Anti-snitch movement gains steam

The Washington Times ^ | 3-29-06 | UPI

[JZelle]

The stop-snitching movement has spread across the United States, worrying police and prosecutors who often use informants to win convictions, a report said. The movement got its start two years ago in Baltimore in an underground DVD featuring armed drug dealers. Since then, the movement and T-shirts that say "Stop Snitching" have gone nationwide -- being worn by a diverse group ranging from rap artists to college professors, USA Today reported. The code of silence, David Kennedy of New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice told the newspaper, "is breaking out in a way we've never seen before."

[JZelle]

I remember that Baltimore family whose house was firebombed after the mother "snitched" on the pushers in the neighborhood. I believe the mother, father, and a couple of the kids died in the fire.

[wideawake]

Stupid no-knock raids on innocent parties are dangerously incompetent and officers who engage in them should be severely disciplined, if not terminated immediately and charged with crimes themselves.

However, there is a difference between poorly trained and lazy police making stupid mistakes and a calculated war directed at law-abiding citizens.

[a_different_conservative]

It must be tough for liberals micromanaging the corruption. After all, police (who are usually expected to snitch on lawbreakers) are themselves forbidden to do this in many places if the criminal is an illegal alien (OOPS! I meant differently documented worker).

[steve-b]

I think the consensual crime laws and their enforcement are a lot to blame. It's hard to respect the man who breaks down grandma and grandpa's door and puts them in the hospital because he wasn't sure where the informant said the drugs were (was in a thread a few days back).

The role of police as (literal) highway robbers in speed-trap revenue collection doesn't help, either.

[BenLurkin]

Crime as a "social value" and illegal demanding the vote while waiving a foreign flag.

I blame the schools.

[JimRed]

he says informers strain the social fabric of poor minority neighborhoods, where as many as half the young men have been arrested. "Every family gathering, every party, every backyard barbecue probably has someone who's secretly working as an informer."

Only the guilty need to worry about being "informed" upon, unless they've pi$$ed off a thug...

[Lou L]

I think this is more a symptom of racial teachings to non whites.

I seem to have heard at one time, that no black juror would find a black defendent guilty, either. How do you get around that?

[armymarinemom]

Can we send Stop Leaking T's to congress?

[ansel12]

Quit teaching and promoting anti white racism in schools, on TV, and in movies and music. Actually it is more than just about race, the white thing is used as an emotional short cut to promote anti Americanism, by linking America, its history, and it's current institutions and (legal) systems, with a small, identified group that you can push into a "them" identity, drawing the rest of the population into an angry, defensive, rebellious, reactive force, always struggling for liberation and "justice" from "the man".

[paul51]

I think the consensual crime laws and their enforcement are a lot to blame

Police philosophy has changed a lot over the past 30 years. Most departments have taken on a 'them against us', closed fraternity kind of mentality. Now a lot of people are beginning to respond with their own 'them against us' mentality. The words to protect and serve no longer are meaningful. It's more like 'control and dominate'.

[paul51]

I just hit everyone with a subpoena and, if they squawked, I told them if they did not show I would have them arrested.

Did it ever occur to you that this mentality may be part of the problem?

[SmoothTalker]

". The movement got its start two years ago in Baltimore in an underground DVD featuring armed drug dealers."

Don't forget Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets. He was on that video!

[Clemenza]

The Sicilians were far ahead of the curve on this one. This is merely an urban American version of "Omerta."

[Killborn]

I meant a mainstream, concerted effort on behalf of many people to not "snitch".

Keeping things from cops started, like you said, about 30 seconds after.

Mainstreaming it, however, is a bit more recent.

[nopardons]

Thirty years ago, lots of morons were calling any policeman a PIG.

This has far less to do with the police and far MORE to do with the damned hippies and Yippies and the SDSers, almost ALL of whose "leaders" were stinking Commies and WERE funded by the KGB.

Sadly, even some on FR ( THIS MEANS YOU! ), appear to not only be completely unaware of factual history, but have also swallowed the propaganda and are regurgitating here.

[paul51]

Your post borders on irrational. I'm just telling you what I think, what I observe and what I understand from talking with people all over the country about these sorts of things. Believe whatever you want. I don't really care. hippies, yippies, commies, etc.... sheesh, what a nork.

[nopardons]

My reply to you is perfectly rational, as well as being knowledgeable; which your none of posts are.

And just because you supposedly talk to a lot of others, who are abjectly lacking in any factual historical knowledge, is the problem. I suggest that you look into the matter and then, once you've learned the facts, you'll come to see just how rational my post is. Though, truth to tell, from your attitude, I doubt that you'll follow my suggestion and remain ill educated...because, as you said, you "don't really care."

BTW...since what you "think" ( and I use that word loosely! ), is based on NO facts, it's worthless.

[paul51]

Point to one fact in your post (rant). Never mind, just come back when you are sober

[nopardons]

I'm sober.

I was sober when I posted both earlier replies.

For you to impugn me thusly, proves that you can't refute anything I've said; not to mention the fact that you have less than no idea what the word "rant" means", are abjectly lacking in the knowledge of recent historical facts, and can't recognize any, when they are force fed you.

FACT...from David Horowitz to Abbey Hoffman to Mark Rudd to almost everyone connected with the "leadership" of the hippies/Yippies/SDS/WEATHERMEN ( Tom Hayden IS one of the very rare exceptions ), every single one of them were indeed RED DIAPER BABIES.

FACT...the KGB was funding and steering these groups, just as they had been doing for many decades, with the various and sundry "anti-war"/"peace movements"/ban the bomb groups.

FACT...prior to the mid 1960s, the ONLY people who called the police names and had less than no respect for them, were criminals.

FACT...police corruption and mistreatment of some, is nothing new. Still and all, it was NOT until the mid-late 1960s, that some in the general populace actually went out of their way to name call/insult the police and claim to distrust them. And NO, the "KEYSTONE COPS" comedies don't count.

Now, it's your turn...point to one FACT and no, anecdotal evidence doesn't count at all, that you have posted.

[paul51]

FACT...prior to the mid 1960s, the ONLY people who called the police names and had less than no respect for them, were criminalsYour own FACT supports my #7;