mgk makes several erroneous statements.

Although it is true that blacks have a homicide rate about 10 to 15 times higher than whites (this is balanced somewhat by the much higher suicide rate of whites), but this is NOT what accounts for the racial difference in mortality. Blacks have a much higher rate of death from heart disease, stroke, asthma, hypertension, renal disease and cancers of lung, colon, breast and prostate; this is what mainly accounts for the difference. Blacks also have higher rates of drug overdose deaths and HIV which also contribute to the difference.