I would post the offensive video but it and the original comments were removed from Facebook - I only have a Facebook post I will show you later....it was all that was left. But if anyone has the original stuff - add it to comments.
Oh My! Tonight I saw this video link posted by Leslie Villarreal. It was of some kids, obviously gang bangers. And how would I know this? - worked with those kind of kids for a long time. What they were doing was horrific. They were video taping and a member was attacking what appeared to be another member of a disenfranchised group....maybe homeless, maybe addicts, I don't know what the mix of adults was. But one lady who confronted the young man was hit (perhaps knocked out).
It was hard to watch - and trust me, as someone who worked in the business for a long time it was even very difficult to listen to when these kids had to recount their crimes.
What surprised me was the number of people who said (because of Leslie's posting) that had they been there they would have shot the kid or done something. Really? Now, I will fully admit what happened was awful, there is no excuse for it. But, there were over a dozen adults there as the young man carried out his mayhem. So many people, not all, but many who posted implied they would have done something, if only they'd been there. Really?
I noticed that Leslie herself hadn't said what she would have done - although she was the one who reposted the heinous video. So, I asked her - what would she have done. She said she would have shot him in the balls, not killed him - just shot him in the balls.
Oh my. I wondered whether anyone had taken a really good look at what they were watching. and I stated that. There was a kid (accomplice I called him) video taping the event - and at least one or two others visible, also in hoodies. There were also many others in the background and to the left just off of the screen. Where their alliances stand within this video'd group I could not say. But, what I did was to reply to the "shot off their balls" comment. You can not draw a gun in a group of people and shoot someone when it is not your life in danger. That is for a policeman, whether you are registered to carry or not. Should she have drawn a weapon in this situation she would have been arrested, or worse yet killed.
The broad conviction that you could and should shoot their balls off seemed very much like vigilantism. Yes, what happened was gruesome but we can not just shoot someone. We can, and should call the police. I suggested that picking up a gun to shoot someone because we are shocked by what they have done is of no difference than the vigilantes who took up guns against the police because they too were disturbed by other videos. When does this stop?
It's simply crazy to think this can continue to be perpetuated by even well meaning citizens....and I'm using that term very loosely. How well meaning is it to stir the pot?
As I said, I have done this for a long time. Those kids wear hoodies to hide guns, drugs, knives, whatever. All of the adults sitting around in that video had no reaction to what happened - other than to move a coffee out of the way and scoot over. To that, I asked her "Why?" I wanted her to think about that. THEY knew something us "video-bite" observers did not know. That, these kids were dangerous - that if they intervened they would be in harms way. They (the people who were standing around) did indeed seem to outnumber the thugs. I'm guessing they knew damn well it wasn't going to be a fair fight....so they stayed out of it. They might have even bought drugs from these very kids.
Another Facebook poster noted that the thugs had later been arrested. And, that is the way it should be. And, no armchair quarterbacks had to be involved. Hallelujah!
I guess I struck a nerve or two or three. WOW. Never did I say I wasn't concerned about the victim - nor did I mention whether I am a conservative or liberal. Just because I worked a difficult job for the State of Michigan - and a good paying one with exceptional insurance, it doesn't much indicate a whole lot of anything. I worked with Republications, Conservatives, Democrats, and I dare say a good number of great Christian people who would take Leslie to task on her shooting someone. Although all of them were hunters. I never even stated anything any differently than I stated it here - although shorter, for sure.
But, look at what posting arrived on Facebook - just before the entire posted nonsense was deleted from Facebook:
"What really gets me are the people commenting on that videolink ..like Sharon Driscoll- totally unconcerned about the victim but more conerned that one of us conservatives has the courage to defend and protect others by personally taking the liberal down. OMG totally insane thinking, I wish you would all move to Syria an Lybia for a while.. then you might appreciate reality here in America." ,by Leslie Villarreal.
There is no way to take that seriously....it's too angry and distorted.
Moving on! Tomorrow, some great jewelry! Good to be back.
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment