Far too many news reports include a quote from a police officer that goes something like this: "So-and-so was shot/stabbed/beaten outside XYZ Club last night in front of a crowd of X number of people and no one has come forward to report anything and no one is cooperating with police."

 

Why do some tolerate criminal and self-destructive behavior?

 

Anti-snitch campaign riles police, prosecutors

By Rick Hampson, USA TODAY

PITTSBURGH — It was not the first time prosecutor Lisa Pellegrini had been enraged by the sight of the T-shirt with the traffic-sign message: STOP SNITCHING. But this guy was about to wear one into court, with matching baseball cap.

 

Rayco Saunders, an ex-drug dealer turned pro boxer, wears a STOP SNITCHING shirt to protest paid police informants. /By Jason A. Cohn for USA TODAY

 

Worse, he was a witness — her witness — and the intended victim in an attempted murder case that had brought him, her and the defendants to court that day last fall.

 

This was Rayco "War" Saunders — ex-con, pro boxer and walking billboard for a street movement that has sparked a coast-to-coast beef involving everyone from professors to rappers.

...

more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-03-28-stop-snitching_x.htm

Indoctrinated distrust of the police by inner city black men, women, and children.  Perhaps concerns of safety and reprisals for talking.  Proudful ignorance as well.

 

It's probably some combo of those reasons

How about a "Stop being a Criminal" campaign?  That allows you stop stop snitching as well.  Two birds with one stone!

In many cases (and certainly perceived), a "snitch" is afraid of retaliation on their family.  A majority of these "quiet" folks would love to tell a police officer what they know but they are simply too afraid. 

 

Of course, younger folks erroneously equate snitch = bitch.

The "Stop Snitching" campaign has been around for a while.

Also see "Omerta"

The "Stop Snitching" campaign has been around for a while.

I know but it continues to fester to the detriment of urban areas especially.

 

In many cases (and certainly perceived), a "snitch" is afraid of retaliation on their family.  A majority of these "quiet" folks would love to tell a police officer what they know but they are simply too afraid. 

 

Of course, younger folks erroneously equate snitch = bitch.

And that's the exact problem.  How can we turn around a pernicious culture that exalts criminality and punishes virtue?

 

#####

Why we need to start snitching

By Derrick Boles and Hakim Hazim

9:55 AM on 10/07/2009

thegrio.com

 

Samuel Huntington defined what a "primary loyalty" is in his seminal book Clash of Civilizations. In short, a primary loyalty is a loyalty or devotion to a group, family, religious identity or some other type of group structure that is more powerful than the loyalty one has to the nation they reside in. Such groups develop codes and practices that become more powerful than the mores, customs, norms and laws of the state.

 

There is a code and practice that has to be addressed in the black community. It's a code of silence that is deafening. It is a code that refuses to hear the blood of our brothers crying out. The "stop snitching" movement is a social construct enforced through various fears including fear of retribution and ostracism. But it's time to move beyond this dishonorable system, once put in place because of racist and hostile law enforcement agencies eager to round up any young black male that they could find.

 

There is an underlying thread in the untimely and senseless death of Derrion Albert  in Chicago. This tragedy could have been avoided, but now we are witnessing something equally tragic: the 'no snitching' code is excusing the behavior of those who witnessed and were present at the murder of this exceptional young man.

 

more: http://www.thegrio.com/opinion/samuel-huntington-defined-what-a.php

Good news from Detroit this week!  Watch the video report at the link:

 

Detroit 300 Encourages Snitching

 

Updated: Thursday, 02 Sep 2010, 7:23 AM EDT

Published : Wednesday, 01 Sep 2010, 10:52 PM EDT

 

By RONNIE DAHL

myFOXDetroit.com

 

DETROIT - There are about 3,000 Detroit Police officers to watch over more than 800,000 residents.  They can't do the job alone.  That's why they're calling on the community to get involved and to start talking.

...

The silent streak that's allowed an unknown number of Detroit criminals to walk free is starting to crumble as residents become fed up and empowered.

 

Henderson is one of the organizers behind Detroit 300, a group of volunteers working with Detroit Police to get residents talking, tips flowing and criminals arrested.

 

"While we're here, you know you're not going to sell any drugs.  You know you're not going to set homes on fire.  You're not going to rape women," Henderson said.

 

"It's not the police policing the community, but it's the community and the police working together, and I think we make unbeatable team when we get together," said Interim Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee.

 

more: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/Detroit-300-Encourages-Snitching-

Anyone ignorant enough to publicly wear a shirt that says "Stop Snitching" deserves to be profiled, investigated, wire-tapped, etc. It's amazing to me how some people are proud to draw negative attention to themselves.

Also see "Omerta"

 

Omerta fell apart when the RICO act was passed and assessed huge sentences against those who committed organized crimes (does not have to be mobsters, but can everything from street gangs to Wall Street pyramid schemes to corporate money laundering). RICO punishments of 100 years in prison on each count are more threatening than turning informant, especially when witness security programs had become so air-tight successful.

 

Combine some guaranteed life-in-prison sentences with guaranteed witness security in more urban crimes and watch "snitching" become what it is -- a needed approach to cleaning up the streets.

Indoctrinated distrust of the police by inner city black men, women, and children.  Perhaps concerns of safety and reprisals for talking.  Proudful ignorance as well.

 

It's probably some combo of those reasons

 

You're speaking for an entire race/neighborhood of people now?  Since when do you know anything about black/African American or inner city culture?

Obama vs the Congressional Black Caucus?

Chris Cillizza

WASHINGTON POST

 

 

President Obama's relationship with members of the Congressional Black Caucus is being tested over a series of high-profile incidents, the latest of which is the ethics investigation into New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel.

...

"The CBC has a very protective attitude toward CBC members who face ethics troubles," said Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis, who is black. Davis added that several CBC members were unhappy with comments he made about Rangel recently. Some CBC members believe the organization "should observe some code of silence" when it comes to ethics charges against their membership, Davis said.

 

more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/white-house/president-obama-vs-the-congres.html

Now you are comparing the CBC to street thugs.  I suppose you just happened to cross by this August 2 article a week after starting this topic.  How conveeeeeeenient....

I'm reporting this out-of-place article to a moderator in the spirit of snitching!

Stop snitching so we can continue our illegal and lawless ways in the name of brotherhood.

Stop snitching so we can continue our illegal and lawless ways in the name of brotherhood.

 

AMEN!!! :lol:

well...well...well.  aint this interesting?

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/09/13/2010-09-13_you_dont_say_nosnitch_advocate_exposed_as_informant.html?comments=1

I hear that mafia types don't care much for 'snitches' (I think they call them 'rats').  Of course, that would not fit the intended theme and scope of this thread, but nice try... slipping in the Omerta references fellas.

To the rescue of bad behavior again?....  If so,  Nice try attempting to turn it into a race issue with the "speaking in code" references. Guilty complex perhaps.

Also see "Omerta"

 

Omerta fell apart when the RICO act was passed and assessed huge sentences against those who committed organized crimes (does not have to be mobsters, but can everything from street gangs to Wall Street pyramid schemes to corporate money laundering). RICO punishments of 100 years in prison on each count are more threatening than turning informant, especially when witness security programs had become so air-tight successful.

 

Combine some guaranteed life-in-prison sentences with guaranteed witness security in more urban crimes and watch "snitching" become what it is -- a needed approach to cleaning up the streets.

 

This risks opening up a new issue and veering off topic, but I will do my best to keep this on topic while raising what I consider to be a highly relevant issue in response to this: I would be OK with this (KJP's idea) only in conjunction with ending the drug war.  Otherwise, you're just talking about exacerbating the massive overcrowding of prisons.

 

An increase in compliance with law enforcement among the disaffected and alienated African-American community would result in more people behind bars, at least in the short term.  We already have too many and the costs of constantly increasing our prison capacity (beyond the natural population growth rate) are too high and rising too fast.  If more people started coming forward with evidence of more serious crimes that often go unpunished for lack of evidence (the perpetrators just melt back into the neighborhoods), it would start putting the right people behind bars, and so I'm all for that--but I'd rather make space for them by freeing less dangerous people than make space for them by adding another few tens of thousands of prison cells.

To the rescue of bad behavior again?.... If so, Nice try attempting to turn it into a race issue with the "speaking in code" references. Guilty complex perhaps.

 

You're right.  What was I thinking.  We shouldn't bring up double standards as they surely excuse bad behavior.  I, for one, abandoned the two wrongs make two wrongs philosophy a few days ago and joined your camp where the source of the problem dictates whether it is worthy of my ire.  Also, I'm sorry for the 'speaking in code' but aren't you the one who aims to 'tread softly' when espousing your true feeling about race?

 

Please refer back to the bird for strength and purpose before responding.

I'm buying one of these for Scrabble: http://www.flippinsweetgear.com/shirt/party_tshirts.flippin_sweet-381182837+dont-stop-snitching-t-shirt-dark-t-shirt

well...well...well. aint this interesting?

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/09/13/2010-09-13_you_dont_say_nosnitch_advocate_exposed_as_informant.html?comments=1

 

Hah!

 

It's sad that they have to pay informants or lower sentences to get information.

 

I had less respect for Camron when I saw that interview he did with Anderson Cooper. Basically saying, "I was raised not to snitch and people who buy my records know where I'm coming from." and "We just do our own policing." Oh yeah? A little kid was shot a few weeks ago on the sidewalk near where I live, in Columbus, caught in the crossfire because of a drive-by probably over drug trade or rival gangs.  "Doing your own policing" isn't going to do any d@mn good in a lot of scenarios when thugs are doing the policing. People do call the police over minor dumb stuff, "haters", all the time when they need to just let it go, handle it themselves or mind their own business but there's definitely plenty of good times for snitching, especially if it's going to save innocent lives and protect people.

Also see "Omerta"

 

Omerta fell apart ...

 

My family is from Cornbread Mafia country (and related to the infamous Johnny Boone through marriage).  I assure you, Omerta is still alive and kicking.  While there's other tenants wrapped up into their version of Omerta it's still mostly a no snitching construct.  Run Johnny run! 

 

You can see where my username comes from now ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornbread_mafia

http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=59229

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Johnny-Boone/131627050630?v=wall&ref=ts