‘Worst of the Worst’ (All Black People) Removed From the Streets of Chattanooga; Black Community Comes to Their Defense

Imagine a community with a homicide and gun crime problem that all originates from one demographic group.

Imagine a community that protects the criminals in this demographic group, because they believe the concept of law and order doesn’t compare to the duty to shelter their own.

No matter how much malice individual members of this demographic group may perform upon the community, they must be guarded from prosecution (willing to accept continued persecution from thugs in the process).

The 'worst of the worst' in Chattanooga, all proud representatives of the black community; and the 'worst of the worst' of Chattanooga are defended by that same black community

You don’t have to imagine hard. It’s called Chattanooga, Tennessee. The homicide problem is entirely black, just as the drug and crack problem is 100 percent black as well. And in a rare glimpse of what happens when the state decides to engage in actions that benefit taxpayers, a sting on drug trafficking netted the arrests of a lineup of Chattanooga’s finest black entrepreneurs.  [A look at the 32 suspects authorities called 'worst of the worst' criminals in Chattanooga, Chattanooga Times Free Press, 11-17-2013]:

Juane Joseph loves money. He's got photos showing wads and rolls of cash on his Facebook page; he likes people to call him Bankroll Stunna. 

He watches the dope kings on television's "The Wire," who live the high life on drug profits until they're gunned down by competitors or taken down by Baltimore cops tapping their phones. 

"Just the reality. It be good, like it be interesting, when you look at stuff like that," he says about the show. 

Now the 19-year-old has an all-too-real supporting role in Chattanooga's own version of "The Wire," the round-up of 32 men on federal drug and weapons charges after a long-running investigation based at least partly on wiretaps. 

The goal was to strike at the key figures in Chattanooga's crack cocaine market -- the importers bringing in powder, the dealers moving product, the enforcers unleashing violence for security or intimidation. 

Of the latest round-up, all the suspects are men. All are black. Collectively they have been connected to 103 assaults, 14 attempted murders, 27 robberies, two murders, 160 drug offenses and 42 weapons-related charges, and hundreds of lesser crimes, a review of court records by the Times Free Press shows. Some charges were dropped -- including eight weapons-related counts, 58 violent crimes including murder and domestic assault, and 39 drug-related crimes dismissed in local courts. 

"We have worked around and figured out who the biggest drug dealers in Chattanooga are, who's moving the most drugs in and out of the city, who's profiting the most from the drug sales and tied to that, the weapons involved in the drug trade and the violence associated with maintaining the drug trade," said Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby Dodd. 

Sources say more arrests are coming. 

But Skip Eberhardt, a former gang leader who now runs a program to help those trying to get out of the gang life, said that while some of the 32 may deserve potential severe sentences if convicted, many do not. And the punishment doesn't end when a prison sentence is over, he said. 

"Once a kid goes in and does a 10-year sentence, whether it's state or federal, and comes out, he's actually being punished for the rest of his life," Eberhardt said. "The 10 years wasn't good enough. We're going to punish you some more. Why? Because you're not going to be able to find a job." 

As for all the suspects being black, Eberhardt was discouraged. 

"It's a shame that we can't get all the blacks to come together in unity to try and protest what they [authorities] are doing," said Eberhardt. "Surely it stands out what they're doing. They know our system don't work out as far as rehabilitation."

Read that again:

Of the latest round-up, all the suspects are men. All are black. Collectively they have been connected to 103 assaults, 14 attempted murders, 27 robberies, two murders, 160 drug offenses and 42 weapons-related charges, and hundreds of lesser crimes, a review of court records by the Times Free Press shows. Some charges were dropped -- including eight weapons-related counts, 58 violent crimes including murder and domestic assault, and 39 drug-related crimes dismissed in local courts.

Violent criminals, thugs, degenerates, and individuals making the streets (black community) of Chattanooga unsafe have been arrested and placed behind bars. Those black males who have attempted murders, happen to be homicide suspects, and engaged in robberies and assaults are now off the streets.

Yes, the ‘worst of the worst’ in Chattanooga have been punished.

But who might come to their defense? The black community in Chattanooga; the very people that birthed and protected these criminals. [‘Worst of worst’ label rebuked at NAACP meeting Chattanooga Times Free Press, 11-20-2013]:

Good-paying jobs, a solid support network and meaningful education would help keep men from committing crimes, said many attending an NAACP meeting Tuesday night. 

The meeting was called to discuss the Nov. 4 arrests of 32 black men who are charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine — men officials say are the “worst of the worst” criminals in Chattanooga. 

Many attending the meeting were mothers and sisters of the 32 men. Shantika Bennett came to the NAACP meeting in tears hoping to get help for her brother, Guy Wilkerson, one of the men charged. 

She didn’t expect the NAACP to get him out of jail, but she wanted him to get better care. Wilkerson, diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder, does not get his medicine, and he’s in a jail cell with rapists, Bennett told the crowd. 

But when NAACP President James Mapp suggested that the group could make a difference for the men by voting for politicians who share their interest, Bennett got upset and eventually left. 

“What does voting have to do with helping these young men?” she asked. “They’re going to get out of jail, feel like they still can’t get a job and go back to what they were doing. If they help them do something, get a job, maybe they can do something in life.” 

Bennett was among more than 50 people at the NAACP general meeting held to discuss the roundup. 

Black men make up most of the city’s shooting victims and homicide victims.“Black men of all ages are just 6 percent of the population, and they are 50 percent of all homicide victims,” said David Kennedy, who created the anti-crime program Chattanooga has committed to implementing as a part of Mayor Andy Berke’s public safety policy. The program is expected to go into full swing beginning next year. 

The High Point Initiative, named after High Point, N.C., where the strategy was first implemented, reduces violence by first targeting drug dealers who commit violent crimes. A key part of High Point also involves building community support and trust, and offering outreach support to offenders willing to reform. 

Nonfatal shootings tend to go unsolved because of a lack of cooperation. A review of shooting records earlier this year showed police only make arrests in about 30 percent of nonfatal shootings. 

“Most black-on-black shootings never get prosecuted. A lot of this violence is offender on offender,” Kennedy said. 

It goes against street code to talk to police, but officials hope federal indictments that carry lengthy sentences have the potential to change that. 

One woman said her son was told, “‘We want you to tell on the next person.’ … 

They keep putting him in the hole. They’re treating them like animals. … You need to help them, not judge them.” 

With the federal charges pending, some offenders could face 20 years up to life in prison. There is no parole. 

The Times Free Press on Sunday ran mugshots of the 32 offenders on the front page, along with a story examining their criminal backgrounds. A few had no serious prior criminal history while others have faced murder charges. Collectively the group has been linked to more than 300 crimes in Hamilton County, according to arrest records. 

Some members of the community felt the photos of the men, all black ranging in age from 19 to 49, struck a painful chord through the community. Many of the men are fathers. 

Several sisters, mothers and cousins of the men arrested cried and told stories of how their relatives might have done something wrong, but have also done good and should not have been labeled the “worst of the worst.” 

NAACP officer Carolyn Tatum took Wilkerson’s name and said the NAACP would work on trying to make sure that he got his medicine. She said the organization would work to ensure that the men receive humane treatment. 

But she acknowledged a harsh reality: 

“We’re going to have to realize some of these people are guilty,” she said. 

William Ladd, NAACP vice president, said the organization’s executive committee is scheduled to meet Dec. 3 to discuss their next plans to help the men. He said the NAACP’s national office could send people down to investigate racial profiling. 

“We feel if they have a roundup for these brothers and they don’t have a roundup for meth, which is a drug that mostly whites use, then there is no equity in that,” Ladd said. 

Mapp started the discussion by reading a statement that said the NAACP recognizes that the roundup involved only black men and that the organization expects others to be charged to dispel the perception that the roundup was racially motivated. 

“All crime is not committed by black young people,” Mapp said.

You are right Mr. Mapp; all crime is not committed by “black young people.”

Almost all crime is committed by “black young people”; that would be a more appropriate assessment of the crime situation in Chattanooga. Feel better, Mr. Mapp (or is it Reverend)?

For Memphis, it would be “black young people commit all crime,” but for Chattanooga, we’ll give you the slight benefit of the doubt.

Only slight though…[NAACP Concerned About Equal Justice in Crime Program, News Channel 9, 11-19-13]:

Members of the local NAACP chapter expressed concern Tuesday about the Mayor of Chattanooga's High Point Initiative to fight gang and drug-related crime. They said they are worried the program disproportionately targets the black community in the light of a recent round-up of 32 arrests, all of whom are black men.

NAACP officials said they feel like the black community has been singled out, they said they want equal justice for all people.

Chattanooga defense attorney Gerald Webb planned to attend the meeting with the NAACP at the Glenwood Recreation Center.

"I would hope that (those in the justice system) would take the time, take the opportunity to really look at these people as individuals, and not cast such a wide net. I hope the meeting tonight will discuss some ways that they can perhaps do that," said Webb. "While some of these people may have gotten into trouble 10-12 years ago, I don't think they are fairly being put into the category of being Chattanooga's worst of the worst."

City leaders said the program looks at all groups of people who are committing crimes in the Chattanooga area, and they said they want to put those concerns about the initiative to rest. 

"If the NAACP is interested in sitting down and talking about specific points of the program, what the program is really all about, the city and the council, the safety committee is more than willing to do that," said Yusuf Hakeem, the chairman of Chattanooga City Council.

The city hired David Kennedy who pioneered the program, and it includes alternatives for criminals.

Officials familiar with the efforts said they continue to look at ways to combine not only enforcement but outreach to youth.

"We've looked at curfew, trying to get kids out of dangerous situations late at night. (We've) looked at truancy, the ones who aren't in school can get brought back in," said Boyd Patterson, the assistant district attorney.

The bottom line is community members said they hope the program helps answer a larger question.

"There is an issue with crime here. I saw it as a prosecutor. I see it as a defense attorney now. It's a huge societal issue that has to be looked at," said Webb.

How dare police in Chattanooga not round up white meth users! Give black youth their midnight basketball and crime will drop immediately. The Red Sea might even part again!

Someone get Attorney General Eric Holder on the phone now to rectify this inequity, an iniquitous reminder of irredeemable racism and bigotry on behalf of the CPD!!

America needs an enema.

This story, of the black community of Chattanooga trying to protect the black criminals (‘worst of the worst’) –who lower the life expectancy for blacks in the city – and label police action “racist,” represents a clear indicator of why that enema is necessary.