Social policy has a long history of people who jumped to easy conclusions ("blacks are criminals") based on simple, stupid analyses like the one you describe. Perhaps the self-censorship is actually a wise response to this history of stupid racial stereotyping.
As an example of intelligent people who let themselves believe comfortable things, think about Francis Galton, eminent statistician and despicable eugenicist.
How is calculating the rate at which Black people commit crimes, after accounting for observable social and economic conditions, "stupid"?
I never discussed exactly what the causal effect was. Some people think Black people are genetically prone to crime. Others think that the history of slavery and its political and social repercussions can explain the crime gap.
But when you accuse people who are trying to establish the base facts of racism, you are hindering the discovery of the truth. Self-censorship in this regard is not helpful.
As an example of intelligent people who let themselves believe comfortable things, think about Francis Galton, eminent statistician and despicable eugenicist.