Former RNC chair: 'A black man's life is not worth a ham sandwich'


Former RNC chair Michael Steele told MSNBC on Wednesday that the Eric Garner grand jury decision is "part of the same narrative" as the decision in Ferguson. And that narrative is devaluing the lives of black Americans.
"They tell us, at least, a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich," Steele said. "Well, clearly, a black man's life is not worth a ham sandwich when you put these stories together. And that is the frustration that a lot of African-Americans see."
Steele added that cases like these two should be sent to a jury, because otherwise, they reinforce the notion that black Americans aren't treated equally.
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
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