What’s in a name?” asked Romeo’s underaged honey, Juliet…
Unfortunately for the four youthful murderers of Shawnee gun shop-owner, 44-year-old Jon Bieke, a whole lot. The four were all but doomed the moment their mother–or whomever–stuck these concocted, half-assed names on them.
Although the Kansas City Star insists on categorizing them all as “teens”–as though that were their most relevant common variable–their names signify more than their age group.
Their names tell us they’re black, young, and unmoored from the common culture.
Presuming all survive, they will spend the next 20 or so years of their wayward lives honoring the stereotypes that their names foretold.
And worse, the media will insist on learning nothing about how they ended up doing what they did.
Rich Steele is a citizen journalist and head of the NSAAS (Non-Smokers Against Anti-Smoking).
crappiest article on this subject….steele can’t be a journalist.
90% of the people on kcc write bettr stuff than this.
Hire the dude selling polish sausages outside city hall. Hecan write
better than this dude.
the innocent victims could care less whether they’re names
were muhammed/hakeem or mordecai….what b.s. to put on this
site after inflaming your readers.
another faceplant for good ole hearne.
you’d be very surprised how established and credible a journalist Steele is, H Man…
If only you knew
This is the work of an established and credible journalist???
Wow.
If you take me out to lunch I’ll whisper who it is in your ear, Stomper. After you’re sworn to secrecy, of course.
I don’t doubt your word that “Rich Steele” is an established and credible journalist, I’m just expressing that after seven attempts here at KCC, I’m not seeing it. Probably need to be longer than 2-3 paragraphs and the inclusion of some facts to support the writers perspective would be appreciated. Otherwise, just put all his mental masterbations into a single piece like Kelly Urich.
I’m with Stomper. Maybe this guy has some journalistic credibility but he seems like a wannabe PJ O’Rourke without the insight or wit. Half of these articles don’t really even make an attempt at an argument. “Black kids have funny names” isn’t exactly thought provoking stuff.
stomper and jimmy get it.
too bad the head writer and publisher doesn’t.
3 straight stories about b.s.
bring back whinery. At least he says something
of substance although he’s always wrong.
Heck…bring back Wilson’s story on finding
some cobblers in Lawrence. At least it had
some character.
Maybe there’s a blacksmith in Eudora you can
write about!
Aye, aye, sir!
you said that about the “African American” and we ran
him out of town with his b.s.
this guy has nothing…and neither do you preferring to
bring on numbskulls to write.
bring them all on. After we rip them to shred with
their b.s. and lack of facts or data they’ll shut up
just like the lawyer esquire/smartyman/the “prominent
African American/glaze/kerwacky /and eventually
as seen from the reaction on another death story you too!
who’s left? lefty and his craigs list stories?
the commentators on kcc are pretty smart as you can
see. We can smell bad writers a mile away…those with
nothing to say.
This steele guy write 3 lines then bails. That’s b.s.
wow…where do you find these writers?
union mission?
OH YEAH HEARNE….
the girl at the buzz, Afentra, the lady you downplayed just told the world she fought off an attacker with her car keys.
Interesting….we shall get more info and report back!
go for it!
This is a sorry little post. TKC already published a mugshot, this article late and embarrassing. You should really be ashamed Hearne for as much garbage you talk about other people.
You need to get a life, Greedo…
You know, with all due respect
The second I heard about the shootings I said to my girlfriend, “Only some stupid black kids would be dumb enough to rob a gun store in Shawnee.” Senseless, idiotic punk-ass kids. I could not be happier that the owner shot all 3 of them.
Missed one, I think it was Dacron Laprell.
All four, Hot Carl
Hell of a bad plan Hot Carl, no doubt.
I had occasion to work with some construction guys from Shawnee Mission about 10 years ago. We were working on the remodel of the Alf Landon Governor’s mansion at 6th and Gage for Dave Wittig (Interesting Story There!). We drove to Topeka every day and got drunk on the way back home, followed by the evening denouement that included stops at local watering holes. It was deep, deep, deep in the heart of Dixie. The tension in these joints from booze, testosterone, bad attitudes and the luck of a bad draw was dangerous enough for white boys.
These thugs that robbed that gun store had zero male influence in their lives, EVER! I mean, even if your whole family’s only raison de terre is to rape, rob and murder, there should be some type of acquired experience to pass on down to the churren.
“Hey pops, me, Quantrill (Shut up, it’s phonetically apropos and I want it to happen.) and my homies are gonna get in the hoopdie and slide on over to 56th and Nieman, rob a gun store and stack some major paper!!!”
“Son, there are literally thousands of cameras along that route and after the caper goes down, if you are still alive and don’t have more windows in you than an new office building, you will be arrested and incarcerated in Kansas for the remainder of your life. Go straight to the Plaza, knock out an old lady, steal her credit cards and fill up your mom’s car with gas, we are all going to see “Selma’ this weekend.”
“Ok pops, I will tell the other guys it’s off.”
“Good man, pick me up some Newports on the way home.”
The lack of ANY male influence of ANY kind kills ANY hope of ANY future for ANY of these kids.
OMG! Hilarious Chuck!
One of the most common names for black females is Propecia? As in the hair loss prescription? Bahahahaha.
And look at the common black names, Newport. I’ll stop.
Anybody notice that Brandon made the top baby names list? Alongside Matt Donnelly’s sister Caitlin (who wrote for us for a bit)
Sinutab and Propecia, that’s hilarious. That has to be an Onion graphic, no way that is real.
I think Ive got an old polo type shirt thats made from Dacron….or was that Banlon?
Rayon probably.
I tend to agree with the thesis here. I think forcing a child to go through life explaining how to pronounce and spell its bizarre, ridiculous and sometimes hilarious name sets that child up for alienation. No wonder they are hostile.
I’d hate to play ‘Red Rover’ with them.