Posted on 01/30/2012 6:29:02 PM PST by Red in Blue PA
It all happened last Wednesday. Prosecutors say Johnson, who was already on probation for aggravated assault, robbed two men in West Reading and was attempting to rob a third along a bike path in Cumru Township in Berks County. But the would-be victim was carrying a licensed firearm, and shot two of his attackers. Johnson was killed. A friend is now in the hospital.
Johnson's mother, Idella Hopkins George, said, "Do I believe he was justified in shooting my son? I would say no."
The family acknowledges Johnson's actions were wrong, but they question why a warning shot couldn't have been fired first.
Johnson's sister, Ashley Jones, said, "He's a kid. His actions-- I don't approve of his actions at all, but he didn't deserve to have his life taken."
In recent days a Facebook memorial page has been flooded with sometimes hateful posts -- referring to Johnson as a "thug" who died like the dog he was.
(Excerpt) Read more at wfmz.com ...
The family did not portray him as the victim. They condemned his actions.
Some on this site have selective hearing.
If you wish to be snarky, as is evidenced by your first sentence, “I used the word “statistics, twice”, then be forewarned, I give as good as I get. So you can be civil, or the gloves come off. I am a fellow Conservative, and deserve only civilty.
Your error is believing that statistics prove every scenario. There is no evidence that she did not do everything to dissuade this kid from this path. The presence of a male does not mean there was not one. She might be a widow.
My views are based on personal experience. My parents (father: career Navy, mother: professional hair stylist) raised my sister and me in the same way. I am the oldest and stayed on the straight and narrow. My sister strayed. Thankfully, she got her moral compass back on true, and is a fine mother, teacher, sister, and friend. A role model.
Well, aren’t you a fine compassionate, civil Conservative. I am not self-righteous at all. You should look up the term. Obviously, you don’t believe in the free expression of ideas and discussion that don’t fit your views. Too bad. I care about and have belonged to this site for a very long time. I’m not frighten by bullies such as yourself. Since you have addressed me, a fellow Conservative in such a nasty manner, you deserve nothing less. Sod off and bugger off, Swampy.
I used the expression, “I used the word “statistics, twice”, because you had twice used the expression that “You are assuming”.
No, I was not assuming. I was citing statistics.
It is not being snarky at all to suggest that you were hoping that she had been a good parent, and it just didn’t work. And, I will add, that this is a common conservative hope, to assume the best in people, so I am not attacking you on those grounds.
However, my point was that the odds of what you hope for are far smaller than the odds of what I suspect. What the statistics indicate.
So you are a hopeful conservative, and I am a measured cynical conservative. Do not be too quick to condemn those of us who both do not assume the best in those involved with crime and their families, and condemn them and their upbringing as well.
Oddly enough, I see a parallel in an old American Indian myth of magical men who could change their appearance to be like animals. It came with the warning that while someone could become a bear, for example, and have the strengths of a bear, were they to die while in the form of a bear, they would die as a bear, not a man.
Were that boy who robbed to escape, he could have found redemption, perhaps. But he died as a robber, so a robber is all he ever was.
The memorial facebook page is RIP Julius Johnson. I left condolences. The homies are issuing death threats. LOL
The kid was 16. Already on probation for aggravated assault. His entire rap sheet was posted by some nice man on the RIP Julius Johnson facebook page. The little thug needed to die.
Do you have a link?
I’ve tried to find it, so I can leave the appropriate level of respect and I haven’t been able to.
Let er rip good FReepers.
As I told your fellow nastier, it is too bad you feel that way, rather than being interested in honest, civil discussions, even if they don’t go along with how we think. I am a good Conservative with friends on this site. I care a bit about FR, and am dismayed at what some, who are supposed to be my fellow Conservatives, are doing. I am not frightened by bullies. Guess my parents and the Army taught me that.
Did you see the video of the great patriot who went to the park in DC to take the tarp off the statue that the Occuptards put over it? Watch the video very closely, because towards the end as the patriot is trying to push back against the hippies who pushing him as he tries to leave, there is a fellow in a bowler hat (probably a Occupier) who is trying to protect the patriot, and is telling the hippies that he is a citizen with rights just like them.
What was your post, and why do you think I had any part in having it removed?
I don’t know in what manner you accuse me of being “revolting”, so I’ll let that slide. I am a nice person, strong Conservative, lover of guns, Army vet, ect.
I concur that the kid was a thug and that the real victim is the shooter who did so to defend himself. The guy had every right to shoot the kid. I strongly believe in personal responsibility.
There are many on this thread who have leapt to conclusions about the mother, in the nastiest manner possible. They also, have selective hearing, because they didn’t hear that family condem the kid’s actions, yet they did.
To the best of my knowledge none of my posts have been removed.
I concur with everything you said about the man defending himself and the kid being responsible for his actions. The only thing I’ve been pointing out about the mother and sister is that they are in pain, and that the mother might have tried her best with this kid, but it didn’t take. Free will. Yet I have been attacked by some on this thread who couldn’t hear that the mother and sister condemned the kid’s actions. The nastiness is not deserving towards a grief stricken family, or me a fellow Conservative.
Too bad you don’t understand why I asked in the way I did. Thanks for the info, but it still doesn’t mean that it applies to this family. It is not educated to guess that because there are a disproportionate number of Blacks that never marry the sperm donor that this would be the case here.
Remember “assuming”.
Once again, the mother, nor the sister make excuses for the kid’s behavior. They condemned them. I’ve heard alot who play the victim card, but these folks aren’t.
You are assuming they are “on the plantation”. The first three letters of “assuming” are... which you are far from.
I was Women’s Army Corp and then regular Army, but we swore the same Oath. I will stand with you to defend it to the last!
True. I don’t know your background. The only reason I brought it up, is that you accused me of race baiting.
Why would you think that someone like me isn’t used to honest discussion. There have been Lefties that I took on who came to have respect for me because I discussed issues with them civilly and honestly.
You should see the nastiness I have received. It is shameful. We should not do that to fellow Conservatives, even when we differ, which in this case, I don’t think we do.
I believe the kid is responsible for his actions. Thankfully the true victim, the man who was attacke, was armed and capable of using it in such a situation. It is still sad that the kid has brought such sadness to his family, and that the man must spend the rest of his life with this event.
True. I don’t know your background. The only reason I brought it up, is that you accused me of race baiting.
Why would you think that someone like me isn’t used to honest discussion. There have been Lefties that I took on who came to have respect for me because I discussed issues with them civilly and honestly.
You should see the nastiness I have received. It is shameful. We should not do that to fellow Conservatives, even when we differ, which in this case, I don’t think we do.
I believe the kid is responsible for his actions. Thankfully the true victim, the man who was attacke, was armed and capable of using it in such a situation. It is still sad that the kid has brought such sadness to his family, and that the man must spend the rest of his life with this event.
There are mothers (and fathers) who try their best to guide their kids down the right path, but it doesn’t always work. She didn’t raise this kid to be a thug, but he turned into one. Thankfully the man (the true victim) had a firearm, knew how to use it, and was able to act.
Wrong again.
I accused you of race baiting because you did.
“Why would you think that someone like me isn’t used to honest discussion. There have been Lefties that I took on who came to have respect for me because I discussed issues with them civilly and honestly”
Again, because I don’t know you or your experiences. Just as you don’t know mine. You complained/mentioned honest discussion and I replied offering it to you and you haven’t taken me up on it. You don’t need to give me liberal cred because I don’t care and it doesn’t add to the discussion in this case.
“You should see the nastiness I have received. It is shameful. We should not do that to fellow Conservatives, even when we differ, which in this case, I don’t think we do.”
I agree, we shouldn’t. But it is what it is. I don’t need to see the nastiness you received. Been there. But, the opposite is also there.
I have no doubt the parental grief is real. But until those parents question why this happens (their kid being a criminal) and honestly face the breakdown, the rest of us just suffer the consequences.
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