A few days back, in Richmond, California a girl was raped. I don't know this girl; I don't know anyone who knows this girl. Richmond, California is approximately three thousand miles away from where I sit, and yet, the story could have been set anywhere.
The little bit I know about Richmond is that it was north of Berkeley, one of my favorite places in the U.S, and a northeast of the best city in the world, San Francisco.
But I digress.
On the 26th of October, what should have been a great moment in any high school kids memory turned into a nightmare seared in the memory of one young girl as it should be burned into all our psyches'.
A young girl who, as the newspaper stories say was a good church going kid and dreamed of joining the Police Explorers' but nonetheless wanted to "fit in" with the crowd in school.
When she left the dance and waited for her father to pick her up, she was apparently asked, lured into joining a group of students and non students who were, as we used to say, "drinkin' and actin' a fool."
She was somehow convinced to drink alongside this gang of fools and soon found herself the object of their insanity, and that is exactly what happened; a collective insanity that allows a group to attack the 'other' without any qualms, without any fear of consequence.
The news accounts go on to say that this young woman, a little girl really, she is only fifteen and probably just recently put away her Barbie's, endured a two and a half hour ordeal that can only be imagined. The goons were cheered on by their fellow ass-holes, as they repeatedly raped and otherwise defiled the soul of an innocent.
The San Francisco Examiner reports that the Richmond Police estimate that twenty or more men or boys were involved and that some had even taken pictures on videos on their cell phones.
The latest story out of Richmond is that this situation was inevitable, that the area where these heinous acts occurred was known to be a danger spot, and place just itching for the right elements to align themselves, as if this were a natural event that could not have been prevented. The area had no cameras, no patrols by school security, poor lighting and abutted a neighborhood known for gang activity.
That so many things were wrong and no action was taken is inexcusable, bordering on negligence and dereliction of duty; and I have read all the excuses…poor neighborhood, high unemployment, state budget cuts, and on and on. However at some point, we the people must take responsibility.
Little boys model what big boys do. Little girls model what big girls do.
To believe, as some do, that violent video games, sexualized hip-hop videos, the ugly words we call each other…bitch…ho…the inability of parents to monitor and behave in a way that sets an example to them.
These kids are no different than other kids in the U.S. most want to succeed in their dreams, but what they lack is a moral center, and if there is no moral center, well, nature abhors a vacuum.
Don't confuse 'moral center' with this religion or that religion, it has more to do with watching out for your kids and mine. Be aware of the influences that get in the way of growing a good human being.
Snitch, if the idiots selling their fear in our communities believe they can get away with anything, they will continue to hold our kids hostages and by extension they hold us in their grip.
As I said at the beginning of this rant, I don't know this girl, but I'm sure you and I have passed her on the street, seen her on the bus and probably sat next to her on BART.
Look to your left, and look to your right, she's probably standing right next to you.
