Everyday young men, women, and children die at the hands of violent criminals. Some deaths are drug related or gang violence; some are domestic violence or robberies gone badly. Many, far too many, are children playing on the sidewalk or parks caught in the cross fire.

The “Stop Snitchin” craze swept America after a DVD bearing those lyrics began circulating around the streets of Baltimore, however shop owners who sell the shirts say there is no connection according to an article in the baltimoresun.com .

In many urban neighborhoods people are already afraid to come forward with information fearing they will be identified and face retribution from neighborhood criminals having this additional reminder of the danger of talking to police have many
not talking and police outraged.

One well known hip hop artist said the slogan “Stop Snitchin” was misconstrued and in fact does not mean stop talking to the police and is not meant to be intimidating. This begs the question, if you are a witness to a violent crime and someone walks by wearing a shirt with the picture of a stop sign shot full of bullet holes and the words “Stop Snitchin” what message is being sent. There is also a t-shirt with a chalk outline of a body and the words “Etch-a-Snitch” printed on it along with many other designs.

However, the 'Stop Snitching' cameraman was arrested was arrested in possession of 198 bags of raw heroin and drug packaging equipment. I guess we know why he wanted to get this massage out.

The irony of this situation is that in almost any urban neighborhood the honest people far outnumber the criminals but yet they are the ones living in fear.

Click this link to see how one police chief is fighting back
http://wvfitzgerald.blogspot.com/2007/08/is-stop-snitchin-killing.html