RAPE VICTIM'S FRIEND WRONGLY MAKES THE INCIDENT AN ISSUE OF RACE

Police officer outside of Richmond HighA Richmond, California high school girl was to be picked up by her dad outside of the Homecoming dance; instead, she and a friend behind the school property to drink. Little did she know, a group of barbarians were lurking in a nearby dimly-lit parking lot, about to commit the most heinous act against her: a 10-person gang rape over the course of 2 1/2 hours.

There is no dispute that the rapists - if convicted - must serve the ultimate time behind bars. One friend said to me, "This is where lethal injection comes in handy...anyone who would ruin an innocent girl's life in this manner, deserves nothing less than the ultimate penalty." Another friend suggested castration of these disgusting rapists. Clearly the punishment of a violent rapist invokes the most extreme emotions of those who have morals.

But, there is more to discuss here than just, "Off with their heads, but cut their balls off first!" It is time to expand our discussion - let's talk about WHY people are committing crimes; let's talk about how we stop the violence - whether it's rape or murder - against the most innocent of our society: our children.

I am sick and tired of having the same old discussion about punishment. Our society is all about punish, punish, punish. We must realize that the majority of prisoners are eventually released, back into the streets and the back alleys of our schools. Punishing the worst scum of our society is a given.

FRIEND OF VICTIM WRONGLY PULLED RACE CARD - CRIME AGAINST CHILDREN IS COLOR-BLIND

At the end of the day, there is no difference between the young black student at Fenger High School in Chicago, who was beaten to a bloody pulp while dozens of people watched and did nothing, the black college student, whose funeral I attended, who died instantly after a bullet ripped through her car, and the young (apparently white) Richmond High student who was gang-raped by at least ten men while at least ten more looked on.

Last night, the girl's friend, Kami Baker, a white student, spoke to school officials about the school's failure to provide adequate security. She even said the high school's vice-principal recognized a group of 12-15 men lingering around the school without proper ID and yet the official did nothing about at.

She goes on to say, "Here at this school, me and my sister are the minorities; when in reality, the minorities are what is around me." She then goes back to discuss school security, that she felt extremely unsafe when she started at Richmond High. Then she says, "RHS has been ostracized by the district because of our race and minorities; there are Mexicans and blacks around me every where and at De Anza (High School) there are more Asians and whites and when you said 'Ivy League Connections' earlier, you only included the Asian names...I am white and I am an Ivy League Connection and for you to disclude all the minorities at this school is wrong."

Ms. Baker, a child herself, clearly shared her feelings about race with the school. Just because she is feels she is a minority at the school, even though she is white, that does not mean she should have more protection from the blacks and Mexicans than anyone else. That does not mean she is more of a target than a black person, just because she is white. Blair Holt, a Chicago student athlete and honor-roll student, was shot to death in Chicago two years ago. His life is just as important as any other victim of violence, regardless of race.

America must stop looking at the victim's race. We must begin to look at the perpetrators - whether they are white, black, Asian or Hispanic - and determine HOW we are going to stop the violence against our children.  How do we educate? How do we provide care to kids who do not get love and attention at home? How do we teach our children that reporting a crime is a good thing and that you are not a "snitch" if you help bring a person to justice? How do we keep our kids from getting assault weapons? How do we start from the bottom up? Blaming the parents is the wrong response. Teaching the kids is the right response.

Focus on fixing the problem, not on finding someone to blame.

Video of High School Student's speech:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/29/california.rape.victim.friend/index.html

www.xpunged.com