> CB: No doubt some racism in the perspective behind Wojtek's
> implication that somehow the Mr. Boyd he refers us to is a
> less heinous figure for killing his wife and her father than
> the (Black) "gangsta" for allegedly killing four people.
You missed my point entirely, Charles, perhaps intentionally. I was not arguing merits or demerits of each case. I was imply saying that William's case attracted much more popular attention than that of Mr. Boyd, because Williams was a cultural icon that appealed to black racists and groupies of the black "gangsta" culture. I have no reason to doubt the court findings that Willimas was guilty of four heinous murders, that he received a fair trail and that he was lawfully sentenced to death, and that he refused to denounce his gangster roots. Nor do I have any reason to doubt that his gangster connections was the main attraction behind his popularity and probably a reason behind his decision not to rat on his fellow gangsters - for that would almost certainly destroy his gangsta appeal and thus popularity.
I stated my opinion on death penalty elsewhere, and there is no need to reiterate it here. What I believe is bothering you is not the merits or demerits of my philosophical position, but the fact that you perceive my postings as attacks on something that you seemingly consider the "black culture," hence your reaction. It seems to me that you believe that saying anything even remotely negative about even the most dysfunctional aspect of that culture amount to "racism" and needs to be denied and counteracted at any cost. Have I missed anything?
So for the purpose of setting the record straight, let me summarize my opinion on this subject. I travel a bit, much of it to Africa, where I work with lot of people, so "black culture" is not limited to me to the United States. In fact, the United States is really a rather small part of it. I also work with black professionals in leadership positions here in Baltimore so I know quite well that "gangster culture" is only a tiny fraction of "black culture" - but unfortunately one of the most visible and popular one. I also happen to share the views expressed by many black professionals such as Bill Cosby or Dr. Edward E. Cornwell of the Johns Hopkins Hospital http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.medical11dec11,1,6062715.story . that "gangster culture" and gangsters it glorifies is singularly the worst detriment to the blacks and black communities in this country. To put it bluntly, it is a regression to barbarism. I am not pretending to be a "voice" or an advocate of "black interests" nor am I trying to shed crocodile tears about the plight of black communities (although some of it is truly heart breaking) - I am merely commenting on the aspects of life that surround me, trying to keep my eyes and mind open - as any intelligent or semi-intelligent person would do.
What comes as surprise to me is not the juvenile fascination with gangster culture that permeates the US pop culture - in fact it is quite understandable given the nature of the US society - but what appears to me as a law professional like yourself trying to whitewash that scourge. You seem to be a smart and accomplished guy, genuinely concerned about the shit many blacks get in this country. You could be a role model that counterweighs anti-intellectualism and idolization of gangsterims, so popular nowadays. You could be doing a community work, such as organizing housing cooperatives that would free black people from slumlords and house flippers (the twin scourges of Baltimore) - actually I happen to live in one so I know darn well what difference it makes - or establishing credit unions to free from loan sharks, pawn shops, and check cashing scams. You could even develop extracurricular activities in the area of your expertise for public school kids in public schools (my architect friend in NYC does that) - which would undoubtedly offer a positive role model for kids who cannot find such models in their communities. Or perhaps establish a program that encourages kids from poor black neighborhood to go to the professions, legal, medical whatever. Or do something to reduce drug abuse, teen pregnancy, improve educational opportunities, or a hundred of similar things.
Yet you choose to spend your passitime hurling ad hominems at an obscure lit-crit list at a white guy who is not even a product of this country's social relations and culture and who you know darn well is, after all, on your side of the front line, and who would probably end up in the same concentration camp as you would if your *real* enemies had their way. Why? You know darn well that what I am saying is real, you see that shit every day don't you? Do you really think that silencing the messenger and sweeping these issue under the rug will change anything?
Wojtek