punks set Viet Vet in Wheelchair on Fire, nursing mom saves him

[mopaul]

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/310650p-265769c.html

Abrams, who lost his left leg in Vietnam, said he was minding his own business as he rode the city bus to the Staten Island Mall to buy a video of "The Exorcist."

Just after he boarded the bus, three teens playing hooky from Tottenville High School pulled a cruel prank, cops said.

"They set my chair on fire," an angry Abrams said last night, refusing to allow photographers to take pictures of his face. "They thought it was a joke."

Cops said the teens used a cigarette lighter to ignite a plastic bag hanging from the back of Abrams' motorized wheelchair.

...sometimes a story will just take your breath away...

[KG]

1. recruiters for the local 'young republicans club' will be at these kids

doors tomorrow. this is the kinda sick prank freeptards love.

[Bluebear]

2. Influenced by the GOP "Purple heart band-aid" crew?

Maybe they suspected his injuries were self-inflicted, since the Republicans have no problem calling out veterans on their past.

[B Calm]

8. You hit the nail on the head!

[MADem]

3. Fast thinking woman, and talk about the elements of a human interest story

A real-life supermom used a bottle of breast milk to douse an amputee yesterday after his wheelchair was set ablaze by punks on a Staten Island bus, cops said.

You couldn't make this shit up!!! If you wrote that scenario into a script, it would be dismissed as unbelievable.

That said, I am not a violent person, but I could make an exception for those little cowardly, cruel jerks.

Hopefully, they will get some juvenile justice: The names of the suspects were not released because of their ages. All of them are 15. They were charged with arson, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, authorities said.

[Clark2008]

7. I'd get the judge to release their names - used to do it all the time.

The juvenile judge (at least in my state) makes the decision upon whether to release their names - and, in a sick and preverted case like this, the judge probably would release them. He always felt that if these sick fucks were gonna act like this, they deserved also to be judged by society. Of course, our prosecuters probably would also have charged them with attempted murder.
Do they need psychological help? Sure. But they also need to pay for their crime, if they're judged to be guilty.

[Divernan]

9. Charges should reflect they endangered everyone on the bus

And I agree that attempted murder should have been included in the charges - you know the charges get negotiated down most of the time anyway.

Surely there's something in the Patriot Act that could be used to charge them. The bus is a part of the public transportation system and was being operated on some kind of local, state or federal route. Worst case scenario - fire quickly spreads to clothing; synthetics give off toxic fumes when burning; smoke &/or fumes overcome driver; bus crashes with other vehicles; highway is blocked - voila! escape route in event of terrorist alert is blocked. (semi-sarcasm off)

[mopaul]

4. one hopes that their 15 yr. old has better manners

and a better understanding of human suffering. but, it ain't a perfect world. make no mistake, this IS the republican's idea of something funny to do when bored. these punks will probably ascend to lofty political heights on the g.o.p. side.

[dsc]

5. truely dispicable

I am glad that the mom was able to think that fast. I do wonder about calling them pranksters. Try vandals at the very least.

I do have to say though, that if these kids did this kind of thing at a school I suspect we would hear more defense of them here. Somehow teachers are expected to put up with this kid of crap.

[mopaul]

6. or: Disabled America set on fire by punks, Saved by Lady Liberty

we should all take that mother's example

[lilymercury]

10. Children learn what they live.

little bast*rds.