T.I. the arrested rapper was target of a politically motivated round up!

Here is a new article which gives more damning details.

According to the affidavit in the case, officials got wind from a federally licensed firearms dealer October 2 that someone was looking to buy a machine gun without registering it, as required by law. That person, who had reportedly worked as a bodyguard for T.I. since July, was arrested October 10 after purchasing three unregistered 9mm machine guns and two 9mm silencers from an undercover agent in the parking lot of an Atlanta-area Kmart, using $2,200 and a pistol as payment. Authorities say T.I. gave his bodyguard specific instructions about how to withdraw $12,000 from one of the rapper's bank accounts to purchase the guns.

After the bodyguard was arrested, he agreed to cooperate with authorities and reportedly told them he was buying the guns for T.I. and that he'd previously purchased at least nine guns for the rapper since he began working for him. According to the affidavit, he told officers that T.I. had asked him to buy guns for him because a prior felony conviction barred him from doing so himself. The ATF taped a series of phone calls between the unnamed bodyguard and T.I. in which they discussed the guns

T.I. confirmed that he wanted the guns delivered Saturday. Just hours before he was slated to appear at the BET Hip Hop Awards show, he met the bodyguard in a shopping-center parking lot in a car authorities said contained three guns, including one loaded gun tucked between the driver's seat and center console.

The bodyguard, when questioned, allegedly showed T.I. the different firing settings for the machine guns and explained how one silencer worked, to which the rapper reportedly replied, "No flash, no bang," before asking for the "change left over" from the purchase. Just after that exchange, ATF agents moved in and arrested T.I. on charges of buying illegal machine guns.

www.mtv.com...


If all this is on video and audio recorded that seems pretty clear cut to me.

Originally posted by closettrekkie
Oh Gawd, how I hate rappers and feel sorry for all the stupid kids that fall for that thug/gangster mentality. What's the problem here? He was in possession of illegal weapons.

You said he has previous felony charges, right? It's against federal law for a felon to own firearms. Why should we stand up and fight for this gangster?

And since when were silencers used for anything that was good and worthwhile? Oh wait, I'm sure he just didn't want to disturb the neighbors while he was shooting at beer cans in the back yard....riiiiggght

because if we dont stand up for him whos gonna stand up for us? theres more of a underlying issue here. does the government really have the right to tell us what weapons we can and cant use? imean avoiding the whole NWO thing what if there was something that sparked a new civil war? because of these laws the american people wouldnt be able to rebel(which is loosely hinted to in the constitution as a right) espescially in a country born of rebellion. we would be wiped out. and silencers arent really that big of a deal ide understand if he was buying shell catchers and armor piercing rounds. the government puts those laws in place not to protect us but to protect the government. they wont have to take our guns away because our guns are completely useless against there equipment. so if something happened tommorow and we needed to make a stand to prove a point our take back rights or any number of things it wouldnt work wed be killed and called terrorists. and remember at one point george washington was a terrorist and a criminal in the eyes of the king of england as was all of our founding fathers.

"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.
The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is
wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts
they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions,
it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ...
And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not
warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of
resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as
to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost
in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
It is its natural manure."~~john adams.....and were 100 years overdue

[edit on 16-10-2007 by justanothergangster]

He is a danger to the establishment, because his songs, and others reach people, and many of those songs question the rule by the current powers that be. This danger being acted on goes against the right of free speech.

There is some serious social commentary coming out of the rap community. Also some of it is claiming the right to be involved in how things work.

absolutely correct redge. Unfortunately the knee jerk reaction of the masses is to assume guilt when dealing with someone like t.i. - Black and a rapper? that's enough for the masses to judge. Ignorance is rife here judging from unwillingness to even entertain the initial point of this thread.

there is something profound in the subconscious enmity toward blacks in this world. It seems to transcend the minds that harbor it. I'm fascinated by this.

to all genuine truth seekers, i'd love to get your take on this

He's a self professed Gangster and Convicted Felon who had a house full of loaded guns and tried to buy Fully Automatic Weapons and Silencers. The legal system is supposed to protect us from this type of villain. In this case no rights were violated. A bad bad person was arrested. This is how it is supposed to work. No Conspiracy here.

If they are rounding up Thugs like this guy it is a good thing. There may be families with children living around him. I own weapons for hunting, target shooting and self-protection and even I think this was a reasonable arrest. Felon's + Guns = Dead and Injured Innocent Citizens.

I get your drug argument. I don't agree. I could care less if people do drugs as long as they don't drive or endanger others and keep it away from children. The loaded weapons and the Silencers are proof this was not a harmless Recreational Drug User. This is a thug who hurts people. Gang Bangers Suck They are simply people to cowardly to join society, study at school or get a real job. If this fellow was not a Rapper he would be just another Gangster on the streets killing people for Crack.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
If this fellow was not a Rapper he would be just another Gangster on the streets killing people for Crack.

This hits home on my point, if he was not a rapper they cops would let him have a gun and shoot up his neighborhood. There are many people with illegal guns. Instead of enforcing all laws, he was arrested. The hundreds elsewhere are not.

If TI was picking up the weapons for the bodyguard, would they have cut a deal with him to arrest the bodyguard? I do not claim he did not break the law, although I do not know if he did.

I make two points.
1) This was motivated and targeted because of his political speech.
2) Felony convictions take away the right of self protection and voting in our society.

If they got guns, brag about killing people, are not mentally stable enough to own a gun safely without acting 'gangsta', convince children to imitate them as thugs, are in gangs, have an arsenal of weapons, recite poems that incite violence, hatred, killing people cos its 'off da chain', act ignorant, talk ignorant, are ignorant, incite killing cops (i dont know this guy but ill guarantee theres some anti cop crap in his lyrics), promote drugs, alcohol, gang violence, homophobia, sexism, race hate and a bunch of other 'beginners guide to being a rapper' crap then is it any wonder he is likely to be arrested.
I dont know the guy, I dont need to, I guarantee he is just another arogant 'the white man keeping me down' thug....and proud.

Originally posted by Redge777
I make two points.
1) This was motivated and targeted because of his political speech.
2) Felony convictions take away the right of self protection and voting in our society.

1) You keep saying that he was targeted because of what he says. Can you site some examples of what you mean? I cannot find anything that his guy has ever said or done that is revolutionary in any way. I don't want to burst anyones bubble but there are much more important people in the world who say much more controversial opinions.

2) It seems that most people do not know the laws of felony convictions and firearms. If you get convicted of a felony crime you cannot own a firearm. However, once your conviction sentence is up and your probation period is over you can have your full citizen rights restored by the state where the crime was committed. These rights including the right to vote and owning a gun (granted that your original felony conviction was not a gun related charge). The problem was after this guy got busted for making and selling drugs he then went on to violate his probation several times and get caught with guns.

You only get so many strikes before you are out.

I don't know if this rapper is your hero or if it is just because you like hip-hop but I don't know how anyone can see this guy as anyone other than a fool who makes the worst decisions possible.



[edit on 16-10-2007 by zerotime]

Hes a convicted felon, therefore he can't have guns, if his body guard does not have a Class C weapons license he cannot purchase or possess fully automatic weapons, end of story. Unless some ground-breaking evidence comes out (which is probably unlikely) its pretty obvious they were both in the wrong.

I also want to address those whining that justice is being dealt out unequally, so therefore its wrong; grow up people, justice has never and will never be equally distributed. He was caught up because he is a high profile person with a record, things he does are much more visible than say Joe B in the middle of nowhere, thus the bigger target gets caught. If we were to throw our hands up and say no justice for anyone unless its evenly distributed and perfect then murders, rapists and child molesters would be running rampant in the streets because it might be unequal to prosecute some of them for crimes since we don't have intel on ALL of them.

Unless the Bodyguard was in possession of the aforementioned weapons license then he should be tried and convicted of the crimes attached to illegally possessing said weapons. If in fact the money for these purchases was extracted from TI's account with information he supplied to the Bodyguard then TI gets the charges to go with that act and the Bodyguard gets a few more charges as well. End Of Story!

well in all honesty if he is a convcited crim with previous arrests of course he is going to be targeted !!! If he is going to be stupid enough to purchase high powred guns and silencers then he got all he deserves.

As far as i can tell your constitutional rights give you powers to bear arms to protect yourself not the right to buy large amounts of guns and silencers.

If anything it should all be amended to state that you can only have one small calibre gun and a certain amount of bullets, but i guess I will get responses from AMericans saying 'oooh we neeed more and bigger guns just incase all hell breaks loose with terrorists'... Crazy country.....

reply to post by eagle32


You should include Ann Coulter, Pat Robinson, and Rush Limbaugh in the same group then. Don't you see it is a point of view, one that challenges authority, that is the reason you all believe him a bad person. The same hatred is commonly spoken of towards others but is accepted because of accepted world views.

I can't believe you guys can't see this from the other side. You don't have to agree with speech for it to still be protected.

Originally posted by zerotime
I don't know if this rapper is your hero or if it is just because you like hip-hop but I don't know how anyone can see this guy as anyone other than a fool who makes the worst decisions possible.

I rarely listen to rap, but I do wade through for the ones with social commentary.

I think a couple of songs of his are catchy, but he is not more important then anybody else. Where I respect him is his references to other artists and his support for what he believes in, and the courage to speak it.

I guess to understand my point you would have to understand that there are people in many social groups that challenge the current powers that be. I understand if you disagree, or do not know that many things are said as social commentary. If you do not see him as ever expressing an opinion then you could not see the points I am making.

I guess if someone asked me about polka musics social commentary I would have no knowledge and just say it is music, although I would listen to examples offered to me and see if I agree with the premise. Then again maybe I expect to much knowledge of the symbolism.

I guess I expect to much from people, or think of more then is actually there, dependant on your point of view. But if you don't know any of the subject matter how can you disregard that his social commentary may have made enemies. Challenges to authority are a form of commentary.

I am rambling now, I could discuss how the breaking of the social contract between society and a subset of that society changes the responsibilities of the subset, I could go on about the truth of money power and the elite control, I could even discuss the self creation of sub cultures to moderate and serve a community that has a less the 'just' treatment within the whole of society. But my soap box, is not enough to cover all that, but it is a nice thought.

I did a quick Google this might explain what I mean by social commentary in music, it is not TI related but it might be a primer to the concept. I know it is one persons interpretation and do not agree with all the points but it is something.
www.geocities.com...
Or just watch the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, round and round I go.

[edit on 16-10-2007 by Redge777]

[edit on 16-10-2007 by Redge777]

reply to post by Redge777


k, i read this per your request from the breaking news thread in the other forum.

i will say here as i said there. i think your argument has no bearing at all and you seem like a T I fanboy that is trying to say he was unjustly arrested and then source his rap videos.
saying he is not liked....

the dude is a felon and he was buying illegal machine guns....

open your eyes and quit trying to worm up an excuse for him why don't ya

reply to post by Boondock78


I can only say I am not a fan of his anymore then 1000 other singers. My point is not even about him. I will accept your point of view. Just don't make my point something out to be something it is not, it is not a fan club thing, it is a justice thing, even if you do not agree.

I read the 'worm up an excuse' part, but I will just ignore it, some day if you understand what I meant remember this thread.

OK nope not going to ignore it. Try and think of the laws not as the things we follow, but the things we make, and the things we must examine. Crimes even when wrong give us an opportunity to look at the justice of our laws, and not just blindly accept there application on society. My point is to foster thought on issues of society, not to have a simple law read back to me. Yes it is illegal for a felon to have a gun. That never was my point.

If a Jew in Nazi Germany did not get on a rail car, would you say, he broke the law, I agree this is not the same, but the point is the same, think, and counter my points above if you believe them wrong.

Also I already typed I was not a fan, so not only did you assume that was my motive, you already ignored my statement on that issue.

[edit on 17-10-2007 by Redge777]

reply to post by '___'J311


Well the intent of the right to bear arms is to protect citizens from the government, so actually limiting the amount of weapons goes against the premise of the constitution. Technically citizens should be able to own whatever weapons the government has to fulfill the spirit of the law. That includes weapons of information, and eavesdropping, if they can listen in on citizens, we should be able to listen in on government.

Originally posted by Redge777
reply to post by '___'J311

 

Well the intent of the right to bear arms is to protect citizens from the government, so actually limiting the amount of weapons goes against the premise of the constitution. Technically citizens should be able to own whatever weapons the government has to fulfill the spirit of the law. That includes weapons of information, and eavesdropping, if they can listen in on citizens, we should be able to listen in on government.

and the world wonders why America is in so much social chaos....

reply to post by '___'J311


That completly fails to argue your point, you only say my point is wrong, and again do not explain why.

The constitution and the bill of rights trumps ALL fedral and state law. If you want a machine gun, just by a semi auto and convert it, the info is out there for everyone who wants it. I don't like TI's rap(I'm into quasimoto and MF doom as far as rap goes), however if hes not in jail he should be able to have any weapon he wants as far as I'm concerned...and yes I would be his neighbor, I bet he has awesome cookouts and whatnot. Some people here need to grow a pair or something. When speech becomes a crime, i'll cry a bullet just for you(all the wussies who get stepped on by the goverment). It's people like me who will blow your butts out of any illegal internment camps.

from the other thread-----

i'm the first one to say not all laws are just. i also say all the time, i live my life my way, by my rules and i will take consequences for my actions.
i partake in an illegal substance.
am i breaking the law? yes. do i care? no. imo, should it be illegal? no

that said, nothing in this T I business is about justice.

talking about jews riding the rails is insane if you ask me. has no bearing on this at all.
your implication is that he is not liked cause of his lyrics. you know there are/were far more influential musicians out there before T I that were really doing things like, debating congress, debating cencorship comitties, going on NATIONAL shows like cnn's crossfire to debate politicians....

T I says something in his songs and this becomes a conspiracy??


dude is a thug and he got popped...simple as that. no conspiracy...no injustice was done.

lets see, in 97 he was popped and convicted for distributing coke and manufacturing an illegal substance. got probation. he violated that in 04 and went to jail.
then he got popped for posession of a firearm and x...yeah, there were warrants out for him and now that he is in jail, after he deals with this, he will get sent to the county that happened in to face it.
then there was the whole threatening a guy outside of a club
now he has these illegal gun charges to deal with...TWO felonies..

i think they were pretty JUST in what happened.....this guy has been in trouble of some sort for damn near 10 years not.....i think justice IS being served.

don't worry, i'll paste this over in your other thread too

hey redge, farrakhan agrees with you.....hahahaha

www.ajc.com...

Speaking about rapper T.I., who is facing federal gun charges, Farrakhan said the charges are less about what he is charged with and more about the fact that his music is influencing white kids, who account for more than 80 percent of the purchases of rap and hip-hop music.

Good ... maybe now people will stop trying to be idiots and emulating these clowns.

Also, tell me why would this supposedly law abiding gangsta needs silencers for his guns? Unless he was up to no good ... but nooo the evil cops planted it on him! GESTAPO !!!! GESTAPO!!!

[edit on 17-10-2007 by ChrisF231]