Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Who's turning their porch lights on for Aiyana Jones?

Aiyana Jones

 A Facebook group entitled “RIP Caylee Marie Anthony” has 331,292 likes.

Fifty people (including me) like a Facebook group for seven-year-old Aiyana Jones.

Aiyana was a seven-year-old girl from the east side of Detroit who was sleeping on the couch when police burst in and shot her in the neck on May 16, 2010. They were raiding her house and searching for a homicide suspect; the whole thing was being filmed for an episode of the reality crime show, “The First 48.” (This could be why Detroit police used a flash grenade to enter the house even though neighbors told them there were kids in the house and pointed to the toys in the front yard.)

The case received some attention, and U.S. Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) requested an FBI investigation. But more than a year later, no one’s been charged in Aiyana’s death, and Nancy Grace hasn’t said a word about it.

She said a lot about Caylee Anthony, though, and if she had any shame, which she surely doesn’t, she’d be feeling it now, after a jury voted to acquit Caylee’s mother, Casey, of her child’s murder. Instead, Grace was characteristically hyperbolic when responding to the verdict: “Somewhere out there tonight, the devil is dancing.”

It makes me physically ill that a woman could decide not to report her toddler missing and lie about her disappearance – and kill her, as some of the experts in Facebook allege – and if the media depictions of her are accurate, Casey Anthony is an irresponsible and unlikable piece of trash who can’t be trusted with car keys, let alone children.

But I’m more disgusted by the fact that the murder of a little black girl by law enforcement receives little coverage or concern while a little white “angel” is mourned by thousands.

Isn’t Aiyana an angel too?

10 comments:

  1. Chrystal J. EdwardsJuly 6, 2011 at 2:58 PM

    It hurts really bad when RACE and CLASS is implemented and determined to be discussed among the mass of people (written or spoken)concerning devastating acts!

    Like Caylee, Aiyana was an INNOCENT child taken away by the actions of adults.

    Why can't we talk to each other? Why can't we can't hold each other up?

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  2. And of course i shared it on my FB.

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  3. Well said. I hope you don't mind that I shared the link on FB...

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  4. The five-o in Detroit are famous for their heroism (BLAM! BLAM!... "FREEZE").

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  5. Cassandra JacksonJuly 6, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    Wow...Diehl. You've pulled SOME thoughts right out of my head! But I thought abought the boy in HP who starved, the little girl, whose mom allow convicts to babysit. All these children, whose names often elude our memory because the media failed to pound them into the imprint of our brains. *tears* for all children.

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  6. Cassandra JacksonJuly 6, 2011 at 8:36 PM

    Porch light on TONIGHT for ALL our children!

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  7. Of course they never cry for the children of color. Although Caylee is a cute, Large eyed little girl, so are the others! And most of the time, these children of color had sadder stories to tell.
    But do you really think they are going to show the pollice as the bad guys? ?
    Of course not!!
    I am with you, Patrick,,I will keep my lights on tonight fortnight forvthe sake of ALL CHILDREN.

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  8. I have a hard time understanding the colour barriers. Don't get me wrong racism lives in Canada too. Just not in my heart.
    Lights on for all victimized children no matter what race or colour they are.
    Thanks for sharing Patrick.

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  9. Wow...I just read/heard about this for the first time and I'm sad, outraged and my heart sinks to even look at her beautiful and innocent face. I can't imagine the terror she was faced with when the home that was suppose to keep her safe was raided by Police. My God, what is happening to this World and our Black children. I will re-post this article on my FB page and ask that others re-post. RIP Aiyana!

    PSullivan

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