Philly news: Flash mob violence and the "Hunt and Wreck" game -

[old mark]

Philly mayor says there is no racial component to stupidity...

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/us/25mobs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig

Welcome to the future?
Sounds a little like the old movie "Clockwork Orange", but with electronics...


mark

[Barack_America]

1. Yep. We're now getting "Urgent Flash Mob Alerts" from our employers and schools.

Suggesting we avoid areas where these things are supposed to pop up.

Kids in this city certainly seem to be lost.

[old mark]

2. I feel sad for kids anywhere these days- seems like there is an awful lot

of things they can't do that we took for granted...I don't know if that's real or just my old age talking....

mark

[Barack_America]

6. Well, it's these kids who are experiencing the growing divide between rich and poor most acutely

The tension has been growing for some time.

[Dappleganger]

3. Have been studying this during the past few days, we'll be in Center City next weekend.

Called up my self-defense instructor for a few pointers because the way a flash mob moves is different than some other measure normally taken.

It seems like Philly isn't serious about arrests, either. These kids aren't out just walking around and hanging out or doing silly stuff. They are randomly attacking pedestrians and residents, show owners, etc. It seemed to begin last summer, it calmed down for awhile and now this past weekend was either the 3rd or 4th event since the beginning of the year. There's also a trial going on for some students who were arrested in another flash mob incident.

We will definitely be changing where we shop and keep an eye out on a sudden surge in students. I also want to know where the heck are their parents???

[meow2u3]

4. The parents sometimes are the problem

Some of these parents are in denial about their kids' involvement in flash mobs. One mom even disrupted court proceedings with her "not my kid" rant.

[Barack_America]

7. The bigger problem is that many of the parents don't seem to care...

...until their kid gets in trouble.

[old mark]

12. About three years ago, Philly had a large parent's meeting about

their 30%-every day-absentee rate from public high schools, and were told the city would fine parents for kid's continued absences. Large numbers of parents just walked out. They seem to leave all up to the schools and the city to take care of their kids....

Not every one, certainly, but a large number.

mark

[pecwae]

15. Was it Philly

where a mob of youths killed a homeless man recently?

[LynneSin]

16. Did you read the article - they are getting very serious about the arrests in Philly

along with other tactics to help minimize these issues.

[Dappleganger]

19. They have just now decided to 'get serious.'

According to a local forum I visit the residents believe that law enforcement and the city are just now beginning to get it.

Tourist season is upon them, IOW. I've already contacted the hotel where we'll be staying with concerns and was told that lots of people are calling as well. They have been in turn making their own complaints because they're afraid it'll hurt their business in an already down economy. It seems that last summer when it was going on they were able to get on top of it but have let up on that vigilance.

[PCIntern]

5. It's bad all right...

I work where the Flash Mobs tend to 'finish up', West of The Gallery on the other side of Broad St....problems the other day, adn South St. was a mess on Sat PM...the judge threw the book at the kids, and well that he should have. I understand that it was orders from 'on high', and the police are getting ready to have a return to the Rizzo days...meaning billy club use and lots of blood. Gonna be a mess here...

It is scary...I watched a group of teens terrorize people on the sidewalk.

[Dappleganger]

11. I really feel for you...

and the other residents and shop owners who are all victims in this.

Do you have a way to protect yourself if you get caught in the mess? What was surprising for me to learn was that this isn't just happening at night but during the day too.

[xchrom]

8. I'm out of the loop -- what's a flash mob? Nt

[RainDog]

10. flash mobs started as attempts to bring some serendipity into ppls' lives

dancers, singers, actors and amateurs would practice a performance and meet at a designated place to do that dance in front of a totally unsuspecting crowd.

people met to dance to the Do-Re-Mi song from The Sound of Music in the Antwerp train station, for instance.

people did Michael Jackson songs after his death.

now it's become a way to organize attacks by some.

when this first took off I said it would be a great way to incite violence as part of a mob.

The problem for these kids is that no one gives a shit about their lives and they're telling everyone that someone ought to care...and not in the best way.

Problems have been cut so much in all different areas that provide services to people.

Children suffer the most.

But, of course, people who are so rich they could build entire libraries themselves cannot be expected to pay taxes to target funds to meet the needs that are out there.

[Soylent Brice]

9. more like The Warriors...

[AngryAmish]

13. This is not an internet nor children problem, the problem is it is Philly

Remember when they booed Santa and pelted him with snowballs?

[LynneSin]

17. So how does something that happened almost 40 years ago affect today's mobs?

That was 1968 when it happened. Some of the Parents of these kids weren't even born when that happened (or were just toddlers).

I do disagree with Nutter when it comes to the cut in city services plus the lack of jobs for young kids today. These kids are bored - libraries are closed, jobs are tough to find what else is there for them to do. And although I suspect these flash mobs weren't meant to be destructive, it only takes a few bad apples to make it go really bad.

[AngryAmish]

18. The old incident does not effect these mobs

It just shows that the culture of Philly revels in thuggishness. Brutality is to be expected in Philly.

[Dappleganger]

20. Yep, that's Philly!

These kids do need some kind of job or something to do and are just not finding positive outlets. Of course I understand not being to find work, it's bad enough around here for our teens in the suburbs where they are competing for minimum wage jobs with people who have master's degrees. After awhile you just want to give up, you know?

This will be my fourth visit to Center City but it's been about four years since my last time there.

[depakid]

14. Seeing how they treated their own youth- I'm not surprised

Corrupt judges and DA's -and how many others throughout the system sending how many thousands of kids to "boot camps" on minor or trumped up charges?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/23/pennsylvania.corrupt.judges/

Prosecuting them as sex offenders for shenanigans with mobile phones?

http://blog.myphillylawyer.com/2010/01/27/sexting-prosecution-of-three-teens-in-pennsylvania-goes-way-over-the-line/

That speaks of a very sick culture that's got a SERIOUS problem dealing with kids-