.
"It is well past due we put an end to this dynamic - Look, demonizing children is wrong. We have to keep them safe as well," Johnson said in a speech on Thursday.
Loury similarly criticized the failure of Democratic politicians such as Johnson to address and properly handle crime in their cities.
"In order to get a majority of the voters in Chicago or any place else to get behind anything that is going to cost them they have to feel safe. They have to feel that the people in charge are on their side. And that's why Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson needs to come and give speeches saying this is contemptible behavior, we won't tolerate it in our city. The reason why we have cops is precisely in order to stop this from happening and if you do it on my watch you're going to go to jail," Loury said.
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Maher went on to criticize suggestions that more financial investment in the city would fix the issue.
"One in three children in America cannot read at a basic level of comprehension. Eight-five percent of Black students lack proficiency in reading skills. We already spent a lot of money on schools. So are you going to keep telling me that more money will fix this because I feel like this is much more connected to the problems of people who can't read. Yes, they're going to have problems with gainful employment, and it seems like, you know, a lot of times the solutions that come from the left seem symbolic. They don't seem like we're addressing what really needs to be done which is get kids learning, get them reading, get them to have a job," Maher said.
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"It doesn't seem like the money is getting to this problem if 85% of Black students lack proficiency in reading skills," he added.
The Chicago police department reported that motor vehicle theft, aggravated battery, theft and murder have all increased since 2022. The department is also in the process of appointing a new superintendent after Interim Superintendent Eric Carter will step down on May 15.
