yeah, right....

But are they denying the connection because they're blind, or because they're trying to prevent the city from erupting into a free fire zone?

Wake up officers are you nuts or what? Everytime someone of another race get's shot,shot at or killed it has a hell of alot to do with race. It is like we are living back in the 1800's when you were beaten because of the color of your skin now you get shot because of the color of you skin. WTF! This is a sick world we live in and if the goverment and all of its little flunkies can't see all of this is behind the color of your skin then they must need there eyes checked soon. How many more kids under 20 must die before they do some major clean up of our streets. If the govenor can fly home every night on his jet to see his kids then he should be able to pull some money out his but and build some more prisons to lock these animals up where they need to be. Terminator do your job.

Villaragoza at the funeral of that poor young man is all show, he could care less. Villaragoza is the champion of illegal gangsters, the man who fought against gang injunctions and a worthless mayor.

He was on the Doug McIntyre show when he was running for mayor.
McIntyre asked him about the problem with many illegal immigrants being members of the 18th Street gang in Los Angeles.

Here is Villaragoza's reply, "Your remarks are inflamatory". Scott Ochoa is no different with his idiot remarks about racial overtones in gang violence crimes and they shouldn't be allowed at the funerals of victims of gang/race violence.

Local Boy

A general question for the local press:

Why do you use the police description of the supposed race of the people involved? I understand why police use it-although it is flawed and sometimes completely inaccurate-but that's their affair. Yet, the press repeats what may be false information as to a person's ethnicity. What is the point of that? As a citizen I want to know about the facts of the crime, where-what-who, etc. but I will draw my own conclusions or let the investigators do that. Here, you undermine what the investigators report to you by adding an extra inference as to race of those involved.

I look white, and sometimes I look Mexican, and to some people I am a black girl. Once, a policeman thought I was Asian...

You and I and everyone, are mixed up. It's not the job of the press to report the supposed race of the individual unless it is relevant to the story, and unless it is confirmed.

Do the local paper have an agenda with regard to race relations or something? Is it just easier to say somebody is Black or Latino when writing about crime?

You are out of your mind MH and I am not surprised at your take on this. It is par for "your course". Your sniper fire at the police in the name of political correctness is sickening.

In reading your post a second time I am so disgusted at your insanity on the issue I'm amazed I haven't thrown something.

With all your wit and wisdom why don't you pull up some arguable facts to back up your words? How about making a valid point based on those facts? How many times have the police been "completely inaccurate" in a description they put out? Who cares what an officer thought your race might be, was he looking at you as a suspect? Get a grip MH!

Police put out a description based on what they are told by witnesses, victims or evidence located at the scene of a crime. They don't make things up because they want to catch the bad guy. That is why they are cops. Maybe you should consider that point.

If you run around dressed differently and trying to look differently all the time how much of your day is spent involved in committing crimes? My guess would not be much. Your point there is silly.

Criminals are stupid people for the most part. They usually "come as they are" when they act out in a criminal manner. That's why so many descriptions of suspects are those we associate these days with gang members. They want to be feared and dressing the part, they think, throws fear into many people.

I think newspapers should always put the suspects race in if it's known. This is what leads to tips from the public and also warns them to be careful. It also eliminates the racism that you seem to be so concerned about. Any problem with that?

You however simply don't care about the public safety. Your last line says it all. Your apparent sympathy lies with the poor Black or Latino criminal and it shows.

The papers in this area have at times "not" printed the race of certain suspects, suspects that were Black or Latino for no other reason than their race. That is a fact as far as I'm concerned and others have pointed it out on this blog.

The reason you see Black or Latino mentioned so much these days is because the majority of the big attention getting crimes "in this area" are being committed by gangsters of those races.

You need to visit the real world from time to time. You might learn something other than what you put in this far fetched tea party post.

Local Boy

My dear young man, I have no argument with police using such descriptions for their purposes. My question (not as a statement of fact) is with the press for parroting race, as if it mattered in all cases. It doesn't. And, if police want tips they should do so through their own means, separate (like the FBI)--not through the newspaper report. The newspaper and government are separate entities. Pay attention now. You will be tested on this later.

You can build more prisons try to lock up every single gangmember, but the cycle continues. The same thing again and again "just lock the animals up" doesn't work we've been trying it and what the state is greatly in debt and it is getting worse. This just didn't happen over night or last year. This has been brewwing for 20 years, and until the first step isn't made the road to healing will never begin. The first step is everyone understanding that there is a racial problem in southern california. Why, what, who, and when can be figured out after but first is understanding that there is this (pink elephant) problem. Our government and community together must do this first. I pray for everyone.

You can build more prisons try to lock up every single gangmember, but the cycle continues. The same thing again and again "just lock the animals up" doesn't work we've been trying it and what the state is greatly in debt and it is getting worse. This just didn't happen over night or last year. This has been brewwing for 20 years, and until the first step isn't made the road to healing will never begin. The first step is everyone understanding that there is a racial problem in southern california. Why, what, who, and when can be figured out after but first is understanding that there is this (pink elephant) problem. Our government and community together must do this first. I pray for everyone.

Local Boy intones: "I think newspapers should always put the suspects race in if it's known. This is what leads to tips from the public and also warns them to be careful. It also eliminates the racism that you seem to be so concerned about. Any problem with that?"

Precisely at the root of my question, warns them to be careful of whom? If a description only includes race/sex then I should be suspicious of all _____(fill in the blank____) not a specific ______.

Don't you think that over time this type of reporting has contributed to our prejudices?

I am not saying to ignore a persons race and be colorblind in life. I am saying when information is generalized rather than specific there are problems. Much of what I've read for most of my life in these our local papers on the subject of gangs have a tendency to elevate them (unintentionally) by their name mention, description, etc. I am speaking purely in the context of press info---
The police need that type of detailed info.

The press creates local fame around them and that legitimizes them. Often, the gangs mentioned are rated (like a movie reviewer). I'm sure this pleases the gang members, and helps in recruiting.

Furthermore, I think reporting about this type of crime is very important, and cannot be ignored.

It's a subject in media approach/policy that is worth examining, at the vetty least. We've got to do something.

"Don't you think that over time this type of reporting has contributed to our prejudices?"

No I don't but the local papers refusal at times to print race is a problem. Or when local city council members or CM's like Scott Ochoa attempt, like you do, to use word games to soften the evil around us. That doesn't make it all better or make it go away.

We should all be prejudiced against gang members and those who use crime to make a living. That prejudice is based on their actions not their race, but their race is what in many incidents are dictating their actions. Blame their worthless parents, friends and the weaklings in society who refuse to talk about the problem honestly and attack it without regard to who might be offended. Screw those people who think watching what we say will help, it hasn't yet has it?

We are way to nice in the criminal justice system when it comes to punishment. Make prisons as horrible as possible and maybe people will think twice about their actions.

A person who walks up to someone and shoots them based on skin color is evil. Gang member or not it is an evil act. L.A. has had a 25% rise in murders this year so far and finally yesterday Villaragoza and Bratton said "gee there might be a race problem based on whose killing who". WHAT THE HELL TOOK THEM THIS LONG!!! PC BS THAT HAS INVADED EVERY PART OF OUR SOCIETY!!

Pardon my expression MH but we have turned into the biggest bunch of pussies on the planet. We're so afraid to speak the truth in terms of race that we allow the problem to grow and more innocent lives gone are the result. We'll bitch about every other problem that exists but racial truths are what we still hide in the closet.

Believe it or not you can have a description put out of a minority suspect that can be accurate enough that you don't stop, as an officer, every member of that particular group that comes along. For citizens to know the extent of the problem the entire truth of what's taking place needs to come out. That still isn't happening around here and the blame for that can be laid at the feet of many, in the name of PC.

If you want to describe them in some other manner so as not to seem prejudice it is weak and a refusal to call out evil when it makes it daily appearance in Southern California.

When cops have been accused of brutality or excessive force, regardless of proof and early in investigations, in instances where the race of the suspect is that of a minority and the cop is white race is always mentioned. Many times it is mentioned in a manner that leads people to a conclusion that the cop was wrong. I can cite many examples of that which were later found to be wrong. Papers and politicians have never had a problem going that route but speak racial truths about what is happening here and why is a whole different ball game.

I'm afraid there will be a long deadly summer this year. Keep safe.

Local Boy

"then cops have been accused of brutality or excessive force, regardless of proof and early in investigations, in instances where the race of the suspect is that of a minority and the cop is white race is always mentioned. Many times it is mentioned in a manner that leads people to a conclusion that the cop was wrong. I can cite many examples of that which were later found to be wrong. Papers and politicians have never had a problem going that route but speak racial truths about what is happening here and why is a whole different ball game.

I'm afraid there will be a long deadly summer this year. Keep safe." - Local Boy

I agree, especially with your last sentence. It's a sham of sham we don't have the resources we should have (because of the stinking expensive war $$$drain)to deal with this type of crime.

So, you said it yourself, the mention of race, ie. for instance a white cop, creates an inference and there stems a belief or a jump to conclusions, if you will.

It is the crime that is important-not the why. Motive is not something that ever has to be proven in court. Intent is the thing. When reporters inject race into it, that muddies the waters. The fact is person A murdered person B and here is the proof. Can't we stick to that? Let others (jurors) draw their conclusions as to motive.

Papers(media) injecting race is sometimes gratuitous (sells), and distracts from the impact of a crime. It instead feeds racist hungry readers looking for ammo against those they already hate.

MH, the "why" of any crime is very important. Motive is at the heart of many criminal prosecutions. Why did Jack kill his wife Jill you might ask? Well, he had a girlfriend on the side and didn't want to pay out for some nasty divorce settlement.

Another name for "why" is "cause" or maybe "root cause". People try to figure that out to better fight crime.

Why are Hispanics and Blacks killing each other all over the former Golden State? That answer goes deep and lies in racist attitudes and drug money. Those are just a few factors.

I don't believe it's gratuitous to report a persons race as long as you always do it when it's a "factor" in why the crime took place. If not I would agree that it doesn't need to be in print.

That factor has been present in countless crimes for some time in our area.

Local Boy