Democracy In Albany - New York Politics ||

Where's the outrage?

By AlfredMoisiu, Section Diaries
Posted on Sun Sep 21, 2008 at 05:31:43 PM EST

This week, two Albany cops were ambushed during a phoney baloney robbery call, which resulted in one crackhead getting shot, and the other escaping.

The word about what happened was on the street a few minutes after the state police helicopter was doing a grid search over the city.

It's amazing that none of our esteemed local officials were out expressing outrage that the local crackheads are getting bored with fucking up college kids and have moved on to the cops. Where's the Honorable Ms. McLaughlin? Or the Metroland's own Obama Jr.? Or the guy protecting us from squirtguns?

Shouldn't the "community" start the process of gathering together to heal or whatever?

DIA... put away those dusty old copies of the TU, you missed a big story!

< 21st CD: Tonko | NY-21: Albany County Dems Rally Behind Paul Tonko >

Menu

+ create account
+ faq
+ search

Login

Make a new account

Related Links

+ were ambushed during a phoney baloney robbery call
+ AlfredMoisiu's Diary

Where's the outrage? | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 hidden)

its hard out there for a Republican (none / 0) (#1)
by DIA on Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 04:37:04 PM EST

Sorry, Alfred. These must be trying times. Perhaps your stock portfolio has tanked and you are drinking heavily which is why you aren't making sense?

anyway, drink up. You weren't adding much value to society anyway.

Hey DIA (none / 0) (#2)
by one flew east on Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 09:30:57 PM EST

I think he was talking to hypocrites like you. The moment the cops get ambushed you have nothing to say, but when some crackhead makes an allegation against them, you're on them like white on rice.

I'm sure when the criminal they shot starts making allegations, you'll have something to say then.

And you say this isn't a far left blog!

I'm outraged (none / 0) (#3)
by albany layman on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 06:12:15 AM EST

that neither AlfredM or OneFlewEast has a coherent point to make.

Well, outraged is too strong of a word. Maybe more like, mildly annoyed. OK, somewhere between mildly annoyed and vaguely curious.

Flewy reminds me of... (none / 0) (#4)
by Jim Travers on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 10:50:07 AM EST

The mole in the Whack-a-Mole game at a carnival. Ya just never know when he'll pop-up. This time, again, so far right he's utterly wrong.

So what have you got to say about this story, Flewy?

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=723109

Obama Jr? (none / 0) (#5)
by Soundpolitic on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 02:19:08 PM EST

I presume you refer to Common Councilman Corey Ellis. If I were Corey, I'd actually be flattered despite your transparent and racially charged attempt at insult.

Hey...can I start referring to Roger Cusik as McCain Lite?

: Whoops, I forgot (none / 0) (#7)
by AlfredMoisiu on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 04:26:21 PM EST

Any mention of a black politician that isn't lauding them for something is racist. The Obama administration should be a blast.
After that Metroland piece last year, which portrayed Ellis as something between Jesus and apple pie, how could you not compare him to Obama?
Whatever. I hold most politicans in contempt. Why should anyone respect any member of the Common Council? They have zero power, zero influence, yet they are still utterly spineless. Other than the occasional race-baiting quote, comic relief when they nod off or read comics or fight squirtgun proliferation, they serve no purpose.
Call Cusick McCain Lite, you won't see me shedding a tear. I don't even know what to call that Sandy Treadwell character, the wealthy heir who runs the radio commercials that sound like a History Channel promo.
I just find it funny how DIA decries just about any criminal incident as evidence of the gang problem in Albany -- except for the case when two cops get ambushed during a gang initiation. Where's the criticism of the nonexistant Times Union coverage? Hell, DIA has the paper fully digested by 5AM... he must have noticed.

[ Parent ]

Hey Jim (none / 0) (#6)
by one flew east on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 03:21:28 PM EST

Apparently you don't have enough intellect to realize that you just proved my point.

Alfred Alfred Alfred (none / 0) (#8)
by Soundpolitic on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 08:05:33 PM EST

You prove that cynicism is the bane of reason.

You seem to hold everyone who isn't AlfredMoisiu in contempt.

And you didn't forget a thing. Except that statements like "Any mention of black politician that isn't lauding them for something is racist" sets us back about eighty years if taken seriously.

Keep on listening to Rush and Hannity and Savage. I will compliment you that are making progress in your imitations.

Some people fly east right into the cuckoo's nest :-)

: Soundpolitic, DIA, Jim, Layman (none / 0) (#9)
by firefoxfan on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 10:02:18 PM EST

Questioning the vague concept of political correctness does not make you a racist, sexist, or homophobic. People go bonkers when the police drop the ball or overreact (as they should), but when two police officers are attacked by criminals from these same critics you hear crickets chirping.
Alfred isn't wrong--often times any criticism of a person of a different color, age, gender, or sexual orientation is portrayed as racist/agist/chauvinist/homophobic. Who really thinks that everyone accused of being racist/agist/chauvinist/homophobic is actually any one of those things?
Some are, some aren't. But it has become convenient to use this to divert attention from bad behavior.
Alfred, if Obama is elected, it will be the opposite of what you say: he will be very careful about calling out anyone about being racist. He may engage with issues of race--so long as they do not pertain to him. What won't happen is the suggestion by his administration that any criticism of the White House is racist or racially driven.
On another note, the best reason to support Obama is that his background and interest in constitutional law helps him to see an issue from all sides. This is a good trait to have after 8 years of Bush.

[ Parent ]

what do you expect? (none / 0) (#10)
by DIA on Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 04:15:53 AM EST

Personally I have not seen or read any information that says this was a gang initiation or that it was a planned ambush. Seemed to me like it went down as expected. A guy with crack and a gun ran from the cops (that is what crackdealers do). He reportedly pulled his gun and they shot him.

That is life in West Hill.

When I was pointing out we had gang and violence problems 4 years ago and the mayor was denying it, where was that outrage?

When I talk about the need to fix neighborhoods to address these issues instead of building convention centers, why do you think that is?

And when Alfred mentions that he hopes the problems don't spread to where he lives, how is that helping?

Corey Ellis is one of the few people doing a damn thing in Albany to address these issues. I expect if he runs for office people like Alfred will attack him every which way they can think of, none of which will have anything to do with the issues. Hey, i hear he was a community organizer? That should provide the mouthbreathers with months of good fun.

: A little credibility (none / 0) (#14)
by AlfredMoisiu on Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 12:52:41 PM EST

You didn't see or read any information about gang involvement in that murder on Delaware Avenue either. Didn't stop you then or on several other occasions from screaming about gangs.
In this incident, a robbery was reported by a mysterious caller who probably didn't exist. It wasn't a simple matter of a crackhead running from the cops.
The difference is that making a big deal about gangs in this incident could eventually portray the Albany Police in a sympatetic light, and that doesn't jive with your agenda.

[ Parent ]

Alfred/OneFlew Also Need a History Lesson (none / 0) (#11)
by Soundpolitic on Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 05:26:13 AM EST

When it comes to race.

Ever hear of the Night that Tulsa Died? It's also known as the Tulsa Race Riot. It happened Memorial Day, 1921. It's estimated to be the worst race riot in history, with between 300 to 3,000 African-Americans dead.

And not just "crackheads," Alfred. These were affluent African-Americans with houses that were nicer than the whites. That's why the whites tried to wipe them out, to maintain the social "order" of things.

And, yes, language like yous is very destructive, because it evokes frames that were used a long time ago and stil register in the minds of the very elderly and those who have followed in their footsteps. One word can evoke so many things, you have no idea.

Read this post regarding how the Tulsa Race Riots relate to today's Presidential race (dual meaning).

If you don't find your outrage there, I can't help you, and I doubt your eligibility for heaven.

Wow (none / 0) (#13)
by AlfredMoisiu on Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 12:44:24 PM EST

All I can say is that you need some schooling in public discourse. And although you provided excellent coverage of the 21st Congressional District Primary, you don't know a thing about me or my religion.

So if you're going to try to portray me as a murderous klansman, leave the fate of my immortal soul out of it.

And since your ignorant bleating apparently blinded your ability to interpret the facts, here are a few.

The word "crackhead" wasn't used as a generic label. The newspaper reported that crack was found on the scene. So the suspects were likely either crack users or merchants.
In addition to being a black man, Mr. Obama is a relatively unknown wunderkind, foisted upon the national stage during his Senate campaign as a future president and one to watch. If you read the profile of Mr. Ellis in Metroland and compared it to early coverage of Obama, you would find it to be very similar.

[ Parent ]

Three Things, Alfred: (none / 0) (#15)
by Soundpolitic on Thu Sep 25, 2008 at 12:21:52 PM EST

The word "crackhead" may not have been intended as racially charged by you, but when you research the frames that pop up into people's minds when used, it all-to-frequently conjures up images of African-Americans. Just like the word "elephant" may not be intedend to conjure up images of a circus or a certain political party, but it does anyway by it's very mention.
I think by now Mr. Obama is relatively well-known. And, yes, you are injecting race into this discource when it does not have to be injected.
You obviously did not read the article. The point of linking to it was not to portray you yourself as racist, just to give you new perspective on what kind of history racially-charged language like yours has, for it has an effect on the present-day public discourse.

If only closed minds came with closed mouths...I digress.

[ Parent ]

Soundpolitic (none / 0) (#12)
by one flew east on Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 08:24:34 AM EST

Please show me ever, at anytime on this blog when I have talked about race. I haven't, you must have me confused with some of your liberal friends. But I'm really not surprised, I expect that from you and your far left buddies.

You liberals are a bunch of ignorant, arrogant, hypocrites. You have the guts to lecture Alfred about his "destructive language", never seeing your own.

Since when did you become God?

In Which One Flew East Is Reminded... (none / 0) (#16)
by Soundpolitic on Thu Sep 25, 2008 at 01:02:32 PM EST

...of the existence of Google.

Here's a comment where you insinuate that we progressive liberals didn't care that an arrest was made in the shooting of Kathina Thomas. True, no mention of race, but it kind of brings down your credibility...

...because here you say that it's wrong to make "political statements" about "such a tradgedy." Would that include a statement claiming that "progressive liberals" don't care about the resolution?

I couldn't find anything you've said on race, but again, the point I'm trying to make here is that you don't necessarily have to say the word "black" to be talking about race. Language is complicated like that, and reading up on linguistics might help you realize that. For example, you comment above about "some crackhead," which conjures up images of African-Americans...and you follow-up with the phrase "white on rice" which further injects racial frames into the conversation, whether you realize it or not. That was the point of encouraging both you and Alfred to read the article I linked to above, so you can recognize that sometimes when you say one thing, several other things are left to be read between the lines.

In that respect, while you've never mentioned "race" or "black" specifically, I think you've been very careful about your selection of words; yet those of us with an eye for it and an understanding of the history of this practice are able to catch on to it. You can inject race into the conversation without ever mentioning it, and that's exactly what you did above.

I also find your allegation that my language is "destructive" rather hilarious when juxtaposed next to you calling me an "ignorant, arrogant, hypocrite."

Oh...and I became God the moment I was born, same as you. The food I ate this morning was also God, as were the stools that resulted. But arguing religion and politics together never really mixes evenly, so I'll leave it at that.

Nice try. Keep flying east and you might find fellow conservative friends in places like Darfur, Saudi Arabia, and Iran...hasn't Ahmedinejad been described as a "hard-line conservative?"

Soundpolitic double talk (none / 0) (#17)
by one flew east on Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 11:10:33 AM EST

Let me see if I got this right. You and Alfred M were having a discussion about race and somehow you decided to throw me into the mix and give us a history lesson. When I pointed out the fact that I have never talked about race on this blog, you googled me and discovered that I was right.

So what did you do. You decide to give me a lesson on the English language and race.

What I find interesting is that in your liberal mind, when you hear the phrase "some crackhead" you see an Afro-American. Quite frankly, I don't. Actually I don't see race anywhere in that equation. In my experience drug abuse is prevalent in all communities.

And the phrase "white on rice" has absolutely nothing to do with race, of course, not in your mind. It seems to me that the only person who has a problem with race, is you. You appear to be one of those liberals who feels guilty about their own race and finds it necessary to apologize for it. Good luck with that.

And yes, I am careful about my selection of words. But that carefulness has nothing to do with race. I just didn't want to sound unintelligent, like you!

Where's the outrage? | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 hidden)

create account | faq | search