Rick Raw: Gang Rape Endemic of Broader Sociological Problems

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net

The shocking gang rape and beating of a 15 year old high school student outside a school dance in Richmond, California is endemic of broader and disturbing sociological problems among today’s youth culture. At least 10 teenage boys participated in the rape, while 20 young bystanders watched and did nothing to help the girl or call 911. The rape went on for two and a half hours before the cops got wind of the crime.

Two days later, five suspects were arrested with more arrests pending. The chief detective working on the case said that as soon as they got each boy alone in an interrogation room, they soon understood the gravity of what they had done. They crumbled, confessing and implicating the others. He suggested that during the incident, a mob mentality developed, exacerbated by the cheering crowd.

More disturbingly, many kids in the Richmond high school were blaming the victim, saying she had it coming. The girl was on her way to meet her father who was waiting to pick her up when her friend suggested they go to the back of the school and have a drink. She was lured to the planned rape. The most telling part of this crime is, the boys who were watching didn’t think there was anything wrong with their friends raping this girl for an hour and a half.

So how do we unravel the broader sociological reasons for this crime and who is to blame for the failure of the parents to teach their teenagers morality? Indeed, the parents and the pervasive violent images to which young people are exposed are partially to blame.

Many of these kids are raised by single mothers who work two jobs and are never home. These kids spend hours playing violent video games and watching rap videos that portray women as whores and bitches, shaking their asses up against the rappers’ crotches.

Sexual suggestive images are everywhere in our society, from billboards to magazines. With no parenting to speak of, young boys have no respect for young women. High school students live in an unrealistic subculture that is far removed from consensus reality. Even the girls are guilty of bullying other girls.

In the apartment complex where I live, I recently observed a 12 year-old boy with a toy gun. He was walking along pointing the gun at me and other people going about their duties. He was saying, "This is a stick up."

Clearly, this boy was rehearsing his plan to hold up a convenience store. Where did he get this idea that it was acceptable to even fantasize about committing a crime? Where was his fundamental morality? It was lost in the violent world of video fantasy in which he lives.

Despite many so called experts who argue that violent video games are not harmful, I vehemently believe that graphically realistic games like "Grand Theft Auto" glorify a criminal lifestyle. The theme encourages a "badass" mentality of violence and taking what you want, as opposed to working for it.

Male teenagers are very susceptable to this macho idea of gangs and guns. It permeates their youth culture. If they steal to get money, then it follows that they will rape to get sex. Today’s youth culture is broken and in need of a reality check. Where are the adults to teach these kids society’s rules and laws? Many teachers have attempted to instill morality in their students, but the kids have tuned them out. Unfortunately, many of these kids never make it to the real adult world. They end up in jail serving long sentences.

As long as kids are absorbed in violent video games and rap videos, they are being conditioned to react to situations with violence and to disrespect women. They react to their raging hormones and accelerated sex drive by harboring rape fantasies. It’s part of their antiworld of amorality and acting out their angst.