Don’t dare call it a hate crime

Because those so wonderful black people would never, ever, attack a white man for absolutely nothing, right? Right??!?!

Think again.

The Video:

The Story via CBS New York

  NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — It came out of nowhere. A man allegedly went on a rampage in Union Square on Wednesday afternoon and left a complete stranger brain-dead in the process. Police said that the attack may have been a hate crime. Friends of Jeffrey Babbitt, 62, were shocked to hear about the random act of violence that left the gentle, retired train conductor in a coma, CBS 2′s Dave Carlin reported on Friday. “I don’t believe that. I don’t know why that happened. He is very nice,” Igor Sapozhnikov said. Babbitt was minding his own business as he walked through the crowd near the chess boards in Union Square when a man made a hateful announcement and began his rampage, witnesses said. “He said ‘the next white person who walks by I’m going to [expletive],’” one woman said. “His fist went in and the man’s head bobbed and he hit the ground and you could hear his skull hitting the ground.” The man continued his rampage before demanding to see police officers. “He stood there and hit two more people and asked for the police to come,” Michael Benson said. Stunned witnesses counted a total of three people attacked. The suspect, Lashawn Marten, 31, remained at the scene until police arrived.

Here’s the real kicker:

  Because of Marten’s alleged comments about targeting white people the incident could result in hate crime charges in addition to felony assault charges, according to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. “Obviously our Hate Crimes Task Force is involved in aspects of that case,” Kelly said.

And the really sad part:

  Babbitt was taken to Bellevue Hospital. Family and friends said that he is in a coma and has been declared brain-dead. His 92-year-old mother, Hedda, was by his side. She shared a Sheepshead Bay apartment with her son. He was her primary caregiver.

Every damned time I read this sort of stuff. I reminded of what kind of Country that I really live in. Of course, I too, and my family have been victims of black on white crime. So, it is not a shock to me at all.

Others: Scared Monkeys, neo-neocon, Weasel Zippers, The Gateway Pundit, NewsBusters,iOwnTheWorld.com, Mediaite, The Last Refuge and Gothamist