To SNITCH or not to SNITCH..

[DJDIRTY]

http://www.allhiphop.com/editorial/?ID=290

THERES THE FULL ARTICLE ITS INTERESTIN ^^^^^^^^

Here is the point:

It is my understanding that Yafeu “Khadafi” Fula, one of Tupac’s original Outlawz, was willing to cooperate with the authorities to identify the person that shot and killed his homey (he was later slain). On the flip side, Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight totally complied with street code and told ABC News he wouldn’t offer up the killers even if he knew who did it. After B.I.G. was slain, his close comrades like Damien Butler fingered people they felt were responsible for the rapper’s death (pause!). Nearly 10 years later, we as a collective still haven’t been able to heal from Biggie and Pac’s passing, because there has been no resolution, no justice. I mean no disrespect to Khadafi and Damien, because I think they are fine men. However, by the definitions that “the streets” have laid out they would be regarded as a pair of snitches. Right? Suge is right and they are wrong – streets say so.

Now, I’m deficient in street credibility, but I believe the primary reason people don’t snitch, is to handle business in the streets. Police our own culture. I don’t see that as the case these days. When our heroes get shot, they come home to the adulation of their fans, they stick to the code of silence and many of them do absolutely nothing in the streets afterward. They simply don’t tattletale, for lack a harder word (and haven’t we been taught that since we were kids?). They just allow somebody to impose their will on them.

If somebody does harm to my loved one or me, I have only two options. First, I can come back like “I’m avenging my brother’s death” or I can work in sweet harmony with the cops to arrest the monstrosity killed my peeps. But, I promise there will not come a time when I will do nothing. And that’s my dilemma. I’m no super thug and therefore and am not built for any long-term stretch in jail. So, that sweet vengeance shall never be mine. Big up to Shyne for not talking, but I’m not going to jail for another man’s crime either (I believe Shyne is tight-lipped to cover for another?). So, that would make me a possible snitch on two accounts.

Fear not, streets…I am not a snitch! Why? It’s very simple. I’m not doing any crimes. Any of my homeys that do indulge, I let them know I’m not about any offenses (unless its writing bad articles). And I haven’t wronged anybody in a way that would make them do me harm, so I can’t get my Charles Bronson on in the name of retribution. Furthermore, I’m running the rumors page and I have left many-a-rumor off the page- I could be dropping dimes like Usher!

I’m not the only one that is conflicted with this “Stop Snitching” crap.

There is a no snitching policy that permeates the very fabric of our culture even though society pounces on these often misguided wearing these stupid shirts. Lets start with the police. Aside from Rodney King’s beating at the hands of police (which was on video tape), name a criminal case where police officer turned in another one. Didn’t think so. With this thick “Wall of Silence,” the cops should be the ones wearing the “Stop Snitching” shirts.

Hell, we know that enough people “snitched” in the B.I.G. case to create composite sketches of the rapper’s assassin even though the cops said that “we” refused to talk to detectives. We also know that in July of 2005, an anonymous “snitch” revealed that hundreds of documents were found that could lead to a murder suspect. Los Angeles police allegedly played a role in the murder of “the King of New York,” but you don’t see anybody inside stepping up to the plate in the name of justice (Well, I guess Russell Poole could count, that "snitch!"). You know they know.

So, as is always the case with rap, there is a bigger issue that these social analysts fail to diagnose.

Still, the fact remains most people that rock those corny “Stop Snitching” t-shirts are destined to buckle in half if the poo-poo really hit the fan. Furthermore, with the Feds swarming Hip-Hop like vultures on a carcass, we can expect that more people will be tested in the manner Lil’ Kim was. Flavor Flav of Public Enemy once said, “If you kill my dog, I’m going to slay your cat.” It seems like these days we forgot the latter part and just let people kill our dogs.

[GangstaBoogy]

whats up with this whole "stop snitchin" craze anyway? i seen jim jones wear that shirt in one picture, no every muthafucka in the city got one

[The Watcher]

till, the fact remains most people that rock those corny “Stop Snitching” t-shirts are destined to buckle in half if the poo-poo really hit the fan.

never a truer word spoken

[Crown]

You have the right to remain silent!

[Wessia4LiaNia Chieee Chieee]

depending on the case...if is about a murder u've been witness, that ain't even can be called snitchin, that's helping a case...snitchin is when you tell ur friends secrets to some1 else, being a "talk hoe" that's sntchin

[nibs]

let's be clear about some things:
a) unless you kill someone, the police don't actually try that hard to solve most crimes.  typically, one eye-witness isn't enough; they need physical evidence; they need confessions.  the police want you to snitch, they want accomplices to turn against each other and snitch on each because that's the only way they can solve most crimes.   

b) snitching on your friends is a selfish act.  it's betraying trust and loyalty out of self preservation.  the only reason this is a gray area at all is because we are talking about criminal acts.  under any other circumstance, if you betray a friend or loved one out of self-preservation, for self-benefit or reward, you would be viewed as a coward, a snake, a bad person in general.  it's only because we are talking about "crimes" that there is any gray area.  snitching is a betrayal of trust and respect.

c)  this "don't snitch shit" isn't some phenomenon in the black community.  when the fbi debuted their 10 most wanted list, initially that shit wasn't anonymous.  the first dude that called in a tip that led to the capture of "america's most wanted" had his face and picture splashed across newspapers, got his reward and was regarded as a hero.  some mobster/gangster/italiano dude killed him like a week later because "he didn't like snitches"

Still, the fact remains most people that rock those corny “Stop Snitching” t-shirts are destined to buckle in half if the poo-poo really hit the fan.

in a sad way, i think criminals that get pinched for something small while young (shoplifting or something) are often better off, because they can quickly learn the system, learn that the police really aren't that smart, and that as long as they don't tell on themselves they probably won't get caught.

you don't even have to be a good liar.  you can be nervous, you can say "i'm not sure", you can get caught in logical fallacies and simply say "i was confused, i don't remember...".  as long as you don't tell on yourself, you will probably be alright.  unless they have videotape, or physical evidence...they probably don't have enough.  seriously people.  once you learn that telling the truth to the police doesn't help you, you've learned 80% of the game right there.  the police are not like those law & order detectives; they don't know that 1 + 1 = 2.  they have to take 1 and 1 to the prosecutor and ask "what do we have?  what can we do with this?  is this 2???  not quite, see if you can get him to say it's 2