Melinda Tuhus Photo
The “no snitch” creed posed a dilemma for some moms of young people gunned down on New Haven’s streets.
How to respond to that street slogan sparked debate at the latest “Meeting of the Moms,” a group formed two years ago by mothers whose loved ones have been killed.
Two dozen women gathered in the community room of the Wilson branch library on Washington Avenue in the Hill in response to a flyer that read, “Our village is on fire. Please don’t wait until you are forced to make a grave decision. The blood shed on our streets and sidewalks is running out of control. Meet us at our hut.”
The meeting room was decorated with African art and artifacts to represent a village. As the meeting began the women were urged to walk to the back of the room and each take a stone representing family unity, community and positive growth.
“What sparked us to call this meeting and turn this place into a village was the three murders a couple weeks ago,” said Moms Co-President and poet Deborah Elmore (pictured above reading her poetry, with guest speakers Barbara Fair and Emma Jones, left to right, behind her).
She helped create a 10-point questionnaire for the meeting. One question: “Do you believe in the no snitch rule on the street?”
The question generated a variety of responses.
Two of the written answers: “No. I don’t consider it snitching.” “Yes, because they could come after your family.”
As the group discussed the question, one mom said it depends on the severity of the crime.
“The no snitch rule is good to a certain extent, but when it comes to holding back so much, you have to let it go,” said Virginia Downing, a member of the group Mothers for Justice, who lives in Newhallville. “Like a murder or rape, then you do all you can to help [the police], because, you see, that could be me, because I’m a single parent and I live alone.
“But for minor details, little fights and what not, we try to talk to the kids first, and then we go from there. With some of the kids, somebody has a gun and the next thing you know somebody’s dead. The way the crime is going now, we should be involved a lot more than what we are. To some extent, that no snitch rule has to be lifted because there’s too many secrets going on around here, and too many murders. So, help where we can, and pray more.”
Geraldine Poole (pictured filling out the questionnaire), a retired teacher, also lives in Newhallville. She answered, “No. There’s a way to handle every situation. I think it should be worked out so a person wouldn’t be labeled [a snitch]. I think the police should learn how to ask questions so people wouldn’t have to give specific answers, because the elements will retaliate, and they know it. This is why people are reluctant to give direct answers.”
Community activist Barbara Fair (pictured) has long spoken publicly against the no snitch rule. But at the Hill meeting she added, “I also don’t believe in the no-stitch rule for law enforcement. They’re so busy telling us to snitch, why don’t they snitch on each other? They run ramshod through our community, beatin’ up people, shootin’ people, lying and locking up people. But you know what? There’s no officer snitching on them. Why don’t the cops model the behavior they are trying to tell our kids about? Let’s all of us give the information that we need to make our communities safe. Don’t put that burden just on the kids.”