COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Amish Celebration Gets out of Hand.



Oh, they are not Amish, not Lutherans or Swedes, not Republicans or Minutemen, possibly right-wing bloggers, no? Hardly worth mentioning. Just yutes having some fun.

Innocent Motorists Attacked After Juneteenth
TMJ4 Staff
MILWAUKEE - A handful of violent incidents tarnished Milwaukee's Juneteenth celebration for the second year in a row. The festival itself was peaceful, but police in riot gear had to deal with several incidents after the event.
A large group of teens walked east on W. Burleigh St., jumping on unsuspecting drivers' cars and kicking in windows on at least two vehicles.

In one incident, a crowd surrounded a black car stuck in traffic at 2nd and Burleigh. A couple of teens jumped on top of the car. One smashed out the rear windshield. The driver stayed in the vehicle and escaped unharmed. He smashed into the car ahead of him trying to speed away from the attackers.

Further down the street, a woman in a gold car stopped after a teen jumped onto the back of her car. She got out and yelled at the teen, then she got back in a tried to speed away, also hitting the car ahead of her.

A short time later, at 1st and Burleigh, the crowd surrounded a red car, pounding on the hood and trunk and breaking out the windows. /after a woman reached into his open window, the driver got out, was kicked in the head by a man and fell to the ground. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

In another incident, police said a young woman hit an officer in the face as the officer was trying to break up a large fight near 1st and Auer. The blow shattered the officer's face shield. The officer was cut by the shattered face shield and needed stitches at the hospital.

The suspect was taken down by officers using night sticks and was arrested.

Watch exclusive ground footage of police fighting with and arresting the suspect

Many people are angry that the celebration, marking the end of slavery in America, was once again marred by violence.

"Just one person can stop a whole thing," said Earnestine Rogers, a woman attending the celebration.

Now there is still concern that the violence could lead to a cancellation of the ceremony next year.

"It shouldn't be stopped because of some youngsters," said Rogers.

Thousands of people attended the Juneteenth celebration itself without incident.


2 comments:

  1. An example of just how thin the veneer of civilization can be.

    Kids being rude.
    Discounting, as Wretchard might say, the Rules of the Commons.

    ReplyDelete