Editorial: Stop snitching?

Saturday, May 26, 2007 | 7:11 a.m.

A W eb site called "Who's a Rat" is the latest example of an apparently growing, and dangerous, undercurrent in society that wants to keep people from talking to police.

The New York Times reported Tuesday on the Web site, which bills itself as the "largest online database of informants and agents." It is a search engine to find out who has been talking to law enforcement. While acknowledging that some information "may not be 100 percent accurate," the site allows anyone who pays, including defendants in criminal cases, to "gather and share information about a witness or law enforcement officer."

A disclaimer says the site is "definitely not an attempt to intimidate or harass informants or agents or to obstruct justice," even though that is exactly what it is about. The site's founder was a Boston man indicted on drug charges based on information from others. He was convicted and his site is a bitter legacy of his feelings toward "rats."

Prosecutors are understandably concerned that the site could lead to fatal consequences if defendants and their friends try to expose informants.

"Stop snitching" has become a common refrain in hip-hop and has gone mainstream. There is a popular line of T-shirts emblazoned with, "stop snitchin' " and "I'll never tell."

Some may argue that this is merely a cultural catchphrase, but it is a serious problem because of the message it sends, particularly to children, that it is wrong to do the right thing.

We are concerned that this stop snitchin' attitude, enforced through actual or implied threats, will make people afraid to report crime. That will mean one thing: The real rats will be free to run around without fear.