‘Start snitching,’ crime-hit communities urge

[RamboLiberal]

Saying they are frightened that a “no snitching” code is taking root in American society, political and civic leaders across the country are pushing witnesses to find the courage to step forward and help police investigate violent crimes.

The campaign has taken on added urgency with the pending release of a sequel to “Stop F***ing Snitching,” a notorious DVD blamed for glamorizing street violence in Baltimore and intimidating witnesses to keep them silent. The DVD circulated nationally — thanks in part to a performance by professional basketball star Carmelo Anthony — inspiring “Stop Snitching” caps and T-shirts and a rap music subgenre that has attracted superstar performers like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and The Game.

Urly Media is promoting “Stop Snitching 2” as a “shockumentary” meant “to show the reality of hard times on hard streets.” In a trailer for the DVD on Urly Media’s Web site, a small child is shown waving a large revolver and smoking what appears to be a marijuana joint, a man is shown firing a gun into the air, and numerous people talk about the need to kill “rats” and “snitches.”

“This snitching thing is an ongoing thing. You hear it everywhere — don’t snitch, don’t snitch,” said Gloria Fant, whose 18-year-old grandson was shot and killed last year in Bristol Township, Pa. In July, someone scrawled the message “Snitch and Die” in chalk on a street near the scene.

Neighborhood residents said the graffito was left on the street for almost a month before it was finally removed, sending a chilling message to witnesses.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22734240/

[Jed Dilligan]

1. Okay. You go first...

[backscatter712]

2. Police misconduct is part of what brought us here.

If police want to be seen as the good guys, they need to act the part of the good guys.

That means there should be zero tolerance for things like civil rights violations, abuses of police power, unwarranted beatings & taserings, harassment of minorities & protesters & such, etc.

When we see police routinely acting like they're above the law, yeah, people are going to see them as the enemy and withhold cooperation.

Would you trust a cop if you saw that cop conducting a Rodney King style beating right in front of you?

[aikoaiko]

3. I don't think police issues are the reason for "stop snitchin".

Its pure thug self-interest.

[RadioactiveCarrot]

4. Pass.

When you live in the County of "America's Toughest Sheriff", you don't trust them as far as you can throw them even.
There's an article about that up in the Arizona state forum if anyone is interested. Inhumanity has a price is the name of it. You read that, and some author can gumflap all damn day about going to the cops, and not going to unless absolutely necessary.
I do not trust the cops in this county to conduct true justice anymore, and haven't for some years. They're up to their eyeballs in crime and blood.