Is it Alright Sometimes for Black Folks to be Criminals?

[Soy Negra]

This thread is prompted by the fact that a movie I have been waiting for for a long time is soon to hit the screens.

It stars Denzel and Russell Crowe and is called American Gangster and is all about Frank Lucas who from the 50's on down to the 70's, was a big time heroin dealing gangster in Harlem, NYC.

For those of you who know Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas was his protege, in fact, Bumpy had a stroke and died in Lucas' arms.

I read a long piece on Lucas (click on his name above to go to the story) and ended up liking him, though he made a million dollars a day selling dope to Black people in Harlem.

I'm pro-black, so when I read how he broke the Mafia chokehold on the drug trade in our community, a part of me was happy. When I read about how white folks were so shocked at the size, breadth and depth of his International operation (because he was an uneducated negro from the Deep South), I felt happy. Or about how he rounded up the major Black drug dealers in the country to figure out how to get the man and mafia off their backs, and the way NYC's corrupt SIU Police Unit was busted as a result of Lucas and many more Black drug dealers' testimonies.

After reading about his exploits with black GI's and military cooks in Vietnam, it made me feel good to see how brothers hoodwinked the man for so, so long. They say he even transported heroin back here on Kissinger's plane.

But then I think I'm jacked up because Lucas sold those drugs to our people. Then I think, well it's not like they forced folks to buy those drugs.

My question is, is it alright sometimes for Black folks to be criminals, especially when they stick it to the man?

[Samoon]

"Poison" has no monopoly inasmuch as ethnicity (color). And, for anyone that spills this poison in my community? That hurts and exploits MY people for personal gain? "I have nothing for you." With the plethora of problems in the our diaspora, our ONLY thoughts should be that of elevating one another and our race. Period.

Being on the front-lines, I continue in seeing the long-term, hurtful affect of drugs in black communities across this land. For example, examine how the use of Angel-dust and Crack-cocaine has had crippling, permanent effects on the dynamics of many black families. It is no wonder that, inclusive with stats of black, female-headed households standing at 62%, that this percentage also is inclusive and illustrates that many of these black wo/men are GRANDPARENTS that are raising their g/children because their sons/daughters can no longer nurture and guide their children due to drug-abuse.

"No," I do not condone this form or any form of criminal activity.

[poeticasylum1]

Hell naw.
What kind of logic is that?

[jacqui]

Well if I need to feed my family, I will steal, if I have to protect me or my family I will kill, if that is a criminal then imho I think it is okay to participate in criminal activities.

[Babydoll]

It depends on what kind of world you want to live in.

If you are going to give passes to criminals. Will there be a list of acceptable and unacceptable crimes?

[jacqui]

It also depends on who is defining the act. I am not speaking of drug dealing, raping or anything like that, however, I recall during the Katrina flooding, the black people who went into the store were accusing of stealing and looting. A criminal activity. The white couple on the hand were bravely searching for food.

[sonflour_2001]

Originally Posted by jacqui

It also depends on who is defining the act. I am not speaking of drug dealing, raping or anything like that, however, I recall during the Katrina flooding, the black people who went into the store were accusing of stealing and looting. A criminal activity. The white couple on the hand were bravely searching for food.

Exactly.
That's not criminal, as the circumstances may have called for alternative means of survival. However, our society was happy to jump all over that and conveniently forget that other groups were doing the same thing....
I guess no one cares that black people need sustainence as well...
In reference to the question...it's not okay for anyone to be criminal.

[Godssoulja]

For me I dont need and or want to see another movie about Black Gangsters or any other kind of gangster for that matter. Its time that we remove the chains from our collective brains and move in another direction that fosters economic improvement, empowerment and education.

Just my two cents,

G-Soulja

[Samoon]

Originally Posted by sonflour_2001

Exactly.
That's not criminal, as the circumstances may have called for alternative means of survival. However, our society was happy to jump all over that and conveniently forget that other groups were doing the same thing....
I guess no one cares that black people need sustainence as well...
In reference to the question...it's not okay for anyone to be criminal.

I see Jacqui's position on this regarding the "treatment" that blacks were subjected to during and post the Katrina tragedy being treated like "refugees." Moreover, it is also VERY interesting to note the "response time" for the Tsunami victims in Thailand was "pdq" (pretty dam quik!) with American governnment dollars and relief effort compared with that of the Katrina victims. There should have been no division--if whites, as well as blacks were "looting" in looking for food, the word "crime" should have been equally stamped on all.

[MadameX]

Originally Posted by Samoon

Moreover, it is also VERY interesting to note the "response time" for the Tsunami victims in Thailand was "pdq" (pretty dam quik!) with American governnment dollars and relief effort compared with that of the Katrina victims. There should have been no division--if whites, as well as blacks were "looting" in looking for food, the word "crime" should have been equally stamped on all.

Well Said. Katrina definitely was a wake up call for Black People in America.