CITY OF COLUMBIA DROPS CHARGES AGAINST LONNIE RANDOLPH
“It’s hard being black and gifted,” faux rapper Sir-Smoke-A-Lot lamented in the hit 1998 comedy film Half-Baked.
True … but it’s easy being black and powerful in Columbia, S.C., where “tha #Mayorhood” rolls diggity deep, yo.
Anyway, in the latest example of selective justice at work in the Palmetto State, powerful NAACP leader Lonnie Randolph has been cleared of all charges in connection to an episode of sub-psychotic rage at a local laundromat.
Randolph was arrested last summer after becoming belligerent with staff at Tripp’s Fine Cleaners – refusing to pay his bill and refusing to leave the store.
Randolph’s attorneys claimed the incident was a “diabetic episode.”
Sheesh …
When powerful Palmetto politicos are in trouble, these shysters have an answer for everything … don’t they?
Anyway, according to WIS TV 10 (NBC – Columbia, S.C.) city prosecutors said “officers who made the arrest and subsequent charges were justified but said the case was significantly hampered without the cooperation of Tripp’s.”
Yeah … read between the lines on that one.
That means Randolph can now return to his work of keeping generations of black South Carolinians poor and stupid by supporting policies and political candidates that perpetuate our state’s failed economic and educational status quo.
Because that’s the black community’s definition of “leadership,” it would appear …
30 comments
Chimping out is the sport of African Kings. Lonnie was just engaging in his favorite pastime.
thumbs down, man. thumbs down. you can do better than that …
Despite agreeing with the fact that the good Dr. does have way about him that needs a complete makeover, remember that he only speaks for “colored” people, a term that probably 95% of black people don’t ascribe to…
but read deeper, and i believe that you will find that it wasn’t the powerful friends that got the charges dropped, but the reluctance to cooperate by the locally owned business where this occurred… ask a few questions and you will probably also find that the person who called police is in bed with police and could have exercised more reasonable judgment than to make a distress call to uniformed patrols who are more than willing to bust a cap in or crack a skull of a “disorderly” HUED-man in 5 points… there is a back story here that requires your journalistic integrity rather than slapstick sarcasm to pinch the nerves of your more unreasonable base… as evidenced by having had to pull a chain on one of them not too long ago…
Well, at least you’re honest and forthcoming about being a racist.
Diabetic rage is at least a better attempt to excuse bad behavior compared to say, a rock in someone’s shoe.
Well, look at the two attorneys….
So now I guess Randolph has a free pass to go anywhere in the city, make an ass of himself, and blame it on diabetes.
Anyone who knows anything about diabetes, particularly Type 1, knows that this kind of incident is not uncommon. Most of the major police departments in the country have specific training in how to recognize and deal with hypoglycemia (including the combatativeness that often accompanies it.)
Lol bullshit is bullshit
I guess negroes didn’t have diabetes in the old days.
Sure they did, but the threats and acts of violence perpetrated on them for no other reason than they were negroes is as good a reason as any to be combative, don’tchathink??
I’ve never known anyone with diabetes to do this. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but I’ve never seen it.
What I HAVE seen is weakness and the sweats.
While your limited anecdotal evidence is nice, I’ve got quite a bit of experience and knowledge in this area. It includes working with the American Diabetes Association on developing the police training protocols used by most big city police departments.
I have no idea whether Dr. Randolph was having a hypoglycemic episode. I do know that belligerence and combativeness is not at all unusual for a person with fairly extreme low blood sugar. If his behavior was irrational and out of character, it could well have been due to hypoglycemia.
Not saying you’re wrong, however, I’ve never seen that side to diabetes. All my relatives/friends have just exhibited weakness and sweats with their Diabetes. Perhaps the people that exhibit rude, violent, and disorderly behavior already were rude, violent, and disorderly, regardless of being Diabetic. But seriously, I’m glad that you are making good (taxpayer funded) money perpetuating what seems to be a bizarre theory.
Barbarossa:
The work I did in this area was in my role as National Chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association, and I certainly wasn’t getting money from taxpayers or anyone else. You’re simply wrong on the facts and science. Combativeness and belligerence are well documented side-effects of serious hypoglycemia, regardless of the individual’s “normal” nature. The fact that it is common enough for many police departments to specifically train for it speaks for itself. I repeat – I have no way of knowing what was actually going on with Dr. Randolph. I do know that it is wrong to dismiss out of hand the possibility that it was exactly what he said it was.
I’m no research MD, nor research scientist (perhaps you are), however, I truly believe that a full scientic study of diabetes would show no causal relationship between the disease of diabetes itself and combativeness and belligerence. Yes, those with a chronic disease may develop depression, or perhaps, those who are combative/belligerent with diabetes are also suffering from a mental illness or a personality diorder. Anyway, no offense to the American Diabetes Association, but I put little faith in what a non-profit, government, etc, says as “encroachment” and “mission creep” for the sake of revenue is always a risk for such organizations. And yep, what better way to increase revenue than to relate diabetes to all those angry – and in so many cases, urban – men. Just my two cents.
Barbarossa – I didn’t realize you were an idiot or I wouldn’t have bothered with you. My bad.
Nice retort… I’ll just assume by your simpleton gibberish that I pretty much won our “discussion”…
Right – because implying that diabetes hasn’t been the subject of full scientific study was a work of genius. Suggesting that the ADA would take a particular position on the side-effects of hypoglycemia in order to raise money from “urban men” was equally inspired. Good work. I’m clearly in awe of your rhetorical brilliance.
“National Chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association. There is no such title. And there is only one Board. There is a Chair of the Board.
I don’t dispute the potential the side effects but you are lying about your title.
Local Leadership Boards have Chairs. I was Chair of the National Board of Directors in 2012. Name’s Hunter Limbaugh. Should be easy enough to confirm. I’ve never been a big fan of anonymous blathering anyway. I’ll await your apology.
Sometimes they fall down and their teeth go skating across the sidewalk.
What fucking fool actually thought this thing would run it’s course? Columbia – Black dude – city manager comes a’runnin – need I continue????????????????????
Steve Benjamin is one step closer to realizing his dream of a chocolate Columbia.
In light of all this, he keeps his driver’s license.
House speaker complaint turned over to grand jury
…this website is lousy too busy pushing Club for growth. ..Koch brother and Howie Rich agendas to post real stories
“That means Randolph can now return to his work of keeping generations of black South Carolinians poor and stupid by supporting policies and political candidates that perpetuate our state’s failed economic and educational status quo.”
What?! Randolph is a Republican?
Worse, he’s a status quo negro
In a hypoglycemic attack a person not only becomes aggressive, but cannot remember what they did. Police officers at The Richland County Sheriffs Department train their deputies to recognize this type of behavior. The city needs to implement this type of training with their officers. From experience within my own family I have personally witnessed several hypoglycemic actions. It unfortunately is not a pretty site. Sugar levels need to be raised, as soon as possible, to remedy the situation.
The more things change,the more they stay the same,as they say,and how sad that is.My white father joined the NAACP in the 1940’s.I’m glad he’s not around to see racists like FITS,pulling the same old,same ole,BS,on a fast track to hell:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbO2_077ixs