Tookie Williams Notes

The primary issue brought to the table by Tookie's supporters, myself included, is that he could be of more benefit alive than dead. Yes, there were other defenses of him made light of. But very few insisting that he would go down as the next Malcom X. That was a straw man created by his opposition, as was the noble peace prize defense. Most of Tookie's supporters knew the Noble peace prize nomination meant nothing. It was the right wingers on A.M. radio that took that point, made by, mind you, few people, and turned it into a huge straw man by making it out to be the primary defense of Tookie by his supporters. In case you've been in a cave since the year 2000; The Republicans have been known to do such things.The worst that has come out of this entire ordeal is that white America has proven that they know even LESS bout inner city life than what white America knew a generation ago.Viacom makes ghetto life out to be glamorous. Go to a ghetto. There's nothing glamorous. It's still as f'd up as it ever was. Don't let the music videos fool you. They're commercials. Nothing more. Commercials for sneakers, jewlery, clothing, cars; Commercials. Not a realistic portrayal of inner city life.What's happening because of this is that middle class whites see these rap videos and think, "Oh, why should I feel bad for black people? Look at these guys with their bling bling". The truth is, the only people with the 'bling bling' are rappers, athletes, and the drug dealers in ghettos that make up for about 2% of it's population. It's top ramen noodles and second hand clothes for everyone else. Turn the t.v. off, give Rush Limbaugh a rest, and visit South Central Los Angeles. Go in the morning, so you won't be too freaked out. Rather your view changes on Tookie's sentence or not, you'll likely, at the very least, have a different perspective on how the gang cycle really works than that of the perspective that has been drilled into your head by the advertising industry, the