Teardrops & Closed Caskets…
EDUTAINMENT By J. Tinsley on September 29, 2009 at 11:15 amOn my mama, this isn’t a post rallying African Americans to “do better.” This isn’t an entry clamoring for the recognition of injustices to the young Black. It’s none of that. I’m not an activist and this isn’t something to that will be known which began the second coming of the Civil Rights Movement. Yesterday, while sitting in the library waiting on class to start I had some down time and decided to surf the web.
Truthfully, I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. One of my stops happened to be CNN where I came across the story of a young Black Chicago teenager named Derrion Albert who was beaten to death by a group of young Black males outside of his school. To make matters worse, they beat him continuously with two-by-fours while unknowingly the entire tragedy was being filmed.
Now, I purposely described both parties as Black for a reason. For as much as we attempt to escape the stereotype that all Black males are violent and heartless, something like this happens. The sad part is, I’m sure stories similar to this go unreported on a constant basis. As Tupac Shakur once said, “it ain’t THEM that’s killin’ us, it’s US that’s killin’ US.” While I can’t co-sign that statement fully with the painful images of Sean Bell and Oscar Grant still fresh in my mind, Black on Black crime is something I’m almost sure will never truly become extinct. As much as I want to look at positivity, I have to face reality. Every time a story like this happens, we all say the same thing…’we’ve got to do better.’ As someone who has lost friends to the streets and jail cells, I’m honestly at a loss for words.
Now, I don’t know what Albert did to warrant a beating such as the one he received. However, I do know no mother deserves to bury her son on account of society’s evils. I’ve seen that pain first hand and I pray to God every night I never experience that emotion. Maybe it’s my personality, but I cannot help but attach myself to this situation. Admittedly, I had a tear form in my eye because I know three things. One, this makes it difficult for the great majority of young Black men living in this country. We’re not animals, most of us are far from it. We’ve got dreams and ambitions like anyone else, we just seem to have more hurdles to climb. Some from our own merit, some not. Two, I know this could have easily been someone close to me. And lastly, a memorial in his honor was burned down. It’s easy to see morals and respect are a rarity these days.
As a former resident, I know the South Side of Chicago is nothing to take lightly. I know prospect of losing your life there is higher than in some parts of the country. I also know that this won’t be the last story to ever happen like this, unfortunately. But that doesn’t make the pain any less easy to deal with.
R.I.P. Derrion Albert, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell, DeAndre Brunston and anyone, regardless of race, that has lost their life over nonsense.
Suspect Admits Role In Beating Death Of Chicago Teen [CNN]
Posted in EDUTAINMENT, Everything Else, GENERAL, SMOKE BREAK, Videos — Tags: chicago, Derrion Albert, VIDEO
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32 Comments
Maaaan. That’s tough. I swear, watching the news makes me sick to my stomach sometimes, especially here in The D. I can imagine it’s just as bad, if not worse in Chitown.
“It’s easy to see morals and respect are a rarity these days.”
And that’s exactly why I won’t be watching the accompanied video.
Good post JT.
Vakill Speaks On Derrion Albert
Yesterday, Fenger High alum, Vakill, took to the Molemen message boards to discuss the Derrion Albert tragedy. Below he shares his thoughts with fans, readers and all Chicago citizens:
My extended weekend was going great til i saw this…
This is disheartening an hopeless on so many levels for me due to the fact that I AM FENGER HIGH ALUMNI and secondly because i have lived thru these moments more times than i care to REMEMBER.
what people must realize is that this shit been poppin off at fenger for YEARS, ive been to MORE FUNERALS during my highschool yrs more than any other era of my ENTIRE LIFE. which is partly to blame for the dark undertones of my character that filters through my music…u get numb to
it. My best friend and locker partner big jess lost his life at 17 comin home from fenger in a melee
exactly like this …shot in the forehead 3 times at the hands of n***az we shared world history class with.
seen females SHOT in front of this school , seen teachers stomped to near death at this school..
lost 4 close friends an 1 best friend in a 3 yr span…TEENS N****….TEENS…shit ain’t changed but the dress code and it wont change because it is too deep rooted.the roots run waaaay down and not to mention these ARE CRACK BABIES so shit has taken a turn for the worse
there is no one solution for this problem sins of the fathers 360, shit is just running it’s course.
…learn from it or learn through it..gangbangin is as american as apple pie.now more than ever…this is the biggest elephant in america’s living room.
now do something about it
http://fakeshoredrive.com/2009/09/vakill-speaks-on-derrion-albert.html
http://molemen.com/messageboard/index.php?showtopic=7262
Looking at that picture of Darrian (RIP) just gave me the worst pit in my stomach. Sounds like he was an innocent bystander who jumped in to break it up.
TERRIBLE.
I heard he just got caught up in the fight…Don’t know the whole story
Its time for Obama to speak-up. If not, Fuck that Nigga. He can rally for the Olympics in Chi and take time to disrespect Kanye, he can do double for this young man. He was silent on Sean Bell and Jenna and got a pass. Not this time Barry. I’m going to need you to show the world young, black male lives are valuable, too.
^^^
Would could Obama possibly do about this? What could he have said two weeks ago to even prevent this for that matter?
He could use his station to not let shit like this to continue to ride. The problem is black life is minimal in this country, on the streets and in the courts. He needs to let me know he gives a fuck. Then maybe this won’t go down again 2 weeks from now.
He’s a great speaker, I’m sure he’ll think of something.
I’m not a huge fan of nat’l politics & I think more change is affected on a local level. Instead of Obama, I think you have to look @ what’s going on in Chi to find who should be held accountable.
Man, it’s nothing Obama or anyone can “do” to stop this. It has to be a realization by an entire country that stuff like this is pointless, but honestly, what’s the chances of that happening? One man can’t stop black on black crime so saying “f*ck that n*gga” if he doesn’t do something about this is ignorant, at least in my book.
I’m sure he might call the family personally, but I’m sure that will never make the news.
Obama response would be for example Health Care for everybody, a better Education system for the poor and a war against systemic racism, segregation and prison industrial complex, unemployment amongst young African American…
He’s not expected to be black Superman and defect every bullet aimed at a black person but these topics are not benieth his presidency. He has to say something from a podium in Chicago because he campaigned on cleaning up things at home and Chicago is his political front porch. The fact he can personally stomp for the Olympics but cannot support a community that offers its youth up to gang violence. He can go to Wrigley but not Cabrani(sp) Green? Its not a double standard. So yeah, if he silent, FUCK HIM!!!
^wow..wtf?You expect that to happen cuz of this shit? not a chance in hell. This is too deep-rooted. Plus just look at our culture. Folks love violent stuff like MMA, action-packed movies n such
Beat to death, in front of a crowd at a community center is hardly MMA. If not now, when…I don’t expect him to pick up my cable bill or even make sure my kids school have iMacs but I do expect Obama to ensure the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ….if not him, then who?
its awfully close. Plus this country was built on violence and lack of morals. Actually most societies were. Why would it be addressed now? This is Chicago that we’re talkin about. home of the GD’s the Vicelords and hundreds of other gangs. One damn speech ain’t gettin rid of that
Who know’s what it will do?
shit is all bad around these parts homies. but that story can be said for the rest of your cities as well. the chi is becoming/has been worse than LA in terms of our gang banging culture.
i’m sad for the lil homies that have to grow up around here. this shit is like iraq out here. if u ain’t on your p’s and q’s, you are liable to get taken out at any moment. no lie. and yes, this goes for the old as well as the young.
…and these political cats are more concerned w/ bringing the olympics to the chi. mark my words. they’re gonna regret that shit. in more ways than one.
just saw this over at global grind…from nas.
http://globalgrind.com/content/1020340/Open-Letter-To-Young-Warriors-In-Chicago/
For things to change we all have to stand up and speak against senseless death in our communities. Not just the President, we have to stop turning a blind eye to all the bullshit going on in our communites. We have to force government officials to strengthen jail sentences for these kind of crimes, putting more money into the schools, and getting more police in the neighborhoods that actually care about the well being of the people.
That’s my point Bigga, what’s a bigger rallying cry to state and local government, community leaders and the grass roots than have the most powerful man in the world stand at the spot where a child was beaten to death…oh and it just happens to be where he cut his political teeth. Imagine the imagery.
Last week, I was listening to Mayor Cory Booker (New Jersey) give a speech to some High School Kids; (in that ‘yelling at the top of his lungs’ way that he likes to talk about crime and general fuckery) and he was telling these kids how ‘abnormal’ it is to wear ‘Rest in Peace’ t-shirts, to live in fear for your life, bury your friends and classmates. And my first thought, cynical or not, was “no matter how impassioned a speech is, it’s just words…and the Youths ain’t tryin to hear that!”
It’s seems like every chance Obama gets he tries to motivate the kids AND tell Black Folk that they ‘need to do better’…but the speech don’t help cure the social ills that motivate people to commit crime, harm others and damn sure don’t help explain social deviants like these muthafuckas.
this is the link regarding his memorial getting burned down.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1794569,teen-mob-killed-charges-092809.article
Chuck: If President Obama was to speak out people will notice; but in a couple of weeks they will forget about it. I can’t remember who said this in the post; but to truly affect change it is going to have to start in the communities. Until the people say enough is enough and put actions behind those words, it will be the same sickening cycle repeating itself.
I vaguely remember watching some type of news broadcast (it may have been one of those early Sunday morning political shows) that was discussing a how president Obama wanted to address the nations’ on going illiteracy problem, high schools low testing scores (compared to the rest of the worlds), and violence in high schools. Some of the ideas he presented were (please don’t quote me exactly I was high and it was early on a Sunday morning) to extend the school year by cutting down the summer vacation, having mandatory after school programs available throughout every school district, and to extend the school day so high school kids wouldn’t be home alone for such long periods of time. And he suggested that when kids are not being monitored by adults they are exposed to gang violence in a huge way. I think this unfortunate tragedy happening right in his back yard will only help his case towards passing a law that will make this a reality.
So before we all go all ‘HAM’ and become belligerent against our nations’ leader we shall try to understand that it’s a lot to handle for any man, but this man had a huge mark placed on him cause he is bi-racial individual from the inner-city. Its hard to control what happens in your own backyard when the individuals before you placed a huge burden on you (talking about bush engaging in war with third-world nations, and so-on). We shalt not ask for one man to change everything all at once, but we need to follow in his lead (like he followed the lead of other great orators) to change ourselves as a whole.
@BIGGA
ya holmes, down here in philly they have police walking the beat again….i mean there are actually groups of 3 or more officers walking around our city blocks from dusk until dusk….yea we are facing a budget crisis right now but thankfully our police cheif and mayor nutty understands that having police officers in the community would deter young folks from committing crimes and other woeful acts….Even in the last week, our two, one of philly suburbs (darby borough) put out a mandatory curfew for everyone, FUCKING EVERYONE, at 9:00 pm. not only did this help control the gun violence (although somebody shot a sling shot at one of the police cruiser windows and bust that shit out) but it also draw money from the pockets of citizens in that community because now they have to pay court cost and fees to the borough.
Thugnif – how do you feel Booker’s doing up there? I know an older cat from NJ and he’s always speaking on Booker, esp. after watching Brick City last week.
^ I feel Booker is handling business, I just get the war report from The Bricks, but I know the crime rate is dropping drastically and he’s doing it without ‘major’ gentrification of the city. But buddy do got his fair share of opposition, mostly people who are supporters of Raz Baraka (he’s the reason I even started paying attention to the goings on in Newark) and people who think that Booker is going to leave the city trying to be the ‘next Obama’.
This is tough. So much needs to done to even make a dent in the issues that effect the Chi and almost every other city in the country. One of the people the should speak on this is The Mighty O.
She may not be an advocate of Hip-Hop Music but do believe she is an advocate of people and civil rights. This is a issue of Civil Rights
Say whatever you want about her Oprah makes shit happen. Her opinion matters to a lot of people. Large amounts of people live for her show and hang on her every word.
This isn’t anything new to most of us from every hood USA but the majority is intentionally and unintentionally oblivious to Hood Matters. Oprah can put it in their cosy living room.
Bigga, all I’m saying is President Obama should do something in our behalf as it pertains to safety in our schools and communities. I’m sure a cabinet and local government position that can be created to whatchdog the rights of children and teens to a safe education. A quality education is a different thing.
I never thought I would say this, but we live in a time where the elders fear the youth. Children will seen as a curse, rather than a blessing.
This whole episode, and others like around the world are so sad, society and structure just seems to be crumbling, slowly but surely.
This news is so depressing and aggravating to watch. What’s worse is things probably won’t get better just like most tragedies that affects black people. RIP Derrion
I bet all the boys that beat him wanna be rappers
http://rawdawgb.blogspot.com/2009/09/bet-they-wanna-be-rappers.html
I bet all the boys that beat him wanna be rappers
mannnn thats is such a heart breack i was very devistated when i watched the video there were so many ppl there couldn they help him or anything!!!!!!!!!! thats some bs i wouldve helped him if i was there trust me that just gives u a clue of what kind of person i am!!!