I cannot believe or even imagine the barbaric act of murder committed by a Chicago mob Tuesday night following what appears to be a simple automobile accident. But the episode clearly reinforces the notion that some people are not worthy of living within a civilized society.
What happened is this. Two men driving a rental van lost control of the vehicle at a south Chicago intersection, jumped a curb and struck three women bystanders. By all indications, the tragedy was a routine accident.
But on the tough streets of south Chicago the accident provided an excuse for murder. A mob of ruthless thugs pulled the two men from the van and beat them to death with bricks and their fists. The three women struck by the runaway van remain hospitalized. At presstime today one suspect is in custody though other arrests are likely.
The outrage and disgust over these senseless, brutal murders has only begun. We can only hope that every person responsible for these beatings is brought to justice. But just how do you define justice for a gang of animals who parade as humans?
What would drive a mob to this violence? Or was there always violence in this neighborhood - as some within the community believe - and this vehicle accident simply served as the excuse for mayhem? Either way it sickens rational minds who try to understand how something as callous and brutal could happen.
I am sick and tired of those who will use this incident as an excuse to blame society. There will be those - and you know their names - who will blame poverty and limited life prospects as the excuse for these neighborhood thugs. There will be calls for society to reform and provide opportunities to allow these young men to leave their dismal existence. But the bottom line remains - these murderers should be held to the highest standards of justice and their lives, like their victims, should be impacted until the day they die.
A culture - be it a neighborhood or gang or whatever - should be condemned if it uses violence as a method of resolution. And the condemnation should come from those within that culture. We'll listen carefully for those voices of justice. Thus far, they have been silent.