Comments on: A tale of two cities: Hartford and Cheshire http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/ Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:29:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Pollitt rearrested; Governor has opinion | a public defender http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/comment-page-1/#comment-39121 David Pollitt rearrested; Governor has opinion | a public defender Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:51:04 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/#comment-39121 [...] Governor sent no such letter to anyone after the shootings in Hartford or the resulting curfew. A tale of two cities [...] [...] Governor sent no such letter to anyone after the shootings in Hartford or the resulting curfew. A tale of two cities [...]

]]> By: kerri http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/comment-page-1/#comment-4007 kerri Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:16:19 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/#comment-4007 It's not just the underreporting, but how the reporting is being done. I'm not sure that anyone is saying that this is entirely race-related either. The point of the press conference was that all life is valuable, and that when crime happens in urban areas, the victims should also be mourned. The discussion was about the treatment of urban crime, and yes race ties into that, but so does class. Part of the press conference involved the community activists having a real powerful discussion on how class and race are linked...too bad that segment got edited out of all the mainstream media's reports. Not every crime victim in Hartford is black. Not every person who lives in Hartford is black. These assumptions that I'm reading about need to be carefully evaluated. Also, the two murders in Parkville have been discussed respectfully on Colin McEnroe's blog. The mesh mask found over one of the victims' faces? <a href="http://hartfordimc.org/blog/2007/08/13/the-tragedy-hierarchy/#comment-15939">His mother thinks it was probably what he wore to cover his braids.</a> It’s not just the underreporting, but how the reporting is being done. I’m not sure that anyone is saying that this is entirely race-related either. The point of the press conference was that all life is valuable, and that when crime happens in urban areas, the victims should also be mourned. The discussion was about the treatment of urban crime, and yes race ties into that, but so does class. Part of the press conference involved the community activists having a real powerful discussion on how class and race are linked…too bad that segment got edited out of all the mainstream media’s reports.

Not every crime victim in Hartford is black. Not every person who lives in Hartford is black. These assumptions that I’m reading about need to be carefully evaluated.

Also, the two murders in Parkville have been discussed respectfully on Colin McEnroe’s blog. The mesh mask found over one of the victims’ faces? His mother thinks it was probably what he wore to cover his braids.

]]> By: AntonK http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/comment-page-1/#comment-3974 AntonK Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:36:03 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/#comment-3974 It's also true that if murders were happening on a daily basis in Cheshire, we'd grow numb to that too and the reporting would stop. No honest person believes that the daily Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, NYC, Compton, Camden etc... murders are underreported because the victims are black, that's just race-baiting. If the inner-cities were populated by red-haired albinos, and the history of these inner-cities was what it is, we'd have stopped reporting on every murdered red-haired albino too. A related test: You're an average white Connecticut resident. You come out of a downtown (wherever) club and need to walk a couple of blocks to the nearest subway. On one side of the street, between you and the subway entrance, are four black men in suits with briefcases standing and talking. On the other side of the street are four young white rowdy males with a loud boom box, low-slung jeans, gang 'tats, etc... Which side of the street would you take to get to the subway? Is it race or behavior that's going to be your deciding factor? It's behavior every time, in every situation, isn't it. It’s also true that if murders were happening on a daily basis in Cheshire, we’d grow numb to that too and the reporting would stop.

No honest person believes that the daily Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, NYC, Compton, Camden etc… murders are underreported because the victims are black, that’s just race-baiting.

If the inner-cities were populated by red-haired albinos, and the history of these inner-cities was what it is, we’d have stopped reporting on every murdered red-haired albino too.

A related test:

You’re an average white Connecticut resident. You come out of a downtown (wherever) club and need to walk a couple of blocks to the nearest subway. On one side of the street, between you and the subway entrance, are four black men in suits with briefcases standing and talking. On the other side of the street are four young white rowdy males with a loud boom box, low-slung jeans, gang ‘tats, etc…

Which side of the street would you take to get to the subway? Is it race or behavior that’s going to be your deciding factor? It’s behavior every time, in every situation, isn’t it.

]]> By: Sean O'Brien http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/comment-page-1/#comment-3972 Sean O'Brien Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:54:25 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/#comment-3972 You're right, I don't know that those two Hartford guys were engaging in robbery, but given one of the victims' criminal history and the fact that they were wearing face covering, it certainly suggests that they may have been out robbing people. As for all Hartford victims, I do care about all murder victims. As for criminals, no, I don't think that their lives are as valuable. Sorry. You’re right, I don’t know that those two Hartford guys were engaging in robbery, but given one of the victims’ criminal history and the fact that they were wearing face covering, it certainly suggests that they may have been out robbing people.

As for all Hartford victims, I do care about all murder victims.

As for criminals, no, I don’t think that their lives are as valuable. Sorry.

]]> By: Gideon http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/comment-page-1/#comment-3970 Gideon Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:20:55 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/#comment-3970 <p>Wow.</p> <p>You're making three very strong assumptions:</p> <p>1) That those two killed in Hartford were part of a robbery gone bad. That was the initial report, but has since not been repeated. In fact, no one knows what happened.</p> <p>2) That no one who is killed in Hartford is an innocent victim (because the point of the press conference wasn't two specific victims versus Cheshire - it was to bring attention to all Hartford victims).</p> <p>3) That some lives (those engaging in crime) are less valuable than others.</p> Wow.

You’re making three very strong assumptions:

1) That those two killed in Hartford were part of a robbery gone bad. That was the initial report, but has since not been repeated. In fact, no one knows what happened.

2) That no one who is killed in Hartford is an innocent victim (because the point of the press conference wasn’t two specific victims versus Cheshire – it was to bring attention to all Hartford victims).

3) That some lives (those engaging in crime) are less valuable than others.

]]> By: Sean O'Brien http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/comment-page-1/#comment-3968 Sean O'Brien Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:54:32 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/2007/08/13/a-tale-of-two-cities-hartford-and-cheshire/#comment-3968 Two names for you, Gideon, Channon Christian and Timothy Newsom. Also, the three murder victims in New Jersey are getting a lot of press. The fact is that the two Hartford murder victims were likely engaged in robbing people and they picked the wrong person to rob. And while I agree that people shouldn't be hunted down like one of the victims was, I find it hard to feel sorry for people who likely were victimizing others. Two names for you, Gideon, Channon Christian and Timothy Newsom.

Also, the three murder victims in New Jersey are getting a lot of press.

The fact is that the two Hartford murder victims were likely engaged in robbing people and they picked the wrong person to rob. And while I agree that people shouldn’t be hunted down like one of the victims was, I find it hard to feel sorry for people who likely were victimizing others.

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