Beat Up a White Kid Day

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For criticism see Criticism of Beat_Up_a_White_Kid_Day

"Beat Up a White Kid Day" is the colloquial phrase for racially motivated attacks occurring on May 1st in which African-Americans, Mestizos, and other people of color randomly seek out European American (Caucasian) children and attack them. The phenomenon was first publicized by Cleveland, Ohio newspapers in 1993 following the national appeal for calm by Rodney King during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.[1] These attacks occur on May 1st, and are most often associated with school age children. The institutional nature of the May 1st assaults were recognized in a 2003 U.S. court proceeding in which an Ohio judge concluded that "based on the evidence I've heard, May Day is reality and the evidence was overwhelming that this was an attack based on May Day and that the victim was chosen because she was white."[2]

Contents

Background

May 1 traditionally has been a celebration of spring, a day of political protests, a day for organized labor and, in many countries, it is a national holiday.[3] May Day (a name used interchangeably with International Workers' Day) has long been associated as a day honoring the working class. This "Day of the Worker" originated with the 1886 Haymarket Riots and has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups.[4]

The 1992 Los Angeles riots, also known as the Rodney King riots, ran from April 29, 1992 to May 4, 1992 and overlapped May Day. Thousands of people in Los Angeles joined in what has often been characterized as a race riot, involving acts of law-breaking compounded by existing racial tensions, including looting, assault, arson, and murder. On May 1, 1992, the third day of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, a shaken Rodney King appeared in public before television news cameras to appeal for calm and plead for peace, famously asking, "Can we all get along?"

King's May Day television appearance had a worldwide impact. For example, on May 1, 1993, one year after King's appearance, leftist May Day marchers in Germany carried banners sympathizing generally with non-European victims of racial violence in the United States, and particularly with Rodney King.[5] King's May 1 television appearance also impacted many in the United States.

May Day beatings

This day that "blacks beat on whites" continued, but without publicity until 2003, when an attack by 18 Negro and Mestizo youths on a 13-year-old European-American girl made national news. As a result of the court proceedings following the 2003 attack, a judge found that the May Day ritual had been going on for years.[6]


2003

On May 1, 2003, school officials and students at Wilbur Wright Middle School separately notified police that "a large fight" was planned for after school near the intersection of Almira Avenue and West 110th street in Cleveland, Ohio.[7][8] Initially, it was believed that police arrived as the attack was under way.[9] However, two police cars were there prior to the attack and when school let out, they saw a large group of students walking in the street on West 110th. From their automobiles, the police warned them to walk on the sidewalk.[10]

Some of the students moved to block the police cars as part of the preplanned attack.[11][12] [13] With the police kept at a distance, a pack of twelve girls and six boys, ages 9 through 15, began to run towards Melissa King, a 13-year-old European American girl who was a student at Wilbur Wright and was walking home with two friends.[14][15][16] Upon reaching King, one girl grabbed her hair from behind and yanked her to the ground. Then the Negro and Mestizo youths, 17 of whom were students at Wilbur Wright, beat, kicked, and choked her.[17][18] As they pummeled and scratched at King, the attackers called her "honky", "white trash", and "white bitch".One attacker was overheard saying, "I hit her and got my stomp in."[19][20][21] [22]

By the time police broke up the attack, King suffered serious injuries to her head, arms, face, neck, back, and an eye and experienced dizziness and blackouts that required repeated visits to the hospital.[23][24][25][26] When the attackers were asked separately by the police officers why the victim was jumped, each one unapologetically stated, "It's May Day!" They each went on to explain that May Day "is the day blacks beat on whites" and is known as "beat up a white kid day."[27][28][29][30] Others familiar with the attack said that it wasn't personal, but that it was merely in keeping with the May Day tradition where non-European children get a "free shot" at European American children simply because of their race.[31] Within a few days of the attack, Wilbur Wright school responded by suspending five of the eighteen attackers from school for ten days.[32]

2003 fall-out

When the attack was publicized a month later in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, more than 100 readers contacted the newspaper to confirm that the May Day ritual had been alive and well for years and "celebrated" in desegregated communities throughout the United States. Many in their 20s recalled staying home sick from school on May Day in the 1990s or hurrying home to avoid getting hurt. Some teachers did not give homework that day because they knew attendance would be down.[33] Although annual pummelings of European American children by Negro and Mestizo children is rooted in certain public schools on Cleveland's West Side, the event may have multiple origins.[34][35] For example, one man recalled that when he served in the military, many of his friends reported participating in or becoming victims of this annual ritual in desegregated communities throughout the United States.[36]

In June 2003, the juvenile justice unit of the Cuyahoga county prosecutor's office filed felonious assault and aggravated riot juvenile charges against the eighteen attackers.[37][38] Noting that the attack was some sort of May Day ritual with the "focus to beat up a white kid," the juvenile justice unit also charged the attackers with ethnic intimidation - a hate-crimes law.[39] In July, Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judge Joseph F. Russo entered not guilty pleas and appointed lawyers for the youth, and issued arrest warrants for the four who failed to attend the court hearing.[40] Judge Russo ended the trial on October 2003 with six convictions,[41] but concluded that "based on the evidence I've heard, May Day is reality and the evidence was overwhelming that this was an attack based on May Day and that the victim was chosen because she was white."[42] In drawing such a conclusion, Judge Russo made it clear that European American students in Cleveland's integrated public schools have reason to fear assaults by non-Europeans (in particular Negroes and Mestizos) in so-called May Day attacks every May 1.[43] [44][45] In acknowledging the existence of "Beat Up a White Kid Day", Judge Russo reasoned that "This terrible tradition must be stopped by sending a message."[46]

See also

References

  1. ^ Leonard Pitts. "Different cases help explain meaning of 'systemic racism,'" Miami Herald, June 23, 2003.
  2. ^ Jim Nichols. "Four May Day defendants are cleared But judge says lore about day to attack whites is true" Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, p. B1, October 3, 2003.
  3. ^ Ross, Shmuel. May Day. 2006.
  4. ^ The FHL Research Team. May Day May 20, 2005.
  5. ^ Deborah Seward. "May day marked by frustration," Times Picayune, National, Page A7, May 2, 1992
  6. ^ Jim Nichols. "Four May Day defendants are cleared But judge says lore about day to attack whites is true" Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, p. B1, October 3, 2003.
  7. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  8. ^ Steve Miller. "Special day probed in girl's beating 18 preteens, teens charged in attack on white victim, 13," Washington Times, Nation, Page A12, June 20, 2003.
  9. ^ Brian E. Albrecht. "18 kids are charged with racially motivated beating of teenage girl," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B7, June 14, 2003.
  10. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  11. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  12. ^ Steve Miller. "Special day probed in girl's beating 18 preteens, teens charged in attack on white victim, 13," Washington Times, Nation, Page A12, June 20, 2003.
  13. ^ Scott Hiaasen. "May Day suspects say they have alibis; Youths are accused of racial beating," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, July 26, 2003.
  14. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  15. ^ Steve Miller. "Special day probed in girl's beating 18 preteens, teens charged in attack on white victim, 13," Washington Times, Nation, Page A12, June 20, 2003.
  16. ^ Jim Nichols. "Four May Day defendants are cleared But judge says lore about day to attack whites is true" Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, p. B1, October 3, 2003.
  17. ^ Rachel Dissell and John F. Hagan. "'May Day': Fact and myth Legend of annual race attacks in schools fuels fear, assaults," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, June 22, 2003.
  18. ^ Brian E. Albrecht. "18 kids are charged with racially motivated beating of teenage girl," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B7, June 14, 2003.
  19. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  20. ^ Sam Fulwood III. "Race and rape: Shock enough for all," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page 1, June 26, 2003.
  21. ^ ""May Day" case winding down," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B3 October 2, 2003.
  22. ^ Steve Miller. "Special day probed in girl's beating 18 preteens, teens charged in attack on white victim, 13," Washington Times, Nation, Page A12, June 20, 2003.
  23. ^ Rachel Dissell and John F. Hagan. "'May Day': Fact and myth Legend of annual race attacks in schools fuels fear, assaults," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, June 22, 2003.
  24. ^ Brian E. Albrecht. "18 kids are charged with racially motivated beating of teenage girl," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B7, June 14, 2003.
  25. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  26. ^ Jim Nichols. ""May Day" assault left girl in fear, pain, mom says," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B2, September 30, 2003.
  27. ^ Regina Brett. "All bigotry is equally bad," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, B1, June 18, 2003.
  28. ^ Brian E. Albrecht. "18 kids are charged with racially motivated beating of teenage girl," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B7, June 14, 2003.
  29. ^ Steve Miller. "Special day probed in girl's beating 18 preteens, teens charged in attack on white victim, 13," Washington Times, Nation, Page A12, June 20, 2003.
  30. ^ Leonard Pitts. "Two racism cases, different lessons," Miami Herald, Local, Page 1B, June 20, 2003.
  31. ^ Phillip Morris. "May Day legend, like casino slots, is a sucker bet," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Forum, Page B9, May 11, 2004.
  32. ^ Rachel Dissell and John F. Hagan. "'May Day': Fact and myth Legend of annual race attacks in schools fuels fear, assaults," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, June 22, 2003.
  33. ^ Regina Brett. "May Day violence far from myth," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, June 20, 2003.
  34. ^ Rachel Dissell and John F. Hagan. "'May Day': Fact and myth Legend of annual race attacks in schools fuels fear, assaults," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, June 22, 2003.
  35. ^ Jim Nichols. "Prosecutors say race relations not on trial in 'May Day' case," Cleveland Plain Dealer, National, Page A1, September 29, 2003.
  36. ^ Regina Brett. "May Day violence far from myth," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B1, June 20, 2003.
  37. ^ Brian E. Albrecht. "18 kids are charged with racially motivated beating of teenage girl," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B7, June 14, 2003.
  38. ^ Leonard Pitts Jr. "Racism occurs because America is racist," Charleston Gazette, Editorial, Page 4A, June 21, 2003.
  39. ^ Brian E. Albrecht. "18 kids are charged with racially motivated beating of teenage girl," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B7, June 14, 2003.
  40. ^ "May Day beating case in court," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B3, July 13, 2003.
  41. ^ Jim Nichols. "Instigator apologizes for attack," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, Page B4, October 21, 2003.
  42. ^ Jim Nichols. "Four May Day defendants are cleared But judge says lore about day to attack whites is true" Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, p. B1, October 3, 2003.
  43. ^ Jim Nichols. "Four May Day defendants are cleared But judge says lore about day to attack whites is true" Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, p. B1, October 3, 2003.
  44. ^ Dick Feagler. "Curse of racism comes in more than one color," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Forum, Page H1, October 5, 2003.
  45. ^ Regina Brett. Cleveland Plain Dealer, "May Day ritual accepted as fact," Metro, Page B1, October 8, 2003.
  46. ^ Jim Nichols. "Four May Day defendants are cleared But judge says lore about day to attack whites is true" Cleveland Plain Dealer, Metro, p. B1, October 3, 2003

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This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Beat Up a White Kid Day.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history. The text of this Wikinfo article is available under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

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This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Beat Up a White Kid Day.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history. The text of this Wikinfo article is available under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

English | Română | edit

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