What to make of Thomas Bruso aka "Epic Beard Man"...

[-..__...]

the Internets latest sensation.

Hero?

Crazy old guy?

Racist?

Victim of lacking mental health care facilities?

A "motherfucker" not to be messed with?


Background (for those who haven't heard of this yet)...

OAKLAND "” A 67-year-old man captured in a YouTube video beating a fellow AC Transit passenger Tuesday is the same man whom Oakland police stunned twice with a Taser gun in August during an A"s baseball game.

The latest altercation involving Thomas Bruso began when a younger man on the bus began yelling at Bruso, who calls himself "Tom Slick," "Vietnam Tom" and "Epic Beard Man."

Bruso was taken to the John George Psychiatric Pavilion for an evaluation after he struck the male passenger several times with his fist and continued to rant about the incident, Alameda County Sheriff"s spokesman Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.

A video of the brawl captured by a college student, Iyanna Washington, showed the two men speaking to each from across the aisle near the center or rear of the bus. Within minutes, an argument broke out and quickly escalated. Bruso incensed the man by asking, "How much you charge me for a spit shine?" according to witness accounts.

The younger man then ordered the 6-foot-1, 280-pound Bruso away from him, to the front of the bus.

Bruso angrily stalked to the front, followed by the younger man who continued to yell at Bruso. The exchange continued with the goading of other passengers until finally the younger man struck him. Bruso stood up and returned the blows, beating the man until he fell to the floor with a bloody nose.

Complete story...

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14434328

Video of what happened...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1ZsSuUxpqs

The aftermath...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWsuUrlz6QA&feature=related

His description of what went down...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csQjo6iInIU&feature=player_embedded

[notadmblnd]

1. Obviously this man hasn't taken the civility class

[piedmont]

3. I don't think anyone on that bus has, with the exception of 80's girl minding her own business.

[-..__...]

7. "Amber Lamps"?

Minding her own business or totally oblivious as to what's going on?

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=amber+lamps&search_type=&aq=f

:eyes:

Give it another week or so, and both these memes will be quickly forgotten.

[piedmont]

11. How dare you sir...

insinuate that I will forget http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQLT1AaDZug">Amber Lamps!

[Canuckistanian]

2. All I can say is

Get used to guys like him.

He's representative of an America FULL of veterans just like him who will be inhabiting your streets for decades to come.

[leeroysphitz]

10. Are you sugesting that they be "rounded up"? n/t

[Canuckistanian]

13. Where did you get that from?

I made no such suggestion.

All I'm saying is - this is the future of America's streets. Homeless veterans, and the poor. There WILL be a TON of them with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Are you ready for them?

[leeroysphitz]

20. Hold on. You make wild eyed assertions that hoards of deranged brutes are about to over run

our cities and then turn around to claim that your outrageous anti-vet hyperbole wasn't some sort of call to "action"?

[Canuckistanian]

30. Wow, talk about hyperbole

"deranged brutes"?

Gie yer head a shake, man.

[superduperfarleft]

4. I think he's a little nuts...

but if it happened how he says it happened, I'd like an EBM on every bus I set foot on. I've seen so many people on public transit trying to pick fights with people, it'd be nice to see some of them get smacked down once in a while.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. hero

some people just need the shit kicked out of them, and Mr. Three Stikes looks to be one of them.

[proteus_lives]

52. +1000

The other fella was begging for it.

[Raineyb]

75. Do you have access to records the rest of us don't?

Because we only have the crazy man's assertion to my knowledge that the man he beat was involved with the criminal justice system much less that he has two strikes against him.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Several transcripts out there and a great deal of humor out there. Its a classic viral event

Apparently the younger African American male was egged on by at least one women after EBM moved to the front of the bus. He then when up there and start the fisticuffs that EBM ended. Dumb move. The "motivational" posters are not to be missed.

[guitar man]

8. I'd say

Motherfucker not to be messed with. That youngster is lucky he didn't get carted off in a body bag. My dad was a Korea vet, recipient of two purple hearts and he was just like that. Not wise to start shit with these old guys, it can't end well. ;)

[-..__...]

15. Get the fuck off my bus!

:smoke:

Yep... genuine respect is earned in other ways than a gang-banger initiation.

[guitar man]

19. Yep, that's him

Put a USN anchor tattoo that says "USS St Paul CA-73" on his forearm and you've pretty much got my dad right there ;)

[PaDem]

22. so we know that the young guys started this?

first I've heard that.

[guitar man]

25. That's what it looked like to me

Guy went up to the front of the bus and took a swing at him, the old man blocked it and clocked his ass.

<edit typo>

[PaDem]

28. yeah the young guy threw the first "punch"

if you can call that a punch, but the verbal back and forth that preceded the fistacuffs aren't completely irrelevant here in my view.

[guitar man]

31. I agree

What we don't know it what was said before the video starts. The old man very well might be a racist asshole but from what I can see and hear on the video I'm not going to make that judgement. If I could find my headphones for this iPhone I could hear what all is being said better.

But no matter what, going after him once he went up to the front of the bus was not a smart thing to do

[dysfunctional press]

46. what was said doesn't really matter.

throwing the first punch, does.

[anonymous171]

26. Young man escalated it. From that point on, any damage sustained is his fault.

Not defending the (probably racist) old man though.

[Richard Steele]

73. Yup. Starting a fight with a racist asshole is still "starting a fight". nm

[Edweird]

9. Who started it isn't clear, but who finished it sure is.

I saw the older guy move to the other end of the bus. I also saw the younger guy go to him in apparent act of physical aggression. It looked justified from that standpoint. The interaction that was not captured, however, is the real important part. What lead up to that? Who instigated? Without the rest of the story, it's not possible to assign right/wrong.

His animation after the altercation is normal - I'm exactly the same way. The adrenaline and endorphins really get me 'tweaked' and I say and do a lot of stupid things.

Most importantly, don't start shit with strangers - you never know who the fuck you're dealing with.

[athenasatanjesus]

12. I just hate how this story is supposed to have something to do with race relations in this countryNT

[yorgatron]

14. 2 assholes,0 winners.

edit for speling

[XemaSab]

16. I used to ride AC transit every damn day

and this is why public transportation sucks.

I seen fights on there, and that shit ain't cool.

[timeforpeace]

17. The young man struck him first? What's he supposed to do?

[PaDem]

21. Not ask the young man to shine his shoes?

Might be a good starting point.

[timeforpeace]

24. Oh please. That is no excuse for assault and battery.

[tabasco]

35. How would you know?

You wouldn't have the guts to stand up for a damn thing.

[dysfunctional press]

45. because it's the LAW.

he who strikes first, loses.

[That Is Quite Enough]

18. Racist who came out on top of a physical altercation. RWers are trying to make him an internet celeb

[-..__...]

44. Right wingers? What makes you think that?

It takes more than that for something like this to go viral... thanks in part to Anon; which can hardly be described as being "right wing" (as if Anon has any clearly defined political leanings).

If EBM is a "right wing" hero, I wonder what they think of him since he made the comments about getting our guys out of Afghanistan and giving thanks that Bush is out of office?

This guy is being praised and cheered by a lot more than just "right wingers"...

I am the The Epic Beard Man.

I am standing on the road of life and I am looking in both directions at the same time.

I am roughly half the age of the 67-year-old man that beat the hell out of a young whipper snapper that apparently thought he was a thug on an Oakland bus.

I am staring at my previous life as a young, wild dude that had no issues with a lil' after school fight and what I hope to be one day. I think about myself now. A workout fanatic. I box. I lift weights I never saw in my younger days. I run miles I never ran in my 20's. And I have a mind that is keen on keeping what I have and protecting all that there is to protect (myself, my family and my belongings).

Then there is the other me. The me I see in decades to come.

In times of unrest and beef, I see myself as Thomas Bruso aka The Epic Beard Man.

He may be White, but he is what I hope to be when I get older. Old and ready to give anybody what they are asking for and then some if there is a problem. He beat that young chump like he stole his last piece of chicken and I love it.

But the young dude didn't realize that The Epic Beard Man has been through some s**t in his life! Thomas Bruso is a Viet Nam Vet and he's got several other names like Tom Slick, Viet Nam Tom and other colorful names. Young dude, who people now call "Coolio" for some reason, didn't realize that The Epic Beard Man had been tasered at an Oakland A's game and didn't flinch (the first time). Bruso stood up to police (after acting quite unruly) and was the first person in A's stadium history to be tasered during a game. It took a second jolt of 50,000 volts for him to be taken out. The cops were scared to face his imposing 6'1" and 280 frame.

http://www.allhiphop.com/stories/editorial/archive/2010/02/18/22128566.aspx

[That Is Quite Enough]

47. Ok, lemme redact that. RACISTS are trying to make him into an internet celeb.

He incited a black man to a confrontation by trying to solicit him to spit-shine his shoes, and he's being praised by racists (both liberal and conservative, though mostly conservative) as courageously taking down a 'thug' (or 'punk' or 'scary black man') who attacked him.

The whole story is a forced meme with a despicable racist aspect to it, and I'm sorry to see how much ignorant support he's spawned at DU.

Do I think the 'pinky' and other white racebaiting comments were racist? Of course, but this whole episode wouldn't have happened if this derelict asshole hadn't made a point to start a racially-charged fight.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

57. The black guy inserted himself in to a conversation that he wasn't part of.

That much is clear from the video AND EBM's explanation.

Here:

Starts garbled from bus engine noise, then old guy mockingly haggles on price.
Black guy: "Did you hear what I said just now?"
White guy: "Yes."
Black guy: "Why a brother gotta spit-shine your shoes?"
White guy: "You OFFERED!"
Black guy: "I didn't offer you shit."
White guy: "What did you just say when you walked by me?"
Black guy: "Why, uh, why a fuckin' brother gotta spit-shine your shoes?"

Notice "black guy" acknowledges saying something as he walked by.

Case closed.

[fishwax]

59. I don't think EBM's explanation is exactly reliable

Given that (for one thing) he says in that explanation that the other guy hit him three times in the face before he decided to hit back. It's evident from the video that the other guy never hit EBM in the face.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

61. But it certainly fits what we see in the video.

[fishwax]

62. sort of -- but we don't see what happens before the video starts

[appal_jack]

64. What?

Are you denying that the black dude threw the 1st punch against EBM, while EBM was seated, and after EBM had moved to the front of the bus, purposely to de-escalate the situation? Maybe EBM mis-remembers the number of punches thrown (adrenaline will do that), but the punch that black dude threw was clearly near EBM's face, and entirely unprovoked.

I smell desperation to blame this on the white guy. You fail.

-app

[fishwax]

65. It was nowhere near EBM's face

"I smell desperation to blame this on the white guy. You fail."

No, you fail--anatomy apparently, if you think that "punch" was near or into EBM's face.

And I didn't "blame this on the white guy." But it's true that I don't think his behavior is somehow heroic.

[appal_jack]

66. Point taken.

It was more of a chest punch I guess. I hadn't seen the vid since yesterday, and I had thought that the 1st punch landed higher. Still a dumb idea, and still very much an unnecessary escalation, with dire consequences.

The need for some on this thread to pigeonhole EBM into the racist camp still strikes me as stupid though. The video does not show how the talk of shining shoes begins. EBM strikes me as a little agitated, but not obviously racist.

-app

[CBR]

69. My black husband thinks Epic Beard Man is hilarious, the black guy

started it and wants an Beard Man Motherfucker t-shirt. So...

[PaDem]

23. I noticed you didn't post the link........

to the youtube video of this guy being tasered by police at an Oakland A's game and removed from the stadium.

[-..__...]

43. There was no real reason to.

I had thought about it, but it's already mentioned in the article I posted... it's prominently displayed in the related videos sidebar on YouTube... there's not much to discern from that video as to what prompted the Tazering by the police (and we all know how
Tazering incidents are appreciated on DU), and finally it's boring.

So... why post it? :shrug:

FWIW... I also didn't post the video from the woman that recorded the bus incident, or the parody/tribute videos.

[misanthrope]

27. How 'bout "crazy old racist?"...

...It's apparent from his confrontation at the Oakland A's game and the fact that he's parading around in a shirt with "I'm a motherfucker" on it, the dude's looking for trouble. Just as alarming was his emotional outburst in the street after he disembarked the bus and before he was arrested.

From what I saw of the incident, it's obvious he asked the African American guy to shine his (Bruso's) shoes as the younger man came down the aisle. It was deliberate attempt to provoke a response using racially charged language.

The younger guy asked him, "Why's it gotta be a brother?" a few times and Bruso took advantage of the scenario to escalate things.

From that point, it was about a couple of jackasses on a bus: one who was nuts and the other stupid enough to fall for the provocation.

[PaDem]

29. agree with you......

the older guy has a history of violence and unpredictability in the community. Context is important here I think.

[Fast Dude]

32. How about, "punk got his ass kicked"

The older man went to the front of the bus. That punk kept running his mouth, followed the old guy to the front of the bus, then struck the first blow.

What the fuck gives this punk the right to hit the old man? I'm glad he got his ass kicked for for his troubles. Punk hit me like that, and I probably would have shot his sorry ass between the eyes.

Only racism I heard on the tape was the young Black woman saying, "kick his White ass".

This fellow has it about right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELKET-mtm7E&feature=related

[misanthrope]

39. Then you don't listen very well...

...or only hear what you want just like you missed the part where I wrote that the young guy was just as much at fault for allowing Bruso to provoke him into such stupidity.

I would also like to think that you wouldn't have been provoking an African American guy with the CLEARLY AUDIBLE racial antagonism.

[Fast Dude]

41. Racism is a two way street

Looks like one of the racists got his ass kicked.

[Raineyb]

76. Racism is a two way street? Really? Have we changed the definition? n/t

[Silent3]

50. "I probably would have shot his sorry ass between the eyes"

That suggests the person being shot would have to be either strangely mutated or in an incredibly contorted, and quite uncomfortable, pose.

[piedmont]

33. The younger guy went 15 feet out of his way to strike the old man and get his ass beat.

If the old man really did start the verbal confrontation (shine my shoes) without being provoked-- and I don't think that part got filmed-- then yeah he's an asshole and should be at least denied the use of public transportation. But he did move to the front of the bus, and that should have ended the possibility of physical violence.

[That Is Quite Enough]

49. Thank you. I don't get all the praise DUers are singing for this guy

[MindPilot]

51. It's racist to give the black guy a pass just because he's black.

And a white man should not be labeled as racist when he all he did was defend himself against an attacker who happened to be black.

[proteus_lives]

53. Because he stood up for himself.

And it's always fun watching a punk get what he deserves.

[MindPilot]

56. the "punk" is supposedly on his way back to prison...

parole violation.

[fishwax]

60. where did you hear that?

I saw that EBM made that claim in his later interview, but that's not exactly reliable. Is there anything else to support that info?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

68. Dave Chapelle couldn't make this shit up,

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong,

[Hassin Bin Sober]

58. The only thing that's TRULY apparent is the punk started a fight and threw the first punch.

For that he got his ass beat.

The only question is who initiated the conversation. EBM's account of how it started matches the video - to wit: "What did you say when you walked passed me?" and the punk's acknowledgment that he made a comment.

Now, you can go and make up some OTHER conversation that took place or you can go by the video.

[misanthrope]

63. I was going by the video...

...Feel free to get in the last word.

[Sirius1]

34. Awesome video. "Pinky" beat that clowns ass.

He thought since EBM walked away he was scared so he was going to keep pushing his buttons. He got what he deserved. An Ass Wooping...

The average person would realize that some obvious nut wearing an I am motherfucker tshirt is someone to avoid at all costs.

[Romulox]

71. Important point: the older AA woman did NOT call the white guy "Pinky"

She actually called the younger black dude (who ultimately got his nose busted) "Pinky"--it's a reference to a character in the Fridays movies. In one scene, the character Pinky (an African American) has the protagonist Ice Cube at gunpoint and shouts "say it again!" at him while interrogating him.

The older African American woman was mocking the younger black guy, and trying to act as a peace maker throughout! It's an important point to make.

Don't believe me? Check on the scene from the film Next Friday. At 1:18 you can see exactly what the older AA woman was referencing, and there is no confusion why the African American character is called "Pinky"!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz7CcyLRijM

[Tim01]

36. Jerk messed with the wrong guy. nt

[fishwax]

37. seems like he's crazy and off his medication

and apparently well-known in pockets of the Bay Area as a loud, crazy, occasionally confrontational guy. After he gets off the bus he screams about how the guy hit him in the face, which is obviously untrue from watching the video. His later interview in which he explains what went down is also divorced from reality.

Clearly the younger guy (who apparently is 50, so not exactly a "young" guy) should have just ignored epic beard man after he moved to the front of the bus.

One more thing: there's been a lot made of how the younger guy was "egged on" by the other passengers, which is bullshit. One person (I think the woman shooting the video) says "kick his white ass" at one point, but then also later says "he's not worth it." So it's not as though there's some crowd of people cheering him on. In fact, there were several comments trying to convince him to just ignore Mr. "I Am a Motherfucker."

[bridgit]

38. I don't even think it is about 'epic beard man', I think its about violently predatory...

behaviors of a diluted society seeking physical dominance of one demographic over another and the people who sanction that oddity

[piedmont]

40. This is not Epic Beard Man's first video on Youtube.

http://www.break.com/usercontent/2010/2/17/epic-beard-man-tased-at-oakland-as-game-1734970

[Fast Dude]

42. Epic Beard Man T-shirts

These didn't take long to hit the Internet.

http://www.zazzle.com.au/epic_beard_man_i_am_the_motherfucker_shirt-235496640995642984

[MindPilot]

48. I hope EBM sues the bus company for millions

Epic Beard man took care of a bully asshole and then he was the one who got thrown off the bus.

[proteus_lives]

54. Epic Beard Man is a hero.

He stood up for himself and smacked down a punk.

Is he a little crazy? Yep but he didn't start it.

[MindPilot]

55. "Stop the war Mr Obama and I'm happy Bush isn't in office"

Epic Beard Man's own words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csQjo6iInIU&feature=player_embedded

[LostInAnomie]

67. He's a guy that defended himself.

Really, it doesn't matter what was said. The younger guy was in the wrong for throwing the first punch. Especially, after EBM moved to the front of the bus to avoid conflict. If you are going to walk all the way to the front of a bus to strike a 67 year old man that is trying to avoid confrontation you frankly deserve a worse ass beating than he received. I wish EBM would have gotten a few more punches in.

What cracks me up, in this thread especially, is all the people trying to portray EBM as a racist. Now, EBM's recollection of events might not be the Gospel, but why the fuck should we take the word of a piece of shit like the young guy that attacked a 67 year old man?

[CBR]

70. Epic...

Mortal Kombat -- EBM Style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3LK1CChb08&feature=player_embedded


EBM Black Betty Remix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0TOeo4noI&feature=player_embedded


One black guy's opinion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELKET-mtm7E&feature=player_embedded

[TexasObserver]

72. When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong - Dave Chappelle style.

Old man's story: he was talking to someone else and asked them if he knew a boy he could hire to shine his shoes, as he had some special event coming up and needed to get his dress shoes shined good. He claims the black guy overheard him talking to someone else, and got into the conversation, assuming Old man was making a racist comment. Old man vehemently denies any racist intent.

Younger man's story: old man made a racist allusion to shoe shining when the younger man walked past him. He persisted because the old man continued to taunt him.

The old man's story doesn't have the ring of truth. The term "boy" is supercharged, particularly for a black man who is 50, the age of the younger man in this incident. I think he slung something out there he knew might provoke, and then he claimed it wasn't. And what kind of Vietnam era vet doesn't know how to spit shine shoes?

The younger man should have let it go after the old man went back up front, but he just had to keep talking, keep challenging, and ultimately made the mistake of attacking. The old man quickly beat down the other guy, and that was over in seconds. The old man's beat down was clearly self defense, and he will be unlikely to be convicted of assault. He barely moved from the spot where he was hit until he disengaged and got off the bus. He didn't inflict serious damage on the younger man, even though he clearly could have. He backed off, got off and yelled.

Allegedly, the younger man is already back in prison on parole or other violation. The older man seems to be something of a loose cannon, something of a nut case, but clearly not someone who will take crap from anyone. His tasing at the baseball game was evidence of that.

I can imagine that an old white man riding buses in Oakland puts up with a lot of harassment, and maybe he deserves it, but that doesn't excuse his conduct or theirs. It was nothing but trash talk between two idiots until the little guy threw a punch.

[Supply Side Jesus]

74. Nailed It

Felony Idiocy on all parties.