Before you say anything about “Stop Snitching”
Ask yourself:
- Didn’t you hate tattletales as a little kid?
- Don’t criminals of every color adhere to a stop snitching ethos? So how is this a black thing?
- If snitching could get you and/or your family members KILLED, would you do it?
Unless you can say with whole-hearted honesty that you would die to help the police put away a criminal who may or may not have done anything to you personally, STFU.
Although yeah, Cam’ron is an idiot.
You’re right. And its not just with the police although white people are just likely to not turn in their friends, neighbors, family. It also happens in corporations, activist groups, social organizations, etc. You don’t rat on your own, you just don’t. It just doesn’t have a handy catchphrase to get printed on t-shirts and marketed back to people who are expected to follow the message.
Anonymous caller?
I live in a diverse neighborhood outside of Dallas. Just after my wife and I moved in last year, we saw some gentlemen conducting a dog fight. I called the cops and they responded, removing the dogs (I don’t know what happened to the 2 men, but I haven’t seen them since.) I reported the call anonymously and had no issues. Even if I hadn’t, a plain-clothed officer could have taken a statement from me somewhere other than my home, if necessary.
Sure, there are [i]absolutely[/i] instances where cooperating with the police could have adverse consequences on you. But, statistically speaking, murder and other violent crimes are generally less common than, say, drunk driving or spousal abuse. Why not make a call then, when “snitching” may not mean putting your own life at risk?
For the record, I am white, which might explain my different view on the subject than Tiffany or Cam’ron. But I hope it doesn’t.
sonik: race is really not the issue here. fear is.
to take your dogfight example: that anonymous tip could have come from any one of several neighbors, yes?
what if you had been the only house on that block? would you still have called?
now what if that had been a murder with witnesses where the attackers knew who was there?
what happens when the case goes to trial, you are going to be a witness, the entire neighborhood knows and friends of the attacker are not in jail?
people’s houses have been firebombed for calling the cops to stop drug dealing in their neighborhood. hell, some folks will get to fighting if you ask them to turn their music down.
so again: are you willing to risk life and/or limb?
i’m not saying it’s right. i’m saying i understand why folks keep their mouths shut when the alternative is injury or death.
I get that. My question wrt this kind of thing has always been, though, how can we stop perpetuating the cycle whereby people are controlled by thugs and bullies - whether we’re talking about the annoying neighbors w/ the loud music, or someone who might actually kill you.
if only i had an answer, amber. i mean, the obvious one is “stand up to them.” but that can be a lot to ask in the face of violence.
I’m the author of SnitchCraft, a fictional story about a nightclubowner set up by a paid snitch. I recently wrote an editorial about the recent story on CBS News’ 60 Minutes.
The show presented a one-dimensional view of snitching that appears to be part of an ongoing propaganda campaign designed to hold hip-hop culture accountable for the dysfunctional criminal justice system and divert the public’s attention from the real problems in America.
Whether it’s propaganda, pimping, or simply sloppy journalism, the story “Stop Snitchin� was biased and inaccurate.
In the black community it is commonly understood that a snitch is a crafty criminal who negotiates a deal for himself by telling on others. Since the days of slavery, providing information to authorities to gain favor has been viewed negatively. Judas would be considered a snitch primarily because he was one of the disciples, one of the crew.
Read my commentary here