Makes Me Wanna Holla: Mitrice Richardson and Derrion Albert

I refuse to watch or show the video. Someone's child died on that video, and I'm not going to put it out there for hits. You don't need the video to know that Chicago needs some SERIOUS work done as it pertains to the welfare of the youth.

Derrion Albert, an Honor Roll student was beaten like an animal, by beasts in human form over some stupid rivalry between high schools. I have not watched the video, nor will I, but witnesses say Derrion Albert tried to help someone who was being attacked by two by fours and the like, and was then beaten.

What the HELL is Black America waiting on? What more do you need to answer the call? If you think thugs like those who beat and killed Derrion won't attack YOUR honor roll students, you're wrong. Some folks can't even go sing karaoke in Connecticut without being accosted by those who have nothing better to do but tear down and drag others into their own misery.

And I take great exception to President Obama taking time to lobby for some damned Olympics, when he has a serious youth violence problem in the city that let him be great. I still respect my President, but I need him to prioritize for the kids. Fuck some Olympics.

Rapper Nas penned an open letter to the scoundrels behind the attacks (Click here to read) in which he called them young warriors.

That's just it! Stop referring to them as that because they are not. The last thing these boys need to be called are warriors. That doesn't help.

I cannot begin to express my condolences for Derrion's family, I cannot express enough. We will continue to see this happen as long as we hide and condemn without action. And while we have whole blogs dedicated to the advancement of black women and their protection, a noble cause, we will continue to fail if we ignore the fact that far too many black men and boys (not all) walk around angry for no damned reason, feeling disenfranchised.

*SMDH*

Mitrice Richardson showed up at Geoffrey’s, a Malibu restaurant, acting strangely on September 17, 2009. The restaurant is about 40 miles for her home, she ran up a $89 bill she couldn’t pay and sat down to have a conversation with people she didn’t know. When she couldn’t pay her bill, she called her great-grandmother for help. The restaurant couldn’t take money over the phone to pay the bill. The restaurants owner, Jeff Peterson, said she was acting strangely and called police out of concern for her safety.


The police arrived and found a small amount of marijuana in her car. They arrested her for not paying her restaurant bill and for possession of marijuana. She was taken to the Malibu Hills sheriff’s office about 13 miles away.

The great-grandmother called Matrice’s mother, Latice Sutton, to tell her what had happened. Ms. Sutton called the sheriff’s department and was told she could pick Mitrice up about 4 am. When she called back at 4:30 am she was told that her daughter had been released about 1:30 am. Mitrice has not been seen since and her family is furious and frantic.

Ms. Sutton says that Matrice, 24-years-old, is not street savvy, having had a sheltered upbringing, and was in an area she was not familiar with. She is furious the police released her on foot in the middle of the night. The former beauty pageant contestant has been preparing to start work on her doctorate in psychology.

On the day of her disappearance, Matrice had been acting in an odd manner. She sent out text messages that were uncharacteristic of her. The messages consisted of talk about being ‘part of the universe’. She was talking in the same manner. Her family is concerned because she didn’t have any money with her and was ‘not in her right mind’.

Her parents, Ms. Sutton and Michael Richardson, have been on television to appeal for help in finding their daughter. They have stated that they feel the police have not been helpful in efforts to find her. However, the sheriff’s department says that since Ms. Richardson is an adult, they are can not legally give her parents the information they are requesting. In addition, there was no reason to keep her in custody as the parents are claiming they should have.

(source).

If she was indeed in her RIGHT mind, why would she walk off into the night without transportation or a way to get home? This is why I seriously doubt the Sherriff's assertion that she was in her right mind when she left. What would compel them to release her? If they gave a damn, Mitrice would be alive and well right now. Whatever protocol they followed, was lazy and insufficient at best.

I know that if I am sober, I'm not going anywhere without having a ride or my car. I'm curious to see how this unfolds, but I pray that she is alright.

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