Thug Lovin'

The inevitable happened yesterday. My housemate was mugged walking back from the bus stop. It’s on a main road and only two roads away from our house but it happened. He's not a huge guy and wears glasses and a beanie hat so it could be suggested that he's an easy target. Either way, I'm bloody fuming. Three black guys punched him over the head knocking him to the floor and proceeded to punch and kick him whilst trying to get into his pockets. My housemate explained he didn't know how he got the strength to stand up and he sprinted away leaving them behind. He got away without them taking anything but has bruises and cuts on his face, hands and knee. I hear about people being attacked rather a lot but I assumed (naively) that if some one wants to mug you, they'll ask politely for you to hand over your wallet and then if you refuse, then kick the shit out of you. But this seemed like an unfair attack using violence and three big guys who so obviously unfairly outnumbered their prey.
I’m disappointed. I'm always sticking up for this area when people say what a shit-hole it is and defend the fact that our house of students live as the minority among other cultures. I love that we can buy unusual vegetables and spices at our corner shop. But when something like this happens I feel let down, like everyone is right. Maybe I do live in a shit-hole, but 90% of the time I like it but the longer I live here the more I yearn to be back in my comfort zone where I feel safe. We don't belong here and the locals know it. They see us as rich students invading their territory when we are anything but rich and just want to integrate. It's given me a greater understanding of why racism and segregation still exists in our country but I am no more racist or scared than when I moved here a year and a half ago. I just understand people that I wouldn’t have come into contact with in my lifetime. It's like everyone is always on the defence 24/7 and you can cut tension with a rusted spoon. I have Asian friends, Black friends, Chinese and Welsh. These experiences don't change my opinions of the wider groups of people at all; it just tilts my perspective on the area. It may be affected by other things such as it being a poor, neglected area as well which must be considered. Whatever it is I'm sick of it, I don't understand why Birmingham is split into separate areas of ethnicity. They all live miles apart. But surely this aids the segregation and misunderstandings of each other’s culture? I think what would solve this is a mass Wife Swap so people know that there is nothing to fear, and that every family just wants to get on and live their lives. I believe this would be easier and more harmonious if people mixed it up a little.