The other day I got thoroughly bummed out by, and then posted about, some video footage of the May 1st “Valencia Street” riot. It put me in a bad mood, and my takeaway was basically, “Wow, look at how fearlessly they attack this cop car — this is scary.” The first seven minutes of unchecked carnage were enough to blind me to the one ray of hope in the footage (which begins around the 7:25 mark). And my mood got worse as the comments flooded in. Until this one:
I was still living in San Francisco during the Giants non-sense and watched a woman drive through the mob and get her car jumped on which seemed to completely render the trunk usable as well I’m sure plenty of damage I didn’t witness. In retrospect, I wish I’d been the guy in the video who ran up shouting “Hey! hey! hey!” Instead I pulled out my iPhone and took a picture which I’m pretty ashamed of. At least the story the video tells, lots of spectators doing nothing, and one guy running up to defend the neighborhood. If you’re looking for something to take from this video, be that guy who runs up in front of the window being smashed or the car about to be spray painted. And when they start swearing at you, don’t introduce violence because that changes the game, but just say you love your neighborhood and this isn’t what you want. [link]
So there are two silver linings here. 1.) This one citizen standing up to the mob means there’s still good in the world, and 2.) This one commenter bringing some positivity to the discussion means there’s still good in the Mission Mission comments section.
Happy Friday, everybody. Love your neighborhood!
It’s nice to see the ONE person willing to speak up! What makes me just as sick as watching this video is knowing that in this perfect opportunity to do the right thing, only one person actually DID the right thing. Where were all of those people who keep commenting on how fucked up these marchers were when they were marching?
I was at home, in bed — where were you?
In fairness, arguing with a mob isn’t the smartest thing to do. It could easily have gone the other way and the guy have regretted it for the rest of his life.
If there were no element of risk than it wouldn’t be such a brave and commendable act.
Fuck yeah Mission Resident!
I’m gonna be just like you, judge people and stand up for my neighborhood by posting comments on this blog! Now I feel hella good about myself!
I wasn’t there. It would be easy for me to say “if I was there I would have spoken up too.” Since I wasn’t there all I can say that I like to hope I wouldn’t have just stood around letting people destroy my home.
Maybe “happy420″ can share his feelings about caring for his neighborhood.
For what it’s worth, I was there and followed them for a block. Called 911 twice and screamed at the cops for being nowhere in sight. I wish I’d had the balls to do what this guy did, however.
No, no, no. You’re supposed to wear a red beret and spend your time hassling hobos while ignoring the violence around you.
Come on, people.
+1….I think it was movie night at the Guardian Angels compound. Avengers or Death Wish?
Kick Ass, probably.
I’ll be that guy… that guy who loves his wiener.
Link to where the dude starts being awesome
http://youtu.be/wZJYH-KRWpk?t=8m12s
Now I REALLY wish I’d proof read so I’d corrected usable to be unusable.
Good for that guy. We definitely need more people like that.
Putting yourself in danger to protect private property is generally stupid. It might be brave or commendable, but it is still stupid.
Putting yourself in danger to protect yourself or others from physical harm is intelligent AND commendable.
Cars are just THINGS. It is stupid to risk your life or safety in defense of a THING.
I would tend to agree. It’s probably always better not to stand up to a mob unless someone’s life is in danger. Otherwise, you’re putting your own life in danger.
I saw almost the exact same thing happen about 15 years ago. Only that time, a guy who stood up to them for trashing a car ended up getting stomped by a bunch of black boots and was taken away in an ambulance, unconscious. I wished I could have done something to stop it, but I had no desire to get stomped as well.
It’s a very frustrating situation because really, you should just call the police, and not try to be a hero against a violent mob. But in this case the police clearly knew (they escorted them the entire way). They just decided to let them trash the neighborhood for some reason.
So I know y’all think that guy was some sort of hero, but he was down with smashing windows. He was not down with indiscriminate window smashing. If it was some yuppie’s window, he didn’t say nothing. If it was a real local establishment, he jumped out. This guy, not the yuppies friend. By yuppies, I mean all you white folks from the midwest or LA. With sweet design portfolios. Or where ever/whatever it is you yuppies come from/do these days.
Yeah totally. People who are talented and invest their time in developing skills are such scabs. lol. Stupid rich people.
I like this post.
somebody named:”someguy”just said its some type of “violation” for people from the midwest (OR la)meaning WHITE FOLKS.to come to frisco..implying this is some type of reason to get :robbed/rat-packed/racially intimidated;ect.ect.whose rule is that?????i been around for a long;long time(originally from providence)..an been in the prison system here…whose rule is that????who made those rules up??????
excuse me;itsNIGHTMARE JOEY NOT:NIGHTMERS(THOSE 40 OZers doin me)above
Yeah, that’s it — blame the 40z, not the STUPIDITY.