Shocking "bum hunts" on the rise?

[Jefferson23]

September 29, 2013




In 2006, 60 Minutes reported on a perverse national trend referred to as "bum hunting," in which packs of teenagers stalk, attack, even shoot homeless people. Seven years later, that trend is still on the rise.

In the original story, correspondent Ed Bradley and producer Graham Messick reported that since 1999, there had been 500 attacks against homeless people, resulting in 180 deaths.

That number has since doubled. In 2010, the National Coalition for the Homeless reported there had been over a thousand acts of violence and more than 300 deaths.

The perpetrators are young and the attacks are gruesome. CBS reported last week in New Jersey that three teens ages 13-14 followed a homeless man and then punched him in the head in what detectives believe was a game of "knockout." Authorities found the man dead after his head was wedged between two iron fence posts.

Another incident occurred in Texas in April 2012, during which a homeless man was attacked and shot to death by four teens ages 16-18. After shooting the man, the teens robbed him for all he had: a single torn dollar.

Messick said he couldn't believe that the trend he reported on seven years ago is still so prevalent.

link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-57605139-10391709/shocking-bum-hunts-on-the-rise/

[Link Speed]

1. But videos and games have no influence, right?

"As Bradley and Messick reported, police investigations linked some of these attacks to a DVD series called "Bumfights," a show in which homeless people perform degrading stunts in exchange for a few dollars and a lot of alcohol. Even Sturgeon admitted to watching the show hundreds of times and told Bradley he was trying to imitate it."

[Jefferson23]

2. I believe the expert on hate crimes spoke to the bum fights film, yes..but to be clear, the judge

did find the boys in their personal lives, suffered abuse and bullying too.

Interesting too, although not surprising given how the US treats the homeless, they're perceived in society
as valueless.

[bowens43]

4. thats right , video game are not the to blame.

[grilled onions]

3. Politics and Parents Influence In More Ways Then One

When these kids/punks keep hearing from their local politicians that the homeless are nothing but a blight on society,when their parents talk about what a disgrace they are,causing property values to decline,crime go up(whatever they dislike they blame on societies homeless) these kids start thinking that the homeless are not as "real" human beings as the rest so much like they kick a stray cat they attack the homeless.
Human beings need to not be labeled as good,bad,successful,failure,rich,poor and downright homeless. All of them "arrived" here the same way and be it fate,family problems,addictions,mental health--whatever we need to teach the young that they have feelings,they are not to be laughed at,picked on. We should have sympathy for them--not anger.