Teens and conflicting viewpoints

We had great discussion in one of my junior classes this morning. After reading Countee Cullen's Incident and Tableau, written during the Harlem Renaissance, we began discussing whether or not the themes were still prevalent in today's society. While we obviously talked about racial issues (fortunately I have a group of students who respect others' viewpoints and opinions), we also talked about stereotypes of people who deal with obesity and/or other disabilities and how they are treated in society.

There was still a little bit of time left in the class period when students finished working on an assignment over these two poems, so we began to discuss the six Florida girls who had lured and beat up their classmate. The discussion was eye-opening (and a little disturbing) to say the least. While some were completely disgusted by their actions, there were several students who thought that the victim was deserving. Their reasoning..."If you talk trash about people, you get what you deserve."

WHAT?!!

At the beginning of the class period we talked about victims (violence, oppression, discrimination, etc.) in our society who have been mistreated and those who have devoted their lives to bringing about change in the world. We talked about men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi and at the end of the class some are defending senseless violence in the name of "saving face."

I'm at a loss for words...