10/30/2009 12:20 am
Last Read:
11/2/2009 8:06 am
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It was 9:00pm Friday evening, October 24, 2009, a week ago today. The Homecoming dance of the Richmond, California High School was over. It was time to go home. She, age 15, phoned her dad to come pick her up. Someone asked her to go over to another area of the campus a short distance away. There she was raped for 2 1/2 hrs., from 9:30pm until 12:00pm and left unconscious.
When found she was taken to the hospital in critical condition and remained there for four days. 10 people were involved in the felony rape according to police and 10 others watched. Some have been reported to have even taken pictures and cam recordings. No one called 911. So far six have been arraigned: Montano, Smith, Peter, Morales, Ortega, and Marcelles and more arraignments are expected. Some of these were wearing bullet proof vests in court.
Why? In my opinion, the exalting of self and the depersonalization of people is so evident. I have been watching advertising on TV and much of the time its about empowering the individual, rather than community, or relationships and respect for others. Christianity re personalizes people. This electronic age is making brutal heroes of the individual, rather than Christianity's approach of making servant heroes out of people.
The exalting of the individual at the expense of others is the way of the world, not the way of the cross. This degeneration and isolation of the individual exalts self and masks the depravity created until it breaks out upon society.
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3688 posts 10/30/2009 9:50 pm |
Caring, that's my concern for the girl, that the laughter and the taunting carries on into her life even after the rape. What a horrible thing to have to live with. The comment people made about her dress gives a pretty good indication of the struggles ahead of her. 
CaringInAction replies on 10/31/2009 1:27 pm:
Yes, as I said the rape that would not quit. Her life is over. Her parents life is over. The lives of the criminals is over. The lives of the kids in school will be affected for years. The community of Richmond is haunted now. Even our lives, reading and hearing about this, are affected. My High School days were many years ago but I remember the name of the girl, Susie Smith, who died in my class, and the lives and personalities of many of my classmates like it was yesterday. The consequences of sin are so painful. It makes life for many people unbearable. The golden gate suicide bridge of San Francisco is not far away. Tomorrow is all saints day? |
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3688 posts 10/30/2009 5:13 pm |
"Some of the students of this Richmond High School are saying that she wore a pretty glittering purple dress and so it was her fault she was raped."
This is so typical of a community that wants to defend those they know and associate with. The truth doesn't seem to matter. I trust there is sufficient protection for this young woman in the face of the publicity. People can be so cruel despite the truth.
CaringInAction replies on 10/30/2009 9:11 pm:
No there is no protection for her that I know of at the moment. The night of her assault, there were security guards on campus as well as the High School Principal and that didn't protect her. The students didn't protect her. She needs to leave that school district for good. The deep problem I see is that we live in a country where we have more food than we can eat, more pleasure than we can experience, and more sources of pride than we can manage. This all adds up to the exaltation of self, the depersonalization of others, and great strain on the moral founding of our country. Evil in itself is self over God and over others. I believe the consequences of the exalting of self are the loss of self control and the exploitation of others without remorse. Its even funny to them, as was evidenced by those standing by the assault laughing, taunting and taking pictures and ignoring the plight of the girl. |
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3688 posts 10/30/2009 10:01 am |
People stand by and do nothing over countless things that are seen in and around our communitiies. These things shouldn't be.
CaringInAction replies on 10/30/2009 4:01 pm:
Yes, this is where the cardinal virtue of "fortitude" comes into play. I believe people have a tendency to go along with the group when mob mentality begins and takes over a gathering of people. Also, people say often they do not want to get involved. It takes guts or courage to get involved and perhaps stand out from the crowd and do something. God requires courage of us. Joshua and Caleb, two of the 12 spies sent into the promised land for a report, said yes we can conquer the land even though their were giant people spotted. They had faith in God. As a reward of their courageous stand for God and against the 10 spies who gave a discouraging report, they were allowed to lead the Israelites into the promised land 40 years later. The 10 spies died in the desert during that 40 years of endless wandering. After they heard God's response to their report they changed their mind and would go along but God refused them. Action based on faith not sight is what He wants.
Its hard to hear that doing nothing or not getting involved is cowardly. I feel that God has life so built that we will have to depend on Him for help. Hebrews chapter 11 is the hall of fame of people who in the face of overwhelming odds depended on God for help and are now recorded in faith's hall of fame.
As always lies begin to form to cover up the accountability of people. Some of the students of this Richmond High School are saying that she wore a pretty glittering purple dress and so it was her fault she was raped. The School Administration is shocked at these comments. A community meeting is scheduled for tonight. The police say that as the investigation uncovers more details of this crime, the horror of it only grows. |
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