(In The View Of Some)
News Tribune: Some wonder why black gang was targeted, but others support police
The crime scenes and members’ addresses span Pierce County, but the gang’s name remains linked to one neighborhood: Hilltop Crips.
On Tacoma’s Hilltop, residents and business owners had strong reactions Thursday to this week’s charges against 32 suspected members of the gang.
“These are the headlines that people remember and say, ‘Oh my God,’” said Denise Tempest, who, with partner Michelle Douglas, owns Tempest Lounge at 913 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. “I think we all feel, unless it’s bad news, it doesn’t get talked about.”
In interviews with 20 people along Martin Luther King Jr. Way, some wondered why, if the men were dangerous, police waited so long to arrest them. Others wondered why a black gang was targeted, when white, Mexican and American Indian gangs were not. Some wanted to see the legal process play out.
“You’re innocent until proven guilty, right?” said Chaunte Brown, 34, who was shopping Thursday afternoon at Western Beauty Supply at South 19th Street and MLK Way.
Others questioned the conspiracy charges, which are being used for the first time in Washington in an attempt to prosecute gang violence.
“What’s ‘conspiracy?’” asked Kevin Ryan, 48, a lifelong Hilltop resident. “How do you give a million-dollar bond when you can’t even tell me what they did?”
He added: “I used to be in trouble a lot. I know real trouble and I know fictitious trouble.”
Two of his nephews were among those arraigned.
“Of the 22 guys in jail, probably five really did something,” he said. “Half these guys don’t even hang together.”
The Rev. Spencer Francis Barrett is the pastor of Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church at 1223 MLK Way. He sat in a barber chair Thursday afternoon at Sam and Terry’s Barbershop, 1212 MLK Way.
“If they were breaking the law, whatever color they are, we pay police to uphold the law,” he said, adding that many gang members are looking for male authority figures, role models and family.
The Authorities (The Security Guards) Did Not Do Enough To Protect A Person In Need
This video actually advances the question that I have regarding how to promote a sense of responsibility upon an individual in our community by giving him some element of authority. I see that an individual who assumes the role of a security guard (far short of a police officer per his legal authority) can have a measure of expectation placed upon him.
4 comments:
CF
This is an absolute outrage.
Gangs, guns, drugs, and violence. Looking for role models in all the wrong places...In the year 2010, we continue to use the same tired excuse for young men who follow the wrong leadership because they think it is cool and it gives them power.
In my lifetime, we have had MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Colin Powell, David Robinson, Mayor Harold Washington, Dr. Ben Carson, Mayor Corey Booker, President Barack Obama...
In the first half of the 20th Centruy, we had W.E.B DuBois, A. Phillip Randolph, Langston Hughes,...
Young men, learn about these men and follow their example. Stop worshiping the likes of Larry Hoover and Tookie Williams and things will get better in the hood.
I need to clarify my point before others chime in.
1) I DO THINK that the MEN who saw this girl being pummeled should have stepped in. Their UNIFORM does not dictate their HUMANITY.
2) About 6 months ago I talked about an episode of "Cheaters" in which one Black lesbian confronted her girl friend cheating on her outside of a club. There were about 5 Black females fighting while the WHITE MALES from the show filmed the battle for entertainment purposes. More than 20 BLACK MALES looked on, LAUGHING at what these BLACK WOMEN were doing. In this case THESE BLACK MEN did as these security guards had done - NOTHING.
3) The Black Community NEEDS TO MOVE INTO A STATE OF EQUILIBRIUM. Indeed the police are sometimes wrong and should be managed. They often operate in the backdrop of crime and chaos. WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE DRAMA WITHIN that triggers these perpetual battles in our community.
4) Those operatives who's POWER comes from OPERATING IN THE HUMAN MANAGEMENT VOID THAT IS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY need to be put in check and not allowed to inflame the situation.
In the first scenario given, it's hard to determine whether the authorities have warranted any critism, but the scenario given in the video definitely shows a failure of policy if a security guard has no authority to keep people secure. WOW! Are Seattle tax payers wasting money giving a salary to people who "are paid to observe".
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