What happened to our humanity in this town?
posted March 27th, 2015 at 9:24 PM
I was on the sky train a few nights ago. A gentleman was fairly loud and crying over the phone in a language other than English. I suppose someone found that offensive and pressed the silent alarm on the yellow strip, because a few minutes after two transit police staff came and literally "collected" him. As if that was not enough, someone found this amusing and recorded it on their cell phone.
I feel so terrible for not walking up to him and asking if he needed something or if there was anything I could do. We think of nothing on providing some 'sterilised' version of charity because someone in another continent may need it. Yet, when it comes to our own backyard, we are too quick to get offended. Since when are displays of human emotions offensive? How can we change this?
14 Comments
Post a CommentNatty
Mar 27, 2015 at 9:42pm
You felt that a wrong was committed, yet when you had the opportunity to do something about it you hesitated...
Doesn't that make you part of the problem as well?
Meatballs
Mar 27, 2015 at 10:14pm
Reminds me of that video of the women freaking out because she missed the ferry to Victoria that was going around a couple of months ago. Sometimes all people need is a hug.
Be
Mar 27, 2015 at 10:18pm
The change you wish to see. People will follow.
what if what if
Mar 27, 2015 at 10:25pm
maybe someone who understood his language heard him say he was going to do harm to himself or others, thus alerted security.
@what if what if
Mar 28, 2015 at 12:41am
Yes. That could very well of happened also....
Blergh
Mar 28, 2015 at 3:46am
A good example of why corporatism is frightening. In nature, there is a transactional cost to deploying violence, but fascism renders it basically zero---"upset" about someone else? Just call the Gestapo, who are capable of using deadly force to deal with it!
Wow
Mar 28, 2015 at 6:43am
This make me so sad. What is wrong with people. I wish i had of been there to go over and give him a hug. I remember once a few years ago i was going through a tough situation at home. I was on a bus and has just finished cried for hours, so i thought i was done but on the bus i got a bit teary. I did it very silently but it was obvious i was really upset. I will always remember people looking at me like i was on drugs or something. I felt so alone in the world at the time. That bus ride proved it.
Do not
Mar 28, 2015 at 10:05am
approach a person who is as agitated as this fellow was! You will be putting yourself in harms way! Get professional assistance asap which on the transit system is the police
How can we change this?
Mar 28, 2015 at 10:51am
Leave Vancouver. The fear has too many people here.
Martin Dunphy
Mar 28, 2015 at 1:10pm
D o not:
That attitude didn't work so well for Robert Dziekanski, did it?
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