Snitchin' Is Bitchin' by HSPA I Class 2007

Stand Up to Stop the Violence in Trenton

(Excerpts from student essays at TCHS)

♫ MYOB stands for mind your own business. Children in the hood

grow up with this.

♫ “Snitches get stitches” clearly states that you shouldn’t snitch.

♫ Stop Snitchin’ is constantly advertised, preached, and practiced in urban

environments because of the influence of rappers.

♫ Friends and family tell you not to be a snitch or a tattletale, but as you get

older you have to realize not all snitching is a bad thing.

♫ This G-Code (ghetto code) promotes the violence in our cities. It is raising

our crime rates and increasing our unsolved murders.

♫ The reason a lot of crimes have been going on here in Trenton is because

people are scared to say what happened.

♫ The more the G-Code is practiced, the more the crime rate will increase,

giving permission to commit crimes – indeed the perpetrator is in the safety

zone, but we are not.

♫ The crime rates have drastically increased because criminals know they will

get away with whatever crime they commit. Criminals are even becoming

very bold in the process, killing and stealing in broad daylight.

♫ If adolescents reported even half of the crimes that they witnessed, crime

rates would decrease dramatically because the criminals would fear getting

caught and stop committing crimes. The witness wouldn’t have to worry

because the criminal would be locked in jail where they can do no harm.

♫ The only thing that people are doing when they do not tell the police the

truth is letting the trouble get worse. They are leaving the bad guys on the

streets to harm innocent people.

♫ We have to stop the fear that is growing inside of us.

♫ Being known as a snitch in your neighborhood is a lot better than walking

around with a guilty conscience.

♫ Police are here to help keep us safe. However, if we don’t help them,

then they can’t help us.

♫ If you help the police solve a crime, you are not a snitch. You are just

helping to get one more criminal off the street, so it can be safer for you

and me.

♫ If you’re brave enough to tell a cop what you saw, then that shows you’re

more responsible than all the other little punks who think street credibility is

more important than their futures.

♫ It’s not snitching; it’s doing the right thing.

♫ People need to stand up.

♫ Enough is enough. Open your mouth.

♫ I am sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we all would like to

live in a safer environment.

♫ Start snitchin’ or be in fear! Start snitchin’ or be dead in a year!

♫ Break that G-Code and create a new one called the Peace-Code.

♫ Be a part of the solution, not the problem! ♫

♫ Call Trenton’s Confidential Tip Line (609) 989-3663 ♫

Art by Michael G.