I spent a good part of my career working in a tough urban ghetto.  I only mention this here to explain why the otherwise shocking story from Los Angeles does not surprise me one bit.  Apparently Earl Hutchinson is more concerned with the police department’s reputation than a child’s welfare.

If you have been following the Starkeisha Brown issue, you know that she severely beat, burned, abused, and generally tortured her 5-year-old son.  The latest update from the newspaper of record in L.A. brings to light a more sinister sub-plot:  Everyone involved in Brown’s life suspected the abuse and did nothing!

Read carefully this piece from the L.A. Times and I hope you get as sick as I did for years when I heard the same sorry excuses.  “We don’t trust the police,” or “The man will just make this worse.”  Pathetic. 

The truth is that the mostly African American residents of south central Los Angeles “don’t snitch” no matter what. 

Observe the quote by Ms. Daniels:  “In South-Central, we don’t do that. I’m just telling you how it is.”
Even when a child is dying.  The truth is that the so-called community leaders like Hutchinson continue to refuse to call this what it is:  Cultural conspiracy.  Every one of those people is responsible, in a direct and absolute way, for burns and cuts and bruises on this victim’s body.  Yet his only explanation is:

” Hutchinson and others said suspicion and fear of authorities runs deep in parts of South L.A. “

Oh, it’s the police department and social services agencies’ fault.  I have a suggested quote for Mr. Hutchinson to substitute:

” Residents of our poorest neighborhoods need to set aside their self-victimization mentality and call the police if a child is in trouble.”

I guess now they will call me a racist.  I thought that child abuse would be serious enough for leaders to finally step up and challenge the Black community to break their silence.  The truth is I was wrong.