Another devastating and needless shooting recently occurred in central Toledo when Damia Ezell, age ten,
lost her life to a senseless and cruel act of gun violence.
Another hopeful and shining young star in a gun buffeted community has been blotted out due to the irrational and impulsive act of a shooter who was trying to prove his manhood and thus settle a score.
Another family and a coterie of friends are now weeping and lamenting over such a stupid loss of a productive life and yet we have people who still hold to the craven view that being a “snitch” is a community taboo.
Imagine if you will, people who think that when they see criminal activity, that turning your head or closing your eyes or acting like a deaf mute is admirable or is worthy of emulation.
Imagine if you will, that some people hold to the credo that if you report on negative criminal behavior, you are “betraying” your “people” and that you are a stooge for the white man.
Imagine such ignorance and stupidity that people will sear their conscience and thus think that they are in sync with their community or that they are striking back against the “system.”
But. That is what we are faced with when anyone takes it upon himself or herself to allow criminal thugs to reign and rule in their neighborhoods.
Such miscreants thrive and depend upon such foolishness to protect their evil acts and to remain hidden in shadows and who want to intimidate you to bite your tongue and accept their hellish reign in your community. Note: being Black is not defined by aligning yourself with criminal elements in the community or your neighborhood!
Are these the numbskulls that you would look up to and have your children admire and respect?
We are not talking about jailhouse snitches who may be paid for false testimony for the promised hope of a break in their own pending criminal sentencing.
We are not talking about people who make up lies for purposes of malevolent purposes or to gain an undue advantage.
We are talking about everyday people, who know of a tip or any information that will out some thug, child molester, vandal or drug kingpin who has shown by their acts that they have no respect for you or your property.
There is no shame in reporting to the authorities, especially in an anonymous manner, the parasites and vampires that parade under the guise of being your “brotha or sista” and yet will prey upon you and commit bodily harm again you in a blink of an eye.
There should be no remorse or regret in turning in criminals who have no regard for your life or safety and will rip you off as so much as to look at you.
Are these the types of people that we want to cover or protect from their nefarious acts?
Understand, the people that hurt and harm you and steal from you and cause grandmothers, uncles, fathers, mothers and teens to go to early graves are not your friends.
They are your sworn enemies and they have declared war against you because they know that they can run up the flag of that misguided urban legend that being a snitch is a lowlife or a turncoat.
They are the lowlifes. They are the ones that inflict emotional and mental anguish upon the weak and innocents.
They are the ones that hurt, harm and demean the community with their willful acts of burglaries, mayhem, vandalism, mugging and assaults and murders.
Is this the type of vermin that we should coddle and protect from being brought to justice to account for their despicable acts against you and your family members?
Never ever let the word “snitch” deter you from doing the right thing and reporting criminal activity when you see it or know of it.
Report it to Crime stoppers and know that your act of saying NO! to acts of crime will benefit you and your community.
Do not give these rats any sewer to run into and hide. They have no respect for you. You are only a disposable object by which they can rip off, hurt or maim.
And they chuckle to themselves after they do their dastardly deeds because they are relying upon you being bamboozled by that stupid notion that standing up for your community and for what is decent and right is being a traitor to your community.
The good person who does that is not a “snitch” but rather is a hero.
Dear reader, do not be a fool for this type of mental tyranny. A “snitch” in time can save a life and save a lot of grief and put a human parasite behind prison bars.
Lafe Tolliver, Attorney
