Gang rape at California high school -- update

By Michael J.W. Stickings

See my initial post here. And read the comments. A couple of the commenters threw race into it, as well as their own racism, implying clearly that the rapists did what they did because of who they are, namely, Hispanics. This sort of racial stereotyping is all-too-common, of course, and it's repugnant, whether the targets are blacks or Hispanics or any other non-white "Other." It is similarly ridiculous to blame, as one commenter did, Bay Area liberals for fostering diversity and multiculturalism, as if the very presence of non-whites in the community is ultimately to blame for what happened.

Such responses are predictable, I suppose, and reflective of the bigotry that still plagues America, but I find them no less appalling for being so.

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It is horrible still to think in detail about what happened. One can only hope that the girl is getting the help and support she needs. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to her, as well as those in the community who stand with her in solidarity.

Thankfully, the law is coming down -- hard, which is as it should be:

Police investigating the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl have arrested five people, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

Three juveniles and two adults are in custody in the rape on Saturday, said the Richmond police spokesman, Lt. Mark Gagan. The three juveniles will be charged as adults, he said.

Gagan said the suspects will face several felony charges in the incident, including "rape in concert," and that the suspects would all face the possibility of life in prison if convicted.

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As many as 10 people were involved in the assault in a dimly lighted back alley at the school, police have said, while another 10 people watched without calling 911 to report it.

A 1999 California law makes it illegal not to report a witnessed crime against a child, but the law applies only to cases in which the child is 14 or younger.

Police have posted a $20,000 reward for anyone who comes to them with information that helps arrest and convict those involved in the attack.

Hopefully police will continue to round up the perpetrators of this horrible crime -- and that some way can be found to hold accountable those who stood by and did nothing to stop it.

Meanwhile, as CNN is also reporting, a friend of the victim has "blamed school district officials for not doing enough to protect her school -- and her friend. She said none of the four officers who were at the homecoming dance was patrolling the school premises even though there were a dozen young men hanging out just a few feet from the gym entrance. She says school officials chose not to take any action."

Obviously, there's a lot of blame to go around, but there should be no excuses for the crime, and no leniency for the criminals.