We Should All Pay Attention To The Hate Crime In Chicago
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

We Should All Pay Attention To The Hate Crime In Chicago

A horrible hate crime took place, but the police hesitated to see it that way.

14
We Should All Pay Attention To The Hate Crime In Chicago
Boston Herald

A lot of people were very hopeful that going into 2017, our nation would begin to heal from the wounds inflicted by the political and social outrage that dominated 2016. But, of course, it was only a matter of time before there would be yet another major incident of hate crime. That incident was the kidnapping and torture of a mentally handicapped young man in Chicago. However, while many people are probably assuming right now that this young man was targeted because he is black or Muslim, he was in face white. His torturers were two black men, Jordan Hill and Tesfaye Cooper, both age 18, and two black women, Brittany Covington and Tanishia Covington, ages 18 and 24.

To me, there are a variety of problems here, all of which are simply horrific. First of all, the fact that these young African Americans decided to target a disabled man is absolutely disgusting. The torturers lured the young man, whose name has been withheld from public reports, to a McDonald's in a suburb of Chicago and then kidnapped him using a stolen van. They clearly took advantage of the young man's mental capacity to kidnap him, and continued to do so throughout the attack.

How do we know that they continued to target his mental capacity? That brings us to the second problem here: much of the torture was posted via Facebook Live. So, not only were the attackers targeting a mentally handicapped, white man, but they were proud to do it. They wanted everyone to know about it; they can be heard on the video saying they wanted it to go viral. These people were not born with this mindset. There is a clear indicator of a problem in America's inner cities, where countless acts of violence each year are flaunted by the violent individuals as accomplishments.

The third problem I can see here, which is a very big one, is the hesitance that many officials had to label the attack as being racially or politically motivated. In the video, the torturers repeatedly yell, "F*ck Donald Trump" and "F*ck white people." If that's not a racially and politically motivated hate crime, then nothing is. Of course, the hesitance was because the victim is white. This country has been conditioned to believe that racism is not possible toward white people. I assure you, even though there are many attacks by white people on minorities, the reverse scenario is just as common. But we don't see those incidents. They are never labeled as hate crimes, even if they are. And that is a serious problem in America right now that we need to fix. Racism is racism, regardless of who is being racist. We cannot use race as a basis to excuse, or even worse, legitimize violence in any situation.

While the torturers were ultimately charged with hate crimes and various other charges, including aggravated kidnapping and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, this should have been loudly condemned as a hate crime from the very beginning of the investigation. The police and any prosecutor have been given an invaluable resource: the video that the attackers so brashly posted to Facebook. Now, it is impossible to ignore the racial and political motivations here. I have written before about our country's terrible state of social tension (you can read that here) and I will say again, it needs to stop. I don't believe that the Obama administration has done much at all to ease these tensions. The election wasn't a big help either. And, to be quite honest, I don't think that many Americans have put any effort into solving the problem. The only way that this is ever going to change is if we collectively condemn these types of senseless hate crimes from the moment we hear about them. We cannot make it a cause to be antagonistic toward people of a different race or political party anymore.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

43120
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

27093
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

952086
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

142678
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments