Photo du Jour 516
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SFist Interviews: John Ortved, Author of The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History
SFPD has released a sketch of the man suspected of stabbing 11-year-old Hatim Mansori a couple of weeks ago on Muni in an unprovoked attack. Here's the description again:
Witnesses described him as a "scruffy-looking" black man with dark facial hair, 25 to 35 years old, 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall, and about 190 pounds. He also had a strong body odor, witnesses said.He was wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans and dark shoes at the time.
Along with this story bringing up the issue of Muni's faulty surveillance cameras, it also coincides with this New York Times article that came out on Saturday regarding how parents who give their children freedom to walk to school or the bus stop alone have become an anomaly and are mercilessly judged by the community as endangering their children.
The article cites data from the National Household Travel Survey: "in 1969, 41 percent of children either walked or biked to school, but by 2001, only 13 percent still did." Fifty-five percent are now driven to school, which has undoubtedly contributed to "the rise in pollution, traffic congestion and childhood obesity, but has also hampered children’s ability to navigate the world."
High-profile cases like Jaycee Dugard's fan parents' fears, but in reality "about 115 children are kidnapped by strangers each year, according to federal statistics; 250,000 are injured in auto accidents."
We are forever grateful for the freedom we had as kids to wander the neighborhood alone in the '70s and '80s, while navigating situations that were on the shady side, much like the characters in Bad News Bears and Little Darlings. We shudder to think how we would have turned out as products of this newfangled, "worst-case scenario" society, but worst of all, we fear we'll end up becoming "helicopter" parents ourselves.
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I let my 11 year-old son come home on MUNI by himself from middle school, for the first time, this year. When I read what happened to Hatim Mansori, it was like confirmation of every worst fear I had. But I still let him do it. And I know that there are parents who think I am crazy, especially because I COULD pick him up in my car, but I choose to give him this freedom and responsibility. I think the main difference between now and then is that when I was young (70's, suburbs -- think E.T.), I could go on my own at 8 or 9, but now even 11 seems a little young/early. But, still, I am one of the few parents I know that lets my 11 year-old do this.
Also, I can say that some private schools will not "release" the kids on their own after school until after they are a certain age. They HAVE to be picked up by an adult. So maybe some of the fear is being "taught" to parents. At least private school parents.
The sketch looks a lot like a guy that I used to see in the Lower Haight and often riding the 22-Fillmore.
I live in the Lower Haight @ Webster and this guy does look familiar.
If we let police arrest/detain anyone wearing a black hoodie and baggy jeans is it still considered "racial profiling"?
that, or any kind of subcultural profiling is just a crutch for lack of evidence.
No. That's clothing profiling. As the owner of a black hoodie and some regular, not-very-baggy jeans, that hits pretty close to home.
what does kanye have to say about this?
Yo Hatim! I'm really happy for you. I'll let you finish, but Julius Caesar had one of the best stabbings of all time!