Much has been, and is being said, about the t-shirts some rappers and others are wearing with the advice, "Stop Snitching". I've heard mostly white critics, pontificating about how terrible it is that black neighborhood residents are refusing to help the police solve murders and other crimes, by obeying and conforming to this code of silence. They also point out that it is an indication of the severe dysfunction of blacks, that they will allow killers and other criminals to walk freely in their communities, possibly to continue committing more crimes.
What has never been said, and should be said, is that the main reason for the reticence of community residents, is the almost certain prospect of deadly reprisals against the snitcher and possibly even their families. The police either won't or can't, protect the snitcher, saying that they don't have the resources that would be necessary to provide this protection. So they want snitchers to help them do their jobs, but they don't want to protect the snitchers who would be risking their lives in the process of helping them.
Critics of the black community, conveniently forget that this code of silence, has been in force for years in other communities, particularly in the Italian and Irish communities in my home city of New York, and in other cities like Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, Miami etc. The organized crime elements in these cities, makes no bones about the certainty of reprisals against snitchers, and there have been hundreds of highly publicized reprisal murders, to underscore their point. Everyone understands this, and no one criticizes the beleaguered white residents of these communities who remain silent about the crimes they witness in their communities.
What has never been said, and should be said, is that the main reason for the reticence of community residents, is the almost certain prospect of deadly reprisals against the snitcher and possibly even their families. The police either won't or can't, protect the snitcher, saying that they don't have the resources that would be necessary to provide this protection. So they want snitchers to help them do their jobs, but they don't want to protect the snitchers who would be risking their lives in the process of helping them.
Critics of the black community, conveniently forget that this code of silence, has been in force for years in other communities, particularly in the Italian and Irish communities in my home city of New York, and in other cities like Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, Miami etc. The organized crime elements in these cities, makes no bones about the certainty of reprisals against snitchers, and there have been hundreds of highly publicized reprisal murders, to underscore their point. Everyone understands this, and no one criticizes the beleaguered white residents of these communities who remain silent about the crimes they witness in their communities.
When is the last time you heard of a policeman breaking the 'blue code of silence' and snitching on other cops? How often does a Mafia don snitch to the authorities on other capos? What about the cover-up in the outing of CIA operative, Valerie Plame. I say that not snitching is as American as apple pie, motherhood and the flag.
So why are black community residents being held to a different standard, particularly in light of those who have already suffered reprisals, because of the failure of the police to provide for their protection. I'm certain that the black community would fully cooperate with the police as soon as they got serious about providing the protection from reprisals that is mandatory. One idea is the establishment of a neighborhood witness protection program, similar to that which exists on the federal level. However, it will require additional resources which they have already said, are not available.
What's the point of snitching, if it means you will endanger, or perhaps lose your own life in the process? Snitching won't start, until the protection for the snitchers and their families is assured. That's always been true in white communities, and is no less true, in black communities.
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