Regarding the Belleville bus attack incident…

Several readers have asked for my thoughts on the recent beating of a student on a school bus in Belleville Illinois. Contrary to popular belief, this bitch does research the shit I post about and it has taken me a while to research this incident.

What we know is that a student was attacked and horribly beaten on a school bus. He is white and the students caught on tape beating him are black.

A bitch admits that if the roles were reversed I’d assume that this assault was racially motivated.

Catch that knee before you hurt somebody!

I can’t speak for everyone, but the reason I come to conclusions like that is because of the history of racial violence in my community and the nation at large. One of the ramifications of society’s history of bigots attacking people is that incidents where the attacker and victim come from separate racial background are often not being given the benefit of the doubt. That’s not always accurate, but then again that's why a bitch researches the shit I post about rather than just run with my assumptions.

Pause…sip coffee…continue.

My heart goes out to this young student and his family.

I’ve been the victim of bullies. As a matter of fact, I was assaulted on a school bus when I was a wee bitch and never rode the bus to school again. I know the fear, the embarrassment and the trauma associated with being a victim…just as I know the empowerment of being a survivor. As Belleville deals with this incident and the media attention the video capturing it has stirred up, my thoughts are with the victim and my hope is that he swiftly heals mentally and physically.

When I read that white supremacist groups are planning a rally to demand a civil rights investigation into this incident I was a wee bit surprised. White supremacist groups don’t usually acknowledge that a person’s civil rights can be violated by a racially motivated beating…and, even though officials are now saying that this incident does not appear to be racially motivated, it struck me as odd for ig'nant racists to take this moment to seek justice through a mechanism they’ve spent a lot of time denouncing.

But these groups are nothing if not illogical.

My second thoughts were of the victim and his family having to deal with this shit. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to deal with the assault, the media attention, the investigation and now a bunch of ig’nant thugs bent on making you a martyr to their fucked up from the floor up cause.

So I read this article about the family’s response on STLtoday.com with some interest.

STLtoday.com article link warning – The St. Louis Post Dispatch articles come with comments and many of them are the very definition of racist. Read the comment section with caution…lest your blood pressure rise.

The article features a statement the family issued through their lawyer.

"(The victim's and his family) wish to make it clear that they do not support or condone any individuals or organizations which have used this unfortunate incident to promote racial bigotry and hatred."

The article went on to report… "the statement also thanked the high school, school district and area residents who have expressed support.”

I’ll add my support from across the river and my promise to continue to work to address violence in our communities and schools.