However, political conjecturing seems irrelevant and even inappropriate when one realizes that profound questions persist thanks to "Frat Tuesday's" public groping, gang violence, and murder. For example, why have some young black teens apparently embraced a terrifying form of Clockwork Orange ultra violence? ("I've never seen anything like that," shocked Seattle police chief and 30-year cop veteran Gil Kerlikowske told me on Thursday morning.) Why do young women--presumably raised with the smarts of feminism--submit themselves to groping mob voyeurism? Why are young men--who live in a wealthy, democratic country--overturning cars, packing hand grenades, and hurling metal trash cans at police officers--for fun?
We certainly can't answer these sorts of sociological questions in a 1,000-word article. However, thanks to gonzo journalist Leonard Davis, who went to Pioneer Square with his digital video camera late on the evening of Tuesday, February 27, we were able to get answers from the evening's participants about why they were there.--Josh Feit
...The tape begins as Davis interviews an oval-faced young white man with a shaved head, who is decked out in Mardi Gras beads.
White Man: This girl over here is trying to show her titties, but everybody is pushing.
Black Man: Coochie! Coochie! She's trying to show her pussy, dog. That's something to get excited about, dog.
Davis: Why are you here?
White Man: To see what's going on. To see if we could get tear-gassed. Came to see some chicks and some tits.
White Woman (leaning on White Man's shoulder): This is the best chick you're gonna see.
White Man: Yeah, but you gotta show some titties on the camera.
White Woman: Are you ready? Are you ready? Okay. Wooooooooh! (She flashes the camera. She's rewarded with some beads.)
Davis: What leads you to show all these strangers your tits?
White Woman: Cuz I'll never see any of you guys again.
Small Crowd: Show 'em again then! Show 'em again! (She walks away.)
Male Voice: Fucking slut.
The camera pans up and focuses on a Pat Benatar look-alike. She's riding on the shoulders of a man. She prepares to flash a throng of revelers, but a scuffle in the crowd below causes her to get down. Some guys tug at her pants from behind. Camera cuts.
...A crowd is pushed back as three black men chase down a Hispanic man--knocking him to the ground and pummeling him with fists and flying kicks.
Female Voice: Somebody fucking help him!
One of the attackers smashes a bottle on the victim's head.
Attacker (directly into the camera): Westside nigga what!
Camera pans to a loner with Greg Brady hair.
Davis: What are we experiencing here?
Greg Brady: Fucking human nature. (He spits.)
Camera cuts.
...Camera pans to another fight as the pack travels up the street. One side is trying to run away, as the other side yells and chases after. A line of police officers looks on. Camera cuts.
...Clouds of smoke and sparks. Tear gas is thrown into the crowd. Three terrified teenage girls run in and then out of the camera's view. Screams. The crowd parts as a group of college guys carry a body. It appears lifeless in their arms. (We learn later that this is Kristopher Kime, the 20-year-old who died on Wednesday evening from head injuries. He was attacked with fists, kicks, and a smashed bottle.) People are running all around. A drunken guy watches the people running by.
Drunken Guy: We love these people. We love you! We fucking love you, bitch!
Camera cuts.
...Camera zooms in on the ongoing melee. A man brings a baseball bat down on someone's head. A high-school-age boy with braces ambles by the camera with his girlfriend.
Davis: What makes you stick around and watch that?
Boy: Violence is a good thing.
Davis: Why is it a good thing?
Boy: I like to see blood.
Davis: Why?
Boy: Why the fuck not?
He walks away, holding his girl's hand. Camera cuts.
...More boys stroll into the camera's view. A very high Asian boy takes center stage.
Davis: Tell me, what are you guys doing down here?
Asian Boy: We try to come out here with some titties, man. Why these motherfuckers and niggers trying to fuck with us, man? For real. Someone hit me cuz I was trying to get on some titties, man. What makes me stick around is for the adrenaline rush, man. Fuck that! I don't give a fuck about the police! Fuck that!
His sober friend steps into view.
Davis: What makes you stick around?
Friend: I'm sticking around cuz I like seeing this kinda stuff, man. You don't see it much in a town like Seattle. Lately, it's been crazy.
Davis: Where do you see it?
Friend: Well, I see it in my hood all the time, but I'm saying like downtown, man.
Camera cuts.
... Two girls moon a group of guys as their male friend yells, "No cameras." Camera cuts.
... A fresh-faced blond surfer boy stands by himself.
Blond Boy: I came down here for Fat Tuesday. I thought it was pretty fun. Everything's going good until about 10 minutes ago (gestures with cell phone toward square), when I got fucking mugged in the middle of Pioneer Square by five big fucking black guys. What the hell's up with that? I didn't have any money in my wallet. They took my keys. I can't get back home. Then to get my keys back was $40. I ran my ass around and only got $15. I brought it back to them. They took that money; kept my keys. That's my story.
Camera cuts.
...Canisters of tear gas pop and explode on the street. The crowd cheers. Some people scurry away, covering their mouths and noses. Others throw debris at the police line. "Gimme something to throw!" "Throw it back!" A boy picks up a smoking tear-gas bomb and hurls it aimlessly. A dumpster rolls from off camera at the police line. Camera cuts.
...A guy is lying in the street. Bystanders move him to the curb. A man with a video camera zooms in on him, leaning in for a good shot. "Are you gonna die? Are you gonna die?" Camera cuts.
...Police bullhorns drone, telling people to move back. One man staggers in front of the police line. "I can't see. I can't see. I can't see." The police respond by blasting him with a jet stream of pepper spray. Camera cuts.
...An overturned car sits in the middle of the empty street. A man crouches down and peers in the window. Camera cuts.
...Two fat white guys obliviously call out to the cops--asking for directions. "How do we get to First from here?" The crowd is thinning out. A small group sits on the grass while others stumble around: "I can't see, man." "I can't see, dog." Camera cuts.
Transcribed and scripted by Melissa Ross and Josh Feit.
QuickTime clips from the video:
