Hi Capitalist_Nightmare
You might try contacting the city about this explain to them that the carnival staff, or anybody else that was in a authority there didn't do anything to put a stop to it, I do believe it's the city that allows the circus and carnivals to put up shop here that could easily be revoked if they're not going to take control of those kinds of situations. But people have to Say something and complain The city is not going to know what happened unless somebody tells them
Anyway it's worth a try
Sincerely, rozemist

Hello Capitalists_Nightmare, You definitely put yourself (literally) in the middle of a dangerous situation. As a mom of kids in their 20's, I still worry about their safety and well-being, so as I was reading your blog, I was concerned for you the whole time. That said, I applaud your courageous action in standing up against "mob mentality" and the thuggish behavior that results when reckless people of any age prey upon those who have the odds stacked against them. I don't know what the reasons were behind the hostilities, but watching two guys fight is MUCH different than idling standing by and callously observing a vastly outnumbered guy getting attacked. I am amazed at the woman bystander's comment. It makes me wonder if she was somehow connected to the aggressors and so did not want to see any interference (pure speculation, on my part). The biggest question is - where were the police? Carnivals can be places where troubling events can happen and so there should have been a VISIBLE police presence to ensure that incidents like this either don't happen at all or are quickly addressed. Sad that only ONE person (you) chose to stand up for what is right. At least the other bystanders should have been dialing 9-11, if they did not want to get physically involved (which is understandable). I hope that you retain your compassionate instincts as you go through life C_N. I respect your decision to get involved and take risks in defense of an outnumbered victim. I am very sorry for your injuries, but view them as a badge of honor as witness to your standing up to cowardly bullies. You are also insightful in recognizing that if lone individuals are unwilling to exhibit moral courage and reluctant to put one's self at risk, no great social changes (the civil rights movement, women's right to vote, organizing labor unions, and the Eygpt example that you cited) would occur. Sincerely, Karen

Oh I think the city knows about it, afterwards there were like 7 squad cars and uncover that showed up along with an ambulance. The craziest part was that police were nowhere to be seen the whole time even though before that I spotted the gang unit walking in circles around the place the whole time. Two fights happen and they're nowhere in sight, as if they weren't there at all even though I had previously kept running into them. I was wondering the same thing Karen, this person must have known somebody that jumped this guy. I asked the guy why these guys were jumping him and he said he stopped talking to one of their sisters, like he was a flirt who decided he didn't want to date her when she really liked him. Maybe he deserves a fight, but those numbers for one guy isn't acceptable in a fight, especially over something like this. The guy really had some big cajones though, I told him to leave when ten guys were walking up and he's already bloody and he stood his ground. But events like these sadden me because it shows the amount of work that needs to be done to create a better culture of solidarity and unity in society. I mean the friend I was with(who's built bigger than me) decided to do nothing even when I, his friend, decided to step in.

Standing up against injustice can be scary because of the ramifications one could face from those you're standing up against, but it's very rewarding psychologically for those who do in more than just words. The greatest high I've ever felt was seeing the streets filled with people during the General Strike in Oakland during Occupy Oakland and it still motivates me. In this case I also met a girl who thought it was cool that I stepped into that situation and I still managed to have a great weekend despite the pain my face was in :)

Although I do understand why some people aren't going to put themselves out there, I told my 15 year old cousin I was with to stay out of it and I wouldn't want my grandma or grandpa doing that.

Hello Capitalists_Nightmare, Although justice is its own reward (and knowing that you did the right thing bolsters your own sense of satisfaction and worth), it is also great that you met a girl who was insightful enough to appreciate your act of courage. You are right that standing up against injustice CAN be scary, but mentally having to live with one's self and making excuses for personal inaction can also be challenging. You may have physical injuries (and I'm not making light of those), but your spirit or mind is at peace knowing you did what everyone else should have done too. It can be physically and psychologically risky to be the LONE person standing up for what is right. I understand the rewarding feelings of solidarity you feel when fighting for a cause (such as your Occupy Oakland experience) that others share and join you in support of, regardless of the possible dangers or ramifications. It is funny that your last post reminded me of something I was thinking about yesterday as I was walking my dogs. We can willingly or even eagerly put ourselves at personal risk in a situation, but when it comes to our loved ones, or those we see as vulnerable, we urge them to be cautious. A few weeks ago, there was a dog stuck in the part of an irrigation canal that had a few feet of icy cold water. It was freezing cold outside and the poor dog was shivering and whimpering, which I just couldn't turn my back on or ignore. So I waded in the shallowest part and grabbed ahold of the dog's collar to bring him to the side. The whole time I was thinking "I hope this dog doesn't bite me or have rabies!", but inaction to suffering was out of the question. Lucky for me, he was just anxious to get out of there. I dried the dog off with my coat as best I could and wrapped him up and carried him home with my dogs leading the way. I kept him overnight in the bathroom with blankets, food, and water, before taking him to the animal shelter. I hope his owners got him or he was adopted. He was quite old, so I don't know how he ended up down in that canal/ditch. Anyway, I was glad that I took the actions I did, but would worry about my kids' safety if any of them were in the same situation (even though they are young adults, they'll always be "my kids"). So I totally empathize with your feelings about your your cousin and grandparents. I still think there are things we CAN do to help in a difficult situation, that don't put us in actual physical danger. Before the incident I described, there was another older large dog, months earlier, stuck in the water of the canal, but this time it was early afternoon, so I called my dogs and ran home (no cell phone) to phone the SSJID, which sent workers to rescue the dog. In the carnival instance, I hope bystanders were dialing 9-11. It was a safe, but responsible thing to do. Sincerely, Karen

Just another example of how MPD doesn't care about Manteca and also how the average Manteca resident doesn't either.

This story seems to exemplify the type of people in Manteca; maybe one person out of ten is a decent morally well adjusted person. Seems to be a byproduct of lower standards of education in the region. Just add some meth to the story and this would be Manteca to-a-T. Sad ...

Hello crimeriddendump, You can not logically extrapolate this ONE incident into a generalized indictment of Manteca's citizens as a whole as an uncaring, ignorant, meth-addicted lot. That makes as much sense as reading a heartwarming article in the Bulletin about people rallying around a cancer patient or a family in dire circumstances and then generalizing that the article typifies the average citizen of Manteca as generous and thoughtful. Manteca, like every other city, has its share of citizens who are intelligent or willfully ignorant, who are questioning or gullible, who are warmhearted or callous, and who are thoughtful or inconsiderate. You have made it clear in past postings that you don't think highly of Manteca or its population, but that doesn't make your generalizations and snide put-downs valid or logical. That "maybe one person out of ten is a decent morally well adjusted person" comment has NO solid reinforcement or detailed statistical evidence. It is just a faulty conclusion based on ONE unfortunate example and simply mirrors your own established disdain for Manteca. THAT is what is truly sad. Sincerely, Karen

Hello KarenPearsall,

The sad truth is there are far, far more examples of the MPD seemingly enabling or ignoring actual crime in Manteca than preventing or mitigating it. Sadder still that so many people in Manteca choose to ignore the crime and corruption and simply pretend like it's not happening.

Thank you for bringing this one to the top.

Karen, I enjoyed your statements greatly, and agree whole heartedly.

C_N:

You learned some wisdom from this incident, that no good deed goes unpunished.

Some of the first things they teach in the martial arts is to run away from danger. 10 against two are the kind of odds that say "turn and run!" It appears that you and I have the same belief that when you are doing something right, that all around you will join in. You gained a little wisdom there. Even in my world of standing up against the odds, I would limit myself to three to one odds, five to one means you are in for a beating. Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee always made it look so easy.

You also gained wisdom in that after 70 years of war, and violent TV, movies, video games, as well as street gangs, the perceived communist and socialist threats, people have become desensitized to the idea that they should or could participate. People are afraid to get involved for a myriad of reasons, from a liability fear, to the fear of getting hurt, to the fear of revenge in the future from these hoodlums.

Just remember looking around and seeing others that were doing nothing when you were standing up for what you thought was right. History has told that story on a grander level, and it wasn't that long ago. That is why I have said in the past that if another country was ever to attack the American soil, the people will be just like the citizens of France when the Nazis occupied them. They will roll over and do what they are told because they are too afraid. This is a reality that I, a former dreamer, has come to learn about society.

I too, harbor a distrust for this, or any police department, but I have come to the reality that they are the first I will call if their services are needed.

There are some major PR issues with police departments in general. Instead of peace keepers, they have become more of a combative paramilitary units ready to put down the insurgency than they are Andy of Mayberry.

Well, you received a chipped tooth, a nose job, a sore cheek, a black eye, and a whole bunch of wisdom. Sounds like a pretty good day to me.