What's with all the random mob murder and mayhem at Juneteenth celebrations?
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A crowd attacked and killed a passenger in a vehicle that had struck and injured a child, police said Wednesday.
Police believe 2,000 to 3,000 people were in the area for a Juneteenth celebration when the attack occurred Tuesday night. The man who was killed had been trying to stop the group from attacking the vehicle's driver when the crowd turned on him, authorities said.
The Austin Police Department identified the victim as David Rivas Morales, 40. The child was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
And from Milwaukee:
MILWAUKEE - Pat Kasthurirangaian says he doesn't know the people who pulled him from his car and brutally beat him. He doesn't know why they did it. He has some serious injuries after a senseless beating that took place as people left Tuesday's Juneteenth celebration.
Kasthurirangaian spoke exclusively to TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Michael George.
"They broke my nose, they busted my lip in many places, and I have a fractured eye socket," Kasthurirangaian said.
Kasthurirangaian says he was driving to the grocery store he owns about 40 mintues after the celebration officially ended. Many people had remained at the festival site after it was supposed to end at 6pm. A large group of young people walking in the middle of the street at 1st and Burleigh jumped on cars and broke windows.
"It all happened so fast. They started banging on the car. I don't know exactly now, but I was trying to dial 911 on my cell phone. They managed to open the door and pull the cell phone out of my hand," Kasthurirangaian said.
Kasthurirangaian was surrounded by dozens of people and several cars. He says he couldn't drive away. Video exclusive to TODAY'S TMJ4 shows Kasthurirangaian being struck repeatedly while he was still in the driver's seat.
When he got out of the car, he was kicked in the head and knocked to the ground.
Video here.
This is completely unacceptable in a civilized society.
Random mob violence signals that respect for the law, as well as respect for all civilized norms of kindness and decency, have completely broken down in certain pockets of humanity.
The appropriate response should include vigorous prosecution of those who participated in the killing, beatings, and destruction of property and cancellation of any similar Juneteenth celebrations next year in cities that experienced this lawlessness.
Celebrations are great, but they are not worth more than human life.
More important than any celebration is maintaining respect for the laws against murder, mayhem, assault, battery, and destruction of property.
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Update 1: There was Juneteenth violence in New York, too. But not to worry -- it was "just" a couple of stabbings.
Update 2: There's a subtext to this story that no doubt will have some politicians ducking the issue and running scared. Juneteenth is a celebration of the end of slavery, an event with special significance for African-Americans. But what of it? Violence is violence, and nobody in their right mind is in favor of it. Random mob violence is completely intolerable no matter who is committing it, no matter who is on the receiving end, and no matter what the excuse. Officials need to step up to the plate, enforce the law, and eliminate this problem, period.
What amazes me is that several of the media reports about violence at Juneteenth Celebrations were later found out to have happened after the festival ended and in areas outside the festival sight. In several cases police and city officials later apologized for affiliating random violence to their Juneteenth Festivals.
It was wrong to blame the violent actions of a few misguided folks on the Juneteenth Festival. The media is once again guilty of trying to place negatives on anything affiliated with something constructive in our community.
Year after year the national media has ignored coverage of the celebration of Juneteenth. Yet, when an opportunity presents itself to put out bad publicity with unsubstantiated reports about violence at Juneteenth events, all of a sudden Juneteenth is all over the news. I have yet to see a positive report about the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign or interviewing national Juneteenth leaders about the significance of Juneteenth in American history.
What about violence at "4th of July" celebrations, or even that infamous St. Patrick's Day Massacre, Al Capone, et. al.? The national media is again showing itself to be biased toward African-Americans.
Juneteenth is America's 2nd Independence Day celebration. 29 states recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance, the District of Columbia, as well as the Congress of the United States.
Together we will see Juneteenth become a National Holiday in America!
"DOC"
Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.
Chairman
National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC)
www.Juneteenth.us
www.19thofJune.com
www.njclc.com
www.JuneteenthJazz.com
Posted by: Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D. | September 14, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Why are you being so rude?? Just because you don't understand what Juneteenth is, doesn't mean you can put it on blast.
Posted by: Tony | February 18, 2009 at 05:49 PM