THE ‘NO SNITCH’ SOLUTION? DON’T CALL ME BROTHER! BY MIKE RAMEY
Tip From The Old School: Should Your Child Be Arrested, DO NOT ONLY
Rely Upon A Public Defender. FIND The Money And PAY For A Private
Attorney With Experience In Juvenile Justice Issues. DO NOT Play Your
Child’s Rights ‘Cheap’!
Many of those who work in,
or have worked in law enforcement, the courts, or the prisons ALWAYS
get a good laugh when the subject of the infamous ‘No Snitch’ code
comes up. It does not exist…except in someone’s imagination.
Since I have worked as a probation officer in a juvenile court with
male and female teen offenders from truants to armed robbers, let me
share some truths.
*Point One: The ‘No Snitch’ Code is a L.I.E.
*Point Two: He/She who gets to the police, and/or the prosecutor/district attorney FIRST, OFTEN gets the BEST DEAL!
*Point
Three: If I needed information on a particular case which involved a
threat to a juvenile, or the general public welfare, I found more than
enough ‘birds’ who were willing to sing their little heads OFF!
Sure.
I had received more than my share of threats–from teens and their
parents–especially when it came to ‘putting a teen away’ for some time
in a state facility. However, when the lawyers, my clients, their
family members and the judge were all seated before the bench in either
a violation, commitment or services hearing, no one could ‘plead’
ignorance. The rules were spelled out well in advance.
There IS no honor…among thieves.
THE NO SNITCH CODE IS NOT NEW–ONLY REPACKAGED:
The
current version of the ‘No Snitch’ code has two very successful ‘street
and Internet bootlegs’ floating around. Newspaper articles, and
television talking heads have been treating this as if it is something
‘new’.
The DLS? It’s as old as the gangsters of the prohibition era.
Remember how they were ‘turned out’? Eventually, the public got tired
of the Capone Mob, Murder Inc., and the Commission. Over the course of
time, corrupt cops, elected officials and appointed lackeys were swept
out of office simply because a few brave souls INSIDE of these
organizations ‘spilled their guts’ to law enforcement. They ‘got tired’
of the carnage, the dirty deals, and the poisoned politics that made
sure the criminal got off free while the victim was six feet under, and
their families were destroyed.
Fear was overcome and justice won out.
You see, fear is only an effective weapon when folk are truly scared.
Eventually, those who are fearful–over the course of time–get a
bellyful and decide that it was better to stand on their feet rather
than crawl on their knees.
The ‘color’ of the man or
woman who is making you fearful is truly a nasty slice of life when it
is of your OWN race. To counter this, a saying: “When one gets sick and
tired of being sick and tired, then–and ONLY then–will action be
taken to correct the problem.” With fear successfully tossed over the
side, the old gangsters were eventually outgunned by the truth, and the
constitutional amendment that started prohibition was also repealed.
Fast forward some 50 years.
A
new wave of gangsters in the form of Modern Street Gangs are in the
terror business. This time, they use the media, a pushed materialism
agenda, and the manipulation of the truth of the criminal justice
system to encourage teens and pre-teens to ‘roll the dice’ on a life of
crime. These new ‘fearmongers’ dress well and talk slick in order to
line their own pockets. They also use the subtle art of intimidation
against their OWN race in order to impress someone higher up in the
crime or entertainment business.
They don’t impress nor intimidate yours truly.
Why?
Right
is right, and wrong is wrong. The truth WILL hunt down a LIE and blow
it out the sky, whether those involved are living in a shack, or a
mansion.
PARENTS–WAR NEEDED TO BE DECLARED ON THUGS:
A
few years ago, I was standing in a parking lot after midnight trying to
console the mother of a teen that I knew. He and a questionable friend
were out riding around in the family car. One teen got locked up for
mouthing off to the cops, and the other was set free. Guess who got to
tell ‘his’ story to the mother? Right. ‘Mr. Questionable’. Not only was
he set free, but he tried to turn the jail experience into something
‘needed’ for the mother of the teen that was locked up to understand.
“Oh…well he stood up to the cops. You just have to let him go on his
way, ‘cause he needs room to grow…”. And so on, and so forth. It didn’t
strike me until later that ‘Mr. Questionable’ was walking around free
to give the explanation while the other teen was in a jailed location.
Why mother permitted her son to hang around with ‘Mr. Questionable’ is
beyond me, but her son learned a valuable lesson that night. Whether or
not that would be a life lesson learned is anyone’s guess. Their truly
is NO honor among thieves.
I have read several dozen
arrest reports over the years describing how one or two teens who had
no business involved in a discussion between the police and a
friend–or a family member–and figured that they had to ‘jump bad’
with the police. The ‘funny’ of the police report was that the person
whom they were questioning was eventually let go; but the person who
decided that they wanted to be a street corner lawyer was locked up.
A GREAT COUNTERPOINT:
In wrapping
up our time together this month, permit me to remind parents and
teens–again–that the ‘No Snitch’ Code is a LIE that needs to be
EXPOSED regardless of how many DVD’s are made, marketed, and released!
It CAN NOT be stated any better, or simpler.
Manipulation
by intimidation only leads to DESTRUCTION! Everyone loses when crime is
allowed to continue unchecked, and criminals are allowed to prosper at
the expense of our race, or the general public.
I
have a solution for those who ‘support’ the ‘No Snitch’ Code. It is
based in biblical record, and simple truth. In fact, a few might
consider this a cruel tactic but it might wake up many of the thuggs
and accomplices in the gang scene. But, let me set this up.
A
few years ago, there was a song that was released entitled: “Don’t Call
Me Brother!” The summation of the song: Those in our community who
ACTIVELY abuse, neglect, hurt, or maim a member of their own race have
NO right to attempt to relate themselves to that race, or claim that
racial identification. Now, I can ‘see’ a few folk reading this column
who remember the song, and are nodding in their minds as to that
solution. The biblical solution to those who like to build their resume
on the backs of their race is to ‘shun’ such people who delight in
doing wrong–even IF they are active in the local church. In spite of
their being told about the right way multiple times, these TRAITORS
refuse to listen. Thus, they need to be ‘turned over’ to the streets
they love so well until they ‘wise up’ and want to come back and be
upright people.
The ‘No Snitch’ crowd still live in
some of our homes, eat our food, and are having their ways and bills
paid by our generosity in some cases. Perhaps, IF their actions had
consequences, they would become upright citizens like the rest of the
community.
It’s time the ‘No Snitch’ crowd discover the pain of being ostracized.
Just tell them: “Don’t Call Me Brother”…and MEAN it! Then…call the police!
And…if any of you ‘No Snitchers’ want to ‘whine‘ about my words? You have my email address. See the rest of you next month!
MIKE RAMEY is a Street Gang Specialist, consultant, trainer and Lead
Instructor of THE GANG LINE, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. This
column appears on fine websites around the world. If you have
questions, comments, or would like to have him speak at your school,
church or facility; OR train your group, ministry or agency on how to
spot/stop gang activity, email RameysGangLine@yahoo.com ©2008 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm Communications International