 
  |
 |
Bum Beatings - September 9, 2010
Just a little while earlier, I posted a 3-part study on Matthew 24. I came across something today on my local news that really put me in mind of one verse in particular that we went over briefly, which was how, in reference to the end days, it says that because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. Well, I was watching the news this evening, and I came across a story that just, it's sickening, it's disgusting that people can be so violent and cruel. Usually I see things in the news and I think, well it's no surprise. We hear crazy things in the news all the time. But this really made me angry. To hear that this isn't just an isolated case, but that it's becoming popular, becoming, as it was referred to, a 'current craze among some groups of teenagers', saying that teens as young as 14 are getting involved in these things. It's referred to as "bum beatings", which is when they go out and target a homeless person, and will gain up on them and beat them senseless while video-taping it, then putting it on the internet for others to enjoy. I pulled up an article titled Teens Targeting Homeless With Violent Beatings. It stated, Beating others for sport. We've seen it for years with so-called fight clubs--kids fighting, taping it and then putting it on the internet. But, now that's moved one step further--targeting the weakest and most vulnerable. Teens are now getting their kicks out of beating homeless people. It's called bum beating or bum fights. It's all over the internet--teens targeting an unsuspecting homeless person and then beating them violently while their friends watch, laugh and videotape it. It happened to a man here in Huntington who says this is no laughing matter. “They were serious. They're seriously out to hurt the people in the community and the people in the community need to know what's going on,” said William Mullins. Mullins was sitting in the amphitheatre at Huntington's riverfront minding his own business when a large group of kids approached him. He thought it was all fun and games, but it quickly turned out to be something much worse. “They jumped on me and went to fighting and banging,” said Mullins. Mullins, already suffering from a crippling disability, was left beaten and bruised by as many as 20 teens. But, this was more than a random act of violence. “It's all organized the way they've got the cameras set up. I think they were trying to get the light in the right position,” said Mullins. It's called bum fights and is a national craze. A search on Youtube brought up more than 5000 hits--videos from around the country of kids beating on the homeless. “It makes me sick in my stomach,” said Pastor Pete Davidson. Davidson heads up the Huntington City Mission and cares for the homeless. He can’t wait to see those responsible punished. “Arrests will be made and they will be prosecuted,” said Detective Cass McMillian, Huntington Police Department. “They think it's funny, but I don't. It's not funny to me now. I've got a whole different attitude now. I hate to say it, but the next child that jumps on me, I will defend myself,” said Mullins. So far, two of the juveniles have been arrested with more on the way. Detective McMillian says those involved range in age from 14-17. This crime was discovered when folks saw the video posted on Facebook and called police to report it. How is it that anyone could decide to randomly go out and pick a homeless person to beat up, and think it'll be a blast, and post a video of it online for everyone to see. How does that even cross your mind. How does that even register as a possibility in any way, I do not understand where this comes from, where this thought would come from, let alone acting on it, and especially that it's teenagers doing that. Granted, nobody's ever been a perfect little angel, as a child or teenager, but I know that I certainly never had a desire to go out and beat up people for the fun of it, when I was a kid. How does this happen? The only thing that comes to my mind, is what it says in Matthew 24, that lawlessness would multiply, and the love of many would grow cold. Is that not what we see in this situation? Lawlessness multiplying and love growing cold... To just be able to go out and beat someone up for fun. Someone who's down on their luck, having possibly only the clothes on their back and a few things here and there, and then out of nowhere to just attack that person, and enjoy it. This makes me angry. I don't think I'm the only one who finds this to be disgusting. |