Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

http://www.ohio.com/news/50172282.html

Akron police say they aren't ready to call it a hate crime or a gang initiation.

But to Marty Marshall, his wife and two kids, it seems pretty clear.

It came after a family night of celebrating America and freedom with a fireworks show at Firestone Stadium. Marshall, his family and two friends were gathered outside a friend's home in South Akron.

Out of nowhere, the six were attacked by dozens of teenage boys, who shouted ''This is our world'' and ''This is a black world'' as they confronted Marshall and his family.

The Marshalls, who are white, say the crowd of teens who attacked them and two friends June 27 on Girard Street numbered close to 50. The teens were all black.

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You KNOW there is more to this than the family is saying. Nobody else was attacked. So why them?

If they hadn't (probably) been staring daggers, perhaps even throwing out the "N" bomb - no problem.

Smells fishier than a fleet of crab boats.

[Raster]

1. I think I'll reserve judgment ALL THE WAY AROUND!

Racism and racist bigotry are by no means white exclusive prerogatives. I've seen the uglies come from ALL COLORS. And as a gay man, I am here to tell you, no color nor ethnicity is immune to gang-fueled hate crime-type behaviour.

Racism, bigotry and hate crimes are WRONG, no matter the flavor.

[brendan120678]

2. Why do you think that there is more to the story?

Random attacks can't happen?
There's no way a group of punks would attack a small group of people just for fun?

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

4. I'm not saying it is impossible

Just unlikely.

There are plenty of RW racist rednecks who are still upset at the idea of a black president, who are vocal about their displeasure, and ready and willing to stir up trouble.

Again, I'm not saying that's what it is, but having known, even been related to, racists, it is VERY EASY to imagine a provication, an exaggeration, or even an outright lie about the situation.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

5. So you think this guy or his wife called a group of 50 black teenagers the N word?

In front of their kids. mmmmkay.

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

8. Some of the spouting morons I have known in my life

Yes, unfortunately I believe it is possible.

Racists are desperate, seeing the world change about them, and cannot deal with it.

Regardless of the truth of -this- particular event, this is a subject that needs to be dealt with. NOW.

People need to get over the idea that someone else's success is dependent on their failure.

[OhioChick]

3. I heard this on our local news days ago...

Racism goes both ways.

[Echo In Light]

6. That it does. Sexism also.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Where is Holder on this one?

Racism, sexism, and bigotry are not solely the province of WASPs

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

9. Racism, sexism, homophobia comes in all colors

But WASPs have proven themselves better than most at it.

And coming from the global power position, it is particularly damaging.

[niceypoo]

10. This is a hate crime

and it should be dealt with as such

[slampoet]

12. And you know more than the police who took the report? how?

[slampoet]

11. First off when have you ever heard any teen say "This is our World"? Isn't that a talking point?

Secondly Have you ever tried to get just 7 people to agree on what restaurant they want? Ever tried 50?

Thirdly the BIGGEST sign is the "out of nowhere". At traffic accidents when a driver says something came out of nowhere that is a sure sign that they are either lying or weren't keeping their eyes on the road. In our world nothing comes out of nowhere, it can come around a corner or out of hiding very quickly but out of nowhere is impossible and if anyone says it they are missing or concealing information.

I can see exactly why the cops are reserving judgment.

This story stinks. There is something else going on here.

My most innocent guess is that the family was shooting off some illegal fireworks of their own and didn't want to admit that started the dispute.


PS - Why does this story even mention a family night at the stadium? What does it matter what they were doing an hour or less before they gathered at their friend's house? It seems the author of the article is making a lot of effort to call this group of people a family when it also included two OTHER UNRELATED people. The headline says attack on family but this wasn't a family it was four adults and two teens that the author also calls children even though they are 15 and 14. The article even contradicts itself. "recounts the attack by a group of teens on himself and his family while they were watching a Fourth of July fireworks display in Firestone Park." appears under the photo but in the body of the article it says "his family and two friends were gathered outside a friend's home in South Akron." So NO WONDER the cops has problems when even the reporter can't keep the story straight.

PPS- Do you see how the reporter is trying to make this about America and fireworks for the 4th of July but the incident happened on JUNE27th? It was just fireworks at a stadium and not truely independance day related.

[Rage for Order]

13. Yes, whereever could they have gotten such an idea?

It's not like any well-known pulic figures have said anything remotely similar to "This is our world"

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/17/nagin.city/

"I don't care what people are saying Uptown or wherever they are. This city will be chocolate at the end of the day," he said. "This city will be a majority African-American city. It's the way God wants it to be."

Ray Nagin, New Orleans mayor
January 16, 2006

[slampoet]

14. Not similar other than it's in english and it's said by a black person.

[Rage for Order]

15. If you say so

"Chocolate city" vs "chocolate world"...not all that different. And who's to say that the person was speaking literally when using the word "world"? For example, "This is my world, the rest of you are just living in it". Do you think someone who says this actually believes that the entire world is theirs?

Maybe it happened just the way it was reported, maybe it didn't happen at all. Either way, it's not a stretch to think that someone who was pissed off or looking to start trouble would say something similar to what is reported in the article.

[anonymous171]

16. Why? nt

[imdjh]

17. Lancaster is feeling very smug right now.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-spycam-city21-2009jun21,0,3641451.story

By Bob Drogin
June 21, 2009
Reporting from Lancaster, Pa. -- This historic town, where America's founding fathers plotted during the Revolution and Milton Hershey later crafted his first chocolates, now boasts another distinction.

It may become the nation's most closely watched small city.