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Ron Jackson's Perspective
The Sunday Journal -
Think
Kankakee, Illinois
April 13, 2008
Time for rap song
about
Miranda rights for shooters |
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No future un-represented criminal left behind
Almost five times as
many Chicago Public School students have been killed this school
year as were killed at Northern Illinois University on Valentines
Day. When 23 senseless murders occur over a six-month period
throughout an entire school district, it doesn’t make quite the
impact as when five students are shot down in one day in one
building.
A madman goes on a shooting rampage at a school, and we are
shocked. A couple of students are killed per month in gang-related
incidents in Chicago, and we are not alarmed. We may not want to
admit it, but we have become desensitized to rampant gang violence.
The NIU killer is dead. Many of the perpetrators of the
Chicago student deaths are still alive, and some have yet to be
captured. While gang association has been alleged on the part of
the villains, many of the victims were innocent bystanders, just
like the innocent victims at NIU and Virginia Tech.
One Chicago murder case really sticks out. Blair Holt, the son
of a Chicago policeman was just 16 years old when he was killed by a
gang member. By all accounts, Holt was an honor student and was not
involved in gangs. He was killed while riding a CTA bus when he
tried to protect a friend. Luckily his murderer was arrested along
with a 15-year-old accomplice.
After talking to police, the accomplice, Kevin Jones, was
charged with murder for providing the gunman the weapon before he
boarded the bus and began shooting Holt and four others. However, a
judge has since ruled that Jones’ statement can’t be used against
him because Jones says he didn’t understand his Miranda rights and
didn’t know what an attorney is.
In an era when six-year-olds can recite 12-minute rap songs,
are we really to believe a 15-year-old doesn’t understand what it
means when he or she is told you have a right to keep your mouth
shut? Or in this land of entitlements must we accept the notion
that a teenager doesn’t understand what it means to get free legal
representation?
If that is the case, our public education system is in need of
a little modification. After teaching ABCs and 123s and the Pledge
of Allegiance, maybe the Miranda Rights should be next on the
agenda. Instead of No Child Left Behind, how about an emphasis on
No Future Un-represented Criminal Left Behind? If arresting
officers are required to know the rights of criminals, every
criminal, even underage ones should know their rights before they
commit a crime.
With all the rap songs about violence and sex, why hasn’t there
been a rap about the Miranda rights? Replace the explicit lyrics
warnings on rap CDs with the Miranda Rights. Put that
responsibility on record labels, artists, and parents to teach kids
about their rights should they find themselves in custody. Learning
to dial 911 in an emergency, and knowing the difference between
good-touch/bad-touch should be followed by learning your Miranda
rights.
The Miranda rights afforded every custodial suspect are, "You
have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain
silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court
of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you desire an
attorney and cannot afford one, an attorney will be appointed for
you before police questioning."
Put into a more common vernacular, the Miranda rights are:
“Best be advised to shut your trap.
When you’re in court against you we’ll use that crap.
If you need someone to speak for you,
but have no money, we’ll pay for that, too.” |
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