Beauty,  Weekly Bling

What has Happened to Beautiful Young Men?

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland to be exact. And I love it!  Last Friday night a girl of 15 was brutally gang-raped and beaten for two hours near her high school campus; she was attending their homecoming dance.  To add insult to injury, spectators recorded the attack with their cell phone cameras and failed to call the police.  As many as 10 people watched. This happened in neighboring Richmond, CA, about 20 minutes away.  I’m completely horrified at the ignorant mob mentality manifested in this situation.  One police officer said it was the worse attack he had seen in his tenure in law enforcement.  A 15 year old girl!

So many factors in this egregious crime make it an anomaly: The 5 men arrested to date had no connection; 3 latino, one white and one black.  Their ages ranged from 15 to 21.  No one called for help.  All I can say is I hope they reap what they have sown in lockup.

What happened to beautiful young men?  What happened to young men who hold the door open for you, and actually let you enter before them?

What happened to beautiful young men?  What happened to young men who addressed women — mothers, sisters, daughters– with words of respect?

What happened to beautiful young men?  What happened to young men who looked out for girls and deterred predators?

What happened to beautiful young men?

I have 3 beautiful daughters.  The thought of a man or boy touching them against their will in any manner brings out the momma bear in me.  I recall taking my 12 year old daughter to the dentist and she was walking a few paces ahead of me and some goons got between us.  She is a child — 12.  When they broke their necks to look at her butt and made comments about it, I lost it.  I had to chastise them.  Like it did any good…

What happened to beautiful young men?

This girl that was raped allegedly went off with a boy to have a drink.  This was such a lesson for my 12 year old.  And for me.

My favorite Raider, Johnny Lee Higgins
My favorite Raider, Johnny Lee Higgins

To be fair, I have to relate a wonderful memory I have of a beautiful young man. A few years ago I was traveling for business and a young man sat next to me.  We were en route from San Francisco to Houston.  Well, I’m a die-hard Raiders fan, and he was wearing a Raiders cap.  So of course I started a conversation with him.  (This was the year we drafted JaMarcus….that’s a whole ‘nother story)  So I asked, “You a Raider fan?”  “I am a Raider ma’am.”  At which point a 3 hour conversation ensued.  And I was ma’amed to death.  As it turned out, my seat mate was Johnny Lee Higgins and he was just returning from mini camp.  He was just delightful.  So mannerly.  Of course I had to do my “motherly” lecturing about women and California and he politely listened AND THANKED ME! Johnny Lee is a beautiful young man.  (And he is one bright spot on the Raider’s roster, but that’s a whole ‘nother story).

That young girl is still hospitalized.  Her physical wounds will heal but her internal ones never will. She will never know her true beauty, because it has been snatched from her.  She has been robbed.  Being a rape victim leaves you with scars that a life-long.  When I think about it, beautiful young men have been in limited quantity for over 30 years that I can remember.

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One Comment

  • Ron Eldridge

    Wow. What a story – one in which I can totally understand. Unfortunately, there are so many elements that pull our children away from the moral fabric that parents, family members and others work so hard to instill. You really do have to ask the question nowadays.

    What happened to beautiful young men? Lost, misguided, confused, lacking leaders, so many reasons… but like the lost kid that has strayed in the woods too deep, the fear that overwhelms you often becomes a catalyst for change.

    I wanna like the Raiders… kinda. You did a great job of helping me to like them a little more than I did though. Thanks for sharing the great story about Mr. Higgins.

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