This morning I walked to the Harold Washington Library. On my way to my favorite computer, I passed by someone I knew from a homeless shelter I was staying at called Pacific Garden Mission. He was a tall, black man in his 40s or 50s who has no problem being loud, angry, and vocal towards people. After I sat at my computer this man sat across from me on one.
I was writing my script for a movie I plan to make. He needed help with a printing job. A Hispanic staff member came to help and when he became irate with her, she told him that she could not help him. He then got someone else to help him while accusing the previous staff member of racism. He was continually vocal about the incident and people around him could hear him. During these moments, I found it impossible to continue writing. I felt that he was disturbing me.
At one point, I started talking to him to address this. He told me to mind his own business. He accused me of being a cop and of being a faggot. He threatened me saying that he would be happy to meet with me outside the building. I told him that I couldn't mind my own business when he carrying on the way he was. He told me, "Don't talk to me," and repeated it. I did at that point.
A different staff member came over and helped him get his printing job done. He then openly declared, "See what happens when you mind your own business?" I knew he was directing the comment at me but he wasn't looking at me. He directed more comments at me and then I asked him if he was talking to me. He said another negative thing towards me and I decided that I couldn't get him to stop disturbing me.
I got up from the chair and looked around for a security guard. I went up to one and waited patiently nearby as he was talking to a woman at another computer. When they noticed that I was there the security guard excused himself from talking to the woman to address my concern. The woman said she had no problem with it. I reported to the guard who was harassing me and he asked me what I wanted to do about it. "Can I put you on another computer?" he offered. Then the lady he was talking with who was observing said that the same man was also disturbing others. The guard said, "Well, if he is harassing everyone, maybe we should do something with him."
I stayed where I was on the other side of the computer area as the security guard went up to the man and mentioned to him that people had been complaining. He became irate, said he was minding his own business, and cast out more accusations of racism. It appeared that the security guard requested that he leave but he did not. Another security guard came from an office and the two guards assisted the man away together.
When I was sure the man was out of sight, I returned to my computer.
Across and diagonal from me, a white man in his mid-20s spoke up and told me, "Hey man, you're making white people look bad." He told me that he was raised by black people and his family is black. He said he was talking to a black woman who was next to him who the security guards also questioned. This black woman was asked for help earlier by the angry black man and ignored him. Now it appeared that he was talking to the white man about my inconsiderate behavior. At one point she gave me a long stare. I dialogued with the white man for about 20 seconds attempting to explain myself and asking why he thought what I did was wrong. He said that the man had mental issues and that it was wrong to force him to leave. He then made it obvious that he did not want to talk to me further and told me he would leave me to what I was doing.
It was interesting that the woman whose conversation with the security guard I interrupted was in support of my action. There were also others nearby that seemed supportive. Meanwhile, the young white man and young black woman nearby seemed to condemn what I did.
During this experience, a lot of questions came up for me - questions I don't have the answers to:
1. Should I tell someone who is black that they are disturbing me?
2. Does minding my own business include allowing others to attack and denigrate me?
3. Did I report the man's behavior because I am white and I am racist?
4. Should people with mental problems be left alone when they attack you?
I was writing my script for a movie I plan to make. He needed help with a printing job. A Hispanic staff member came to help and when he became irate with her, she told him that she could not help him. He then got someone else to help him while accusing the previous staff member of racism. He was continually vocal about the incident and people around him could hear him. During these moments, I found it impossible to continue writing. I felt that he was disturbing me.
At one point, I started talking to him to address this. He told me to mind his own business. He accused me of being a cop and of being a faggot. He threatened me saying that he would be happy to meet with me outside the building. I told him that I couldn't mind my own business when he carrying on the way he was. He told me, "Don't talk to me," and repeated it. I did at that point.
A different staff member came over and helped him get his printing job done. He then openly declared, "See what happens when you mind your own business?" I knew he was directing the comment at me but he wasn't looking at me. He directed more comments at me and then I asked him if he was talking to me. He said another negative thing towards me and I decided that I couldn't get him to stop disturbing me.
I got up from the chair and looked around for a security guard. I went up to one and waited patiently nearby as he was talking to a woman at another computer. When they noticed that I was there the security guard excused himself from talking to the woman to address my concern. The woman said she had no problem with it. I reported to the guard who was harassing me and he asked me what I wanted to do about it. "Can I put you on another computer?" he offered. Then the lady he was talking with who was observing said that the same man was also disturbing others. The guard said, "Well, if he is harassing everyone, maybe we should do something with him."
I stayed where I was on the other side of the computer area as the security guard went up to the man and mentioned to him that people had been complaining. He became irate, said he was minding his own business, and cast out more accusations of racism. It appeared that the security guard requested that he leave but he did not. Another security guard came from an office and the two guards assisted the man away together.
When I was sure the man was out of sight, I returned to my computer.
Across and diagonal from me, a white man in his mid-20s spoke up and told me, "Hey man, you're making white people look bad." He told me that he was raised by black people and his family is black. He said he was talking to a black woman who was next to him who the security guards also questioned. This black woman was asked for help earlier by the angry black man and ignored him. Now it appeared that he was talking to the white man about my inconsiderate behavior. At one point she gave me a long stare. I dialogued with the white man for about 20 seconds attempting to explain myself and asking why he thought what I did was wrong. He said that the man had mental issues and that it was wrong to force him to leave. He then made it obvious that he did not want to talk to me further and told me he would leave me to what I was doing.
It was interesting that the woman whose conversation with the security guard I interrupted was in support of my action. There were also others nearby that seemed supportive. Meanwhile, the young white man and young black woman nearby seemed to condemn what I did.
During this experience, a lot of questions came up for me - questions I don't have the answers to:
1. Should I tell someone who is black that they are disturbing me?
2. Does minding my own business include allowing others to attack and denigrate me?
3. Did I report the man's behavior because I am white and I am racist?
4. Should people with mental problems be left alone when they attack you?
Comments
Post a Comment