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The BART Mob

I was going to write a really thoughtful, well-reasoned response to the story of the mob of teenagers who robbed people on BART, but then I started seeing the reactions. The knee-jerk, racist, totally devoid of caring reactions.

So this is what I came up with. I posted it to a local Facebook group where it got deleted eventually. Possibly because I called out another local Facebook group that was advocating murdering the kids. I'd say enjoy, but, well....

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http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/diaz/article/BART-attack-brings-out-racist-responses-11108000.php

No surprise here, seeing how some of the other local FB groups are advocating blowing the heads off of these kids" but I want us to think about our knee-jerk reactions. I have worked with "these kids" for years (and by "these kids" I ran nothing more or less than the kids in this particular neighborhood) and I want to point out a few things:

1. All kids in East Oakland aren't black.

2. All kids who commit crimes aren't black. Or brown. Or any other generalization.

3. My friend who worked at a super wealthy white school had fare jumpers on field trips and the PARENTS were advocating fare jumping because they didn't want to pay. They didn't rob people but fare jumping is also a problem that is usually attributed to black and brown kids in the inner city.

4. Some of these kids have stories you CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE. I am not saying all of them and I'm not saying that it's an excuse, but I am saying that some kids who end up in gangs/as followers for crimes, etc. have trauma that some of us will NEVER BE ABE TO FATHOM EVER.

5. I taught kids who were involved in this kind of crime and regret it so hard. Or were killed when they tried to get out of this life. Who had no community whatsoever other than kids who were criminals/drug users/gang members. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANOTHER MODEL.

6. I am not saying I know these particular kids' stories. I'm saying that they HAVE stories and that is no excuse but it is context.

7. Understand that kids, no matter what they do, do not deserve to have their heads blown off. Someone in a public group, using his real name, advocating kids having their "goddamn heads blown off" IS THE PROBLEM HERE. THEY ARE KIDS AND THERE ARE STILL WAYS TO REACH THEM. I've worked my whole life to do so and there are not enough people who are helping. Way more who are judging.


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