There's a perception among many in the African-American community that black and brown citizens are subjected to harsher treatment than whites by the criminal justice system. You may or may not agree. But how do you explain an incident, described for us by a professional African-American woman who witnessed the chain of events while waiting for the No. 6 CTA bus:
What she saw:
A dingy gold Ford Explorer stopped short in on Lake Park Boulevard in left lane just after going through a green light. The driver of the Explorer jumps out and stomps over to another SUV (a Honda) that had screeched to a halt just behind him. It's about 3:25 in the afternoon. Explorer yells, "You cut me off." Honda driver rolls down his window and argues back. A war of words ensues.
A street brawl erupts:
Honda rolls up his window. Explorer spits out a final retort, punching the closed window to show how much he means it, and then begins to stomp back to his vehicle.
But now, Honda is pissed off. He gets out and confronts Explorer face to face. Man to man. More angry words exchange. Someone spits. Someone throws the first punch. Pretty soon shirts are being pulled up and off and fists are flying. Both their SUVs are idling in the middle of the street, threatening to obstruct traffic.
Police arrive:
In swoop the police, two of them in an unmarked maroon car. One officer is speaking into a radio, presumably calling for back up. By now, Explorer had gotten back into his vehicle and tries to drive away but the cops pull in front and block him in.
The cops get out and begin to assess the situation. Soon, they are joined by a dozen or so officers who arrive in another unmarked car, three or four squads, a wagon, and a police SUV carrying some district honcho types.
Cops are milling around. We witnesses relay what we saw. Honda is painted the victim. Explorer is placed in cuffs. One cop gives him a verbal dress down, saying Explorer's version of events doesn't jibe with what witnesses are saying.
No arrests?
Then, things fall apart. Honda is back in the car and drives away. What? We witnesses don't understand. Shouldn't this guy remain on the scene, or be escorted to the police station? Don't the cops need to write up some kind of report or dispense some tickets for traffic violations? (Obstructing traffic, for starters.)
Then the cuffs are taken off of Explorer and he, too, is allowed to go on his merry way. No ticket. No arrest.
Huh? An officer comes over to tell witnesses that there was nothing they could do because Honda had decided not to press charges. What about disturbing the peace, we say? Disorderly conduct or assault? What about their both creating a dangerous situation on the street that could have caused an accident?
Nope, the officer said. There was nothing they could do. (I have since learned that citizens have the right to press charges in these kinds of situations. Of course, the officer did not offer this suggestion.)
Not equal justice:
This is American justice for white men. The other side of what is typically picked up by the media. Images of black and Latino men, young and old, who get yanked from their vehicles, strong-armed, handcuffed, frisked, and physically held, sometimes by the bottom of an officer's shoe, on the street until they are loaded into a wagon and carted off to the nearest holding pen.
This is how white men are (not) held accountable for their actions. I can imagine how this whole scene would have been dealt with by authorities had the brawlers been men of color.
Not one of the cops I saw held their hand instinctively, protectively over their weapons, a hair trigger away. I suppose everyone knows that old white guys, even when they're perps, are just not that scary.
Still, I wouldn't take any chances. Beware of an angry white man driving a Ford Explorer, who thinks, and now knows from experience, that he is entitled to do whatever he wants whenever he wants to whomever he wants with little fear that there'll be consequences or repercussions.
Mary, this is crap. The reason there are no arrests in a situation like this is because it is not worth the taxpayers time or money, or the police for that matter. The situation was diffused, the exchange got heated, and the matter was closed. I am seriously wondering why you feel the need to inject racism into so many places that it doesn't belong? You are not part of the solution, but in many cases part of the problem. You know, most white folk don't care what color someone is, a jerk is a jerk. The only reason that we still have race issues in this country is because people of power, such as yourself, are constantly reopening old wounds and getting people all riled about race. If there was racism, then by all means report it. For the most part you just seem to find racism where it doesn't exist. I guess that is how you have made your career, though. If race relations got better in this country you would be out of a job, so it is your job to make sure people are still fired up about it.
Are you serious?! If you want to inject race into this, ask all the questions then.- What color were the officers? What did the other witnesses see? Was traffic really blocked? What color were all the other witnesses??
Also, citizens pressing charges in a situation like does not work how you think it does- otherwise we would have citizens pressing charges against people all day long- Cars don't stop for me crossing the crosswalk every single day!
Also, would you like other stories? The kids and teens in the park across the street from me are there at all hours. They start fighting, beating and kicking eachother. People then call the cops, the cops come and clear out the park, the offenders are told to go on their way- no arrests or reports or witness statements. About an hour later all the kids come back and start more trouble. It's an ongoing thing all summer long. Care to guess what color the kids are?
So if I understand you correctly, citizens should step up and insist on arrests any time they see road rage? Of course only white people do this sort of thing.
Pls tell me this was an 8-yeard old girl who relayed this story...
Mary, you are so right and anyone of Color knows how the police (regardless of color of the officers) will handle White men differently and with preferential treatment. If anyone pretends not to know this is true let them walk one hour in men of color shoes and they will never speak as hawk or mark did because they will witness first hand the brutality of officers toward men of color in every facet of life.
Thanks
I'm trying to figure out just where race came into your summation of events? Your story never mentioned the race of anyone involved in the altercation, except that one of the witnesses waiting for a bus just happened to be African-American. The key phrase here is "just happened to be," as if the witness's race might have swayed anyone involved. Is that supposed to create animosity against the two in the fight or the police? Sounds to me like you're disgruntled because one, if not both, of the men (I'm guessing one, if not both, of the men is white) were not led away in handcuffs the way a black man would (again, you expect that the outcome would be different because of race).
Every once in a while, I read the Chicago Sun-Times online to get a different perspective than the Chicago Tribune or to read more local news than the Tribune's website contains. I certainly enjoy reading about relevant race issues, such as why black people are seemingly apathetic about jurisprudence and law enforcement, yet I find little answer why such irrational stances are held no matter how preposterous or ridiculous the outcome (trial outcomes of R. Kelly, O.J. Simpson, being the two most egregious examples). Truth is, when African-Americans are delegated to condemn their own, seldom does commonsense serve as a guide. Stories such as this goad African-Americans against commonsense rather than create color blind assessment of a problem.
If these guys were black they would have been dead or in prison on the scene..whites always get a slap on the wrist, blacks just get slapped! love your column
Seems every other thing you write about is race.
Instead of fueling flames to seperate the races, step up and combine them!
You are doing your race a dishonor for one, because in your blame game, you are the victim always...never accountable.
And whitey always at fault.
If you had some sense of decency, you would take the evils of the world you write about and promote more, and disinigrate less.
As an african American, your race needs more up lift by you.
I see no answers to the black/white name game, only discrimination turnaround by your part.
Time to grow up and be a real writer.
I bet one week, would not go by with out an Obama report,or race issues. Trick is, can you take yourself off that ride.
Community organizer questions 29th Ward
Alderman on his stance with the
Police Superintendent
National Block Club University (NBCU) founder has sent a letter to 29th Ward
Alderman Isaac Carothers to deal with the real issue and not scapegoat around
anymore. Founder; Sy Smith says, urban violence will not be stopped by the police
alone and the unbalance approach is part of the problem. Sy questions if the alderman
would take a stance to call out the Mayor the way he is calling out the police chief?
www.nationalblockcl ubuniversity. com
###
NBCU National Block Club University
“The Largest Block Club Network in America”
6610 South Albany Avenue Chicago, Illinois 1 800 861-6541
www.nationalblockcl ubuniversity. com
July 9, 2008
Alderman 29th Ward
Isaac Carothers
5937 W. Madison Avenue
Chicago, IL 60644
773 261-4646
Dear Mr. Carothers,
My name is Syron Smith of Chicago, IL. I founded a national violence prevention organization
called National Block Club University. Our mission is to track, monitor, and counter acts of violence
throughout 167 of America's most underserved communities.
The purpose of this letter is regarding your stated position that the violence at this year's fireworks
show was a police deployment problem and that we had people who have handled it better in the past.
Mr. Carothers, violence has not been handled in Chicago, please do not look at the number of homicides
as a determining factor for whether or not violence is being "handled". Your 29th Ward is not that peaceful,
as a taxpayer in this city, I strongly recommend you and the rest of the city council begin to think outside
the box in regards to violence prevention. We must begin by acknowledging the root causes of the
violence, identify what demographic are committing these acts and ask the question WHY. I am very open
to discussing some hands on solutions that are ready to be implemented. I can be reached at
312 405-8844.
Thank you in advance for accepting my first amendment right of, freedom of speech without allowing
that to hamper any future work that has to be done for the citizens of this city and country. I know you
are a much more professional politician than that.
Sincerely,
Syron M. Smith
Founder
National Block Club University
Date Rcvd Victim What Happened Block City Village
7/6/2008 Man shot Chicago police shoot 2nd man 2000 blk of E. 83rd Chicago
7/6/2008 Man killed Police shoot a man with a gun 61st & Kedzie Chicago
7/5/2008 4 killed 4 shot to death at a Milwaukee party 28th & Wright Milwaukee 2:30am
7/5/2008 2 yr old boy Boy shot at liquor store; father's gun? 825 E. Sibley Avenue Chicago 1:30am
7/4/2008 3 shot; 1 dead 3 males shot; 1 dies at Taste of Chicago Congress & Dearborn Chicago 10:30pm
7/4/2008 2 shot 2 shot inside home at home Philly
7/4/2008 Unknown Man Philly man shot while texting his mom Frankford & Orthodox Philly midnight
7/4/2008 31 yr old Man Chicago man shot to death 74th & May Chicago
7/3/2008 15 yr old teen Teen stabbed to death in Queens Jamiaca Queens New York 10:30pm
7/3/2008 Unknown Man San Diego man stabbed outside store Hillcrest Shopping Ctr San Diego
7/3/2008 2 shot Atlanta man shot 4 times at Starbucks Cascade Road Atlanta 9:15pm
7/3/2008 34 yr old Man Milwaukee drunk man shot dead 32nd & Vine Milwaukee 7:58pm
7/3/2008 6 murders Milwaukee has 6 murders during 4th of July S. 4th & Maple Milwaukee
7/2/2008 11 yr old male Birmingham boy shot at pool Shuttlesworth Drive Birmingham 2:01pm
7/2/2008 17 yr old female New Orleans teen shot dead;by boyfriend 2100 blk of Franklin Ave New Orleans 3:30am
7/1/2008 2 children 2 children witness armed home invasion at home Norfolk
7/1/2008 Unknown Man Dallas man shot dead in home invasion 9500 blk of Paramount Ave Dallas
7/1/2008 2 shot 2 shot in St. Louis; 1 dies 9100 blk of Edna Ave St. Louis 4:50am
7/1/2008 16 yr old teen Norfolk football star shot dead Cheaspeake Norfolk
7/1/2008 too many killings New Orleans homicide rate is 95 94 murders last year New Orleans
7/1/2008 2 shot Double shooting leaves one dead 48 yr old man alive New Orleans 2:30pm
7/1/2008 2 shot; 1 dead 2 shot; 1 dies in Detroit shooting Schoolcraft & Virgil Rd Detroit Westside
7/1/2008 16 yr old teen Detroit teen shot dead trying to carjack Schaefer & W. Chgo Detroit
June 2008 donations, donate online at www.nationalblockcl ubuniversity. com West Side Reports:60612 = $ 20.0060623 = $150.0060624 = $ 1.0060639 = $ 0.0060644 = $ 1.2960651 = $ 10.00South Side Reports:60609 = $ 0.0060620 = $ 1.7560621 = $ 40.2160629 = $ 4.1460636 = $ 12.8060652 = $ 20.52Southeast Side Reports:60615 = $ 16.0560617 = $ 0.0060619 = $ 0.0060628 = $ 0.7260637 = $ 7.2960643 = $ 7.0460649 = $ 2.0060653 = $ 0.00
Community organizer questions 29th Ward
Alderman on his stance with the
Police Superintendent
National Block Club University (NBCU) founder has sent a letter to 29th Ward
Alderman Isaac Carothers to deal with the real issue and not scapegoat around
anymore. Founder; Sy Smith says, urban violence will not be stopped by the police
alone and the unbalance approach is part of the problem. Sy questions if the alderman
would take a stance to call out the Mayor the way he is calling out the police chief?
www.nationalblockcl ubuniversity. com
###
NBCU National Block Club University
“The Largest Block Club Network in America”
6610 South Albany Avenue Chicago, Illinois 1 800 861-6541
www.nationalblockcl ubuniversity. com
July 9, 2008
Alderman 29th Ward
Isaac Carothers
5937 W. Madison Avenue
Chicago, IL 60644
773 261-4646
Dear Mr. Carothers,
My name is Syron Smith of Chicago, IL. I founded a national violence prevention organization
called National Block Club University. Our mission is to track, monitor, and counter acts of violence
throughout 167 of America's most underserved communities.
The purpose of this letter is regarding your stated position that the violence at this year's fireworks
show was a police deployment problem and that we had people who have handled it better in the past.
Mr. Carothers, violence has not been handled in Chicago, please do not look at the number of homicides
as a determining factor for whether or not violence is being "handled". Your 29th Ward is not that peaceful,
as a taxpayer in this city, I strongly recommend you and the rest of the city council begin to think outside
the box in regards to violence prevention. We must begin by acknowledging the root causes of the
violence, identify what demographic are committing these acts and ask the question WHY. I am very open
to discussing some hands on solutions that are ready to be implemented. I can be reached at
312 405-8844.
Thank you in advance for accepting my first amendment right of, freedom of speech without allowing
that to hamper any future work that has to be done for the citizens of this city and country. I know you
are a much more professional politician than that.
Sincerely,
Syron M. Smith
Founder
National Block Club University
Date Rcvd Victim What Happened Block City Village
7/6/2008 Man shot Chicago police shoot 2nd man 2000 blk of E. 83rd Chicago
7/6/2008 Man killed Police shoot a man with a gun 61st & Kedzie Chicago
7/5/2008 4 killed 4 shot to death at a Milwaukee party 28th & Wright Milwaukee 2:30am
7/5/2008 2 yr old boy Boy shot at liquor store; father's gun? 825 E. Sibley Avenue Chicago 1:30am
7/4/2008 3 shot; 1 dead 3 males shot; 1 dies at Taste of Chicago Congress & Dearborn Chicago 10:30pm
7/4/2008 2 shot 2 shot inside home at home Philly
7/4/2008 Unknown Man Philly man shot while texting his mom Frankford & Orthodox Philly midnight
7/4/2008 31 yr old Man Chicago man shot to death 74th & May Chicago
7/3/2008 15 yr old teen Teen stabbed to death in Queens Jamiaca Queens New York 10:30pm
7/3/2008 Unknown Man San Diego man stabbed outside store Hillcrest Shopping Ctr San Diego
7/3/2008 2 shot Atlanta man shot 4 times at Starbucks Cascade Road Atlanta 9:15pm
7/3/2008 34 yr old Man Milwaukee drunk man shot dead 32nd & Vine Milwaukee 7:58pm
7/3/2008 6 murders Milwaukee has 6 murders during 4th of July S. 4th & Maple Milwaukee
7/2/2008 11 yr old male Birmingham boy shot at pool Shuttlesworth Drive Birmingham 2:01pm
7/2/2008 17 yr old female New Orleans teen shot dead;by boyfriend 2100 blk of Franklin Ave New Orleans 3:30am
7/1/2008 2 children 2 children witness armed home invasion at home Norfolk
7/1/2008 Unknown Man Dallas man shot dead in home invasion 9500 blk of Paramount Ave Dallas
7/1/2008 2 shot 2 shot in St. Louis; 1 dies 9100 blk of Edna Ave St. Louis 4:50am
7/1/2008 16 yr old teen Norfolk football star shot dead Cheaspeake Norfolk
7/1/2008 too many killings New Orleans homicide rate is 95 94 murders last year New Orleans
7/1/2008 2 shot Double shooting leaves one dead 48 yr old man alive New Orleans 2:30pm
7/1/2008 2 shot; 1 dead 2 shot; 1 dies in Detroit shooting Schoolcraft & Virgil Rd Detroit Westside
7/1/2008 16 yr old teen Detroit teen shot dead trying to carjack Schaefer & W. Chgo Detroit
June 2008 donations, donate online at www.nationalblockcl ubuniversity. com West Side Reports:60612 = $ 20.0060623 = $150.0060624 = $ 1.0060639 = $ 0.0060644 = $ 1.2960651 = $ 10.00South Side Reports:60609 = $ 0.0060620 = $ 1.7560621 = $ 40.2160629 = $ 4.1460636 = $ 12.8060652 = $ 20.52Southeast Side Reports:60615 = $ 16.0560617 = $ 0.0060619 = $ 0.0060628 = $ 0.7260637 = $ 7.2960643 = $ 7.0460649 = $ 2.0060653 = $ 0.00
The only racism I see here is by Mary Mitchell.
This article is about 20 times as racist as the actions it describes.
Pathetic.
The only think racist here is the article. Had a white reporter written the exact same thing about two non-white "perps", Sharpton, Jackson and all the other "civil rights" defenders would be on every channel imaginable calling for the firing of said reporter. Mary, you should be thankful that you aren't held to such standards.
I'd like to read Ms Mitchell's response to the previous posts..
Wow, I could roll my face across the keyboard and whatever appeared would be more logically and factually correct than this nonsense.
Race will no longer be an issue, until left wing moonbats like you STOP MAKING it an issue.
How unfortunate it is that in these modern times, racially deranged people like Mary are given a pulpit to sermonize bigotry to the masses.
Mary, you and your "news" organization should be ashamed for publishing the litany of hate speech that is your trademark.
Perhaps you should review a little bit of criminal law before you jump to asinine conclusions.
What you witnessed was a misdemeanor assault. Police cannot arrest on a misdemeanor anything unless it is committed in their presence. Second, the man assaulted didn't want to file charges so there was nothing the police could do besides let them both go.
Race baiting is such an ugly thing. Why do you do it?
Opinion on your article.
You are only race baiting. How do I address you to be politically correct as a influential Black Woman, African-American, person of color...? However, you are first an American.
With your journalistic pulpit, would you serve all better to draw on you experiences, knowledge and talents to present a common sense solution set to issues of Americans. A repeated printing of solutions is better than repeated verbalizing of proposed injustices.
This country has an over abundance of those who vet themselves by no less than racist bellowing despite their color. We need to work toward applied criteria for improving all our lives.
Respectfully,
Buddy
HEADLINE: WHITE MEN GET IN ARGUMENT - DECIDE NOT TO PRESS CHARGES.
Thats clear racism if i've ever seen it. Get a grip you race-baiter.
Once again a black complaining about whites while failing to address their own cultural issues. Mary will you be doing an article on black violent crime in all urban areas of our nation? Will you be doing an article on the black high school drop out rate in our nation? How about the black prison population in our nation? Or should we just wait for you to do another article on white crime like parking violations. Maybe do an article on white tax payers that support a high percentage of the black population on welfare. That would be a wonderful story to do on the evil white people.
Dropout rate...crime rate...fathers nearly nonexistent...drug use...
And you pick this silly statement?
The only reason that we still have race issues in this country is because people of power, such as yourself, are constantly reopening old wounds and getting people all riled about race.
Posted by: hawk | July 8, 2008 01:11 PM
Hawk, this statement would be hilarious if not for the serious nature of how the police treat alledged Black or Brown suspects. Ms. Mitchell is not a person of power, but one who works within the dominant power structure to highlight the discrepancies or marginalization when police procedures are dispense.
Though I would have called this a no-harm no-foul situation, be sure a high probability that if the participants were Black or Brown, their cars would have been searched, possibly made to lie on the gound while hand-cuffed or written a ticket for the nuisance that was caused by blocking traffic.
One of the funniest things to watch is a white person get pulled over by the police, written a ticket - if it is warranted - then watched them pull off quickly before the police gets back to their squad car. NOW ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR WAITS UNTIL THE OFFICER GETS BACK IN THEIR CAR, WAITS FOR THEM TO PULL OFF, BEFORE PRECEEDING ON TO THEIR DESTINATION?! Go ask a Black or Brown co-worker do they wait until the officer pulls off first?
*******
What color were the officers? What did the other witnesses see? Was traffic really blocked? What color were all the other witnesses??
Posted by: mark bradley | July 8, 2008 02:23 PM
You missed the point Mark - which is white males can do this regardless of the color of the police, witnesses all while traffic COULD POSSIBLY be blocked and still carry on their merry way.
The only racism I see is from the witer of this article.
Enough said.
Ms. Mitchell - Do you actually get paid to intentionally provoke and race bait? This is a sad perspective and world view which you hold. Unproductive, racist and devisive. What is the source of your bitterness? Do you genuinely believe this scenario is an imprisonment and arrest situation? This appears to be akin to a bar fight - nothing more.
Gee, what a wonderful judge of character this writer is. Sure am sorry we can' read her trash everyday. NOT !
Interesting perspective.
When you look up in the sky and see the white clouds, is the first thought in you mind that white males are racist and get away with everything?
When you give your children baths and see all the white bubbles, is the first thought in your mind that white males get away with everything?
If you're black, why aren't you writing about all the black on black crime. Isn't that offensive to you?
I think you're the racist Mary. You obviously have some paranoid, scared feelings about white people.
She thinks blacks are held accountable more than whites? Oh really? Like in the so-called Jenna 6 incident wherein 6 blacks kicked and stomped a white unconscious until a third party intervened before he was killed? And then when the D.A. tries to punish the perps the media tries to portray the blacks as the victims so they will get a lighter punishment. The D.A. is somehow racist when he tries to punish them for a very serious crime, you see. And the media doesn't care, the victim was a white male.
You pastor White and the rev. Jessie Jackson incite racial division. Have we forgotten about the O.J. Simpson verdict????? That was alittle lopsided dont you think or perhaps because he only dates white women he got white mans justice??
Thank you for writing this column. No matter what happens in life, both side of the story need to be told. The police did not acknowledge the witnesses, but you did. I was not there, I have been in fights with no arrests. More people should give their stories of how, they see police resolve different scenarios, since only with a total analysis, can we truly see if color played a role in administering punishment, or freedom.
Please look past your rainbow of colors and see the situation for what it was, road rage. Were guns drawn, were people shot or killed, were innocent people ducking from bullets? No!.. you want to make off "color" remarks then lets take this scenerio to the west side after dark, you would have been writing a "whoa is me" story about someone killed, probably another innocent bystander or child. Why bother with an old fashioned fist fight when there are gangs, drugs, guns, rapes, robberies, and murders going on? Look at the big picture! 1.2 million people at the taste and who shot and killed who.. wasn't white people was it?
Way to create racism, once again, where racism probably did not exist. Oh and by the way, just so you know, black suspects are ALMOST ALWAYS COMBATIVE. But I know you would rather just sit there and make excuses for "yo people" instead of opening your eyes to true reality and calling for personal responsibility.
I guess Mary was coming up on a deadline fast and needed to type something quick. That is the only logical explanation for this crap.
I guess you're to poor victim once again Mary! When are you going to quit whining and open your eyes?
This is the reason that ALL blacks now see racism behind their every thought. From the Dallas Morning News, 5:34 PM Mon, Jul 07, 2008.
http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/a