"It" Happens

citizenzen · 04-24-2009, 03:49 AM

Let's file this one under "social theory"

This evening, my commute home included meeting my wife at her workplace. (she drives the car, I ride the bus) A few feet from her store's entry I heard a man say, "excuse me." I turned toward him, and >POW!< he belts me right on the nose!*

I back away a few feet. The guy looks to be around my age (48ish), smaller, gray beard, scruffy and pissed! He's yelling something at me but I can't make any sense of it. It's pretty evident that he is not sane. He reaches down to a small leather pouch on his belt, but luckily doesn't pull a knife.

About this time my wife and her coworker come running out yelling at the guy. Their threats of having called the police was enough to get him on his bike, but he continued to accuse me of "chasing down and raping his wife"! MY wife, god bless her, was ready to take the guy out herself, but after a few more rants he rides away.

The cop who took the report apologized for the fuss saying, "We just let these people (insane/homeless) hang around and we never do anything about it."

I didn't want to argue with a cop (especially when he's apologizing to me) but what can we do for the homeless and the insane? Are there examples of systems that work? Because the system in this town sucks... frankly.

Or does anybody have an experience to share where life came at you fast and taught you a painful lesson? What did you learn? Did it change how you felt about yourself or others?

*Please hold you applause out of respect for the wounded.

shawn · 04-24-2009, 03:55 AM

Hopefully you encounter a random act of niceness next time.

citizenzen · 04-24-2009, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawn

Hopefully you encounter a random act of niceness next time.

I encounter many every day.

wil · 04-24-2009, 04:19 AM

I think it was a combination of Reagan budget cuts and liberal folks complaing about us 'housing' the troubled...not enough money to actually give them the care they need so let them onto the streets...

citizenzen · 04-24-2009, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wil

...not enough money to actually give them the care they need so let them onto the streets...

Whose doing it right?

Anybody?

seattlegal · 04-24-2009, 05:23 AM

Seattle's 'supportive housing' for homeless gets boost

Tao_Equus · 04-24-2009, 08:58 AM

Sorry to hear about your experience...

Here in the UK its all so called "care in the community" which translates as special access to housing then being left to get on with it. I have one as a neighbour and am in court in May to get her evicted after 5 years of non-stop trouble. And after these 5 years believe me I do not have an ounce of tolerance for her, and her wino friends. She destroys the quality of life for not just me but the 6 other families in my stair.

17th Angel · 04-24-2009, 10:29 AM

I feel that Tao... All she has to do though is become with child... Get houses thrown at her.... *sighs*

nativeastral · 04-24-2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Whose doing it right?

Anybody?

no one that l know

Tao_Equus · 04-24-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex P

I feel that Tao... All she has to do though is become with child... Get houses thrown at her.... *sighs*

She is about 60... she is a no-hoper.... and has been given many chances she refused......I cannot help her and feel 5 years worth of her being her neighbour I have done my part of societal toleration. I appreciate it will just move the problem somewhere else, but 5 years I'v done my bit in bearing the negatives of her life choices.

17th Angel · 04-24-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citizenzen

This evening, I heard a man say, "excuse me." I turned toward him, and >POW!< he belts me right on the nose!*

There's ya karma :/

Tao_Equus · 04-24-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex P

There's ya karma :/

lol, I thought of posting that too

17th Angel · 04-24-2009, 11:19 AM

I just had to. *innocent shrug*

I guess he had it coming for some reason or another.

I, Brian · 04-24-2009, 12:20 PM

Yes, it's a tragedy - it used to be the case that people with clear mental problems would receive care in dedicated hospitals or homes, but that budget cuts meant many of these ended up being closed down, and as Tao points out, were basically thrown into communities with little real help.

The result is that periodically we hear about one of these "care in the community" patients going nuts with a sword, knife, or other weapons, killing somebody - then the government shakes its head sadly, declares it a tragedy, then the psychiatry reports are made public showing that these people had been identified as a danger to the public, a little public grumbling, then everybody forgets - until next time.

shawn · 04-24-2009, 02:08 PM

The gov't should really set up something similar to kibbutz's, with actual meaningful work for such people to do.
I know, most are too lazy to want to work, but there are many who despise the situation they are in and would do well in such a setting.
The rest, what cha goin ta do?
Set up a big tub of Kool-aid perhaps?