Reply #25: I'm going to share something

[H2O Man]

that I think will explain one of the reasons that I feel strongly that RFK, Jr is a good man. I've spoken about this before on DU, though in general, I try not to say who I am .... but I noted on a thread by Skinner a while back his recommendation that people not believe anecdotal stories on here .... and so I'll be specific.

On July 2, 1998, at the General Clinton Canoe Regatta in Bainbridge, NY (the largest canoe race in North America), my nephew and a friend were assaulted by a gang of 15 men. My nephew had brought the Sidney High School basketball team to a NYS title; in a federation game, my nephew shut down the star from the NYC Dwight school -- a kid who had been featured in a Sports illustrated story was held to 2 points by Sidney's captain. My nephew was getting a lot of media attention, and a racist gang from Walton, NY was upset that a "nigger" was so popular.

The gang dogged my nephew at the regatta. They called him a "dumb nigger" and threatened him repeatedly. My nephew told a cop what was going on, said he just wanted to enjoy the regatta with his girlfriend, and asked the cop for help. The cop refused to do anything.

An hour later, in a darken field serving as a parking lot, the gang attacked my nephew and the friend he was with from behind. A witness in a car said it was "like a pack of wild dogs attacking." They hit the two high school students without warning, knocking them unconscious. As my nephew lay out cold on the ground, with his hands in his pockets, a group of three men assaulted him. These were big guys: one weighed 280, one 290, and the other 310 pounds.

Although my nephew was seriously injured, the DA refused to press serious charges. During one court hearing, the Justice of the Peace said that in his opinion, the words "dumb nigger" weren't necessarily intended to be racist. This JoP was intimidated by the large crowd of black citizens, mostly NAACP members from Oneonta to Binghamton, who attended the weekly court hearings ... and so he had the cop who refused my nephew's request for help, serve as his "escort" or body guard. (Gotta watch them groups of black folks!)

Retired NYC police detective Will Perry, the president of a local NAACP branch, and I served as media spokespeople for the victims' families. A wide assortment of people, including the DA and Justice of the Peace, advocated for the gang members. And two things were becoming apparent: the media hinted the assault was racially motivated, but refused to quote the racial slurs used by the gang; and the young people in our area were becoming frustrated by the court process.

I had been working on an environmental case that Robert had assisted me on, and he was very aware of the assault case. He took a stand, and wrote to Dennis C. Vacco, NYS Attorney general, on 7-2-98. Here is the letter, which recommended the state file serious charges:

"Dear Attorney General Vacco:

I am writing in reference to an incident of racially motivated violence that occured in Bainbridge, NY on May 23, 1998 in which two young men from the Town of Sidney were badly injured. I hope that your office will investigate the circumstances of this incident and take appropriate action.

The incident occured as Neil Miley and Eric Wetsig were leaving the General Clinton Canoe Regatta, a popular event. After first baiting Miley with racial epitets, a group of young men ambushed Miley and Wetsig as they walked to their cars. Wetsig and Miley were knocked unconscious, severely beaten, and left lying in the parking lot. Both boys were hospitalized and Miley has suffered permanent hearing loss and nerve damage.

A second attack occured on June 12 when a 15 year old Franklin boy was brutally beaten in Walton. The boy was hospitalized with skull fractures around his eye socket where the assailant had struck him with a rock.

I urge your office to investigate these acts of violence and to prosecute the offenders to the fullest extent possible.

Sincerely,
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr."

The state refused to intervene, and the violence continued. After the gang leader who kicked and punched my unconscious nephew was given a $50 fine for having an open beer, but nothing for the assault, the violence escalated. The following year, it struck on SUNY-Binghamton's campus, as the same gang members targeted Asian-American students.

I'll write more later. But I want to put this on, to perhaps explain one reason I admire RFK,Jr. My family has never forgotten his kindness.