Mob Attacks

Right now, there have been an increasing number of mob attacks in and around downtown Chicago.  By mob, I mean a large number, not the Godfather.  Basically, individuals are attacked at all hours of the day and night by anywhere from 5-20 teenagers (typically boys).  The victims are savagely beaten and usually robbed.  There has been at least one attack per day for about the last week, with as many as three or more in 24 hours.  The attacks take place in the Loop and also in nearby affluent neighborhoods, usually near public transportation.

The attacks are horrible, but one comment by a downtown resident really struck me.  He said something along the lines of, "I pay too much rent to have to worry about having my iPod on or my phone out while I walk down the street to Starbucks."

My first thought was, oh, because poor folks in shitty neighborhoods totally deserve to have their stuff ripped off.  My second thought, and the one that I'll expound on, is that I don't know how anyone expects that it's SAFE for them to be completely absorbed in their electronics while they walk around ANYWHERE.

I know I am unusual for my generation.  I don't even own an iDevice of any kind.  I have a cell phone, but it's not a smart phone.  It's not a "dumb" phone, either, but it's...somewhere in the middle?  I have 3G, email, facebook, etc, and a full keyboard, but it's not an expensive phone at all and it's not fast.  Also, most pic or video heavy sites are inaccessible.

When I lived in the city, and even living out in the burbs, I was always aware of my surroundings when I was out walking or on public transportation.  I very rarely talked on my cell, and even if I had an iPod, I would not have listened to it while out and about.  I get too sucked into the music and I'm not observing what's happening around me--and I know that others who are paying attention to their devices are in the same situation.

Now, I think in the attack cases, what made the targets attractive was that they had the desirable electronics, not that they were distracted.  When 15 kids attack you, no amount of observation is going to protect you.  But in other cases, being aware of your surroundings can save your life--even if you're reading a book, you're still able to hear what's going on.  So be safe and put those gadgets away.