johndiii's Journal: Lynching in Austin

Even a city as progressive as Austin can sometimes show a dark side. The CNN link uses the word "assault" - but let's be honest here. This was a classic lynching - a mob murdered a man who was patently innocent even of accidental harm to anyone at the scene. Was it racially motivated? Hard to say at this point. The original stories described the mob as being associated with a Juneteenth celebration, but they seem to have backed off on that. In my experience, racial tension is higher between African-Americans and Hispanics in Texas than between either of those groups and Caucasians.

Whatever the cause and motivation, I count it as a sad day for all of us.

An awful crime

[dave-tx]

As often as we who live here choose to pretend otherwise, Austin has the same kind of problems that all cities face. This really is a sick, twisted, and sad thing that's happened to the victim. I really hope they find the people who are responsible.

There are actually theories behind some of this, but I'm not so sure I'd like to put them in print.

race

[stoolpigeon]

i wondered about that too when i read about this last night. descriptions of the crowd are conspicuously absent.
 
but on another level - i'm willing to bet alcohol played a larger part than anything else. a celebration of any kind means people out drinking. as my brother the cop says, "if it weren't for alcohol i wouldn't have a job". i can't see why else people would go so berserk.

Re:

[Shadow Wrought]

I did a ridealong with a cop once and asked him, of the people he arrested, how many involved intoxication. He looked at me like I was the dumbest rock amongst a whole pile of them (as only a veteran cop can do;-) and said simply, "All of 'em."

gross

[sillypixie]

If there were only 20 people around the vic, why were emergency personnel kept from the scene?

How could anyone have enough rage in them to beat another person like that?

That's horrible.

Re:

[johndiii]

I think that the news stories are being filtered.

I do not understand that rage, either. It is quite horrible. But people in groups are capable of acts that individuals could not conceive.

Cue Black Sabbath:

[smittyoneeach]

If you listen to fools...the mob rules...

Thoughts...

[RailGunner]

Was it racially motivated?
I'd wager $100 it was.
The original stories described the mob as being associated with a Juneteenth celebration, but they seem to have backed off on that. In my experience, racial tension is higher between African-Americans and Hispanics in Texas than between either of those groups and Caucasians.
I have made a similar observation - and the crime statistics in Dallas involving gangs backs that up.

The reason the media is backing of the Juneteenth angle is because Juneteenth is

nightmare

[denidoom]

It has always been one of my biggest fears running over a child in the apartment complex's parking lot. This is just terrible what happened. It sucks to die by violence but especially getting ganged up on how horrifying. :(

This is why Freinds don't let Friends drive

[WillAffleckUW]

SUVs.

Both trucks and SUVs are notorious for not letting you see the kids before you hit them.

FACT.

Holy Shit.

[Some Woman]

I don't understand how people can harbor that much anger. Actually, I'm glad that I don't understand.

Also, there was a CSI episode #309 [csiguide.com] was almost exactly like this.