I was mugged tonight and now I am really

[ikojo]

depressed. I did not suffer any bodily injury, the f*****g thief took the portable satellite radio I was holding in my hand at my side. He snatched it as I was trying to get on a very crowded bus. When I grabbed his jacket (which of course was several sizes too large for him) I heard the radio drop and he kicked it to a friend. I asked him for the radio, which he denied having. I called him a f*****g thief as he ran across the street. Too bad he wasn't hit.

What ticks me off is I WORKED to pay for this radio and this brat kid thinks it is his for the taking.

Is this how his mother raised him?

When I called a friend, just wanting to vent and get control of my emotions all he could do was say, "well so and so is on disability and he's been mugged several times." You know play the "this person's oppression is worse than yours so get over it" card that is oh so popular in some left wing circles. Like I didn't have a right to be P****D off to the nth degree.

Now I am depressed. I just moved and I don't want to move again, but I really don't live in a safe neighborhood. I do not feel safe walking at night. Now I wont feel safe while waiting for the bus.

I just want to sleep for a long, long time.

Thanks for listening.

[SPKrazy]

1. Shit

that totally sucks man

I'm glad you are physically okay

but emotionally

man

:hug: :hug: :hug:

sleep is good medicine

[ikojo]

3. Thanks for the cyberhugs

I also feel like doing this: :cry:

The only satisfaction I have is knowing that if he thinks he got an iPod he is sadly mistaken and two the radio has now been deactivated and is basically a brick; an expensive brick but a brick nonetheless.

F*****g brat thief!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Roon]

13. I know, that's like these idiots that steal cellphones

they get a few minutes use out of it but then it's deactivated and now all they have is a paper weight.

[ikojo]

17. Cellphones that people have WORKED to buy

with their PAYCHECK that they EARN. Just because one is poor (I was brought up by a single mom, I know about poverty) does not give one carte blanche to take things that don't belong to you.

I'm pretty sure the kid thought it was an iPod or a blackberry. Stupid f**k! He'd have not liked the music on it anyway...I recorded stuff from the XM Hanukkah station.

What ticks me off is that I'll have to relive this tomorrow when I get to work and see the docking station, knowing the radio will never be there again and how it came to be OUT of my possession. I used that radio to get through the day when I tired of listening to political podcasts and my iPod didn't have enough charge to watch/listen to a movie or TV show.

[Solon]

2. I'm sorry to hear that...

I also can't believe your friend actually said that. It sucks to be a victim of a crime, I had someone try to steal my car, broke a flathead screwdriver right off in the ignition. That cost 100 bucks to fix. Have you called the police?

[ikojo]

6. Yes, the cops came to my apartment. The mugging

actually took place in another police district. I didn't want to stay at the bus stop because it was raining and I didn't feel safe. There's nothing they can do. Once the brat kid finds out it's not an iPod or a blackberry he'll trash it (it cost me over $400 July 2006). Hey it didn't cost him anything.

I now have an understanding why some neighborhoods in St Louis suck the way they do. When I confronted this kid no one did anything to help me, in fact some chuckled. You know if people are going to be like that then IMHO, they deserve the kids and neighborhoods they get.

[Solon]

7. Is this North County? n/t

[ikojo]

10. May as well be, but was at the Grand

Metrolink stop. Since the weather sucks I've been relegated to taking the bus instead of riding my scooter. Well, I called and left a message on my boss' phone to tell her that if I rode my scooter tomorrow I'd be leaving at 630 (more daylight and better to see ice). If I can't ride my scooter I'm taking a different bus to the metrolink. I wont take the Grand bus again.

Some of my friends are working connections to see if I can move to a safer area. I currently live on the South Side which is not the same South Side I lived in 17 years ago when I first moved to the city of St Louis.

[Solon]

22. I can understand that, though things get really expensive in some of the safer areas...

which really sucks. If I was able to, I could probably get my uncle to let you stay at the apartment above his garage, if he didn't already have tenants. Though, to be honest, the neighborhood there isn't that safe, though its right across the street from UMSTL dorms.

[Shakespeare]

19. Some of them CHUCKLED?

That's when I'd have become homicidal. Good gawd.

[ikojo]

23. Yes, some chuckled. I guess they couldn't believe

this crazy woman had the nads to grab onto a kid. F**k that! I wanted blood! I know it's only a thing but still, it's something I worked for.

That's why I am now of the belief that people pretty much deserve the kids they have and the neighborhoods they have. When there are shootings in St Louis, which happen on almost a daily basis, people don't talk. People don't talk when there are robberies.

[raccoon]

43. Kudos to you for your bravery!

"When I confronted this kid no one did anything to help me, in fact some chuckled. "

And stink on those people. They were probably insecure people, just thinking they were glad it wasn't them. :puke:

[Red State Rebel]

46. Fellow St. Louisan Here

I really had a time finding an area to move to that I felt safe in and ended up paying higher rent but can walk around at night feeling safe. I'm in Richmond Heights at Clayton/Big Bend. Lots of students and rentals here - check it out if you are looking to move. It's close to the Metrolink and the Wash U Metro Bus routes take you right to it.

[NMDemDist2]

4. I'm so sorry

:hug:

[ikojo]

12. Thank you AZDemDist6

There are some friends I cannot share this with because I would hear a chorus of MOVE...MOVE...MOVE. They were not happy with me moving to the city, especially THIS part of the city of St Louis.

[JVS]

5. you should have pulled the kid's fucking earlobe until his friend coughed up the radio

Or rip the ear off, whichever way you like

[ikojo]

9. I was only able to grab onto his large ill fitting jacket

Of course it's large, better to fit stolen goods in.

I should have grabbed for his family jewels (if he has any) and continued holding on to 'em.

[NC_Nurse]

8. That totally sucks.

I'm sorry your friend decided to be an insensitive jerk about it too.

You have my sympathies, being mugged really sucks. :hug:

[ikojo]

21. What's shocking is that this friend has a PhD

in psychology. He's not a CLINICAL psychologist but rather a research psychologist and a professor.

[NC_Nurse]

42. Physician, heal thyself.

Just because you've got a psych degree doesn't mean you have dealt with your own
issues. My husband's great aunt was a psychology professor (a PhD as she would make sure you are aware),
but is one of the meanest old ladies on the planet.

[raccoon]

44. Yes, he was insensitive.

some people are like that, they're like, if you broke your foot, "well, be glad you didn't break your leg."

That's invalidating.

[Roon]

11. I have a video Ipod player

and there are parts of town and bus routes that I wouldn't dare have it out. I am sorry this happened to you.

[ikojo]

14. I, too, have an iPod video and have never taken

it out on the bus. Heck I don't even wear the ear buds that SCREAM iPod OWNER iPod OWNER!! I was wearing regular earphones. You know what's the use of this stuff if we can't enjoy what we WORK for?

[THUNDER HANDS]

15. if it makes you feel any better

there's a good chance that sooner or later this guy will get caught stealing something. With any luck, the guy already has gotten caught, got out on parole, and will get caught again and go away for a significant time.

I'm a court reporter and I go to parole hearings every week. Last week I had a 70-year-old guy who was on parole. A serial theif. He'd been in and out of prison since he was 15.

All for theft.

The most time he ever did was a year and a half.

Criminals, especially petty one's, like this guy, aren't too bright. They'll get caught eventually.

[ikojo]

18. I hope he gets caught and that he gets

FRIGHTENED about the prospect of prison. These kids think they are all so tough but prison is not summer camp. If I could identify him I'd pursue that part but all I saw was his jacket and his jeans (also too big).

It is theft in excess of $150.00.

[darkstar]

16. Sorry friend

Really awful to hear this. As if it hasn't been dreary--and challenging--enough in St. Louisthese past few days with the weather and all.

But brighter days will come. Dark Star Orchestra coming to the Pageant next month, for example....

Glad to hear you are OK.

:hug:

[Cabcere]

20. Wow, I'm really sorry to hear that.

:( I'm glad you're OK, but having something like that stolen from you really, really sucks. x( And someone else's suffering doesn't always have to trivialize your own - the fact that so and so has been mugged several times doesn't mean that it didn't happen to you and that you don't have the right to be pissed off about it. :hug: I'm sending good vibes your way.

[ikojo]

24. Thank you Cabcere...my friend doesn't understand

my affinity for gadgets. To him they are only things (true) but they are things I've WORKED for. I am glad you understand. It's not the thing so much as it is the feeling of being violated.

My friend was also robbed not too far from where I live. This happened in April. He's so far to the left though that he saw it as oppression being made manifest. That if this guy hadn't come from an oppressed group then he might not have robbed.

BULLSH*T! Poverty and oppression is not permission to be a thief or a thug!

[Cabcere]

30. I do understand

:hug: And no offense, but that's kind of weird about your friend...oppression making it OK to rob people? :shrug: I mean, I'm pretty left-leaning myself, but I'm with you - poverty/oppression does NOT make it OK to beat up and/or steal stuff from innocent people. :shrug: I hope somebody catches the thief so he can't hurt more people (in more ways than one). :hug: Peace.

[Swede]

25. Your feeling violated,and justifiably so.

Only time can ease this feeling.

[flvegan]

26. For the sake of being thankful, I'm glad you weren't hurt.

Seems you were also outnumbered. No radio is worth what MIGHT have happened.

I'm sorry for what happened.

Fact is this, you had two realistic options. You could've reacted differently, and palmsmashed his nose into his brain, keeping your radio. Or, this.

With what do you live with easier?

You should be pissed. Now think about what you want to happen next time. Work from that.

[ikojo]

29. I wanted to see the kid hurt that's for sure

He needs to learn that the path he is going down means death. My brother hung with a rough crowd and at 17/18 already knew of friends who had gone to prison and or were dead. When he was 18 he marched himself to the recruiter's office and said "I want to shoot the big guns" and he enlisted. Now, normally I don't champion the military, but for my brother it was the BEST thing that happened to him. It removed him from his friends who were leading him down the oh so wrong path and it gave him structure, something my mom didn't demand of her boys.

Because of skills he learned in the military and the opportunities he was given he is now a network administrator.

What I'll do tomorrow if I have to take the bus to work is take a different bus to a different metrolink stop. Hopefully that metrolink stop is safer than the one where I experienced the mugging. I wont take anything out of my pockets that's for sure. Guess I'll start taking a book. It'd be an improvement for a kid to steal a book (as a matter of fact Abbie Hoffman suggested that people steal a book).

[flvegan]

33. So, if there's a next time

have you the ability to hurt/stop/punish your attacker?

I can certainly understand that desire. I've been subject to an attempted strong arm before.

[ikojo]

34. No but perhaps I should take a self defense

course for women

[flvegan]

37. Very good idea.

Street defense. I'm a man, and I say if I'm your predator, aim for my throat, eyes and nads.

Never be a victim.

[Generic Brad]

27. I understand how you feel

After I was mugged it took years to feel safe. But I'm still in the neighborhood and the thieving bastards are long gone. And eventually, I felt safe again.

I am so sorry you had to experience that.

[ikojo]

31. They're building new houses around here

as well as lofts. I don't know if that will help change the neighborhood or not. It takes parents knowing what their kids are doing and expecting them to STAY IN SCHOOL and DO the school work. Not accepting that their kid is a thief and a thug.

[ThomCat]

28. I'm very sorry.

As someone with a painful disability, I don't play that "let's compare problems" game. Nobody wants to win. :(

You have every right to be pissed depressed. I'm sorry about your radio.

[ikojo]

32. Thank you for your understanding.

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. Oh, that bites hard! *hugs*

[Dystopian]

36. so sorry....

:hug: I haven't been here in so long. I felt sad tonight, and now my heart goes out to you.
The feeling of being violated is horrific....please heal and be safe.

peace~

[ikojo]

38. Thank you.

Now I just want to cry.

[DesEtoiles]

39. There is a personal feeling of violation

It's bad.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

40. My dear ikojo...

I am so sorry this happened to you...

I think flvegan's advice is very good: take a self-defense class for women. You will have a better outcome if this should happen again.

Please, take care of yourself, sweetie...:hug:

[ikojo]

41. Thank you California Peggy...

Not only is the mugging on my mind but I think I have an antisemite living above me. He plays sermons loudly and they all deal with Jews and Gentiles. Tonight I asked him two times to turn down the volume, just turn it down, not off. The second time I asked him he asked me if I was a Jew or a Gentile, to which I responded it was none of his business. He said f**k you and didn't turn it down.

I called the building manager who must have called him because he has turned off the preaching. What concerns me is that a couple of people on his floor said he is "on medication" and it's hard telling what he might do.

As if I couldn't sleep before!!!

I sent an email to the building owners who ARE Jewish and friends of mine.

Merry freakin' Christmas everyone!!!

[redwitch]

45. I am so sorry that happened to you.

Some people are just feral, the concept of right/wrong is not one they have grasped. Or they just plain don't care.

A hug for you: :hug: