Apparently, the school bus beating wasn't inspired by race.

[Critters2]

Stupid cops shouldn't have made those statements without talking to witnesses. Still more investigating to do, but at this point, there's at best a 50/50 chance it was race... or not.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/60D37B6EC5FF4711862576320011605B?OpenDocument

[BlooInBloo]

1. Note to self: Stop suggesting we wait for all the facts to come in.

EDIT: Better quality snark.

[Lagomorph]

2. So, just disrespect then?

But Monday, the victim apparently tired of asking for a seat, D'Vante said, moved one student's book-bag off a seat, and just sat down.

The student next to him then started hitting the victim for moving his bag, D'Vante said.

But the second assailant was just trying to act tough, D'Vante said. "The second guy hit him because he wanted to hit him," he said.

[Critters2]

3. Shared mimetic desire. The cause of most violence.

Not a surprise. Two people want the same thing. I guess cops should read some Girard.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

4. Do you think some here would accept that answer if the races.....

...of the victim and assailant were reversed?

[LisaL]

6. I say hell no.

This is DU we are talking about.

[burning rain]

9. A lot of people are sentimental, rather than sensitive or empathetic.

If a possibly racial incident doesn't fit a template that allows them to play the martyr by proxy, pat themselves on the back for being so racially progressive, or stand up for their race--they don't much care.

[Critters2]

11. Even violence that expresses itself as racism is, ultimately,

mimetic. Competition between groups, for status, power, land, whatever, is at its core, about shared desires. Racism allows us to ignore the underlying issues. But all mimetic violence that pits group against group needs to be denounced.

This episode just shows the dynamic in a particularly clear light--kids of differing ethnic groups fight over a seat, and we miss the fact that they're fighting over a seat, because of our own group identifications.

I wonder if Girard read about this and chuckled knowingly.

[LisaL]

8. I don't think beating someone for removing a book bag is

justified in any way, shape or form. If you look at the photo, the bus is quite full. There weren't many (I can't see any empty double seats on that photo) options for this boy to sit.

[liberalmuse]

5. It was probably about race...

in some very subtle way. This is America. We have a really shitty history on race relations, and the race thing swings both ways. From the 'N' word to 'white devils'. Either way, I hope all involved are punished. Jesus, moving a book is no excuse for that kind of sickening violence.

[LisaL]

7. In addition it's not like there was a whole bunch of seats

available for the boy to sit. There is no reason someone should refuse to take their book bag off a seat when somebody else needs a place to sit.

[dodger501]

10. Butt Rush says it's Obama's fault

I wonder if this was Obama's fault, too:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/20940073/detail.html