manus_flexibilis (Anonymous) says…

Barack Obama might be the next President? Live with it!

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…

Do either of you care to comment on the content of the article?

beobachter (Anonymous) says…

Marion, seldom happens, but I completely agree with your post.

TheOriginalCA (Anonymous) says…

Police behave innappropriately towards white people too. Just move to a small town in Missouri and try to confront the good ole boy network/power structure and see what happens to your family. Trust me, I know this first hand. Our landlords maintenance man broke into te house three times and stole about $10,000 worth of items. In fact, he had a key and walked right in while we were out of town. Our landlord is a powerful attorney inthis town and owns the whole town. When we went to press charges against the maintenance man, we were threatened by our landlord. We followed through with it. The maintenance man came to the house and beat up my wife, my mother, and my oldest son. The police came and took my oldest son to jail while they stood around laughing and joking with the maintenance man. The maintenance man just walked away laughing. Nothing ever came of the charges files against him even though our stuff was found at his house and never returned to us. One item was a camper trailer that was registered to us.

acg (Anonymous) says…

Holy crap, CA, have you thought about calling the state police and state's attorney's office? If what you're saying is all true, then I would go above their heads, for sure. I had to confront the good ole boy's network in Ray co., MO once and got absolutely nowhere. Called the state police and immediately started to see some action. You might consider it.

50YearResident (Anonymous) says…

“And here, let me be as plain as I can: I don’t care.”

The above statement is exactly where the problem is.

SettingTheRecordStraight (Anonymous) says…

The only way Pitts survives as a “journalist” is to throw out mindless drivel like this. He has to race-bate at every opportunity to come across as legitimate.

yellowhouse (Anonymous) says…

I always used to say “everybody gets their day in court”.

But that is not true!

I have found out first hand that the courts are manipulated by people with a lot of power, lies, corruption, people pulling favors from old collagues and money.

And I have the documentation to prove it!

http://corruptioninjusticedepartment.blo…

The legal system has nothing to do with justice.

00jester (Anonymous) says…

It always amazed me that the liberal and open minded people of lawrence are generally, not that.

I guess it looks good on a post card.

“Come to Lawrence, part of the Free State. (Unless you're on of them.)”

TheOriginalCA (Anonymous) says…

ACG, I just scratched the surface in my story. It was just AWFUL. It turned into a 3 year nightmare, literally. We ended up being sued by our landlord for property damage that was at the hands of the maintenance man. This maintenance man is well known in the KC area for a horrible crime he committed during this time. Every time we tried to get records and updates on the charges we pressed, we were denied. We are pretty sure that these crimes and charges were expunged from the record. My mom could not even find out anything in regards to the charges she pressed for her being assaulted and for her injuries. But our landlord got ALL of the information he asked for from them…. Makes you say.. “Hmmmmm.” (and other things too LOL.) Our landlord did not win this case by the way.

The same police department had an officer who stopped at the high school parking lot while I was teaching my son to drive stick shift and started hassling my son. I intervened and politely asked the officer what his objective was and he bellowed at me really loud to “be quiet!”

Yes, we are white and we got mistreated by the police because of general corruption and not race. We chose not to live with it, we left that place. Black people should think twice before leaving a place because that is exactly what they would be just giving into racism. The power structure wants them to leave. Leaving would be enabling the power structure to further evolve. However, if safety is an issue, then there really is not much choice but to leave. I just wanted to point out in my post that there are many horrible police events that are not race related against white people that you never hear about. It is largely like the many fires at non-black churches that you never see statistics on. Reporters tend to only report what backs their story.

HootyWho (Anonymous) says…

Guess none of you are black

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…

TheOriginalCA— I agree with acg that you should contact state authorities, but I would also suggest contactong some newspapers and see if they would investigate. The state authorities are much more likely to intervene if there is a newspaper article or two on the corruption in this town.

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…

“Guess there needs to be an all black brigade in the Police force to deal with Blacks.”

Why would you want to change things? You clearly think that the white brigades who are allowed to administer summary judgments and punishment on uppity black folk is just peachy— strange fruit, indeed.

00jester (Anonymous) says…

All I can do is laugh. To argue on here about this is pointless, people are going to act how they want to. No one's opinion on here will change till they are the recipient of our or others corrupted police practices.

uhadmeatsmellthis (Anonymous) says…

There are two kinds of crimes, hate crimes……….and just plain old crime……under reported and ignored. Why? I don't know.

http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/nation/…

msshaden (Anonymous) says…

I totally agree with Mr Pitts, and that is of course a right that I have. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and until you have walked in our shoes, then don't be so quick to judge. I do know that injustices are everywhere and present in other races/cultures; they just don't get the media coverage as often. So to you that feel like we should live with it, that's your right to say and feel so. But it still doesn't change the facts. It's something that we live and DIE with everyday.

tony88 (Anonymous) says…

“Guess there needs to be an all black brigade in the Police force to deal with Blacks.

The ones they use in Darfur seem to get the job done.”

Inciting genocide against a particular race is acceptable on this forum?

yourworstnightmare (Anonymous) says…

We are but one generation removed from Jim Crow segregation. Past members of the KKK are still in congress. Unfortunately, it is going to take a while for racism and discrimination to pass from the culture.

“Getting used to it” is not the answer. Illumination and pursuit of racists (and racist cops) is one answer.

thelonious (Anonymous) says…

For the record, I am a middle-class middle-aged white male and grew up in a small town in the midwest. After college I moved to and lived in the Kansas City metro area for a couple of decades before moving to Lawrence several years ago. I have seen a lot of stuff in my lifetime and I have to say…..

I agree with Leonard Pitts. I find it hard to believe the general sentiment on this board - it is very disappointing. Presumably, most of the folks saying “cry me a river” and such are whites who have never had to deal with this stuff. No, it's not just blacks who get the shaft from our legal system, poor people of any color don't do too well, either, but that does not change the fact of racial bias against blacks in the US legal/justice system.

My wife taught high school at an inner city high school in Kansas City for a few years, so I am somewhat familiar with what some of the US minority population goes through. Is some of it self-inflicted - sure, but not all of it, and that does not change the issue of system bias against minorities.

For all of the progress that the US has made over the years combating racism in our society, it still percolates very close to the surface. An example would be the tremendous hatred/scapegoating of hispanic illegal aliens - I am very familiar with all of the issues surrounding this, but underneath it all I would argue that there is a core of racism driving some of this. All of the hyperbole about a “foreign invasion” - come on now, really? If so, they seem to only care about taking over the maid service/lawn service/mexican restaurant/meatpaking labor force. Does that really frighten you, or is it that your daughter/granddaughter might someday fall in love with a child of an immigrant named Hernandez?

Folks, Pitts has a very good point, and this country needs to address it. Hopefully, a President Obama can move the US further along the path towards a society with less racial bias, at least in its official institutions.

Based on what I have read on this board, I expect that I will be flamed mercilessly for these sentiments, but I don't care. Pitts is exactly right - you go, Leonard.

gogoplata (Anonymous) says…

Individual rights are not a black/white issue. Everyone who loves liberty and justice be against the violation of the individual rights of any man, woman, or child regardless of race. The hate crime legislation that separating people according to race and sexual orientation leads to is stupid.

How is it worse if you kill someone because they are black or gay than for most other reasons? The result is the same. The punishment should be the same.

gogoplata (Anonymous) says…

There would be a lot less scapegoating of illegal aliens if the US government would stop ignoring the property rights of law abiding citizens by stealing the fruits of thier labors through taxation and using it to subsidize the illegals.

tony88 (Anonymous) says…

this is an illegal immigration issue? wow, talk about spin.

yeah_right (Anonymous) says…

I didn't realize the severity of racial profiling until the last few years and it is a real problem and extremely unfortunate. Most people who I know who are victims do just what Leanord Pitts talks about and that is live with it because they have been dealing with it their entire lives. What a shame.

toe (Anonymous) says…

Perhaps the problem is the term illegal. Illegal is generally thought of as being against the law.

rachaelisacancer (Anonymous) says…

With the pathetic racist mentality of people like Harderfaster and some of the other posters here, it's no wonder everything Pitts said is true.

Why would we care about law enforcement mistreating minorities when we secretly rape and beat them in our heads every day? And then you throw in a “well, they stole a car” when they DIDN'T steal a car, just to justify your nastiness. Let me tell you something Harderfaster - I could steal your car a thousand times, I could steal your child, I could steal your f-ing soul and it wouldn't justify your hand raised against me.

Shame, shame, shame!

Goodness willing I will never have the unfortunate experience of meeting one of you deplorable, worthless scum in person!

iloveyoutoo (Anonymous) says…

This is going to be very difficult for me to say without giving the wrong idea. I really want people to have an open mind regarding what I'm saying without jumping to the conclusion that I'm racist or prejudice or whatever because I'm not.

My boyfriend and my closest friends are all black and I notice the looks I get whenever I go out in public with them and to me, it's very unfortunate because they are some of the most polite and friendly young men that I know.

That being said, I have met my fair share of people (any race) that are not the best influences and tend to make poor decisions that have harsh consequences.

In my own personal opinion, based on what I have seen first hand, I can say that sometimes I truly understand why blacks (and I'm only pointing them out because that's what this article is about) are racially profiled the way they are. Unfortunately there are a LOT of African Americans out there that give other African Americans a bad name. Unfortunately most of the young black men and women I have known or been around have all fit the stereotype of drug selling, gang banging, woman abusing, unemployed, foul mouthed, gun toting, etc. I understand some will get upset for that comment but you have to realize that all of this goes on in little old Lawrence so imagine what it's like for the cops in Chicago, parts of New York, California, etc. I just wish that people (all races) would realize that we can all be who we want to be. It disgusts me sometimes to hear people give excuses as to why they aren't bettering themselves. I am a firm believer that your past does not make you who you are. We all make our own decisions and we live with the consequences. Blaming others for your own actions is ridiculous.

I also believe that my generation will be one of the first to end racism in America. I believe we have come extremely far in that battle and, sure, we have further to go, but I think we should be celebrating how far we've come instead of dwelling on everything that still needs to be done because when we do that it tends to take away from what has already been accomplished.

I don't believe that ALL blacks are bad but I do believe that a majority of them continue to play the roll of the careless thug and it just continues to damage the relationships they have with other races, including their own. The same goes for whites, hispanics, asians, etc. And, also, I don't at all think it's proper that so many cops are abusing their power….as far as I'm concerned cops are a gang….some are bad, others are good.

gogoplata (Anonymous) says…

So if you methodically kill someone because they are gay or black they you should be punished more than if you methodically kill someone for other reasons?

That makes no sense to me.

jumpin_catfish (Anonymous) says…

I agree with a lot of what Mr. Pitts said and would add that the system is bias in favor of those with money. If you have resources, go to court and fight to the bitter end but if you don't have the money you better make a deal or you're screwed because there's a DA just waiting to make a name for him or her self at your expense.

People of color have historically suffered in this country simply because of a racial bias.

parkay (Anonymous) says…

Police are also shielding criminal, racist abortionist quacks and covering up abortion mill crime, where one third of the babies tossed into incinerators are black, keeping down the undesirable population.

igby (Anonymous) says…

I'm sure there are more criminals that feel their lifestyles and actions are reasonable behavior to their standards. However, the world does not revolve around you. FYI. If you do the crime you do the time, is not a nursery rime for children that have criminal parents who had criminal parents. So, if you feel your being discriminated against you need to take a real good look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, why am I in trouble with the law? If you have no way to see your own reality then you could ask someone who knows right from wrong about where and how you have made error in your logic.

beobachter (Anonymous) says…

igby, what you are saying is; Look in the the mirror, if you're black, then that's why you're in trouble with law. And igby, if you can't see this reality of your racism, ask someone with plain common sense to explain it to you. Can't believe in Lawrence there are this many racists with enough computer skills to post on a forum.
Parkay, stick to anti-abortion nut sites, we are sick of you and your kind. And you are one of the biggest racist around.

bennyoates (Anonymous) says…

“I also believe that my generation will be one of the first to end racism in America. I believe we have come extremely far in that battle and, sure, we have further to go, but I think we should be celebrating how far we've come instead of dwelling on everything that still needs to be done because when we do that it tends to take away from what has already been accomplished.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Your attitude and intentions have some good in them, but there is far too much naivete in your comments. Racism and sexism will never stop being a part, and a major part, of the United States. Yes, there has been progress and there will continue to be progress. But individual prejudice is a far different thing from the structural racism and sexism that is built into the U.S. economy and all institutional power, and which accounts for much of what Pitts rightly identifies and condemns.

beobachter (Anonymous) says…

kathy, that's exactly what he said. stick to your pit bulls, they are your intellectual equals.

sweettrue2 (Anonymous) says…

“I don't believe that ALL blacks are bad but I do believe that a majority of them continue to play the roll of the careless thug and it just continues to damage the relationships they have with other races, including their own.”-Iloveyoutoo
All I can say to that comment is…WOW Seriously?Majority? Kinda prejudice don't ya think.

user_name (Anonymous) says…

“It would not matter to me if it were Charles Manson, Timothy McVeigh, and Osama bin Laden who were pulled from that car. You do not, as a trained and duly sworn officer of the law, kick, punch and stomp a man who lies prone and unresisting.”

I agree with this statement, but I fail to see that if it doesn't matter to him who it is…why is it then turned into a racial issue? Is there proof that this happened because these officers were racist or is it being called that because the suspects were black? We need to look at the whole picture instead of automatically turning to race. The officers actions were completely wrong and they should be punished. But we shouldn't jump to conclusions about the reasoning behind such things. How do you know the same officers don't do the same thing to white “cop killers” but don't get called on it because the suspect wasn't black?

I agree that there are racist police officers out there. But I also know several black people that think if they ever get pulled over, it's because of their race. Forget the fact that your tags are expired and you just ran a stop sign…

Racial profiling is wrong and should be stopped, but if you break the law, whether you are black or white or whatever,you should accept the consequences of your actions and don't blame it on race just because you can. We need to know where to draw the line between actually being discriminated against and using the race card unnecessarily. That is too fine a line sometimes.

And so many times the horrible truth is that there are so many black youths in prisons because they did commit crimes and in order to stop or at least slow down on some of the racially motivated police action,we need to reach these youths before they commit crimes. We need to literally change a statistic.

booyalab (Anonymous) says…

“If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled a radical 60 years ago, a liberal 30 years ago and a racist today.”- Thomas Sowell (a black man, incidentally)

OnlyTheOne (Anonymous) says…

And nothing ever, never happens to a Hispanic or White man!
You (as in any of the offenders you've mentioned) do something to get adrenalin pumping or make an officer fear for his live and there's a chance somethin's gonna happen.
Live with it.
I saw an early version video of the Philadelphia beating before it was edited and I had a slightly different take on it.

sissezz (Anonymous) says…

i dont post very often but i do read the comments everyday. I felt i had to ask this question and make a few statements. FIRST to-Iloveu. You can't judge an entire race by who YOU hang around. Maybe you should try to hang around some better class black people. I'm sure we can all find the worst class of any race and say they fit into certain stereotypes. NEXT: jrudyhawk- i understand what you are saying but wonder if you said anything to the people you were with or played along? I have been in the same situation many times….so i know how hard it is to speak up. Just curious how the other party responded. NEXT: onlytheone i could live with it, and have but i am in my 40's , what do i tell my teenage son…… he's only 16, makes good grades,has had a part time job at Dillons, he's well spoken and clean cut. He just started to drive this summer,Maybe you've seen him. What can I tell him, he who has never been in any trouble. He is smart and respectful to all people he meets and he doesn't even let his pants sag!!! :) He is a true innocennt. What do i say to him? Sorry kid just live with it??

Jeremy (Anonymous) says…

Here's some tips from Chris Rock on how to avoid problems with the police!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEG…

gogoplata (Anonymous) says…

My belly was hurting from laughing on that Chris Rock video.