Fighting the code of street silence

The black community in Baltimore City has continued to decay and its leaders are just watching and enjoying their gains. Brand new mega churches are been built in the poor neighborhoods that are great at teaching homophobia and taking in more money. The balck community needs to get their act together.

At least Baltimore has a HBO program....The Wire. Maybe HBO will create a new program...Stop Snitching. Somebody is making money off the crime in B-more.

They all can sing...

Mr. Kane,

What you have written is right on the money. Excellent piece of work!

Very good, black leaders need to stand up against violence and quit yelling race when something happens. Could be leading to a civil war.

Some black leaders may try, but you can't help people who choose not to help themselves. Thats a lost cause.
I'm very sorry for Zach Sowers and his family. Those four lowlives should have been put away for life. I understand that one father even made excuses for his son who was apparently only watching or waiting in the car. How sad is that.

Greg, this was a great column. Please keep us posted about Anna Sowers and her work. I have often wondered where Black leaders and their voices are. The very meaning of "leader" is one who steps forward. In this town apparently it has a different meaning. Thanks again for this column........

Excellent article Greg!!

Just imagine running out to put water on a campfire while you're own house is burning down.

Civil rights leaders and related organizations do not appear to pursue internal problems and culture issues, which should be their main priorities today. Current activities and efforts will not have the impact on the culture they're looking for.

Can't fix a dysfunctional culture....

We in Baltimore are tired of Hoodlums and their culture .
The whole Baby mama's culture of drugs , guns , dogs and
dirty language is sickening . For somebody like Powers
to say we are demonizing thugs sets a terrible example .
It's the honest citizens against the YO's and we citizens
intend to win

Tom wrote:

Some black leaders may try, but you can't help people who choose not to help themselves. Thats a lost cause.
I'm very sorry for Zach Sowers and his family. Those four lowlives should have been put away for life. I understand that one father even made excuses for his son who was apparently only watching or waiting in the car. How sad is that.

you are absolutely right , we need to hold the parents accountable

Good article. And Anna Sowers is taking the best approach by encouraging black leaders to condemn the video and entire "stop snitching" attitude. As a white woman who works in the black community, I understand her concerns as being perceived as not understanding the culture. My thoughts are with Zach Sowers' family. Good luck Anna! You are one strong lady.

"Strong Black Leaders"? You're looking for strong black leaders? Those three words shouldn't be used together. We may as well be searching for the 2nd gunman on the grassy knoll. Strong black leaders don't exist in Baltimore! However, Baltimore is not short on strong black criminals. The fact that these criminals are involved in the drug trade, politics, or currently holding positions inside the police department, or at your local supposed church of God storefront is inconsequential.Tyrone Powers is a prime example of what is WRONG in Baltimore. He is neither a leader or strong.

I agree that Baltimore's criminal element will rue the day they enshrined "Stop Snitching" as their code. In case you haven't noticed, people are tired of being victimized. They are arming themselves at a very high rate, and they're at a point where they are no longer looking to the police or politicians. That has proven to be a waste of time. They certainly are not interested in finding Strong Black Leaders, because like Santa Claus, they don't exist. These tired citizens of Baltimore are looking to protect what is dear to them. Protect their life, family and home. They'll shoot whatever moves. There is NO white or black! We need to evolve as human beings, past this division of race. The media has Promoted Race because it sells. Get over it! There is only GOOD or BAD, RIGHT or WRONG. If you can't grasp that, then you don't belong. It's that simple.

People must want to change before they can be helped which means that we must change values and the way people think. The only solution we have as a society is to give more money away in hopeless government programs. We must learn that this only exacerbates the real problem in our city. There will be no resolution until people want to change. A return to traditional family values is the only lasting solution and that just can't be bought or supplied by the government.

TRUTH HURTS writes: the biggest problem is the low life racist white people who abuse their power to keep the blacks in a state of poverty and despair.
I don't agree with the hoodlum behavior but I do understand the rage when it feels like their is a gigantic lid over your life!

THAT SHIP HAS SAILED MY FRIEND. MANY GENERATIONS BEFORE YOU HAVE USED THAT EXCUSE. THAT ARGUMENT NO LONGER HOLDS WATER.HE "TRUTH" MY FRIEND IS, YOU COME INTO THIS WORLD BY YOURSELF, AND YOU WILL LEAVE BY YOURSELF. IF YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND YOUR LIFE COMPLAINING SO BE IT. IT WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING. WE ALL HAVE OBSTACLES IN OUR WAY. YOU CAN ADAPT AND OVERCOME, OR YOU CAN SIT IN YOUR CHAIR ANGRY, WASTING TIME. YOUR CHOICE.

ALSO, IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGHT THERE IS A GIANT LID OVER YOUR LIFE, STOP COMPLAINING AND JOIN THE CLUB. THAT FEELING ISN'T UNIQUE TO YOU. YOU'RE EITHER PART OF THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION. WHICH IS IT?

TruthHurts wrote:

the biggest problem is the low life racist white people who abuse their power to keep the blacks in a state of poverty and despair.
If any of you knew the number of black college graduates who STILL can't get decent paying jobs due to jealous and hateful white people it would blow your mind.
I don't agree with the hoodlum behavior but I do understand the rage when it feels like their is a gigantic lid over your life!

If you can assure me that the qualified college graduates you know don't use foul language, I'll give you the phone no. of our local Rite-Aid store. I know for a fact that the manager is not a racist.

This is a great article & so true. I am a black woman from Baltimore who was raised in the inner city where drugs, violence, teen pregnancy and everything was going on right around me, my sisters and my family. To use white people as an excuse is so played out. It becomes a decision as to what you want for yourself in life. My sisters and I saw everything that was going on around us and decided that we didn't want to be like the rest of the people in our neighorhood. We all got education and we all have great paying jobs. So that is just a bunch of nonsense. You have black people who are racist on their own people because they don't want to live like them. Because they don't want to use drugs, don't have a bunch of kids, or don't want to be apart of a gang. One thing about ghetto is, not where you live but how you live. As I stated before I came from the lower parts of the City but we were raised with the utmost respect for ourselves and others and we all are doing just great. So I agree more black leaders need to step up and take a stand but the thing is why would they when most of these drug dealers are putting money in their pockets. You all better take the blinders off your eyes and look at what's really going on here. I pray something positive come from this and I hope your husband pull through his coma. GOD BLESS YOU & YOUR FAMILY

many of you are so far off the mark

I feel sorry for Mrs. Sowers, but G. Kane should shut up!

what is he doing for the "black" community? is he not a leader in the black community...seems to me that he simply says things white ppl want to read

He no better than anyone else who gets paid to run their mouths..i.e Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton...all play on the fear and muisunderstanding of the majority.

I wish all of you that only seem to think your contribution should be to making Baltimore a better place to live for all would just move the hell out of Baltimore.

Good Riddence.

Lordy, I wondered how long it would take you to find these posts. Could probably pick you out of a crowd and it has nothing to do with race. You and your moronic postings are cliches. Go watch Oprah............