its funny how everything is seen as complicating obamas candidacy.

this is for believe who still believe that racism is an old word. Premise of this ruling, BEING AFRAID OF A BLACK MAN WARRANTS AN OFFICER TO FIRE FIFTY SHOTS.

If a black kills a dog, the whole America is outraged and he gets 4 years in prison, but if a black man is killed- most folks will say he deserves to die. I was wondering what the judges would have said if the victim had a gun on him?

adconline:

this is for believe who still believe that racism is an old word. Premise of this ruling, BEING AFRAID OF A BLACK MAN WARRANTS AN OFFICER TO FIRE FIFTY SHOTS.

If a black kills a dog, the whole America is outraged and he gets 4 years in prison, but if a black man is killed- most folks will say he deserves to die. I was wondering what the judges would have said if the victim had a gun on him?

That is the glaring racism and evil in America - dogs are more valued than black men!

dont forget some of the officers involved are black.

spoilt:

don't forget some of the officers involved are black.

Well,  here is what I have come away with after reading the way some analyze these things. If a white man is involved, no matter how many black men are also involved, conclusion for many who shout racism in those cases usually goes this way, even if they are not willing to admit it,

a) The blacks involved are either not black enough
OR
(b)the blacks involved are idiots that are under the influence of the white man, so in essence blacks are idiots
OR
(c) the whiteman used telepathy to cause the black brainless monkeys to shoot.

So whichever way you kind of look at it, the conclusion is usually that as long as there is at least one white man, the black men become nothing but zombies and morons and it kind of gives you the worth these actually place on the blackman and his ability to make choices. Just some weeks ago, a hollywood artist claimed that the white government invented HipHop music to cause black people to shoot each other. That there shows how much intelligence she feels africans and african americans have. By the statement she made, she already made up her mind that black people are idiots and so easy puppets for any person with an idea or an agenda. I wonder when black people will start taking offence to such.

Kobojunkie:

Well, here is what I have come away with after reading the way some analyze these things. If a white man is involved, no matter how many black men are also involved, conclusion for many who shout racism in those cases usually goes this way, even if they are not willing to admit it,

a) The blacks involved are either not black enough
OR
(b)the blacks involved are idiots that are under the influence of the white man, so in essence blacks are idiots
OR
(c) the whiteman used telepathy to cause the black brainless monkeys to shoot.

So whichever way you kind of look at it, the conclusion is usually that as long as there is at least one white man, the black men become nothing but zombies and morons and it kind of gives you the worth these actually place on the blackman and his ability to make choices. Just some weeks ago, a hollywood artist claimed that the white government invented HipHop music to cause black people to shoot each other. That there shows how much intelligence she feels africans and african americans have. By the statement she made, she already made up her mind that black people are idiots and so easy puppets for any person with an idea or an agenda. I wonder when black people will start taking offence to such.

Two questions:
1. Are you black?
2. Are you an idiot?

spoilt:

its funny how everything is seen as complicating obamas candidacy.

exactly.

You are looking at NYPD as an institution,  so black officers take orders from their superiors and institution that is always mirred in inequality. Its like questioning why black soldiers served in World wars and Korean wars even  when they were still under slavery or why  Justice Clarence Thomas is against affirmative action even though he is black. People  are saying racism becuase the court ruled that black life is as worthless as being afraid of a black. Jus like the Supreme court saying that blacks were properties of their white owners. The only way  to have erased that notion of racism was by holding those cops liable for firing  50  deadly shots at unarmed black man, but the court set  a precedent that if another cop shoots a black man unprovoked, the cop is most likely to go scot free. The same  court  ruled in favour of cops who fired 27 shots at a Senegalese immigrant  for being black. How many times have you seen other  folks of different races being fired 20 shots unprovoked?

spoilt:

don't forget some of the officers involved are black.

@spoilt,

This problem is an institutional problem in many police departments across the nation. The history of "seeing blacks as targets" goes back to the days of J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972). He was the FBI (federal police) director and a well-known racist. He solidified the racist culture still pervasive in many (not all) police departments across the US.

Let me illustrate this institutional problem from another perspective. During World War II, the US armed forces had segregated units, i.e. blacks were put in only all-black units (note that this culture of segregation was abolished in 1948 by an executive order by then US president Harry Truman). However, despite this clearly unfair treatment, blacks still enlisted in the armed forces. Go back to the US civil war (1861-1865), blacks fought for the Union (some probably did fight for the Confederates), however, they fought in segregated units. Don't forget that the segregation was not without consequences, e.g., less pay than their white colleagues, etc. Blacks were willing elements of a system that treated them unfairly. Segregated units like the Tuskegee Airmen and the US 761st Tank Battalion showed their mettle in combat and their members were proud to serve their nation.

So, this comes down to a philosophical argument. Can a group of people willingly become part of an institution that discriminates against them? The answer is yes, by the preponderance of evidence.

The NYPD does not have segregated units, however, it draws from a decades-long culture that views the black man with some skepticism and offers him little or no benefit of the doubt. This culture will no doubt influence its members to different degrees - black or white!

The problem with the likes of Kobojunkie is that they cannot comprehend this apparent (albeit superficial) contradiction that a group of people can willingly become part of an institution that discriminates against them. But the crass stupidity of these fellows doesn't stop there. They go further with a preposterous argument that goes like "the fact that some members of this group are part of the institution that allegedly discriminates against them, clears the institution of any form of discrimination". It's like identifying some Nazis with Jewish heritage as an argument to show that the Nazis couldn't have had a policy to annihilate the Jews. Or identifying an Arab citizen of Israel, and using it to make an argument that Israel does not have an overtly aggressive policy against Arabs, Persians and other non-Jews in the Middle-East. Or identifying an Igbo in the Nigerian government during the Nigeria-Biafra War (1967-1970), as evidence that Nigeria did not attempt genocide against the Igbos.

Such simplistic mindsets, notably the inability to understand and explain apparent contradictions or ironies, is the product of a badly indoctrinated mind.

Why cant we just say that the police as a whole used excessive force? more than was called for in the situation.( Fifty shots? on one car? come on! ) Instead of always making everything racial.

@spoilt, adconline

The judge found the cops innocent of criminal intent. i.e the Cops aren't guilty of murder or manslaughter.

That was what the trial was all about. The Bell family still has the option of a civil suit and a class action lawsuit against the NYPD.
The cops will likely not go unpunished. They'll lose their jobs most likely at the end of the whole stuff, and the NYPD will have to shell out some compensatory cash.

As for the number of shots, 50 bullets fired from 4 cops isn't too high a number, considering the cops were using semi-automatics (Browning 9mms).
If you think 50 shots are too much to kill 3 people, remember that only on eman in that car died. The cops knew this.

I actually believe the cops panicked and shot after the victims' car lurched forward as if it was going to ram the officers. In fact the prosecution doesn't deny this, only saying that the policemen may have been mistaken for carjackers by the three men in the car.

The NYPD needs to re-examine the cops they send out on undercover ops next time.

adconline:

You are looking at NYPD as an institution,  so black officers take orders from their superiors and institution that is always mirred in inequality. Its like questioning why black soldiers served in World wars and Korean wars even  when they were still under slavery or why  Justice Clarence Thomas is against affirmative action even though he is black. People  are saying racism becuase the court ruled that black life is as worthless as being afraid of a black. Jus like the Supreme court saying that blacks were properties of their white owners. The only way  to have erased that notion of racism was by holding those cops liable for firing  50  deadly shots at unarmed black man, but the court set  a precedent that if another cop shoots a black man unprovoked, the cop is most likely to go scot free. The same  court  ruled in favour of cops who fired 27 shots at a Senegalese immigrant  for being black. How many times have you seen other  folks of different races being fired 20 shots unprovoked?

dude,  news flash,  you are repeating exactly what I posted as the reasoning behind this conclusion that this is about racism. All this all boils down to you saying the black man has no mind of his own, everytime a white man is involved and to be honest, this makes me wonder if you even believe the black man to be competent enough to be considered a "higher thinking mammal".

texas,
You were of the opinion  that suspcion of being dangerous commensurated with 50 shots. Even though the guy was unarmed and did not provoke the officers to fire the shot.s  If the victim had a knife against the officers and the known scenario of 50 shots played, it would be argued that  such provocation did not commensurate with the amount of force used by  the cops, but in this case, there was no provocation or possession of a firearm. Also  the victim had a knife, it would be normal  to incapacitate the person not to obliterate him.


Kobo,
I hope that you read my post very well. I mirrored my view on police as institution that has been mired in racism . I deplore your depiction of blacks are brainless and zombies. You ve got to stop your attacks on black as if to say that you are different- maybe a Nigerian who cant fix her country and feels so much empowered in another man's country simply because some blacks  like MLK and Rosa Parks who were more than willing to die for their own people. This is how they really think of us. We are cowards and cant challenge our own black brothers. How dare you make judgment of us?

adconline:

Kobo,
I hope that you read my post very well. I mirrored my view on police as institution that has been mired in racism . I deplore your depiction of blacks are brainless and zombies. You ve got to stop your attacks on black as if to say that you are different- maybe a Nigerian who can't fix her country and feels so much empowered in another man's country simply because some blacks like MLK and Rosa Parks who were more than willing to die for their own people. This is how they really think of us. We are cowards and can't challenge our own black brothers. How dare you make judgment of us?

For someone who speaks of me reading his post, I see you do not do same now. Attacking blacks is what you continue to do on this particular thread, I am not shocked that you do not see it but then again, I have met people with the same mindset who do not understand how much damage they bring to the black community by screaming RACISM every other issue they run into. Claiming the police is mired in racism when we are on an issue that involves two police men who also happen to be black, amazes me of how little you think of these black men. I am not even going to debate this particular issue at all cause I believe it is a tragic case and as one who has heard of tons of other stories of shootings involving black police men and white victims, I can not but hope that someday, you will leap past the RACIAL way of seeing things and maybe move above that in your judgement and maybe actually help the black community earn more respect for itself instead.

Kobojunkies,
You always come to a topic with what you know and still end the topic with what you believe even when you are provided with overwhelming evidence and facts. You made mention of blacks as brainless and zombies which took the discussion in a very different tone and manner. Even though we might argue anonymously on this forum, the way we write and argue our viewpoints is a reflection of who we are.

Police shot an unarmed man with fifty shots, people cried foul and went to court, the court said that the victim deserved to die. People of color are saying that everybody is not equal before the law going by that judgment. Court's exoneration of those officers makes people to think that racism still persists in NYC. When Supreme Court ruled that slaves were properties of their owners, slaves knew they existed at whims and caprices of their owners, but was not entrenched in the law until Supreme Court ruled on it. So NYC court set a precedent that an officer shooting an unarmed fellow without any provocation is not criminal. The judge said that he believed the officer's account of the scenario and the officers account was that they overhead them saying "getting a gun" but no gun was found. So, this kind of ruling fans the ambers of racism. If Michael Vick could get 4 years for killing dogs, why would cops who shot unarmed man with fifty shots be set free?

adconline:

Kobojunkies,
You always come to a topic with what you know and still end the topic with what you believe even when you are provided with overwhelming evidence and facts. You made mention of blacks as brainless and zombies which toook the discussion in a very different tone and manner. Even though we might argue annonymously on this forum, the way we write and argue our viewpoints is a reflection of who we are.

Sigh!!! Let me help you. Point out where exactly I mentioned these things. Maybe if you go back and read it, you might a clue this time. The last statement up there that I have in bold is exactly my point when it comes to people who continually try to inject RACE into most every bend they can.

Police shot an unarmed man with fifty shots, people cried foul and went to court, the court said that the victim deserved to die. People of color are saying that everybody is not equal before the law going by that judjment. Court's exoneration of those officers made people to think that racism still persists in NYC. When Supreme Court ruled that slaves were properties of their owners, slaves knew they existed at whims and caprices of their owners, but was not entrenched in the law until supreme court ruled on it. So NYC court set a precedent that an officer shooting an unarmed fellow without any provocation is not criminal. The judge said that he believed the officer's account of the scenario and the officers account was that they overhead them saying "getting a gun" but no gun was found. So, this kind of ruling fans ambers of racism. If Micheal could get 4 years for killing dogs, why would cops who shot unarmed man be scot free?

If you want to inject what happened so many years ago into justice today, then we might as well wake up our own pasts and state it as is. We had laws that justified slavery long before we decided to sell these people off to another race. We played a part ourselves in it. Do we beat ourselves up each day cause of it?? No but people continue to feel it is ok to beat up on other race for doing exactly the very same things we did for hundreds of years and still do?? Give me a break. That is not evidence but you trying to use the past to justify your thinking in the present. If you must know not all blacks think like you do. Considering many do consider it a tragedy but considering that two of the police men involved are also black, they do not all think it is racially motivated. You on the other hand believe that cause a white man is involved, the black men involved are not even to be considered as you continue to point in in your so called evidence for your stance. Are you sure what you offer me over and over is evidence but your biased idea of what really happened??

Two black Americans walked out of the same court from this. There families, I am sure are not one of those who believe this has to do with race. Infact, I am almost certain they are happy that their loved one was able to get justice ( even though it is tragic). I don't know to say that these cops are innocent cause I have never found myself in that sought of situation. A man got killed. An innocent man. Instead of trying to poopoo it with a myopic view of things, I think we should consider the 360 of things instead. A black man was killed by 2 black men and 1 white man. Not all blacks believe it is racially motivated and there does not seem to be solid evidence to support that idea at all.

Even right in here. Post after post, you will have figured out by now that not all blacks approach issues as you do and not all think your racial evidence has any bearing to this story. Don't you get it? Some of us actually consider the fact that two of the men involved were officers and intelligent black men who made their own decision. They were not drones or mindless zombies. They were human beings, with experience as officers and made the decision, just as their white associate did and so they are to be considered in this as well, greatly eliminating the need to play the race card. Again, please consider that black people are not idiots. And so their side of the story also counts. In this case, these two men NEVER said they were forced to shoot. These two men feared for their lives and felt to shoot as well. So these two men should be considered even as we consider the caucasian involved.

Its always your of argument that the weakest in the society is getting a good deal even when many odds are stacked against them. Do you remember saying that uninsured folks are lazy dumb ass Americans or that blacks are either zombies or brainless if they shot a man. America is a country where legality is determined by the courts. The court's ruling set a precedent that a man could be shot fifty times without any consequence. Could you tell me where a white person was shot fifty times unprovoked in NYC? I was alluding to that fact NYC like America has a history of racial injustice and this ruling is a big reminder of that. By going to court, Sean Bell's family wanted to prove that justice would be served not on the notion of race, but on the strength of their argument, but the courts made more glaring they didn’t deserve justice. So the judge gave them a blank check to solidify their racial discrimination argument.

You still dont get it, the killing might not been racially motivated, but the judgment that the officers should not be held responsible is a pointer to the fact that there is inequality before the law. That if you kill a dog will go to jail, but kill a black man, you will walk free. This is not the first time, same court ruled that officers who shot a Senegalese immigrant should walk free. Maybe we should not about this type of history

The judge did not take into account that Mayor Blomberg said that the shots were excessive and even Police Commissioner Kelly said that ''police regulations state that a police officer firing a gun is required to stop after three shots to determine whether more were needed"

Keep making things up. I said that uninsured persons are lazy people? So, the fact that I happen to be one of the uninsured and have been so for years and am not even in a rush to change that status means I am lazy even with my career thriving and all?? Dude, this is one of the silliest things I have come to realize about some of you Nigerians. You never read what is given you to read and always come back thinking you have it all figured out even when you are corrected umpteen times for that. For you to come back with

You still don't get it, the killing might not been racially motivated, but the judgment that the officers should not be held responsible is a pointer to the fact that there is inequality before the law. That if you kill a dog will go to jail, but kill a black man, you will walk free. This is not the first time, same court ruled that officers who shot a Senegalese immigrant should walk free. Maybe we should not about this type of history

already proves to me that you are just here to waste my time, this point . Goodluck with your view.! Hope it works out for you and your children and their offspring!

Even the weather in Africa in general complicates things for "Obama's" candidacy. Thank God he is half-white. The only sure ticket to even get to this stage.

We know what happened to the others with the same "Audacity of Hope"!]


What an "audacity"!

Kobojunkie:

Just some weeks ago, a hollywood artist claimed that the white government invented HipHop music to cause black people to shoot each other. That there shows how much intelligence she feels africans and african americans have. By the statement she made, she already made up her mind that black people are idiots and so easy puppets for any person with an idea or an agenda. I wonder when black people will start taking offence to such.

Please give us the link - which Hollywood actress? Or did you get this story from Fox News?

[size=13pt][url =http://www.hecklerspray.com/alicia-keys-%E2%80%98government-was-behind-the-2pac-and-biggie-murders%E2%80%99/200813553.php]
Alicia Keys: Government Was Behind The 2Pac And Biggie Murders[/url][/size]

April 13th, 2008 at 12:30 by Paul Sorrenti


The world today is rife with conspiracy theories like never before. There are people out there who believe 9/11 was an inside job. There are people who believe the moon landing was staged.

There are people who think Jay-Z is profiting from the African slave trade. Lily Allen’s Dad believes Princess Diana was murdered and one guy hecklerspray knows thinks badgers are actually midgets crawling around the woods in costume.

And now Alicia Keys says Gangsta Rap was created by the government and the media in an effort to get influential black people to kill each other, so they don’t have to.


Ms Keys told Blender magazine:

“‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other, ‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist.”

She also claims that the murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G, back in September 1996 and March 1997 respectively, were fueled by “the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing“.

Hecklerspray would like to remind readers that we didn’t even exist back then, so our conscience is clean.

Or Is it? Maybe we did exist, but were operating on an invisible level. Maybe we were posting anti-2Pac and Biggie articles in a font that could only be read by rich, white people? Can you prove it otherwise? You can’t, can you? You’ll just have to take our word for it (mwa-ha-ha!).

Alicia also explained the reasons she wears a gold AK-47 pendent around her neck. It is because it “symbolize strength, power and killing them dead”. For some reason she doesn’t go on to say exactly who ‘them’ are. Wait a minute…maybe she’s referring to us; the hecklerspray folk; readers, writers and all?

Think about it; have you ever heard Alicia Keys say she likes hecklerspray before? Have you ever heard Alicia Keys say she likes you before? In fact, we don’t believe Alicia has ever expressed any love for our people. This is getting spooky - does Alicia Keys want to kill us dead?

Just to be safe, let’s all stay away from Alicia Keys and her music until the day she pledges allegiance to the hecklerflag. Get yourself a gold hecklerspray pendant of Stuart Heritage’s face, hang it round your neck and tell people it “symbolizes strength, power, weekly stories about Lindsay Lohan’s tits, the avoidance of Alicia Keys and killing ‘em dead with our superb use of cruel/witty reporting”.

But even that has its risks. Why should we trust you lot? You’ve no doubt got an alternative agenda like everyone else. Probably best everyone just stays at home with their families.

But what if it turns out all our parents have been nurturing us all these years into becoming cash cows to fund their early retirement? Ok, so we all go home but we are to stay in our rooms, alone, only leaving at allotted times to get food from the kitchen and use the bathroom.

But what if our personality splits into two while we’re alone? Maybe one half of us will want the other half dead? In which case, the half that doesn’t want us dead has no choice but to saw itself free from the other half. This will leave us all dead, but we will at least be safe.

Ah, screw all that - let’s all have a cuddle!

Alicia says that, in the future, she wants to write more political songs and feels that if black leaders like late Black Panther Huey Newton “had the outlets our musicians have today, it’d be global. I have to figure out a way to do it myself”.

Hang on a minute…What if Alicia Keys is merely a creation of the government and media, a singing hologram used to bore people into submission, leaving us feeling powerless against the rise of the New World Order?

What if…What if…What if she’s right?

Other sources for those who are convinced FOX is EVIL and the only source of information that does not sit well with them

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/13/alicia-keys-gagsta-rap-wa_n_96412.html


http://poponthepop..com/2008/04/alicia-keys-conspiracy
http://www.fafarazzi.com/gossip/264170/alicia-keys-government-was-behind-the-2pac-and-biggie-murders-theorist-alicia.html

http://www.celebitchy.com/10924/alicia_keys_tries_to_clarify_gangster_rap_government_conspiracy_comments/

http://fuseblog.typepad.com/fuseblog/2008/04/alicia-keys-vas.html


http://www.fafarazzi.com/gossip/264170/alicia-keys-government-was-behind-the-2pac-and-biggie-murders

^^^Ehe - I don catch you! I KNEW it was Alicia Keys you were referring to. I just wanted to get confirmation. Firstly, this whole issue was completely blown out of context. Secondly, it has been strenously denied. Thirdly, come on man, we are talking about Alicia Keys. My lovely Alicia Keys!    . Only a far-right mind would associate someone like Alicia Keys with this comment. I would provide links but I can't be bothered to.

As she said:

“The point that I was trying to make was that the term was oversloganized by some of the media causing reactions that were not always positive. Many of the `gangsta rap’ lyrics articulate the problems of the artists’ experiences and I think all of us, including our leaders, could be doing more to address these problems including drugs, gang violence, crime, and other related social issues.”

As for the AK-47 remark, Keys said Tuesday that AK-47 is a nickname given to her by friends “as an acronym for Alicia Keys and a metaphor for wowing people with my music and performances, `killing ‘em dead’ on stage. The reference was in no way meant to have a literal, political or negative connotation.”

LMAO!!!! Olodumare ooo!!!! Everyone claims to be taken out of context these days, NA WA OOOO!!! yeah, Let me guess, out of the blues someone asked her what she thought of gangsta rap and tupac and then her answer was taken out of context?? I should playing this CONTEXT CARD as well as the RACE card myself. IT seems the "IN" thing to do these days, !!! Denial seems to be in vogue!! ROFLMAO!!!

^^^Yeah right! So if a black person says she is "killing em dead", then you automatically judge her as referring to white people? That does not follow your ususal logic because if it was the other way around, you would defend the white person. You give the policemen the benefit of doubt, but not Alicia? WOW!

For your info, Alicia Keys grew up in a white home, with a white mother who follows her everywhere, even on tour.

As for being taken out of context, don't the media do that to celebrities all the time?

Oh , now it has to do with the family she grew up in LMAO!!! Na wao, If that all made sense to you, that is fine!!!

The point is that in America, a white man says something weird, it will be considered his opinion, but a minority says something it becomes a reflection of his or her community. minority is a community while majority and is an individual. I just remembered a white dude asking me who was my role model, he even provided me with clues. jayz, p diddy, 50 cent until I told Nelson Mandela. He was excited to have met him in person.

Kobobaby, maybe i also took your posts out of context, but this is not the first we are arguing on this thread, so maybe we need to recheck some of your posts. nah exercise in futility. move on dot com

First off, not that I hate gay people but I am not one of you all so keep to my moniker as is. It is not hard for you to spell it as is, I am sure of that.

Second, for someone to go around assuming that all of america acts like the man who you described in your post, already tells me much of who you are. I have never had anyone assume me the same as every African out there. Infact, many of my colleagues and acquaintances who happen to be caucasians understand that people do not all come in the same package and label. Maybe the key to liberation here for folks like you is for you to move around to places where people do not all think like you do.

I read a post the other day on here of how the current election is being influenced to a great deal by black voters across america and your comment on minorities, make me really know for a fact that this debate has gone on for too long. Move around a bit. Get out into the world around you to maybe understand that most of your fears lie within the confines of your mind.

Racism is not a sin in any country in the world. If someone is racist against you in such a way as to impinge on your rights as a human being or an american, take the person to court for the right reasons and make sure it is understood that you are clearly doing that for the right reason and not another whinny race baiter out there. Racism exists in both white and black america and it only seems to divide those who thrive on the idea of need to be divided by it, one observation I have made so far.


This particular issue is the way it is. I have more of an issue with race-baiters than I do people who are racist, no matter what there skin color.

Senator Obama is related to the Sean Bell trial or public reaction how? We are all aware of Obama's ethnic background; but where does this article display his actual relation to the outcome of a trial? Senator Obama is not exclusively representing black anger, black justice etc, far from it.

Mainstream media has demonstrated that they do not care about the so-called tattered and bloodied union, His candidacy has been consistantly striven to be sincerely inclusive to all americans but he keeps getting reassigned to the: pigeon hole of representing a "race". The two other candidates are as related to, or not related to, the Bell verdict as Sen. Obama.

Titling you article: "Sean Bell Verdict Complicates Things for Obama" is unclear, unrelated and an odd, non-logical correlation at the expense of Senator Obama.

DJ WallaCE.

I knew based on the evidence that the cops will go free as charged. While we continue to work on societal issues like racism, there are still laws existing to maintain order, and the cops were innocent by law.

Senator Obama is related to the Sean Bell trial or public reaction how? We are all aware of Obama's ethnic background; but where does this article display his actual relation to the outcome of a trial? Senator Obama is not exclusively representing black anger, black justice etc, far from it.

Mainstream media has demonstrated that they do not care about the so-called tattered and bloodied union, His candidacy has been consistantly striven to be sincerely inclusive to all americans but he keeps getting reassigned to the: pigeon hole of representing a "race". The two other candidates are as related to, or not related to, the Bell verdict as Sen. Obama.

Titling you article: "Sean Bell Verdict Complicates Things for Obama" is unclear, unrelated and an odd, non-logical correlation at the expense of Senator Obama.

DJ WallaCE.

Kobobaby,
  Kobobaby,
  The fact  that you used Alicia keys statement to infer what is going in  black  communities is naivety of the highest order. We are talking about a verdict that let go of officers who killed an unarmed man (lets blank his color) even when its against NY state regulation not to fire more than three shots if the person does not pose real danger.

You really  have to base your argument on facts not  your surroundings, emotions, or colleagues. You dont dispute facts by saying that there are old or  no longer the case while what we are talking about  what  happened in 2006. People are angry not because cops shot Sean Bell, but because  the system found them not guilty. Give me another name  of inequality before the law. A white person maybe  be denied justice, but there is a negative history between blacks and legal system which was entrenched in the system which was intended for blacks not for whites. So when a black person is denied justice that he/she deserves it brings back those memories. You keep talking as if you live in Mars. I dont want you  to totally agree with me, but telling me that everything is OK when its not or that everyone has moved on except me even when the case we are talking about is part of America. We cannot ignore American antecedents while living in America; they are part of what make  America great. This is where  you dont get it. Bob Marley says "  you can forget you past" Your past should serve as a reminder to you. Maybe  most   white Americans should be reminded that their ancestors who sailed across EU to N American were not necessarily by wanted by their people, so it could be suffice to say America is country where rejected stones   turned into pillars of strength. I am with Bill Cosby when he said that if the laws  on drug  offenses pertaining to crack cocaine   vs  powder cocaine were designed to target blacks then don’t deal on drugs period.