indigestation

Joseph Igbineweka, 23, president of the Associated Students at Chico State University, was the victim of an apparent racially motivated attack early Sunday morning as he was returning home from a party on West Sacramento Avenue. He is in stable condition and recovering at Enloe Medical Center. Read the full article.
It never ceases to amaze me the way hate crimes are minimized. Take the headline for example “AS leader hurt in apparent racial attack”. To say that he was hurt makes it sound like he stubbed a toe, or sprained an ankle, rather than being repeatedly stabbed. I also like how he was injured in the attack, rather than by attackers. This is such a weak and passive framing of the event. I also wonder what, if anything, will actually push the media to use the word racist in place of racial? The difference lies in the underlying motivation of anger or hatred. If stabbing someone is not an act of hate then what is? 

So now what will we do? The cynic in me says that there will be a rally and a vigil. A few signs will be waves and a few speeches made. The news article will says that the overwhelming turnout at the rally/vigil shows that our community will not tolerate hatred. We will feel good and feel like we have done something and pat ourselves on the back. We will move on and return to normal. We ...