[jlisenbe]

This kind of mob takeover should concern everyone, especially the final words about the reason the cops did not show up. Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that, in all likelihood, nothing at all will be done about it.

A video recorded a mob of California youth breaking into a gas station convenience store and then stealing what police say were thousands of dollars of products.
The incident happened early Sunday morning in Compton, California, after a large group of people blocked an intersection as part of a street takeover, with video footage showing cars drifting in circles and screeching around 2:30 a.m., according to KLTA.
"It's unbelievable, unreal. I've never seen anything like that happen here," Greg Johnson, a Compton resident and customer of the ARCO station that was looted, told ABC7 in reaction to the ransacking.


The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said products collectively worth thousands of dollars were stolen and that the store suffered serious damage, ABC7 reported.
Deputies at the Compton station were responding to incidents throughout the night, but police said that since they are "currently limited with their staffed personnel," they "couldn't intervene with the giant takeover groups for safety concerns" and being "outnumbered," according to ABC7.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/huge-mob-...numbered-video

[Wondergirl]

The youth do it because they can. And the behavior reflects video games I see over my son's shoulder and social media excitements and tryouts and "cutesy" behavior.

[tomder55]

It took years to get Walmart opened in inner cities so the people could enjoy the price savings and convenience of single stop shopping . Now they are closing all over inner cities because of out of control theft and employee safety . When these "youth" aka criminal marauders vandalize and shop lift they hurt the community they live in.

The US stores that closed their doors due to rampant theft | Daily Mail Online

Walmart closing stores in Portland due to 'rampant shoplifting' | Toronto Sun

What people don't realize is that this is often not a sudden flash mob. Frequently it is organized crime.

[jlisenbe]

This should be really alarming to us. Those young people have figured out that when a large number of them all "assault" a store together, then the cops will not intervene. It is the criminal element actually taking over. The poor store clerk had to hide in the bathroom. That this is taking place in Cali should surprise no one.

[tomder55]

This is what the moron mayor of Chi town Brandon Johnson said after hordes of youth rampaged ;vandalized stores ;cars ,and beat up Jewish ladies in downtown Chi town Saturday

“In no way do I condone the destructive activity we saw in the Loop and lakefront this weekend. It is unacceptable and has no place in our city,” “However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”
“Our city must work together to create spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly, under adult guidance and supervision, to ensure that every part of our city remains welcome for both residents and visitors.”

Maybe he will reintroduce midnight basketball.

[Wondergirl]

Maybe he will reintroduce midnight basketball.

Why didn't you list all the activites and opportunities that are available for youth in their communities? You musta mist that part of the story.

[jlisenbe]

You do realize that millions of young people raised in the poverty of large cities in America in the decades past somehow managed to go on to successful, law-abiding lives, and they (incredibly enough) had no youth centers or basketball courts. Wonder how they managed? Well, you can start with parenting.

There is never any excuse for allowing mobs of criminals, young or old, to cause mayhem in the lives of others.

[Wondergirl]

Actually, years ago they did have YMCAs to hang out at, plus school gyms and school clubs and church youth groups. Parenting WAS a problem back then too. There's been one huge change. Guess what it is.

[tomder55]

Why don't they use YMCA ? I am an active member and there is plenty to do there . There 14 in Chi-town .

[jlisenbe]

There's been one huge change. Guess what it is.

There have actually been at least three. 1. The predominance of out of wedlock births accompanied by an absence of fathers, a phenomenon scarcely seen before in all of history and one which can easily be shown to be disastrous. 2. The increasing presence of atheism, a belief system which places no value at all on human lives. 3. The removal of the Ten Commandments (Thou shalt not kill) from schoolhouse walls.

Not sure how someone could appeal to gun ownership. Guns have been present in American life since the Pilgrims. Only a few decades ago a teenager could order a semi-auto hunting rifle from the Sears catalog. As restrictive gun laws have increased, violent crime has also increased.

As is often the case here, this has been discussed previously. Sometimes people are too driven by ideology and are thus difficult to help.

[Wondergirl]

Nope, your three items were incorrect. And as a kid, I (as both student and later as teacher) NEVER saw the Ten Commandments on ANY wall, much less a schoolhouse wall, nor has my husband who attended a Christian high school. And those males, running away from females they got pregnant, has been doing that since humans first walked this Earth. And please read up on atheism. Atheists are too often more moral than are people who call themselves Christians.

There's been one huge change. Guess what it is.

[jlisenbe]

At least you didn't try to make the gun argument.

1. Hard to believe as it might be, more people went to high school than you and your husband. Go figure. Doubtless many of them saw the 10 Commandments on the wall, and hence we had a suit brought to take them down.
2. Please, please learn some history. Out of wedlock births have skyrocketed since 1950. They were rare for most of our history. Amongst black Americans, it is now above 75%, and in the inner cities it is doubtless higher than that. And unsurprisingly, young black men are six times more likely to commit a homicide than are young white men.
3. Atheists cannot claim to be moral since they have no foundation upon which to determine what constitutes morality. And they certainly have no reason to believe that human beings are any more special that dogs, cats, or bugs. They have to borrow from Christian beliefs to arrive at any of that.

You have been secluded too long. You need to get out and learn some things.

[Wondergirl]

You definitely need to get out more. Maybe work at a public library or become a psychotherapist. Talk with people and LISTEN to what they have to say.

I know atheists who are much more kind and loving and moral than Christians I know. A person can be that way without belief in a god.

Now, if only we could get rid of guns. One of the news stories today was about someone who pulled the car into the wrong driveway, and shots were fired by the homeowner.

[jlisenbe]

I know atheists who are much more kind and loving and moral than Christians I know. A person can be that way without belief in a god.

How do you know that being kind and loving are moral virtues? How would an atheist support such an idea?

Now, if only we could get rid of guns. One of the news stories today was about someone who pulled the car into the wrong driveway, and shots were fired by the homeowner.

Yep. Also gotta get rid of all those cars. I read a story where a person drove a van into a crowd of people and killed several of them. And not a day goes by but that a drunk person in a car hits and kills someone. Shameful!!

[Wondergirl]

How would an atheist support such an idea?

Why would he have to support it? He can just BE kind and loving and helpful and moral.

[jlisenbe]

You are missing the point. You say that kindness and being helpful are moral virtues, but you have a supporting foundation for that view which is the will of God expressed in the Bible. What do atheists have to convince them that kindness and being helpful are morally good other than their own personal opinions?

[Wondergirl]

Atheists -- and anyone else -- have the experience of having been loved and been kind to that convinces them that unselfish love and kindness are good choices.

[jlisenbe]

Atheists -- and anyone else -- have the experience of having been loved and been kind to that convinces them that unselfish love and kindness are good choices.

So their own personal experience is the only foundation they have? Even that does not make kindness a moral virtue. It simply, as you said, makes it a "good choice". It does not at all make it a morally superior choice to being unkind and selfish. They are all merely "choices".

There is no room at all in the philosophy of atheism to suggest that humans are of greater value than animals. To kill a dog is on the same level as killing a person or killing a bug or killing a tree. It is not a moral question at all because, after all, what is there in the belief system of atheism that would establish human beings as being of greater worth than other living creatures?

In the Christian ethic, we teach that man is made in the image of God and is of far greater worth than animals. The difference in the two views is startling for those honest enough to see it.

[Wondergirl]

Then why do Christians harm and even kill each other and non-Christians? LGBTQ+ people, people of color, people from other countries and other religions are made in the image of God. Why do Christians hate? Jesus said, "Love one another".

When we're both in Heaven, look for me. I'll be hanging around with transgenders, people of color, Sikhs, et al. And we'll be having fun as we play with our cats and kittens. Probably dogs and puppies too.

[jlisenbe]

You are completely missing the point. Yes Christians do bad things. You, for instance, encourage people to pursue LGBTQ lifestyles, and that is wicked. The point is that we have a standard that goes far beyond our own personal views to establish what is morally right or morally wrong. It is our foundation. So when we are being unkind, we have a solid reason to know that kindness is a moral virtue that goes far beyond our own past experiences.

Can't help but notice that you think you will see people of other faiths in heaven in addition to dogs, cats, puppies, and so forth, but you never mention Jesus. Wonder why? I assure you that those in heaven will be in eternal awe and amazement at him. God will be our eternal joy, and not dogs and cats.