Dear Editor, you only skimmed the service of this topic, and only because a fellow journalist was murdered and now another is threatened.   But  your article was an important start.  I wouldn't limit the no-snitch culture to either the AA community or the hip hop community though.  I know for fact, it's deeply embedded in our culture period on both sides of the cultural and racial divide and in all age groups.  Gosh, it even exists within police departments around the country.  Nonetheless there is a special responsibility in the AA community given the number of black on black killings going on in Oakland. 

And yes, there is a touchy relationship between the AA community and the police and vice versa.  And it long predates the Riders case.  Unfortunately this distrust is increasing as law enforcement becomes a monetary system of justice where the police meet quotas of tickets to increase revenues in this country.  And where tasers are being misused to stun citizens at public meetings who dissent.  But uh, this is another subject.

The point being which public official regarded with high esteem in the AA community is going to denounce the official culture of non-snitchin.  Is it just going to be one newspaper editor?  Does "community policing" really exists in Oakland?  Or, is it just a few individuals cozying up to the police while playing both sides?