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The main misperception about the controversially popular “Stop Snitching” ideology that is now considered a staple of the Black community is that it’s ubiquitous. Black people are, in no way and under no circumstances, ever supposed to volunteer, aid, assist or even acknowledge law enforcement efforts in our communities.

Of course, the origin of the “Stop Snitching” ethos made a lot more sense. The term was originally coined to govern the conduct of coexisting criminals, sort of a Black take on the Mafia’s omertá-or code of silence.

In other words, if you and I were together in a criminal enterprise and I got busted, I was not supposed to snitch on you. I was supposed to do my time like a man or a “standup guy” and trust that you’d be on the outside handling my affairs in return for my silence.

Michael Vick could have used such friends. So could TI.

Eventually however, both the expression “Stop Snitching” and the mentality behind it extended to the point where it more or less suggested that if something, even something criminal, didn’t have a directly adverse affect on you then you should mind your business and stay out of it.

Now “Stop Snitching” has ballooned to the point where we’ve had to cringingly watch our dear friend, rapper Cam’ron, explain to Anderson Cooper on 60 minutes that even if he lived next door to a serial killer, he’d move away before he’d tell the police.

Needless to say, “Stop Snitching” has gone way too far.

We no longer live in Africa, folks, where our elders police our communities. If a gang of us were to get together now to beat up or kill some pedophile or serial killer, we’d all go to jail!

Now I’m not suggesting that you should be on the phone with the law if you spot a guy on the corner selling nickel-bags of weed and wearing flip-flops, but if you’re aware that a person has become an actual, physical danger to our community, then that person’s gotta go.

That wouldn’t even be considered “snitching”. That would be responsible citizenship.