Interesting article on Sean Taylor's shooting.

[connoisseur series500]

Very thought provoking.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7499442...P&GT1=10637

[connoisseur series500]

An excerpt:

HBO did a fascinating documentary on Little Rock Central High School, the Arkansas school that required the National Guard so that nine black kids could attend in the 1950s. Fifty years later, the school is one of the nation's best in terms of funding and educational opportunities. It's 60 percent black and located in a poor black community.

Watch the documentary and ask yourself why nine poor kids in the '50s risked their lives to get a good education and a thousand poor black kids today ignore the opportunity that is served to them on a platter.

Blame drugs, blame Ronald Reagan, blame George Bush, blame it on the rain or whatever. There's only one group of people who can change the rotten, anti-education, pro-violence culture our kids have adopted. We have to do it.

According to reports, Sean Taylor had difficulty breaking free from the unsavory characters he associated with during his youth.

The "keepin' it real" mantra of hip hop is in direct defiance to evolution. There's always someone ready to tell you you're selling out if you move away from the immature and dangerous activities you used to do, you're selling out if you speak proper English, embrace education, dress like a grown man, do anything mainstream.

[Jazzmoose]

Okay, gentlemen; place your bets...how many posts before this one gets moved to the political thread?

[7/4]

Okay, gentlemen; place your bets...how many posts before this one gets moved to the political thread?

Doesn't a certain someone have to complain first?

[Stefan Wood]

What has been coming out from the Washington Post is that Taylor was from a middle class background who went to private school until he went to college. He was never seen as a trouble maker or undisciplined, but a model student. It was possible that when he spent time living with his mother (his parents were separated, she living in a different part of Florida), that he stumbled across "the wrong crowd," but it isn't clear. I wonder if being at the University of Miami, which has a great football program but a dubious history of players getting into trouble, was the bad influence. Any attempts like the Fox article, or what Michael Wilbon has been saying to place Taylor into a larger racial context, doesn't fit.

Edited November 29, 2007 by Stefan Wood

[connoisseur series500]

Here's an update. Looks like Mr. Whitlock's comments don't fit the Taylor incident...well maybe they do a little.

Police: 4 Arrested in Taylor's Slaying

By LISA ORKIN EMMANUEL

Associated Press Writer

MIAMI — The Miami-Dade Police Department arrested four people Friday and charged them with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor.

Police spokeswoman Linda O'Brien identified the men as: Venjah K. Hunte, 20; Eric Rivera Jr., 17; Jason Scott Mitchell, 17; and Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18.

Taylor died Tuesday, one day after being shot at his home in an affluent Miami suburb during what officials said appeared to be an attempted burglary. The suspects weren't expecting Taylor to be home, police director Robert Parker said, but Taylor was recuperating from a knee injury and had returned to Miami from Washington.

"They were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone," Parker said. He added authorities had more than one confession but would not elaborate.

"We're looking into whether or not one or more of the individuals had been at the residence before," Parker said.

The Miami Herald reported investigators believe the men learned of Taylor's house through someone who unwittingly set up the burglary by bragging about Taylor's wealth.

Taylor and longtime girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, were awakened early Monday by loud noises at Taylor's home, family friend Richard Sharpstein said. Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection, Sharpstein said, then someone broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor in the upper leg. Neither the couple's 18-month-old daughter, also named Jackie, nor Garcia were injured.

The bullet damaged the femoral artery in Taylor's leg, causing significant blood loss. Taylor never regained consciousness and died a little more than 24 hours later.

A public viewing for Taylor is scheduled Sunday in Miami, and the entire Redskins organization plans to fly to Florida to attend Monday's funeral at Pharmed Arena at Florida International University.

The Redskins also announced that fans attending the team's Sunday game will receive a towel with Taylor's No.21 jersey on it and that his name will be displayed prominently in one of the end zones. Team owner Dan Snyder said in a statement the team will contribute a minimum of $500,000 to a fund to benefit Taylor's daughter.

It's the same article... Very little has been changed...

[MoGrubb]

The original article may not fit Taylor, but it might fit the burglars to a tee.

Edited December 2, 2007 by MoGrubb