Through Murky Waters: Killing those who can’t fight back
Disturbing new trend of violence against the homeless is indicative of a greater problem
By Alex Sirney, senior writer
Posted on February 22, 2007

Encounters with the homeless happen every day — in busy streets they are off to the side, largely ignored. In less-busy areas they go equally unnoticed, unless the chance passer-by happens to glance at them, either with pity or reproach.

Tragically, 122 of these encounters with homeless people last year ended with the homeless individual being brutally assaulted. In 20 cases, the victim never got back up, CNN reported Tuesday. Of those convicted for these attacks, 83 percent were less than 25 years old, according to a National Coalition for the Homeless report.

This represents an almost 50 percent increase in deaths from 2005 and a nearly 72 percent increase in violent, non-lethal attacks. The most attacks by far in the last eight years occurred in 2006, although 1999 saw the most deaths, with 48.

These attacks may not represent a large portion of the total murder rate, but they occurred against some of the most vulnerable people in the country — people utterly without recourse. What is worse, they were usually carried out by middle-class, teenaged boys without any discernable motive, according to experts cited by CNN. The NCH report says that in cases where the attacker was known in 2006, 61 percent were between 13 and 19 years old, and 83 percent were under 25 years old.

To one of these boys in the CNN report, it was a “game” when he and two friends beat a man to death, reminiscent of violent video games. Criminologists refer to these murders as “sport killings,” according to CNN.

Murders for “sport” against a population that is isolated and largely helpless — afraid to turn to the police, living out of earshot of a neighbor and without any way to summon help — are among the most deplorable crimes imaginable. They involve the victimization of someone who is defenseless, helpless and already suffering. No life, however marginalized, should ever be taken so lightly that it is made a game of.

As disgusting as these attacks are, what is more reprehensible is the culture that has allowed those who are homeless to become invisible — invisible to those walking down the street with pocket change to spare, invisible to a government bent on cutting social program costs and insignificant enough that sociopaths can see no reason why they shouldn’t blow off steam by murdering them.

This is the most appalling aspect of the story — that, according to the NCH report, these attacks are often carried out because the attacker simply can or is looking for a thrill. These murders see the life of someone in society who is weak and is not obviously contributing as without any value other than to offer some entertainment in extinguishing it. And entertainment it is, with a depraved video series, “Bumfights,” devoted to showcasing people so desperate that they agree to fight each other on camera for a few dollars.

There have been no recent reported attacks on the homeless in Harrisonburg, although HPD spokesman Lt. Kurt Boshart points out that they still may occur and go unreported. The social service coordinator for the Salvation Army, which runs the largest shelter in town with a capacity of 75 residents, echoed that, saying that she was unaware of any talk either among the staff or among the residents themselves that reflected this violent trend.

Nonetheless, it is important that people everywhere change their attitude of the homeless from one of apathy that allows teenagers to think a homeless life is less important or valuable than their own to an attitude that reflects the value and potential of all life.

Changing the way the homeless are viewed is not some legislative action that Congress can pass. The only way change can occur is by bringing the homeless back from the fringes of society and into the mainstream — as employees, certainly, but also as potential community leaders who know best how to combat social problems by virtue of their long experience with them.

Alex Sirney is a senior anthropology and SMAD major.