As an addendum to my column this week, “The Left’s Deadly Blame-Shifting Charade: ‘Racist Cops,’” what follows are two of the best current rebuttals to contemporary leftist assertions about racism. Both are compiled by Ben Shapiro and his team of researchers.

Regarding “Leftist Myths About Race and Racism In America,” Shapiro notes: “Racism is the greatest divide in American history. To deny the nasty history of racism in America would be foolish. From slavery to Jim Crow, black Americans were treated brutally, their opportunities withheld from them in immoral, evil, unconstitutional fashion. And racism isn’t restricted to black Americans, of course — Japanese Americans were interned during World War II, Chinese Americans were treated horrifically in the late 19th century, Jews were victims of discrimination.”

However, Shapiro adds: “But the Left suggests that because America has been replete with racism and bigotry historically, that means that racism pervades American society now. That’s not only untrue, it’s a cruel lie. Furthermore, we cannot acknowledge the racism that swamped America for two centuries without also acknowledging the central natural law principles that eventually led Americans to fight against that racism — that led hundreds of thousands of white Americans to die for the freedom of their black brothers in slavery, that led whites to march with blacks and legislate on behalf of blacks to end Jim Crow, that has created the most successful multiethnic democracy on the planet. Insulting our fellow Americans by calling them racists and blaming them for the problems of the past, or slurring America as a country with racism baked into our DNA, isn’t just counterproductive, it’s false.”

In short: “Myth: All white people are inherently beneficiaries of ‘white privilege.’ Fact: The Left’s ‘white privilege’ narrative is false, used to divide and silence, and promotes racist assumptions. … Myth: Social justice must be pursued. Fact: Social justice is injustice. … Myth: Talking incessantly about racism decreases racial inequality. Fact: Exaggerated focus on "institutional” racism exacerbates racial inequality. … Myth: ‘Diversity is our strength.’ Fact: Commonality of values is our strength. … Myth: Disproportionate minority poverty is a result of institutional racism. Fact: Poverty in America is chiefly a result of decision-making, particularly about marriage and education. … Myth: Government was required to end racial discrimination in private business. Fact: Government was required to enforce racial discrimination in private business. … Myth: Affirmative action benefits minorities. Fact: Affirmative action is racist and causes higher dropout rates and serious problems in hiring. … Myth: Minorities are turned down for loans at banks because of color. Fact: Banks turn down loans over financial factors.“

Regarding ”Leftist Myths About Criminal Justice,“ Shapiro notes: "In an effort to explain away continuing wealth and lifestyle differentials between racial groups, the Left has hit on a new narrative: the criminal justice system is to blame. The logic states that minority men are being rounded up for little reason by a white-run criminal justice system dedicated to the eradication of a burgeoning minority middle class. If it weren’t for the dastardly system, all would be well. As we will see, that’s simply not the case. Criminals are being arrested nearly universally because they are criminals. There is no widespread evidence of racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. The best solution to criminal justice imbalances remains obeying the law and inculcating the value of doing so to children.”

In short: “Myth: The criminal justice system is racist. Fact: Individuals commit crimes, and criminals are not equally dispersed by race. … Myth: To stop crime, we need to stop ‘mass incarceration.’ Fact: To stop crime, we need to incarcerate criminals. … Myth: If you let criminals out of prison, they don’t go back to crime. Fact: A huge majority of criminals go back to crime once released. … Myth: A huge number of people in prison are there because of drug possession. Fact: Only a tiny portion of those in prison are there for drug possession. … Myth: More police officers endanger young minorities. Fact: More police officers protect young minorities. … Myth: ‘Stop and frisk’ is racist. Fact: ‘Stop and frisk’ statistically undertargets minorities, prevents crime and saves minority lives. … Myth: Police pull over black people for ‘driving while black.’ Fact: Police pull over people for speeding. … Myth: Unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was murdered in cold blood by a white cop while holding up his hands and saying, ‘Don’t shoot.’ Fact: Michael Brown strong-arm robbed a store and attacked a cop, who shot him in self-defense. [He did not hold his hands up and say, ‘Don’t shoot.’] … Myth: Trayvon Martin was shot by a racist white man for the crime of being black. Truth: Trayvon Martin was shot by a Hispanic man who was acquitted after witness testimony and physical evidence showed he likely shot Martin in self-defense.”