Facebook page, entitled "RIP Skitz smoking," posted as part of First Amendment
comment and criticism in course of a hot community discussion about degree of
gang involvement by Nehemiah Steverson, blog post by John Hoff
Shortly after the Star Tribune blog published an article citing a police source saying the murder of Nehemiah Steverson was NOT gang related, click here, a commenter went to my blog and wrote words to the effect...
..."Aha! Look what the Star Tribune says! You are wrong, Johnny Northside, about that kid having gang involvement.
Here is the Star Tribune headline and byline:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Police: Steverson homicide not gang related
Posted by: Matt McKinney Updated: June 5, 2014 - 10:48 AM
__________________________________________________________________________________
So...
Let us ignore for a moment the possibility that a person who has gang involvement could logically die in a non-gang related shooting, not exactly an invisible unicorn in the realm of logical and likely possibility. Neither is the possibility a non-gang involved person could be shot in a gang-related incident but, well, the Facebook pages of Nehemiah Steverson speak loudly as to his degree of involvement, even if he wasn't formally a member of a gang. (Or was he?) And what does "formal" membership mean in this loose goose world of North Minneapolis teen "gangs" anyway?
Let us also ignore the fact the Tribune "blog" story is by Matt McKinney, a Star Tribune reporter who to my mind (and I'm not the only one who thinks this way) is infamous for his wrong-headed quests in the wrong direction while chasing the wrong target. (Though sometimes he writes a story and I read it and think, "Bravo!" and I'm big enough to admit that, too) But a question. Has McKinney been DEMOTED or PROMOTED to Star Tribune "blogger?" Hmmmm. And what does it mean to "blog" for a venerable print media publication?
In any case...
Compare and contrast the McKinney blog story with "Bring Me The News Dot Com" by Rick Kupchella, a well-regarded mainstream media entity. Click here for THAT article. Here is the relevant snippet:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Police found the teen in the grass with a gunshot wound to his stomach shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, and he was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he died.
No one has been arrested; police suspect the shooting was gang-related. Police ask anyone with information about the case to call a tip line at 612-692-8477.
------------------------------------------------------------
(Boldface emphasis by Johnny Northside) Both stories were published June 5. This contradiction
is subject to some fairly obvious logical possibilities.
1.) Police are saying two different things.
2.) The police are NOT saying two different things, but one of the reporters got it wrong.
If it's Number Two, which reporter should I bet on to be right? (Smiling, eye roll)
This is sooooo hard!
Now as for McKinney and Kupchella, I have two words:
Cage match.
That funny block of black text with blue letters. Somebody ASK me why it's that way, and I will tell you a tedious technical tale which starts and ends with the fact Rick Kupchella's blog uses WHITE LETTERS on a dark background and copying and pasting produces a NIGHTMARE written in HTML.
ReplyDeleteI went to school with Nehemiah before he passed away. He was in my grade. He was no gang member. Now please drop this story. You've gone too far and extensive for what? To try and make him out to be something he's not? For your own curioisity and for others? Quit focusing on the useless details and making out-rageous assumptions.
ReplyDeleteThis really surprise's me because I figured that the black community would always tell the truth at about the same ratio as the media wanting to report it( no surprise then).
ReplyDeleteI long for the days of when the unadulterated truth was told...and am still waiting...because then they had the guts to do their job like this guy at this blog does.
I am wondering if that is supposed to be an ironic attempt at a before and after picture or if that is his grandpa.
ReplyDeleteTo the "grandpa" commenter: I believe the image is floating around in common circulation as a standard issue image of a crackhead.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with any negative remarks about the grandfather. As near as can be determined, Nehemiah's mother thought the young man would be safe at his grandpa's place in Arkansas. Given the fact she seems somewhat church-oriented and definitely clean living herself (I looked for a criminal record, I found NONE) so there's every reason to believe, until and unless contrary evidence surfaces, the grandpa in Arkansas was a good man.
To the "out-rageous assumptions" commenter, first, why in the name of all that is holy and grammar would you put a HYPHEN in the word "outrageous"?
ReplyDeleteSecond, what do you mean by "outrageous assumptions"? Is it publishing stuff VERBATIM that appears ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA and gives us insight into this kid's life? Every time I publish something without the coat of sugar, all kinds of folks come here DEMANDING a coat of sugar.
You shall not get a coat of sugar.
Furthermore, in the usage I'm aware of, the phrase "pass away" applies to sweet old grandpas and grandmas or people with terminal illness who sleep their way to death's door. It does not apply to this instance. Nehemiah was "killed" or he was "murdered" and I will go so far as to say "passed" is acceptable, though clearly bordering on euphemism.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, the constant constant constant attempt to sugar coat, even in small matters of language.
OK Johnny,
ReplyDeleteWhere is the Yzaguirre update?
No doubt the Yzaguirre family is back in operation. Did you work or some kind of deal or settlement where you are not to talk about them. Where is the update for the Yzaguirre Crime Syndicate?
i heard from a couple sources that this was an accidental shooting by a friend. (Gang or not - i don't know) Why has there been no mention that the shooter was identified anywhere in the news?
ReplyDeleteNicole MissNikki Yzaguirre
ReplyDeleteJune 1
Its sad that a mother just sent her son off to prom a couple days ago and now is having to plan his funeral. Brings tears to my eyes truly. The show that this world is putting on for GOD will not have a happy ending. WE must do better.
Any connection?
Instead of trying to make him out to be a gang member and investigating wether or not he is.... you should use ur investigation skills and try to find his killer....
ReplyDeleteI should "investigate" and find his killer? Well, let me find my trench coat and stick some gum on my shoe. How about I devote days and days of my life to what might be a fruitless quest while easy information in need of being written up just lays around going to waste?
ReplyDeleteNo, wait, I have a better idea. How about somebody who knows leaves information because I'm not going to DIG A LICK.
Why do you think blogs even HAVE comment functions?
It sounds like MANY people know who this kid is and there is plenty of loose talk. Well, lose some of it right here. I can't find my trench coat and I am fresh out of gum.
Re: A Yzaguirre connection?
ReplyDeleteNo, I doubt it. Gang members are in the extended social circle of that family. I mean, look at that shooting which almost claimed the life of one Yzaguirre brother!
I have no reason to suspect a "connection" or any "special knowledge." This kind of "RIP, very sad" talk is common on the Facebook pages of those who spend their life in that social circle and consequently see violence happen all the time to people they know.
What a bunch of fake blaming enablers. The black people I knew growing up were definitely more upstanding and did not play the game you miscreants TRY to play.
ReplyDeleteShow some pride and get your shit together.
FROM WHAT I HEARD A FEW TIMES IS THAT HE WAS ON THE PORCH OF SOME HOUSE AND HIS FRIEND HAD A GUN THAT HE GRABBED FROM HIM AND IT WENT OFF WHEN HE GRABBED IT AND SHOT HIM IN THE STOMACH. THEY PANICKED AND DID NOT WANT TO GO TO JAIL SO THEY DRAGGED HIM DOWN THE STREET
ReplyDeleteFROM WHAT I HEARD A FEW TIMES IS THAT HE WAS ON THE PORCH OF SOME HOUSE AND HIS FRIEND HAD A GUN THAT HE GRABBED FROM HIM AND IT WENT OFF WHEN HE GRABBED IT AND SHOT HIM IN THE STOMACH. THEY PANICKED AND DID NOT WANT TO GO TO JAIL SO THEY DRAGGED HIM DOWN THE STREET
ReplyDeleteFROM WHAT I HEARD A FEW TIMES IS THAT HE WAS ON THE PORCH OF SOME HOUSE AND HIS FRIEND HAD A GUN THAT HE GRABBED FROM HIM AND IT WENT OFF WHEN HE GRABBED IT AND SHOT HIM IN THE STOMACH. THEY PANICKED AND DID NOT WANT TO GO TO JAIL SO THEY DRAGGED HIM DOWN THE STREET
ReplyDeleteFROM WHAT I HEARD A FEW TIMES IS THAT HE WAS ON THE PORCH OF SOME HOUSE AND HIS FRIEND HAD A GUN THAT HE GRABBED FROM HIM AND IT WENT OFF WHEN HE GRABBED IT AND SHOT HIM IN THE STOMACH. THEY PANICKED AND DID NOT WANT TO GO TO JAIL SO THEY DRAGGED HIM DOWN THE STREET
ReplyDeleteFROM WHAT I HEARD A FEW TIMES IS THAT HE WAS ON THE PORCH OF SOME HOUSE AND HIS FRIEND HAD A GUN THAT HE GRABBED FROM HIM AND IT WENT OFF WHEN HE GRABBED IT AND SHOT HIM IN THE STOMACH. THEY PANICKED AND DID NOT WANT TO GO TO JAIL SO THEY DRAGGED HIM DOWN THE STREET
ReplyDeleteHow about you mind your fucking business and keep my little cousin name from your mouth. He was a good kid and very much loved he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. HE WAS NOT IN A GANG. Let my cousin REST IN PEACE. If it had been a white kid I bet you wouldn't open your filthy mouth and speak about it being gang related.
ReplyDeleteI assure you if it was a kid of any color and I saw the kind of signs of gang involvement, attraction, and/or interaction that I see on that kid's Facebook, I would write about him just the same way. This blog makes judgments upon "the content of character." Skin color is irrelevant to me.
ReplyDeleteHE WAS NOT IN A GANG! Dam, John, same old shit.
ReplyDelete