Community | September 03, 2010 | 206 comments

Hate Crime Victim Handles Horrifying Attack With Humor and Grace

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38981535/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?gt1=43001

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congoboy
PORTLAND, Ore. — Bethany Storro had just bought a pair of sunglasses and was celebrating a new job when a black woman walked up to her with a cup and said: "Hey pretty girl, do you want to drink this?"

The woman then splashed acid in the cup on Storro, who stumbled in pain and fell to the ground screaming. She felt agonizing pain as the skin on her face bubbled and sizzled and portions of her blouse disintegrated.

"It was the most painful thing ever," Storro, 28, said Thursday. "My heart stopped. It ripped through my clothing the instant it touched my shirt; I could feel it burning through my second layer of skin."
But she insisted that she would not let the attack in Vancouver wreck her life, and laughingly marveled how her eyesight was spared just minutes after she bought those sunglasses.Storro said she had spinal meningitis twice as a child, which robbed her of most of her hearing.

"Oh my gosh, to be hard of hearing and blind? That would drive them nuts," she said, laughing and pointing at her parents, Joe and Nancy Neuwelt. "They have to be in the same room for me to hear them. I'm just so glad it's a miracle."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38981535/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?gt1=43001
  1. groups:
    Community,   Culture,   WTF,   Women,   2 more
  2. tags:
    Hate Crimes,  Hate Crime
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206 comments // Hate Crime Victim Handles Horrifying Attack With Humor and Grace

  • Brockula
  • congoboy
  • covertops
    • 0
      covertops  

    • what passion was present here? psychotic tendencies for sure. maybe i misunderstand, but i thought crimes of passion are b/t people who know each other or have a common tie....ie boy(girl)friend.
      not some random chance on the street???

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • covertops
  • covertops
    • 0
      covertops  

    • how did the bitch get the acid????
      what happened to go ole fashioned punching hitting kicking biting? my guess is the "other woman...(attacker)" didnt want to get messy. if u are gonna pick a fight stay around...what is the blitz attack???
      if the attacker truly said..."hey pretty lady, want to drink this...."
      how is not a hate crime....why say PRETTY and not say HEY LADY< THIRSTY????
      PRETTY is derogatory in that sense...attacker used that word to single out the VICTIM.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • 0
      congoboy  
    • covertops:

      agreed, but many on this thread still dont see it as a hate crime. since the opposite of hate is love i believe many here felt it was a crime of passion. like a love pat

    • 1 year ago
  • device80
  • congoboy
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  

    • Just for future reference:

      "A hate crime or bias motivated crime occurs
      when the perpetrator of the crime intentionally
      selects the victim because of his or her
      membership in a certain group."

      - From UCLA Law, 2007.

      This is not a hate crime because she was pretty. Try again.

      The fact that the title is "Woman in acid attack recounts agonizing pain" and not "Racist throws acid in woman's face" does not help your case either.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • +1
      congoboy  
    • lifestudentno83:

      she was in the pretty group, try again. laws are not always right nor moral and are many times in favor of the criminal instead of the victim, now thats fucked up no matter who you are, unless its a criminal lawyer representing the alleged perpetrator. and god has a special place for ass hole lieyers...er...ah lawyers like that

    • 1 year ago
  • covertops
  • CarlosIsDown
  • congoboy
  • CarlosIsDown
    • 0
      CarlosIsDown  

    • WTF is up with acid attacks? Fuck that shit. What makes a person deserve a ruined face for the better part of the rest of their lives?

    • 1 year ago
  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  

    • Also reading through the thread I have to say that I agree that there is a lot of racially motivated violence and it isn't limited to one race or ethnicity. There are many groups that hate each other for stupid reasons.

      Anyone ever seen Grand Torino?

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • 0
      congoboy  
    • jubal:

      great film, i especially enjoyed the relationship between clint eastwood and his barber. the world could use more honest and open friendships like that where two guys can love and respect each other enough that ethnic epithets are considered friendly gestures.

    • 1 year ago
  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  

    • There has to be some hate involved for someone to throw acid in the face of someone so beautiful. Perhaps the black woman hated this woman's beauty and tried to destroy it.

    • 1 year ago
  • alexandrek
  • congoboy
  • congoboy
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  

    • How is this a hate crime again?
      A crime certainly, but hate crime? There is not evidence given to support that claim. Perhaps Congoboy was just trying to get some views.

    • 1 year ago
  • alexandrek
  • congoboy
  • congoboy
    • +1
      congoboy  
    • alexandrek:

      so does one assume its a racially motivated hate crime because it involves two women of differing ethnicity's? if the roles were reversed and it was mentioned on cnn or written up in the ny times would it then be considered a racially motivated hate crime? the head line here says "hate crime victim" not racial hate crime victim. i dont understand where in anyone's book that someone intentionally attempting to disfigure another person wouldnt be considered a hate crime.

    • 1 year ago
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  
    • congoboy:

      I simply said there was no evidence to suggest the attack was motivated by race. That does not detract from the severity of the crime that took place here.

      Now, if there was something disparaging said about her ethnic background, then I would believe it was racially motivated. Since there was not, this is a crime, not a racially motivated "hate crime".

      Not to mention the fact you added in the race of the attacker despite the original article gave minimal mention to it. This could have just been a random act of violence. Perhaps you WANT it to be a hate crime?

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • Atalanda_Cameron
  • congoboy
    • 0
      congoboy  
    • Atalanda_Cameron:

      if the roles were reversed and it was mentioned on cnn or written up in the ny times would it then be considered a racially motivated hate crime? the head line here says "hate crime victim" not racial hate crime victim. i dont understand where in anyone's book that someone intentionally attempting to disfigure another person wouldnt be considered a hate crime. you can google it or click on the link for more info.http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/09/02/1325554/wa...

    • 1 year ago
  • Atalanda_Cameron
  • congoboy
    • 0
      congoboy  
    • Atalanda_Cameron:

      yup, beauty may only be skin deep. since the victim lost a few layers she would probably be the one who knows best. you look like a pretty lady and i dont consider my statement subjective. peace

    • 1 year ago
  • juicie
    • 0
      juicie  

    • @ jeffreyak in bangladesh they actually give you the acid to refill your own battery, has that been your experience over here?

    • 1 year ago
  • charmedkitten
    • +1
      charmedkitten  

    • Ok so i'm thinking that this is considered a hate crime because whoever the woman was targeted this poor girl for a reason.

      Was that reason being because she was pretty?

      If so, hate crimes are committed by targeting a specific group.
      I guess she was part of the pretty people/group
      So by some definition, yes, this was a hate crime.

    • 1 year ago
  • GodIsTheReason
    • 0
      GodIsTheReason  

    • My heart goes out to Bethany Storro!

      I don't care for the label of HATE CRIME - its a CRIME and should always be prosecuted and punished the same.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • +1
      congoboy  
    • GodIsTheReason:

      so do you feel the same about all crime perpetrated against someone else do to a persons strong disregard because of another persons beauty, ethnicity, race, religion, politics, gender, transgender, or sexual orientation? so should all violent crimes against any individual be treated and considered exactly the same? im not judging you, just curious on your opinion.

    • 1 year ago
  • GodIsTheReason
    • 0
      GodIsTheReason  
    • congoboy:

      Yes all crime should be prosecuted the same way. As a White person, if I beat up another White or a Black person I should be prosecuted in the same manner. If I don't you are elevating a class of person over another.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • littlwarrior
    • 0
      littlwarrior  
    • congoboy:

      ah but dont you see this people say that race gender orintation is provocation, does that mean they should have a harsher punishment then a random attack, not really, but they should get the book thrown at them for their bullshit. Like this acid attack, that bitch should be locked up for a long time, and I am fond of take everything she owns and sell it to pay damages.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • 0
      congoboy  
    • littlwarrior:

      agreed, i dont care who or what color you are. this kind of unprovoked attack against anyone regardless of the back ground of either party should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    • 1 year ago
  • ThresholdBroken
    • -2
      ThresholdBroken  

    • Did you know that Detroit and South Africa have about the same amount in black population ratio...................................................
      ....................................................................................

      Ons moet die bestaan van ons mense verseker, en 'n toekoms vir wit kinders

    • 1 year ago
  • Nephwrack
  • ampersand
  • eden49
  • ThresholdBroken
  • congoboy
  • Nephwrack
  • ThresholdBroken
  • MotherForTruth
  • ghostofamerica
    • 0
      ghostofamerica  

    • from the picture it looks like she is going to be okay. what a miracle. the pics of the desert women did not look so good. i'm surprised those women were alive at all due to the extent of their injuries. god bless her!

    • 1 year ago
  • Radical_Centrist
    • 0
      Radical_Centrist  

    • It seems to me that the police bend over backwards NOT to label crimes on White people by Minorities as Hate Crimes. I rememberer last year a Black Marine marries a White lady. Three Black Mariners break intro his home kill him and have their way with his wife BEFORE killing her. They then steal a couple of crime momentous and it is labeled a robbery gone bad NO hate crime was committed.

    • 1 year ago
  • juicie
    • 0
      juicie  

    • This happens all the time in bangladesh b/c they refill their own car batteries w/ acid so the have easy accesss. It mostly happens to adulterers by their spouses, but that is also a problem. People see a burn victim and assume they had it coming as a burn victim, but just as likely as in this case it could have been a random act of hate.

    • 1 year ago
  • jeffreyak
  • ozoneocean
    • +2
      ozoneocean  

    • How is this a "hate crime"? It's a horrible, awful ting, but NOWHERE in the story does it have any insight into the motivation of the attacker or even any obvious pointers as to why the attack occurred. As far as we know it's just an act of random violence by a crazy person.
      To call it a "hate crime" at this stage smells of an agenda by the one posting this story.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • -1
      congoboy  
    • ozoneocean:

      youve got a good nose. of course there was an agenda as there is with most stories written or posted. i intentionally used the words "hate crime" in the heading to troll people in. had i just written "woman splashed by acid" most who have already commented here would have passed right by the story without comment. my agenda was to point out the double standard and hypocrisy that is prevalent on the left. had the roles been reversed in this story, most on the left would be screaming "hate crime". the purpose was to create dialog. if folks on the left were truly honest with themselves ( i know an oxymoron huh? ) they would admit that this is so. peace and how'd you get so smart?

    • 1 year ago
  • Colin_McCabe
    • +3
      Colin_McCabe  

    • well this is one case I would not mind if the police get a little frisky with the baton
      who carrys around random cups of acid anyway? someone was pissed off. I really do like the girls attitude though, shes not letting it get her down and she puts a smile on her face and keep going, pretty on the inside and out.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • kitkatlove
  • congoboy
  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  
    • kitkatlove:

      That would be too kind...perhaps she could have her nipples and clitoris sizzled off with acid as well...or better yet....a slow drip down her throat with her head in a vice.

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • MotherForTruth
  • eden49
    • +1
      eden49  

    • ...it never dawned on me to think of it as a racist attack, just how "horrifying" an attack it was...sigh...

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • KSirys
    • 0
      KSirys  

    • figures, one story about a hate crime and the biggest racist asshole on current and coward, nonetheless.... decides to start posting... what a pussy... lucky this is the internet and the street...

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • KSirys
  • congoboy
    • -2
      congoboy  
    • KSirys:

      i apologize if it was a case of mistaken identity. i see there wasnt a name attached to your previous statement. i made the mistake of assuming it was meant for me since i posted the story. you said some fighting words and i reacted out of instinct but as they werent meant for me i again apologize. and never mind the personal message i sent as it was a response also based on incorrect information. peace

    • 1 year ago
  • KSirys
  • ankab
    • +2
      ankab  

    • Funny when I hear hate crime I always think some poor blacks done wrong by whites. That horrid woman that did it to this poor girl sounds like the devil. Some people just can't win. Good luck to her. Hopefully cosmetic surgery can help. Way down to that awful hateful sick woman for doing the scummbad thing.

    • 1 year ago
  • ayipis
    • -4
      ayipis  
    • Image

    • http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/09/black_civil_rights_mafia_betra.html

      Black Civil Rights Mafia Betrays Black America
      By Lloyd Marcus
      I am a black man alerting my fellow Americans about a tremendous evil which is going on in our great country. Despite the wonderful racial gains we have made in terms of coming together -- not as hyphenated Americans, but as Americans -- black civil rights dinosaurs and their liberal white guilt-ridden sycophants campaign to "Keep Hate Alive."

      The Black Civil Rights Mafia long ago abandoned MLK's dream of a day when all Americans would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. America's "Black Mob" makes everything about skin color to "get paid" and gain political power.

      What is so evil about the Black Mob is their willingness to sacrifice national race relations and the best interest of their fellow blacks for personal gain and to further a socialist agenda.

      Here is a prime example of the Black Mob's modus operandi. Glenn Beck held his "Restoring Honor" rally on the same day as MLK's famous speech. Al Sharpton, during his speech at his counter-rally, despicably misrepresented the purpose of Beck's rally. Sharpton proclaimed, "They want to disgrace this day!" Sharpton's lie was designed to inspire hate for Beck and the mostly white conservatives in attendance at Beck's rally.

      ******

      racism runs deep..good thing some can see through the thick murky and shitty waters of left winged liberalism

    • 1 year ago
  • KSirys
  • eden49
  • congoboy
    • -1
      congoboy  
    • ayipis:

      thank you, this has to be one of the most powerfully honest and profound comments ever posted on current. all true, ive pointed out the prophets of gloom, doom and continued racial hatred myself. there are more minorities being hurt by those charlatans than helped. sharpton, jackson, farakkhan, and the rev wright have done more to destroy the concept of racial harmony in this country than anyone else over the past 40 years.

    • 1 year ago
  • ayipis
  • ayipis
  • 2hellnwait
  • jubal
  • ayipis
    • -4
      ayipis  

    • http://queenbeeworld.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!57C67D21BFBFAD82!1190.entry

      BLACK GANG MEMBERS IN DENVER ATTACKED WHITE AND LATINO MALES, SOME ARE WOMEN...
      More black-on-white crime that you won't hear about on the news (story follows my post)...
      Police believe a series of violent attacks in downtown Denver between July 17 and September 20 of this year were motivated by racial hatred of white people by black suspects. Arrest warrants have been issued to nearly 36 black gang members accused in a series of attacks in the LoDo area involving numerous victims, some of whom were beaten severely and seriously injured. Arrest affidavits realeased by the Denver Police Department show a pattern of racially charged statements by the attackers preceding most of the attacks. According to the documents, the suspects told police they specifically targeted white men, they called "crackers".

      **************

      wow!! they sure dont dsicriminate

    • 1 year ago
  • KSirys
  • Colin_McCabe
  • ayipis
  • ayipis
  • ayipis
  • Colin_McCabe
  • thetrimsmith
  • KSirys
  • timetide
  • Nephwrack
  • tleyba505
  • congoboy
  • ayipis
    • -3
      ayipis  
    • Image

    • http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Attacked-Asian-Students-Fear-Retu...

      Attacked Asian Students Afraid To Go to School
      26 Asian students were attacked last week
      By DANIELLE JOHNSON
      Updated 2:09 PM EDT, Mon, Dec 7, 2009

      Print Share Buzz up!
      8retweet
      0diggsdigg

      Dozens of Asian students who were attacked and beaten at South Philadelphia High School last week have opted not to return to school on Monday over concerns for their safety.

      Wien Chen, president of the Chinese American Student Association, released a statement Sunday saying the students will instead meet and discuss "real solutions" to address violence at the school.

      “It is our opinion that South Philadelphia High School is still not a safe place for us,” read the statement. “Because we are Asian immigrants, we are targeted. We have been working with the school a long time, but the school has failed to provide a concrete plan to address our safety inside and outside the building.”

      School District officials and police held a meeting with the students on Friday evening but the group said the meeting did little to address their concerns or ease fears.

      Tensions between black and Asian students at the school erupted in a series of assaults last week, leading to 10 suspensions and several students seeking medical treatment.

      ****************
      wow!!! the dream turned into a nightmare..who is going to stop this?? al shaprton???

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
    • -1
      congoboy  
    • ayipis:

      i cant believe people vote down the truth, they cant handle the truth. must have been those free thinking, open minded white liberals...had it been asians assaulting blacks al would have been down there on the first plane. im gonna give you a vote back up my friend.

    • 1 year ago
  • ayipis
  • congoboy
  • ayipis
    • -3
      ayipis  

    • http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-05-02/news/20882830_1_asian-americans-african-am...

      Black attacks on Asians: racism or opportunity?
      CRIME
      May 02, 2010|By Nanette Asimov, Chronicle Staff Writer


      Walking to a convenience store in San Francisco's Visitacion Valley last fall, Rongshi Chen eyed a pair of young black men coming his way. With no warning, the men grabbed the 64-year-old, lifted him and threw him onto the concrete. They kicked his ribs, broke his collarbone and made off with $200, credit cards and Chen's identification.

      No one caught the attackers. Seven months later, Chen still suffers effects of the attack.

      He's not alone. At least four high-profile attacks involving blacks and Asians have occurred since January in San Francisco and Oakland, including the beating death of Tian Sheng Yu, 59, last month. Two 18-year-old men have been charged with murder.

      ********** what does that mean?? they are either racists or criminals??****

      wow!!! why are they being stereotyped as such??

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • MisterWizard
    • +1
      MisterWizard  

    • "Bethany Storro had just bought a pair of sunglasses and was celebrating a new job when a black woman walked up to her with a cup and said: "Hey pretty girl, do you want to drink this?"
      00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

      If a white girl had approached her and done the same thing, would you still have mentioned her race ?

      If your answer is yes, I'll be watching for the same response from you from this day forward.

      If Bethany Storro isn't upset, why are you so upset ? If it wasn't a racist ordeal to her, then why is it to you ? Just asking.

      COUNT THE ZEROES, because this post is worthless..

    • 1 year ago
  • congoboy
  • MisterWizard
  • ayipis
    • -3
      ayipis  

    • http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/27/us/27race.html

      Black Teenagers Convicted in Beating of 3 White Women
      Monica Almeida/The New York Times

      Family members of 10 teenagers on trial in a Halloween night attack assembled Friday outside the court after the verdicts in Long Beach, Calif.

      By LISA MUÑOZ
      Published: January 27, 2007

      LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 26 — A juvenile court judge found nine black teenagers guilty Friday of beating three young white women with pumpkins, newspapers and a skateboard last Halloween in an attack that has shined a spotlight on racial tensions here.

    • 1 year ago
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