Can't believe this happened?!

[Butterball]

This made the headlines on a couple of news sites a couple of weeks ago. I don't watch television so I'm not sure if it was widely reported.
The story is very shocking and disgusting, but I hope the following link can provide some comfort.

This is a very touching letter written by a man to the 11 year old girl. It is very sweet and hopeful.

Little Girl Loved: A Letter For the Cleveland, Texas Child—From a Black Father Who Cares

The purpose of the letter is to tell the little girl that those boys are not real black men, and what a real black man will treat her like.
In my opinion I feel that all people, doesn't matter what gender or ethnicity you are, should treat others with the respect and love described in the letter.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Like i said i just heard about it today. I'm not sure why it hasn't made national headlines.

Actually, it did last month.

 

[happygirl]

This made the headlines on a couple of news sites a couple of weeks ago. I don't watch television so I'm not sure if it was widely reported.
The story is very shocking and disgusting, but I hope the following link can provide some comfort.

This is a very touching letter written by a man to the 11 year old girl. It is very sweet and hopeful.

Little Girl Loved: A Letter For the Cleveland, Texas Child—From a Black Father Who Cares

The purpose of the letter is to tell the little girl that those boys are not real black men, and what a real black man will treat her like.
In my opinion I feel that all people, doesn't matter what gender or ethnicity you are, should treat others with the respect and love described in the letter.

I wish he could have just said this aren't real men instead of making it racial

 

[sunnyday123]

Why do you think this wouldn't make national headlines?


And it did. I'm just wondering what your "certain reasons" are.

 

[allison443]

From the article:

"“It’s just destroyed our community,” said Sheila Harrison, 48, a hospital worker who says she knows several of the defendants. “These boys have to live with this the rest of their lives.”" Yes, they do. They did a dispacable act to a child of 11.

"Residents in the neighborhood where the abandoned trailer stands — known as the Quarters — said the victim had been visiting various friends there for months. They said she dressed older than her age, wearing makeup and fashions more appropriate to a woman in her 20s. She would hang out with teenage boys at a playground, some said."

Huh? So are they implying she was asking for it? She's 11. Eleven years old. This entire thing is disgusting.

The article you are quoting from the New York Times is from early March. They received a ton of negative feedback and criticism for the way the article was written. They have had some subsequent pieces about the incident and the coverage. Their "public editor", who responds to criticism, had a whole piece on this article and the way it was written.

 

[EMom]

It did make national news....CNN and some morning talk shows. You will hear less about it now since a gag order has been imposed. Many in the town have turned it into a racial issue, not the media. If I am not mistaken, all of the 19 arrested have been Black. The victim is Hispanic. She has been put in foster care for her own protection and her family has left town due to threats. I believe her dad is on disability and her mom has brain tumors and can work only a little. It is a mess.

I don't care what shortcomings the two had as parents, there is nothing that would shift the blame from her attackers. Several have criminal records. To make this a "racial thing" or blame the victim is nothing but a pathetic attempt to take attention away from the REAL issue.

Convict them and let them rot.

 

[skater]

There are lots of things that don't get enough news coverage. For real news, you have to check many sources - and know the slant before you believe anything.

This is an awful story - and similar to another recent case. These types of cases are why I once called myself a feminist.

 

[allison443]

Like i said i just heard about it today. I'm not sure why it hasn't made national headlines.

I saw it on CNN I believe, as well as the "national" section in the NYT where it has been reported in several different articles.
What are your sources for national news?

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I guess it's just odd to me because it's not been constantly been on the news like say Natalee Holloway was.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I wish he could have just said this aren't real men instead of making it racial

No, I'm actually glad he did. I think there is a very large perception still out there that black men are violent and angry.

 

[punkin]

It did make national news....CNN and some morning talk shows. You will hear less about it now since a gag order has been imposed. Many in the town have turned it into a racial issue, not the media. If I am not mistaken, all of the 19 arrested have been Black. The victim is Hispanic. She has been put in foster care for her own protection and her family has left town due to threats. I believe her dad is on disability and her mom has brain tumors and can work only a little. It is a mess.

I don't care what shortcomings the two had as parents, there is nothing that would shift the blame from her attackers. Several have criminal records. To make this a "racial thing" or blame the victim is nothing but a pathetic attempt to take attention away from the REAL issue.

Convict them and let them rot.

These are MEN assaulting an 11 yo child. There is absolutely no defense for them, yet their neighbors seem to want to throw blame on the poor girl and her parents.

Honestly, even if the 11 yo was parading naked down the street screaming, "come and get it" these animals would have no defense. She's 11!!!!

 

[wvjules]

This is the first I've heard of this too and I'm a news watcher. Not sure how this got past me.

I don't understand the 'group' phenomen either. Never have. How can all of these people do this and not ONE of them say, "hey, this is a bad idea and we shouldn't be doing this." It happens too often.

 

[Magic Mom]

I guess it's just odd to me because it's not been constantly been on the news like say Natalee Holloway was.

Natalie Holloway was a mystery. They didn't know who did it or if she was even alive still. In this case, the girl is alive, and several of the suspects have admitted to the crime. There is no intrigue to keep the viewers hanging. Plus, I'd bet Natalie's parents were much more media savvy.

Another thing to consider is that there were no gory details with Natalie...and she was much older. This crime is so disgusting that most people would turn off constant coverage. We just don't have the stomachs to think about something so heinous day after day.

 

[FredinFL]

Rape = Castration. Simple, and effective. I'd say death, but I'm trying to be conservative.

 

[luvmy3]

Rape = Castration. Simple, and effective. I'd say death, but I'm trying to be conservative.

Oh, in cases like this I don't think there is any need. Rotting in prison is too good for them, wipe these monsters off the face of the earth they don't deserve to share it with the rest of us.

 

[FredinFL]

Oh, in cases like this I don't think there is any need. Rotting in prison is too good for them, wipe these monsters off the face of the earth they don't deserve to share it with the rest of us.

Amen.

 

[momof1princess]

gang rape of an 11 year old child? i don't care how she was dressed or how little parental supervision she had, give all of those monsters the needle! or better yet, turn them loose in the general prison population and look the other way-even murderers and thieves hate child rapists.

 

[luvsJack]

I agree with all of the things everyone is saying should happen to these monsters. NOTHING this child did made her deserve this horrible assualt.

What has happened to make these men/boys think that this is ok? Doesn't sound like these were men/boys (some were middle school boys, right?) that were not raised with parents, supervision and a moral or two. How do they come to the conclusion that anything about this was ok? And 19 of them???

Before I make the next statement let me restate: NOTHING this child did made her deserve or "ask" for what happened to her. NOTHING her parents did made this ok. BUT--things like this are why I worry about middle school girls growing up right now. When I was 11, I would have NEVER gotten into the car with that guy in the first place (again, NOT blaming her) and I hope dd would not. But some girls are so desperate to impress some male it is crazy. So many of them do dress provactivly and try to act much older just to "catch" a boyfriend, they say and do things may give some perverted guy the impression that they are willing to do things they are not. I have had a few conversations trying to explain to them that while they are in no way "asking" for this kind of thing, and it in no way justifies anyone doing something like this--going off with someone they really do not know can put them in a situation that they cannot handle and may not be able to get away from.

 

[FireDancer]

I don't understand the 'group' phenomen either. Never have. How can all of these people do this and not ONE of them say, "hey, this is a bad idea and we shouldn't be doing this." It happens too often.

Sadly when the gang mentality kicks in the entire group seems to adopt the mentality of the dumbest member instead of the smartest.

 

[punkin]

I agree with all of the things everyone is saying should happen to these monsters. NOTHING this child did made her deserve this horrible assualt.

What has happened to make these men/boys think that this is ok? Doesn't sound like these were men/boys (some were middle school boys, right?) that were not raised with parents, supervision and a moral or two. How do they come to the conclusion that anything about this was ok? And 19 of them???

Before I make the next statement let me restate: NOTHING this child did made her deserve or "ask" for what happened to her. NOTHING her parents did made this ok. BUT--things like this are why I worry about middle school girls growing up right now. When I was 11, I would have NEVER gotten into the car with that guy in the first place (again, NOT blaming her) and I hope dd would not. But some girls are so desperate to impress some male it is crazy. So many of them do dress provactivly and try to act much older just to "catch" a boyfriend, they say and do things may give some perverted guy the impression that they are willing to do things they are not. I have had a few conversations trying to explain to them that while they are in no way "asking" for this kind of thing, and it in no way justifies anyone doing something like this--going off with someone they really do not know can put them in a situation that they cannot handle and may not be able to get away from.

Obviously, this girl's parents were absent/unavailable/incapable. Fine. What about these boys/men/animals? Did they have parents? How were they raised that a gang rape of a child even crosses their minds? OK, maybe there are one or two sickos in a community that find little girls attractive, but this?????

I believe that even if this girl was dressed in a burqua, as long as she was alone and vulnerable, these animals would have raped her.