Posted by
John Caile on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 7:31:57 AM
We've reported before on the media's obsession with hiding the racial identity of criminal suspects:
http://havegunwillvote.blogtownhall.com/2009/03/02/media_malpractice_in_crime_reporting.thtml
The latest example of this disturbing practice occurred this week in relation to the reporting of a string of home invasions in Robbinsdale, a neighborhood on the Northwest edge of Minneapolis.
Holding fast to their politically correct stance, the ultra-liberal Minneapolis StarTribune reported on the crimes - but left out one notable element. Anyone care to guess what it was that got deleted from the official Robbinsdale Police Crime Alert? Rather than take my word for it, I will let you first read the actual alert for yourself:
CRIME ALERT
January
8, 2010
Information from the Robbinsdale
Police Department-Steven Smith, Chief of Police
What: Residential Burglaries
How: Forced entry through doors
Who: Teen aged
black males.
When: December 1 2009-January
6 2010
Times:
Both day and night time.
The
City has experienced a recent rash of residential burglaries. 17
home burglaries have occurred between Dec 1st and January
6th. Suspects are kicking in doors and taking
electronics, jewelry, and cash. In some cases, suspects are
knocking on doors to see if anyone is home. If confronted they flee
or say there are looking for someone. If no one answers then forced
entry is attempted. These have been both daytime and nighttime
burglaries. Suspects that have been seen are teen-aged black males.
The Robbinsdale Police Department is
looking for any possible leads or witnesses. If you have any information about these
crimes, please call Officer Seibert at 763-531-1220 or via email Rseibert@ci.robbinsdale.mn.us.
If you see suspicious activity
happening-CALL 911!
Now, take a gander at the article written by StarTribune "reporter" Tim Harlow:
Burglars targeting homes in Robbinsdale
Thieves have hit nearly 20 homes, primarily in the
eastern and southern sections of the city, since early December.
By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune
January 18, 2010
Police in Robbinsdale are telling residents to lock
their doors and windows, turn on outside lights and report suspicious activity
and vehicles in the wake of a rash of home burglaries over the past few
weeks.
Thieves have hit nearly 20 homes, primarily in the
eastern and southern section of the city, since early December according to a
crime alert issued by Police Chief Steve Smith.
In many cases, the thieves have been knocking on doors
to see if anybody is home. If not, they've kicked in doors or used force to open
windows to gain access to the residence, then made off with electronics, jewelry
and cash, police said.
The string of burglaries began around Dec. 1 and have
continued with the latest happening over the weekend. In one case, the thieves
attempted to break into a home of an 89-year-old woman who lives alone. Somebody
tried kicking in her door while she was there.
Police say the burglaries and attempted break-ins have
occurred during daylight and after dark. Police say they have little
information about suspects, but said that victims who have seen suspects say
they are teenagers or young adult males.
Police encourage residents to call 911 if they see
suspicious activity and to be good witnesses by noting height and
hair and eye color, getting descriptions of clothing and or vehicles, and noting
the direction of travel.
At first glance it might seem like a fairly complete report...until you notice the one tiny little omission: the racial identity of the suspects. In spite of the fact that eyewitnesses identified the perpetrators as "black" it seems the 'Strib folks decided that "teenagers or young adult males" was all we needed to know. Because remember that all of the information in the Crime Alert was available to the "journalist"
before he wrote the article.
Time and again, we have seen the American media suppress any reference to racial characteristics of suspects in criminal cases, even after they have been taken into custody...unless, of course, the suspect turns out to be a white male. In that case, not only will there be numerous references to his race - his photograph will likely be plastered all over the front page.
But as annoying and frustrating as such political correctness is, it is also downright dangerous - because keeping hidden important details about suspects, especially when they are still at large, puts all of us at risk.