Saturday, October 22, 2005

Real victims of the riot forgotten about?

There's been alot of discussion about "healing" the neighborhood and those who feel that the majority of those arrested should not be dealt with harshly. While I agree those who showed up for court and who don't have prior convictions or known connections to gangs should get a break? I think we should remember things like this so we remember who the real victims were last Saturday:

Weeks before her baby is due, Surinder Kaur found herself locked in the restroom of her brother's North Toledo convenience store with another employee Saturday, fearing for her life as rioters looted the business.

Ms. Kaur, who is eight months pregnant with her first child, already had been hit in the left shoulder with rocks and shoved against a wall. During the melee, her car outside the American Petroleum store was overturned.

"I'll never forget Saturday," the 24-year-old woman said yesterday as she sat quietly on a mattress on her living room floor.

A few hours earlier, Ms. Kaur was released from Toledo Hospital, where she was treated for not eating or sleeping, high anxiety, and a headache since the riot, which occurred after police canceled a planned neo-Nazi march in the area.

Ms. Kaur said she has lost four to five pounds "in only two days." Her brother said her unborn baby is fine.

Ms. Kaur, the other employee, and two or three customers were in the store at East Central and Stickney avenues when the mob of 10 to 15 people barged in.

The employees, who were behind the register, eventually made their way to the restroom. Although she didn't see what happened after that, Ms. Kaur said she thought, "They want to kill me."

Ms. Kaur and her brother said one of the store's neighbors helped the soon-to-be mother escape, protected her, took her to her home, gave her water, and tried to calm her.


What if she would have lost her baby? You can't excuse away some of this behavior, she didn't do anything to anyone. Not only has she gone thru an experience that is still causing her emotional trauma but she is afraid to go back to her job and had her car destroyed. Are those that were responsible going to pay for her lost wages and replace her car?

6 comments:

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

Surinder Kaur and her unborn child are likely to be affected in some way over the long term.

That kind of stress imprints on both Mother and her Baby.

Thank God for the store's neighbor...

Aaron said...

It is sickening. What is worse is that in the year 2005 women concieve and bear children in hopeless situations every day, often not of their own free will. I don't know if anyone has been watching the Kevin Sites series. It is not great journalism, but I'm addicted anyhow. You rarely get a glimpse into Africa from the mainstream media.

Unknown said...

I've been following it Aaron, I've been having some success locally getting people to support

Save Darfur

and

One org

As well Second Harvest here in the US. I should write about Kevin as well though because he is doing an awesome job trying to get the facts out.

Unknown said...

I have another order of bracelets coming in from both ONE and Save Darfur if anyone wants one email me and I'll let you know when the come in.

:-)

Brian Maxson said...

"The feeder bands are just now comming overhead...the winds have increased greatly, I can hear the windows shimmy...oops..wrong channel!

:)

Unknown said...

Brian, looks like the keys really got hit. I hope you have all the hatches battened down.

I stayed up way to late watching and it looks like it is getting close to you.

Let me know you're okay as soon as you can...

:-)