None of It Was Right

Recently I was invited by a friend to attend a Rapid City Rush hockey game.  Specifically, the game the evening of January 24th - "Pink the Rink Night", to raise awareness/money for the cure for different cancers.  It was THE most exciting athletic event I have been to in a LONG time!!  Two overtimes, and a shoot out that seemed to go on, and on, and on.  It seemed like it, because it did.  Eventually, the Rush fell to the Wichita Thunder.....by. one. point.  A heart-breaking end to an exhilarating night for sure.

The next day, my Facebook feed was plastered with reports of a racial incident which took place right there in Rapid City.  During the game.  In front of the Eagle Sales - Budweiser Distributor suite.  I was seated on the opposite side of the rink - no where near where the incident took place.  No where near where I could have known that a despicable act was taking place.

It has been reported in the Rapid City Journal, on the Black Hills Fox5 station, among other media's in the area that some 65 students and chaperons from American Horse School in Allen, SD attended the exciting game that night.  Only to leave early.......before the real excitement began.  They made the 200 mile long bus ride to Rapid in celebration and as a reward for excelling in school.  My hat is off to you kids.  Congrats on a job well done.  Hard work pays off.

Our area news outlets have run multiple stories that an/some individuals that were guest's of Eagle Sales in their suite made a very bad choice that evening (probably fueled by beer) to pour beer on those in attendance from the school and their chaperons while hurling racial insults at them.  Eventually 'running the group out'......to then "seemed to gloat over what they had accomplished in chasing the student group from the game".  (http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/police-probe-opened-in-rush-racism-incident/article_9b65b4f5-9270-51bb-bafe-e1953d8cfdda.html)

This. Is. Not. Right.

• In NO way do I agree NOR do I condone the actions of those involved in the hateful happenings that night.  
• In NO way do I feel the student group should have given in and left.
• I DO feel the chaperons should have involved security.
• I DO feel the chaperons should have stood up to the ridiculous individual(s) that made very bad choices that night.
• I DO feel those sitting near should have stood up to the before mentioned ridiculous individual(s).  
• I DO feel if people were "uncomfortable" with what was going on (as has been reported) they should NOT have just continued to sit in their seats and watch the game.
• I DO feel that everyone - adults AND kids - that was in earshot of what was going on should have stood up to these bully(s) and SHAMED them into stopping.  Peer pressure can be a good thing at times.  
• I DO feel that anyone that heard or saw what happened should have contacted security.

News agencies have reported that parents of those in attendance of the game want hate crime charges filed.  Apologies have been demanded not only from those responsible, but from The Rushmore Civic Plaza (venue where the game took place), The Rapid City Rush hockey team, Budweiser Eagle Sales; even the mayor and police chief have been in on apologies.  I read this morning that the suite the incident took place from/near was not originally reported because the person/business that rents that suite received a death threat. 

I ask you.......Where is the personal responsibility in this?  Tar and feather the culprit(s) that were complete asses.  They deserve it.  Seriously, a death threat on a person who was not even in attendance to the game that night?  Why is there no outcry for justice to this person?  An apology is being demanded from the team?  They were on the ice.....in no way could they have known what was transpiring.  The Civic Plaza is a public place; paid for with tax dollars.  How can managers of such a place be responsible for the publics actions and be responsible for an apology?  How can the MAYOR and POLICE CHIEF be responsible for an apology.  Get a grip.  Chaperones, where is your responsibility in not contacting security?  Where is your responsibility in not standing up to the moron(s) that did this?  Why did you bury your heads and run away?  What kind of an example did that set for those kids?  They were young kids.  They shouldn't have had to stand up for themselves with you there to look out for them.

This morning I read that an apology is now being demanded (and has been received) from the Rapid City Journal for a headline they printed as they continued to report on the finding of the investigation of the events of January 24th.  The jist of the article that resulted in  "justifiable anger" reported that the student/chaperone group from American Horse School did NOT stand for our national anthem.  Really?????  

• I do NOT condone the actions of the school group for not standing and giving our flag the respect she deserves.  
• I do NOT condone the disrespect the group showed to our country, our veterans, or our citizens.
• I do NOT condone unjust demands put on those that are NOT responsible for the events of the night.
• I do NOT condone teaching the kids to demand responsibility from those NOT responsible.

What I DO ask.....where is EVERYONE'S personal responsibility in ALL of the absurd acts of the night?