Someone Breaking In Next Door? Don't Ask Me To Call 911.

Questions still remain after the whole Cambridge debacle but one thing remains clear to me and that is if you call the police and in there use the term "hispanic" or "black" in your description of the perpetrators you risk being labeled a racist. So how am I going to handle this? If I see someone breaking in next door I'm not going to call the cops. Why should I? Why should I submit myself to the torture of what Lucia Whalen went throughwhen all she did was see something suspicious and called the police. In fact when she called she even stated she wasn't sure if someone was breaking in or not they might even live there but wanted to be a good neighbor and just make sure. What did she get for her efforts? She got death threats and media hounding her. No thanks I'll pass.

I find it ironic the government comes out with a story about "Citizens Being On The Front Lines For National Security" and yet we see this crap that happened to Lucia. If I see what I think is "terror" activities I'm not going to say a word. Why? Because If I see some middle eastern men strapping something to their waists and I call the police and they ask me to describe the people I will be forced to racially profile. Yup I might have to use the term "middle eastern" or "arabic". Then the cops go to check it out and come to find out it wasn't bombs strapped to their waist it was a fanny pack. What happens from there? I get # on. Nope so from now on I'm going to live by the rules of the hood. Yup, no snitching. At least I'll know I'll be safe from being killed by people mad at me for calling 911 for what I think is a bad situation.

When I was younger there was this cartoon I really liked called Eek the Cat. All he ever did was help folks out. His helping ended up in him being framed for crimes, beaten by mobs, crushed by anvils in the standard cartoon way, run over by trucks, etc...

I thought it was funny because of it's mirror ethic: "No good deed goes unpunished."

Imagine my surprise as I grew older.

The worst thing is that if there had been a break-in and the profs property stolen or the prof himself killed there would be all this nonsensical crying out for "community watch" type crap and how the "individualistic American" is killing society.

There's no right or wrong with gov and the media. Just sensationalism, control and fear. A constant gray zone of perpetual paranoia.

For those who think that it's only me who feels this way they have another thing coming. I know there are many others out there who will now question calling the police in fear that if they are wrong and they used the term black, hispanic, middle eastern, arabic, etc to describe the perps they will get the racism label on them and threats.

Completely agree OP. You can't call the police, you can't go confront the perp, and you definitely can't use force to protect your own or your neighbors property. Might as well hang a FREE sign on your stuff.

Right, Wrong or Illegal, i would throw the door open gun in hand and take care of the matter.
Not the first time i have chased a theif off.
Sorry, all the political corectness, and legal stuff goes out the window.
And i would hope that the same neighbor would do the same if a theif was at my door.

If I see what appears to be a crime being committed, I will describe the perps to the cops to the best of my ability, whether they be white, black, hispanic, or whatever.

I would be doing LEO no favors by hiding in a shell. Call me a racist, I don't care. I've been called much worse. If you shudder at the thought of being labeled as such, you are playing right into their hands.

reply to post by jsobecky


We're in total agreement. I will call 911 anytime I see what I believe to be a crime in progress. We do LEOs no favors by not giving them any information they need to do their jobs.

What happened to this lady for doing the right thing is reprehensable at best. Had she not called 911 and it had been an actual crime in progress she would have been pilloried for not taking action. This entire situation has been mis-handled and sensationalized from the start. The words stupidly ridiculous come to mind.

Originally posted by tjeffersonsghost
For those who think that it's only me who feels this way they have another thing coming. I know there are many others out there who will now question calling the police in fear that if they are wrong and they used the term black, Hispanic, middle eastern, Arabic, etc to describe the perps they will get the racism label on them and threats.

Please by all means keep yourself and "all those you know" who wouldn't help out a neighbor away from my neighborhood!

To be perfectly honest a person who thought just like you didn't call the police when the house next to him was being broke into. WHY? you ask.. well they where a gang of young "Hispanic" thugs and well it wasn't his problem. Well the little old lady who was trying to sell her house to help her family got hit with a bill for over 100,000 dollars in damages to her house. WHY? because her neighbor of 20 years "didn't want to get involved". Serves him right his property value just dropped about that much now!
I am also asking you and yours not come because I myself have had problems with most likely the same group of thugs trying to break into my home. EVEN when we have been IN IT. A neighbor that thinks like you scares me more than the thugs! I want one who would get the damn phone and get me some help if I couldn't get to it. But you truly have proven my husbands point I REALLY DO need that loaded set of shot guns and my swords at the ready to defend my children. People like you MIGHT live by me!
I would rather have some total idiot call me a racist than to live with the guilt of knowing I could have done something! But didn't out of a fear over a bunch of meaningless words!
Didn't your grandmother ever tell you..."Sticks and stones may break my bones.... BUT WORDS WILL NEVER HURT ME....
THINK ABOUT IT

reply to post by gallopinghordes


I feel the same way gh! This whole thing has been used from the start to push an agenda PLAIN AND SIMPLE! It worries me that people are actually being put off protecting those who live by them due to this whole mess. Oh let's not call the police we might be called a racist if we say they are a certain race. Bullocks if you see a crime you call and report it and get the people some help. You never know it may be you one day who needs that call to go in!

Stacy stick and stone blah blah does no good if your dead. Lucia got death threats from people who blamed her for this whole ordeal although all she was doing is being a good neighbor. By turning your head from the crime you wont worry about retribution from both the criminals or the people who you think your are saving.

Originally posted by jjkenobi
Completely agree OP. You can't call the police, you can't go confront the perp, and you definitely can't use force to protect your own or your neighbors property. Might as well hang a FREE sign on your stuff.

Uh...have you ever TRIED to hang a 'free' sign on your stuff? They won't TAKE it. Have tried it a few times. Now, put 'FOR SALE' on the same stuff and it'll be gone when you wake up in the morning.

I don't think fear of involvement in itself is a new phenomenon. What I do think is how we are seeing the demographic change. There have always been people afraid of calling the cops. It seems like it was always fear of reprisal from the perps, but now it's more about being harassed for doing what you think is the responsible thing.

When they can get us to all just sit quietly, afraid, in our homes, they've won.

[edit on 31-7-2009 by KSPigpen]

reply to post by xoxo stacie


Exactly; when all is said and done the only thing we have is each other. If we as citizens, humans whatever group you care to name don't start working together and helping each other where we can there really will be no hope. Calling 911 is an easy way to help each other.

Thank heavens for good neighbors who will help each other.