The term “teenage mob attacks” sounds like some cliché term out of a bad horror story. But, this is a growing phenomenon amongst our youth, and a concern especially for many store owners in urban areas. Signs are surfacing of a growing epidemic of violence, and many are realizing this is just the beginning. In fact, in the last 4 months, teenage mobs have wreaked havoc in different parts of the country. Media outlets have reported the following incidents of teenage looting:
- In February of 2011, a Vallejo city worker was attacked and robbed by a mob of teenagers.
- In May 2011, teenage mobs began shoplifting in Chicago on Michigan Ave.
- Again, in May 2011, mobs swarmed a Las Vegas convenience store and stole $600 worth of goods.
- Just recently in New York, a teenage mob stole food and damaged a Dunkin’ Doughnut store.
Many stores in the surrounding areas of the above mentioned attacks, say the same type of attacks have occurred in their store; however, out of fear of retribution, the stores will not give their names or press charges.
Understanding Mob Mentality
These teenage hoodlums know there is power in large numbers and they are using it to their advantage. To announce a pending mob attack, they use their cell phones to electronically organize and communicate through social networks. Once a large number arrive, they end up looting the store, and damaging private property. Many believe this is nothing more than teenagers seeking some fast thrills and public notoriety. However, knowing they will get some sort of media attention, only further escalates these mob-type attacks. To combat this, police officers are monitoring social network sites attempting to stop the mobs before they strike. However, due to the spontaneity of this type of crime, police officers are finding it very difficult to be proactive.
It seems as if these teenagers are not concerned with getting caught as they obviously could care less about the security cameras catching their every move. Could it be that their lack of concern is because the penalization of a juvenile is nothing more than a slap on the wrist?
To further understand this phenomenon, scientists at the University of Leeds have researched and believe they have found the source of why humans flock like sheep and birds. In an article regarding this subject, they indicate that we are merely subconsciously following a minority of individuals.
Researchers discovered that it takes a minority of just 5 percent to influence a crowd’s direction – and that the other 95 percent follow without realizing it… We’ve all been in situations where we get swept along by the “crowd,” says Professor Krause. “But what’s interesting about this research is that our participants ended up making a consensus decision despite the fact that they weren’t allowed to talk or gesture to one another. In most cases the participants didn’t realize they were being led by others.”
Whether or not this is the case, these young adults are making poor choices that are affecting the livelihoods of others. Their careless acts and lack of moral judgement leads this author to believe we do have an epidemic on our hands. An epidemic of poorly raised children with no direction towards making themselves better individuals. How can we put the future into the hands of these juvenile delinquents? What is it that makes them choose this way of life? Are their basic needs not being met? Do they feel under pressure about the bad economy? Do they even know what the economy is?
Future Trends
It is a fact that when people’s basic needs are not met, they will act out. Therefore, it is only a matter of time before these senseless acts of violence will not be limited to only misguided youth, but reach out to others who feel they need to take their own desperation into their hands. Due to the recent increase in unemployment, and under stimulated economy there will be an increase in crime, and violent mob attacks are surely to increase. That being said, what will the local and state police force do to deter these attacks? Will they create a police state and place a police officer on every street corner? Is that what this is coming to?
Why not put the power back into each individual’s hands? While the teenage mobs are looting the stores, what were the witnesses doing? Did they call the police, did they try and stop them or were they one of the many onlookers? Instead of looking around and wondering what can be done, start taking personal responsibility for your city. It’s time Americans start acting in accordance to what our Founding Fathers would have wanted for this great country. We must protect the freedoms that we have by fighting fire with fire.
To cure any epidemic, doctors must take a hard stance on fighting the disease. Even though the problem of violence has the ability to spread like a wildfire, in this case, there is no tough stance. For decades, juvenile detention centers have made failed attempts at turning misguided youth around through counseling and have resorted to boot camps to make a last ditch effort at turning these teens around. The problems are only escalating and need to stop. Juveniles must begin taking personal responsibility for their actions. Simply put, that means, no more slaps on the wrist. It is time they were taught the phrase,”If you do the crime, you do the time.”
In summary, what happened to this generation? Each generation is supposed to be better than the previous one. The individulas who were involved in these senseless crimes are revolting, are ill- equipped to handle adult situations, and in all honesty, have the mental capacity of a 4-year old. It’s like watching children have temper tantrums when they don’t get what they want. When these delinquents organize their next mob attack, they need to be held accountable. Instead of citizens idly watching, they need to take action. The cure for this epidemic rests in each citizen’s hands. You hold the key to stopping this.
Just my opinion, and I’m not any kind of expert, but I believe that as population continues to increase, while resources decrease, we’ll see more and more of this. Then more and more will gladly accept more policing in exchange for protection. Yet not much is being done to slow population (fluid borders, govt support for families that continue to spit out kid after kid). Tick tock.
Are you saying a youth cleansing of all teenagers in the country? Lets do it, they’re all brats now.
Another symptom of an eroding society. When will people realize that all the evils that we see around us and the increased amount of natural disasters are all warnings to a world population that has forgotten God and that has placed more emphases on the arm of flesh than our loving Father in Heaven.
These things should bring us to our knees and should invoke us to ask forgiveness for breaking God’s commandments.
R-E-P-E-N-T and keep all of God’s commandment – that means me too!
@Bill – If your question was directed at me, then no, of course not. I can’t come up with a solution. China restricted how many children a couple could have, now they’ve been aborting female babies for who knows how long, because their culture has males supporting the elders in the family. It won’t be too much longer before their boy children become young men, where will they find wives? But IMO, the Chinese have become more used to being told what to do than here in the US, so I doubt the subject of restricting births in the US will happen any time soon here.
Another reason restricting births in the US might not be a great idea is with our “fluid” borders, it won’t be long before there’s more non-citizens that US citizens.
As far as teens being brats, haven’t older generations always thought that? It might take a while, but if teens continue to take advantage of “they’ll only slap my wrist because of my age”, they’ll make new laws when public outcries outnumber lenient-parents.
If we cleanse the teens, then we are not any better than those taking our rights away from us. We have to stop giving the power of change to the government’s hands. They only find politically correct ways of going about their change. The end result is way too lenient.
We are Americans, each of us has the power to mold and change this country. We have just become lazy and complacent, while allowing government pigs to make the changes for us. It’s time to get involved again.
I agree with Tess, each town or city’s citizens have to take a stand and stop this. I don’t think attacking an angry mob is the answer, but maybe while the store clerks are running out of the store, they can lock the doors behind them givaing the cops time to get there. I mean the stores are already damaged, why not catch the perps at the same time.
Just a thought…
I’ll fight the disease. If they come into my convenience store and do these things, they will be dropping like flies. Do the crime, die like slime!
Unfortunately what we have here is a classic “no win” situation. If you do nothing the mobs will gather more frequently, become larger and more violent. If you use a fist, nightstick or pepper spray to attempt to disrupt the mob you will be the subject of legal action. If the local DA doesn’t go after you as a “vigilante” then some of the little creeps parents will sober up long enough to talk to an attorney and try to take everything you own because you whapped junior upside his head. Lord knows if you use a firearm to stop this you will have both of the aforementioned problems plus Clarence Dupnik and Sarah Brady will be using you as an example why people must lay down and die rather than defend themselves.
Teens should be beaten not herded.
Are they brats? Yes.
Have we created an economy and future for them that provides them with hope for their ability to raise families, pursue careers and live fruitful lives? Not really.
We keep buying crap from China and our incomes keep decreasing. Every job category is decimated year after year by automation and mass production.
If you think that the children will stand by the waysides as their future is eroded to slavery then you are mistaken. See in them the spirit of our American revolutionaries in the 1700s and understand that they are just demanding a fair shake. Should they be allowed to steal and mob? Of course not. But people riot when they ascertain that their voices are being silenced and they are no longer represented.
I recall a story about a bunch of white men who dressed up like Indians in Boston and “mobbed” some ships. Do you speak for the King of England circa 1700 or do you speak for free Americans of 2011?
Diggity Dog,
I see where you are going with this and I applaude you for looking outside of the box. However, these teenagers are not mobbing in order to invoke their innate freedoms. They are attacking the citizens of this country who are trying to create their American dreams. Sorry to be judgemental, but these creeps (and they are creeps) are nothing more than petty thieves. Again, I applaude you for looking at this from another perspective, but I cannot stomach imagining these dim wits as American revolutionaries. They are stealing from hard working Americans. And, there are no protests occuring. Yes, the jobs in this country are few and far between, but they aren’t protesting anything. They are using their cell phones and constructing a mob via facebook or text message. It seems to me, that their only intent is to destroy for the sake of destroying.
carry shot guns and ammo! it will stop it!
‘teenagers’, hoodlums’, ‘youths’? Huh? Can’t you call a spade a spade? These are black people, attacking largely white people. period
You write, “It is a fact that when people’s basic needs are not met”.
What total liberal hear no evil, see no evil hogwash! Compare the behaviopur of whites to that of Blacks during Karina. Neither group had it’s “basic needs” met and yet they acted differently. i.e. differnt people act differently when their ‘basic needs’ are not met.
Like Mothergoose says, call a spade a spade. “Teenagers.” These are Blacks attacking Whites, as you can also read here:
http://lewrockwell.com/slavo/slavo50.1.html
“Witnesses’ accounts claim everything from dozens to hundreds of young black people beating white people as they left State Fair Thursday night. …’It looked like they were just going after white guys, white people,” said Norb Roffers of Wind Lake in an interview with Newsradio 620 WTMJ. He left the State Fair Entrance near the corner of South 84th Street and West Schlinger Avenue in West Allis. …’It was 100% racial,’ claimed Eric, an Iraq war veteran from St. Francis who says young people beat on his car. …’I had a black couple on my right side, and these black kids were running in between all the cars, and they were pounding on my doors and trying to open up doors on my car, and they didn’t do one thing to this black couple that was in this car next to us. They just kept walking right past their car. They were looking in everybody’s windshield as they were running by, seeing who was white and who was black.'”
My purpose in writing this article was not to point the finger at what ethnic group is to blame for these crimes. I simply wanted to emphasize that this is a growing and dangerous movement sweeping across the nation. And, because these attacks are based out of anger and hate, it could continue spreading – including into different ethnic groups.
Since parents and teachers as a general rule fail to discipline their kids, this doesn’t surprise me. Kids tell parents what to do. Raising a family can be a curse as most fail in parenting, to incl siblings and close friends, Me and others have dropped out of community activities and churches because churches don’t preach family values and parental responsibility, they only entertain. We have private Bible study, etc. in homes. Corruption in local gov. is another reason, which is why me and many others quit voting on all levels of gov. 25 years ago. These flash mobs are part of the Black Panthers agenda (order out of chaos, etc). Try to stay home at night and late in the day. I get all my shopping and business done before noon. Daytime mobs may surface later at family places like Walmart and malls. Best to stay out of crowds and public gatherings of all types. stay aware, alert of your surroundings.
Oh what liberal progressives have inflicted upon the nation. Many black youth have been made unemployed by minimum wage laws and licensing of professions and so now they form gangs to attack shops and merchants. They should be targeting Ivy League Universities and banks instead.
We got here due to the welfare state Progressive policies and mentality of treating lazy people as victims (‘disadvantaged’, ‘less fortunate’, etc) that deserve money from ‘somebody else’. This is funded by immoral ‘gang-theft-by-vote’ taxing, and targeting anyone with money, although honestly obtained. Thus both parties are at fault for our societal decent, and today’s self-serving chaos in our streets and Congress. Private charity is the answer, and voting for legislators who support it.
Now that we are in trouble, liberal concealed-carry gun laws are the best deterrent to burglars and muggers (and the combination called ‘flash-mob’ theft). Shop owners and people in their homes or cars should be allowed to shoot burglars and muggers who threaten them. Now it is limited to ‘last resort’ defense, and only inside your home, and hard to prove in court. It should be legal to shoot at someone in your front yard who is shooting at yoiu, or an imminent threat.The FBI has confirmed that ‘more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens’ means less crime. The burglars and muggers are afraid to attack or enter. This applies to schools and office buldings too. The ‘bad guys’ can easily get a gun. It’s time to allow the ‘good guys’ to arm themselves!!
Regards, Dave
maybe the should murder a million people who have done nothing to them, and then they should write books about how it was the right thing to do, all the while profiting themselves and the buddies! Does this statement have any significance to the author of this article? Do any light bulbs go off? This is what america has taught the youth of this country for the last sixty years. Kill! Kill! Kill! 3.5 million Vietnamese who did nothing to america! Probably 2 million Iraqies who did nothing to us! 500 hundred thousand Central Americans who did nothing to us! 3 million North Koreans who did nothing to us! Get your head out of your nose. America is the world’s killing machine! Whether the people of this county will admit it or not, subconsciously, it’s eating away at the people of this psyche of the people of this country and it plays out in many ways. Just keep voting on y our fraudulent voting machines and everything is not going to get better!
Say what you want, blame whomever or whatever you choose, because it doesn’t change the fact that this is happening, repeatedly.
Thank you, Tess, for this eye-opening article.
I have complete and utter disdain for these thugs. Regardless of what they were or weren’t given or taught, right from wrong is a basic concept. Nothing is sacred to these…I can’t even find a word awful enough to describe them. I know so many decent, good-hearted teens that I don’t believe would ever do anything like this, and it’s terrible that these idiots (and in some cases, apparently racists) give many young folks a bad name. It’s shameful and disgusting.
Maybe I am naive. Then again, I think Bernhard Goetz deserved a medal and a lifetime pension.
Amen, Pastor Steve! Thank you for giving the truth that is found in the Word of God. We don’t need to get confused or deceived, if we would just know the word of God. God’s word is truth and Jesus said the truth will set us free!
Tess, you wrote:
“When these delinquents organize their next mob attack, they need to be held accountable. Instead of citizens idly watching, they need to take action.”
Sounds nice, but without any clear definitive steps or suggestions laid out, this is meaningless. I own a gun and have a concealed carry permit. Would shooting flash mobbers to protect myself, my family, and/or others around me from their race-based violence equate with holding them accountable? Honestly, I don’t know what else a bystander could do to immediately halt such violence directed at him/her and/or others. Fisticuffs? Pepper spray? With a brain-dead mob? After-the-fact jail sentences doesn’t keep me and others from being harmed or murdered. I agree with Plain Old American.
Spare the rod, spoil the child.