Well, I don't have half an hour to spare for some raw video, but if someone could tell me at approximately what time in the video the description comes, that'd be great.

Whether race was involved or not, I really wish that wasn't the default position of ghetto black folk. The other day, Mike and I took some friends out to dinner after a movie. While waiting for food, a young black woman approached the manager who was standing near us. Apparently, one of the people she was there with had been disrespectful to staff, so staff told them all they'd have to leave. This gal was attempting to appeal to the manager's sense of justice, asserting that they would gladly get their friend to leave, but they should be allowed to stay because they didn't do anything and they had already ordered food. Initially, she was very polite, but she grew increasingly indignant as the manager attempted to explain his position, even though he was honestly considering her request. Toward the end, though, she just HAD to say something smart, suggesting that they weren't gonna leave even if asked. At this point, the manager said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm done with this. I'm going to have to ask all of you to leave."

Her response? As she walks away, she says very loudly without even turning around to address the manager directly, "That's fuckin' prejudice. Why you white people always gotta be like that?" She sat back down and none of them left, forcing the manager to call the police. The whole situation could have been easily avoided - the manager might have even let her and the non-offending friend stay - if she hadn't been so bloody focused on the non-existant race issue.

ANYONE who is quick to pull the race card, even in cases where it's justified, is doing more damage to their situation than good. What happened to this girl is an absolute tragedy (although why she got out of her car AFTER they were waiving knives is entirely beyond me). There's no need to make a circus out of it. In fact, that may discourage potential tips, if people think it's being made into something that it's not.

I really do feel sympathy for this family. This is tragic. But seriously, Quanell X??? Please! This could have happened to anyone, regardless of race. I am a Houstonian and you can bet that the race card will be played anytime you see his face. It doesn't always work in his favor though. Just ask Joe Horn!

"[i]f you feel that you just got to mug somebody because of your hurt and your pain, go to River Oaks and mug you some good white folks. If you’re angry that our brother is put to death, don’t burn down your own community, give these white folks hell from the womb to the tomb."

- Quanell X

(For those who don't know, Quanell X is the "preacher" speaking in the video at the memorial "ceremony")

If blacks couldn't claim racism what could they blame? They could never look within could they?

If blacks couldn’t claim racism what could they blame? They could never look within could they?

Of course Quannell X is going to politicize the issue, and his efforts to bring black people together are inflammatory. But whether or not racism played a part in one person running over another with a Dodge Durango, the only person to blame here is the person who did the running over. No one needs to "look inside" for the source here! The source of the incident, whether racist or not, is the Dodge Durango driver.

Well in this particular case, the race card was not pulled over Portia being ran over as much as it was in regards to police allegedly being slow to react. Quanell X has an issue with the people of River Oaks because once again, that is who he mentions during the memorial service. He states that had a white woman from River Oaks been run down at a Walmart, police would have issued an APB with helicopters and information to the media.

What he does not mention is the fact that I am guessing that any witnesses did not come forward after this incident. Hell, even in the video the brother describes him and his sister deciding NOT to call police after being hit by the car the SUV that would later run her over.

That was my point

Well in this particular case, the race card was not pulled over Portia being ran over as much as it was in regards to police allegedly being slow to react.

Ah! I tried to scroll through the vid and check it out fully but it was so long...Well, to be fair, Quannell X may very well be right about THAT...especially if a white woman had been run over but had time to say before dying that the culprit was some skeevy black or Hispanic dude. It's almost a cliche...

What he does not mention is the fact that I am guessing that any witnesses did not come forward after this incident.

Her brother witnessed it, didn't he?

Thanks for the clarification, Morbid.

It's a vicious cycle. "The System" gives black folk a reason to distrust; this reason is exaggerated by some black community leaders in an effort to unite the community, even if it means uniting them against something; this effort becomes a meme that spreads throughout the community making them reluctant to involve "The System" under any circumstances; failure to respond adequately on the part of "The System" is used to bolster the exaggerated reasons to distrust it. Repeat.

Now, I'm not saying "The System" didn't start it, but at some point, you have to call it and take the higher road or accept the fact that you're contributing to your own demise. If you're constantly thinking in terms of prejudice, you're going to see more of it whether it's there or not.

You know, after thinking about this situation for a while, I actually think that this family did the right thing by using Quannell X. They have the most inflammatory person that they can get to bring attention to this case. It very well could prod the Houston PD to get off of their ass just to shut him up. Although it is a somewhat selfish move, it is the equivalent of going straight for the knees. I think what brought me to this conclusion was that I actually agree with Prof. X here that if this happened to whitey, it would be a different situation. Now plug that fucker up to Cerebro and lets go.

The saddest part in this is the fact that this young woman is fighting to live all behind a damn parking space.

I do have to wonder why is it her brother at NO time during all this he or she never once got a tag number??
a description?? Nothing?

Plus thye contemplate NOT calling police.

Than the real kicker is she gets OUT the car while they are showing or after they showed their knives.
what in heck was so Important in Walmart that you have some POS threaten you with a knife and instead of just rolling out and saying hell with it You decide you won that parking place and damn it you are going to shop. Sorry but not even a Blue Light Special or roll back or whatever the heck it is called there can make me that determined to shop

What gets me is that half the people who use the race card don't care enough to respect themselves, how can they expect someone else to do it. If your flinging the famed 'N' word around in reference to a close friend or family member and thinking it's ok to do, then IMO everybody else should be able to say it back to you regardless or skin color or race. You want equality then step up and face the music when shit hits the fan, don't run and use the color of your skin or your race as something to hide behind and use to try and bend people to your will.

It's a shame that so many peoples ancestors spent their entire lives being ridiculed, tortured and even killed to put a end to the lines drawn between races. They fought hard so that their families would lead better lives, yet those families make a mockery of what they worked for. Society as a whole doesn't take it very serious because of the serious misuse, which is a shame for the people who really have racial crimes happen to them. People hear a crime was based on someones race (whether it's true or not) and they start screaming about the injustice to 'their' people as the victim fades into the background and the crime becomes about skin color rather then what it really is. People are people regardless of your skin color or your background, we all hurt and bleed the same..it's sad more people don't think like that.

I'll have to pass on this one, and hold my tongue.

Poor girl, hope she makes it. Whether its an act of racism or not, the perpetrators need to go down, for a long time. I still say that until youve experienced the pain that comes from living as an unwanted minority, you cant fully understand the capacity for racism in your own heart. Would this have happened if Portia was a pretty young white woman? I doubt it. Sounds like the white guys were suffering from an extreme sense of entitlement if ya ask me. We're known for that, actually.

defenestratethis, what are you talking about? The racism charge was aimed at the cops for not taking the case seriously.

Damn I hope she makes it. Holidays really bring out the worst in people. A parking space??? Just move on to the next. A little walking won't kill you.

If Portia is in hospital, still alive, why was there a Memorial?

I think what brought me to this conclusion was that I actually agree with Prof. X here that if this happened to whitey, it would be a different situation.

Based on what EVIDENCE? The brother admits to not calling the cops sooner. This happens on the 25th. By the 30th, it's national news. What about the situation, exactly, would be different?

It is true that there are race-driven disparities in this country. That does not, however, mean that EVERY case of bad customer service is racially-motivated. Believe it or not, us white folk get less than stellar responses from the cops all the time. What do WE get to blame?

I agree that if this had happened in the white community (River Oaks) that he so much hates, then this would be handled differently. I wasn't necessarily making reference that it happened to a white person, but in a white community.

What do WE get to blame?

Illegal immigrants?

I still say that until youve experienced the pain that comes from living as an unwanted minority, you cant fully understand the capacity for racism in your own heart.Would this have happened if Portia was a pretty young white woman? I doubt it.

I'm white and I live in a tiny little community in which we are the minority. I won't go into the nitty gritty but the racism is only directed to white people. I grew up in a fair sized city and was taught we are all the same, I came here and it was like a culture shock to see so much hatred. I got my hair pulled on the school bus daily, threats from girls to "keep to my own kind" in reference to dating. I was the only white kid in my history class and one day some kid had the balls to stand up and blame me personally why they lost their culture. The teacher never said a word and he was white. All this in high school. I've never seen so much hatred towards people based on their skin color before and know of at least a dozen other communities within about 4 hours drive that have the same problems. So don't give me this 'your white you can't possibly know about racism' spiel, I live with it daily.

I agree that if this had happened in the white community (River Oaks) that he so much hates, then this would be handled differently. I wasn’t necessarily making reference that it happened to a white person, but in a white community.

I'm not letting you off the hook, here, Backlash. ;) If a person's going to reinforce racial stereotypes, they better be able to back it up. How would it have been handled differently? How has this case been mishandled?

Here's is how I feel things would have been handled differently in River Oaks. As soon as the SUV hit the other car, the police would have been called.

Or maybe when they pulled knives? I still haven't listened to the brother's description, but I bet there were plenty of times where it would have been appropriate to call the cops.

This is an actual billboard in Rochester, NY, incidentally:

<img src="http://www.wdkx.com/testimages/You%20Bet,%20I%20Told%20-%20Billboard.jpg"></img>

First, this would have happened at a Target, and on Black Friday.

Also, a white woman would not have gotten out of her car when knives were pulled, she would have called the popo.

When her car got rammed, she would have called popo, then immediately reached for her insurance info out of the glove box

If this was an uppity white community, then the socialite woman would have her husband get into contact with his influential friends and have them over for dinner. Then they would make donations to their political campaigns, and the criminals would be put to death.

I don't know what the answer is, except that I lived in a white community once (only once), and this shit NEVER happened. Sure there was parking lot rage, but nobody pulled knives on each other and the police actually apprehended people because witnesses were not scared of retribution. Can I quantify why this was the case? No. I think that entire degree curriculums are designed around that question. But my old roommate (cop in Groton, CT) would affirm these stereotypes in the way that he would conduct business. It was a sad fact that the darker the skin, the worse the department would treat them. My basis of the mishandling of this case is just assumption, based on the rantings of a mad racist (I know, great source). But it is hard to not believe, in part, some of what he is accusing the police of, as that story has been played countless times in America through the years. So my beliefs are all based on experience, not empirical data.

Fair enough. :P

And, for the record, I do know it, to an extent. I was raised in an upper middle class predominently white neighborhood, lived in a lower class predominantly colored neighborhood for four years, then moved back to that original neighborhood. The disparities are overwhelming in how the criminals, victims, bystanders and police act. How much of what is to blame for the other will certainly be the target of cases studies and graduate theses for eternity.

I have a saying that spawned from my days in the hood. "In the ghetto, even the good guys have warrants." We were robbed once. There were witnesses, but none were willing to talk to the cops because of warrants. They gladly told us who robbed us, and even offered their resources for retribution purposes. But nobody was talking to authorities. It's sad, really, how it's gotten to this point.

But nobody was talking to authorities. It’s sad, really, how it’s gotten to this point.

The First 48 is my favorite show. That seems to be the theme of every episode.

Looks like me turning on the Amazon ad will be showing some more awkward article\ad match-ups.

<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/35k5oc0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></img>

Athena is right on this one.

As for the assertion that it would have been handled differently if the person run over had been white, we can't know that that is true. It's just the kind of thing people say to make themselves feel sophisticated. It's just another way of playing the race card.

Quanell X-lax is a race-baiter whose career depends upon the race card.

It’s just the kind of thing people say to make themselves feel sophisticated.

Guess you have me figured out...

The people that owned the truck that ran this lady over. Was trying to start trouble with anyone. This isn't about race, this is about being a spoil brat. And trying to get what she wanted, which the lady did a 1st degree drive bye run down. Which, carrys a sentence of 5 to 10 years hard label. Also, the other three should get 3 to 5 years for just talking and edging her on..... To much bull, not a nuff love..... And you wonder why the USA in the mess it's in.... because of bull like this... killing kids... and rapping old ladies.... silly ness...we need to be more like the Chinese.. put the people that love kill.. kkk, street gangs, and anyone that think they got the balls to kill.. be sent to fight the war against the enemies and bring back the 30,000 troops... back home...

I see!! The video is a vigil for Portia not a memorial....

I answered my own question......

As for the assertion that it would have been handled differently if the person run over had been white, we can’t know that that is true. It’s just the kind of thing people say to make themselves feel sophisticated.

?

Honestly, though, Backlash isn't in fact wrong to say that there are identifiable (and quantifiable) patterns in such things as police response rate. Etc.

Whatever the case may be, I'm glad the case is getting attention. Poor Portia. Not the thing you expect to happen on some trip to Wal-Mart.

By the way, this:

On a more personal note, if I am ever killed in a Walmart parking lot, do NOT hold a memorial service there. If you need to hold some type of memorial service, pick a nice park that has those grills you can use to cook hamburgers and shit.

is hilarious.

on a side note, i left texas 10 years ago because i hated all the racism i ran into there. i must have heard "fuck the mexicans" and "nigger" a hundred thousand times in the year i lived in houston. a lot of people on this site are very racist and you make me sick.