The Black Informant

The following story is one of two heated controversies that has been THE topic on L.A. talk radio for the past few weeks. I actually mentioned this first story recently in one of my postings, but I did not go into too much detail about it. After hearing the latest developments on this issue, I just couldn’t take it anymore.

I’ll give you an excerpt of just some of the articles printed in Long Beach’s Press-Telegram as they have been the ONLY paper in Los Angeles following this story in such detail.

Hate crime charges filed in attack

Seven girls, one boy could face imprisonment until age 25 if convicted in Halloween beating.

LONG BEACH - Hate crime charges were filed Wednesday against eight black teenagers accused in the brutal beating of three young white women on Halloween.

[...]

The 10 charged in the crime - ages 12 to 17 - were captured within minutes of the attack, which left the victims - two 19-year-olds and a 21-year-old - with broken bones, concussions, cuts and bruises.

Two 17-year-old boys from Long Beach were arrested by police in connection with the beating about a week later, but they have yet to be charged.

Police said the criminal investigation, and the search for more suspects, is ongoing.

The victims and neighbors who witnessed the beating said the three young women were attacked as they left a haunted house. It began with what some thought was a sexually suggestive remark from a male, and exploded, the victims said, when they ignored the taunts and tried to walk away.

They described being pelted with lemons and pumpkins, then beaten by a crowd of 20 to 40 people who swarmed around them shouting, “I hate whites” and “F— whites.”

One assailant used a skateboard to knock one of the 19-year-olds unconscious, then hit her as others jumped on her back while she lay in the street. (source)

Next article

Victim describes beating

Crime: Woman, 21, vividly testifies about brutal Halloween attack in Bixby Knolls.

LONG BEACH - A 21-year-old woman who had a dozen bones on one side of her face shattered during a Halloween attack testified in court Friday, recalling the beating in chilling detail. (source)

BTW, any of the links within this post will take you to that article page. There you will find a list of all the related articles in this case. I’m just highlighting here.

Attack witness’ name is withheld

Judge’s order comes in response to ramming of witness’ parked car a day earlier.

[...]

Cmdr. Jeff Johnson, who leads the Long Beach Police Department’s Juvenile Services Division, said the 18-year-old witness, who is black, was trying to leave her home Wednesday morning when she peered out one window and saw six black men who appeared to be gang members sitting on her car waiting for her.

Afraid for her life, she called police, who gave her an escort to court, the commander said. (source)

It didn’t stop there!

Witness’ car hit in apparent `message’

Local gang suspected of ramming parked vehicle of woman who testified in Halloween beating.

LONG BEACH - A group of alleged gang members on Tuesday rammed the car of a black witness who has testified for five days in the Halloween beating of three young white women by a group of black youths.

The witness - who the Press-Telegram decided not to identify because of previous charges of witness intimidation - was leaving the Long Beach Superior Courthouse on her final day of testimony with a police escort when she heard news of the attack from her boyfriend, said Cmdr. Jeff Johnson of the Long Beach Police Department.

Her boyfriend called her on her cell phone and told her that neighbors ran and got him after they saw a group drive by her car, which was parked in front of her home, and then back into it with such force that the vehicle is thought to be totaled, Johnson said.

Witnesses described the men as wearing clothing typically seen on members of the Baby Insane Crips, Johnson said.

“It appears as though they’re sending her another message,” the commander said. (source)

When I first heard that the local NAACP chapter condemned this attack, I was relieved to see that at least on the local level this organization was playing it straight. That is, until I read the next article.

NAACP condemns L.B. attack

LONG BEACH - The local chapter of the NAACP this week denounced the recent beating of three young women on Halloween night in Bixby Knolls while demanding justice for all parties involved.

[...]

“We do not sanction inappropriate activities no matter what your color,” she added. “But there are some concerns with the investigation, and whether everyone’s rights are being protected.” (source)

Anyway, the article shows some of the minor technicalities the NAACP is looking to use to make the alleged attackers look like the real victims.

This story really burns me up on many levels. Not because a bunch of Black kids attacked some White girls, but because of this underline sentiment amongst more than a few in the community (INCLUDING THE NAACP) that perhaps these kids are being framed. A Black single mom testifies against these kids, gets threatened by a local gang who later smashes her car and still folks are using a fine tooth comb to find injustice against these kids. Other way around…well you know the rest. What is worst is that this is another generation of young people who are learning how to use the race card while squashing responsibility.

And please don’t go there that perhaps these kids attacked this girls because of economic injustice or because of hunger. Please-don’t-go-there!

The other story that I mentioned earlier has to do with a Los Angeles fireman who claims that he was a victim of racism and is demanding $2.7 million from the city. From what I am able to tell, public opinion on this case is not as split by race as many would think it would be here in the southland. Earlier this week, a couple of so-called “Black leaders” released a press release and held a “protest” outside of a L.A. radio station who they claimed was being racist for exposing the full story behind this fireman. The only problem is that there were only 3 at the protest: two of the “Black leaders” who called for the protest and a reporter from the radio station they were protesting against.

Just sad!

This link gives a brief overview of the situation. This one infuriated me in a much different way than the first story because of whom it ultimately affects. I may try to comment on this story later.