Samuel Huntington defined what a “primary loyalty” is in his seminal book Clash of Civilizations. In short, a primary loyalty is a loyalty or devotion to a group, family, religious identity or some other type of group structure that is more powerful than the loyalty one has to the nation they reside in. Such groups develop codes and practices that become more powerful than the mores, customs, norms and laws of the state.
There is a code and practice that has to be addressed in the black community. It’s a code of silence that is deafening. It is a code that refuses to hear the blood of our brothers crying out. The “stop snitching” movement is a social construct enforced through various fears including fear of retribution and ostracism. But it’s time to move beyond this dishonorable system, once put in place because of racist and hostile law enforcement agencies eager to round up any young black male that they could find.
There is an underlying thread in the untimely and senseless death of Derrion Albert in Chicago. This tragedy could have been avoided, but now we are witnessing something equally tragic: the ‘no snitching’ code is excusing the behavior of those who witnessed and were present at the murder of this exceptional young man.
The question that many people are asking after Derrion’s tragic death is: “Why?” Why would so many in the black community not cooperate? Why would we protect the killers among us who have no love or remorse? Is it because we distrust outsiders more? How do we rationalize this?
We are providing those who participated with a clear and open pass regarding their role in Derrion’s death. The fact that the video shows multiple students watching, circling and recording the murder with their cell phones demonstrates the voyeuristic nature of violence in the hood which has given rise to a perverse culture of the celebration of death in certain parts of our culture.
Countless African-Americans watched the video of Derrion’s beating feeling anger, frustration, fear and disappointment .What we need is courage. Consider this: If one courageous youth would have stood up, they may have prevented a senseless death.
More importantly, where does the type of primal black rage that led to Derrion’s death come from? Well, it comes from several sources, primarily poverty, lack of fathers and parental involvement in the home, exposure to violence, historical vestiges of racism that breed distrust of authority – in particular law enforcement – and a general sense of hopelessness and despair that grips the mind and heart when a young person does not see a way out. These endemic norms breed violence, addiction, despair and self loathing. Here is an example of someone who experienced it. We’ll call him Damiunte. His rage and distrust are captured below.
His fists are clenched, his eyes are red, cheeks tearstained
The world has never been kind to him
I swear he was ready to wound and maim from birth
I watched the tears flow as he continued to protest
Rage against the injustice Damiunte`. . . rage
The world does not love you, how could it?
You are poor, young, fatherless, Black, angry and male
They measure you at sight by prejudiced scales
Your mother is in your corner yet burdened by you, her child
She is a jilted lover, left with you at an unexpected time
You are social evolution at work and yes you will, survive as. . .
A new species fed by the injustice, rage and guilt of our inner cities
© Hakim Hazim Take from Lulu.com
The facts are clear. This is a reoccurring trend in the black community and what makes this even more disheartening is the struggle we fought for. In our previous struggle we overcame the dragons in the form of the KKK have equal rights. At this rate, the KKK can fold up their sheets and call it a day.
We have lost our courage and voice. The solution to the ‘stop snitching’ code is to personalize such deaths and to stop thinking, “I’m glad it was not someone I know.” We need to say to those who are protecting perpetrators that all of those who have been lost to black on black violence are our brothers. It’s time to be our brother’s keeper.