at least two people shot on carlton/dean tonight

Cupcake wrote: For what it is worth, and it's probably not worth very much, and I have no idea why I feel compelled to admit this right now, but:

I am a 24 year old white, college educated woman with a full time professional job and I cannot afford an iPod or a digital camera or whatever. I've never thought of stealing or shoplifting one, but everytime I see someone my age or younger whipping one out, I get jealous. I get a little jealous and I think, "what the fuck? how come they have one and I don't?"

Of course, I have other possessions I can go home and comfort myself with. And I have resources to express this feeling, and I can foresee a time in my future, albeit distant, when I will be able to afford the things I want. If I didn't have these comforts, who knows how this feeling might grow and motivate me....

You have an education. It is priceless. Stop bitchin'.

yeah, i am so SICK of hearing that victim of circumstance bullshit from so many people. think of all of the kids growing up in this city and others who are from the same background as Higgins, or worse, who are NOT out robbing people. who are trying to better themselves so they don't fall 'victim of circumstance' and sing a pity song their whole lives.

but also, something has to be said for this culture of voilence that is idolized right now. the entire criminal/thug lifestyle is glorified in a ridiculous way by people who are now making millions and moved out of the ghetto, or never lvied there in the first place. there is something to be said of creative people who have been able to make something from themselves coming from nothing, but to then glorify it and be so completely unresponsable about it is really not sending out any kind of positive message saying you can do better than this.

while of course music that tries for that will never reach a large audience as the stuff that glorifies all kinds of violence.

of course there will always be criminals in the world. its just depressing to see it so glorified by so many. when it certainly is not glorious. maybe its easy for people who got outof it and are making millions to say that shit since they are so far away from it. but say it to the kid behind bars at 16 who is pretty likley to never get out of that system of being in and out of jail forever or eventually end up shot dead on the street by a cop or another lowlife.

/end rant.

Cupcake wrote: For what it is worth, and it's probably not worth very much, and I have no idea why I feel compelled to admit this right now, but:

I am a 24 year old white, college educated woman with a full time professional job and I cannot afford an iPod or a digital camera or whatever. I've never thought of stealing or shoplifting one, but everytime I see someone my age or younger whipping one out, I get jealous. I get a little jealous and I think, "what the fuck? how come they have one and I don't?"

Of course, I have other possessions I can go home and comfort myself with. And I have resources to express this feeling, and I can foresee a time in my future, albeit distant, when I will be able to afford the things I want. If I didn't have these comforts, who knows how this feeling might grow and motivate me....

Hon, I grew up black, poor and in the slums, surrounded by drug dealers and petty criminals. And I've had my share of min wage jobs early in life. I never ever stole anything from anybody, and certain never even considered harming anyone to get what I wanted.

Criminal activity of the type we are discussing here is about character and character alone. Sure, it hurts if your parents are on welfare, if you don't get a decent education, or if you don't have good role models. I know from experience. But, if you have character, you overcome your upbringing, you seek out education and role models, you strive to better yourself.

There are lots of balck kids from similar circumstances who do not engage in criminal behavior.

To make excuses for this kid's criminal actions is a slap in the face of those of us who chose through our own free will to take a different path.

That was me :roll:

Anonymous wrote: [quote=Oiseau]A 16 year old "Mr. Higgins"? Please. Too bad the bullet hit his leg and not his head.

fuck you.

because "matching the description of a suspect in a mugging" should be punishable by extra-judicial death sentances, right?

is the kid a punk, a thug, a criminal?

seems more than likely.

there's a system in place.
after recieving a fair trial he would hopefully be punished in an approriate manner.

because the system has problems, i have my doubts the either the trial would be fair, or the punishment appropriate.

however, the problems with the system are notwithstanding, there is no possible excuse or reason for two undercover police officers fire 22 bullets at a suspect in a misdemeaner (with the use of the pellet gun, i will concede that he probably will be charged with a felony).

particularly on a residential block, in the late afternoon.
it is flat out irresponisble.

a punk kid is approached by seemingly two other punks, he flashes his fake gun intending to frighten them off, they draw their guns, he flees (as would anyone).

they may have been in their rights to open fire (which does, in fact, make this case different from the Diallo). but it doesn't make it o.k.

what if one of those 19 stray bullets entered a home and killed a child, or an old woman? what if all 19 of them did? for a fucking iPod?

jeezus christ, get some fucking perspective people.
street crime happens.
it always will.
i've had stuff stolen, it sucks.
regardless of how i may have briefly felt about it, i wouldn't want anyone shot over it.
cost/benefit. is it worth it to risk the lives of ordinary innocent people in order to gun down someone who might be a mugger?[/i]