Your Voice | A 'chilling account' of a teen mob

I was horrified to read Brian Goldman’s chilling account of his assault at the hands of a gang of teenagers in busy and bustling Center City on a Saturday night, an incident which reminds me of the stunning attack, sexual assault and murder of Queens resident Kitty Genovese in March 1964 when 38 witnesses similarly neither did anything to help her nor call the police.

We are often told by political leaders that the main threat to our nation and to our way of life are violent Islamic radicals. Try telling that to Mr. Goldman or anyone else who has had their life flash before their eyes at the hands of thugs or domestic terrorists.

What will the justice system do to the teenagers who appear to have engaged in a race-based attack on Mr. Goldman, inflicting physical and emotional harm? Not enough.

It is a good bet that whatever sanction is dispensed by the justice system, if any, will be ineffective in reversing the mindset of individuals that have become callous, hate-filled, hardened criminals with contempt for society before they have reached the age of majority, and surely all of them will be returned to the streets soon, affording them ample opportunity to continue fomenting mayhem and hurting innocent people.

Aside from locking up anti-societal misfits and throwing away the key after they have committed harm, I do not know precisely how we go about restoring civilized behavior to our society, how we can deal in a pre-emptive manner with the violent degenerates who walk among us

every day, often armed with guns to settle disputes.

I am thankful that Mr. Goldman survived and was well enough to chronicle his nightmare, but no one deserves to endure the abomination that he did.

Oren M. Spiegler is from Upper Saint Clair, PA.

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