The problem of "scumbags" in the city

Digi_Tilmitt

A christmas day discussion brought this memory back to me and i can't get it out of my head now, so i thought i'd vent my frustration here. I am from Limerick btw. This happened in early 2003, i was 16.

I was walking in Limerick city, with my mom, near the market and there was this old guy with a guitar and he was walking and he looked odd or whaever and there was this gang of young guys about 17ish maybe and they were totally abusing him like shouting all bad things at him and what not. So i screamed "**** off" at them really loudly and started walking towards them and they shouted back but then my mom pulled me away and was angry at me cause she thought i said that just cause they were noisy, she didn't realise what they were doing. But anyway there were other people there just watching the whole thing happen. just standing there letting it happen. They are exactly the type of people who bitch about how Limerick has such a bad name and how it's only the small few causing the problems. And they go on about how they love their city but it took a young communist who thinks the place is a **** hole to stand up for the basic rights of a man to walk in public without being abused. I hate the country and think the people here are just generally bad but i was the one defending the innocent citizen of their city. What little respect I had for the people of Limerick went out the door that day. If they really were good people they would've defended that man, who was being blatantly abused in front of them.

I think the problem of "scumbag" behavior in Limerick has as much to do with the people of the city being cowardly as it does with the scumbags themselves. A city of no heros. Can anyone restore my faith that there are good people out there, willing to resist intimidation? I'd love to hear a story of someone in this city (or any city for that matter) standing up for what's right. Anyone got any?

My Opinion

Digi_Tilmitt wrote:

A christmas day discussion brought this memory back to me and i can't get it out of my head now, so i thought i'd vent my frustration here. I am from Limerick btw. This happened in early 2003, i was 16.

I was walking in Limerick city, with my mom, near the market and there was this old guy with a guitar and he was walking and he looked odd or whaever and there was this gang of young guys about 17ish maybe and they were totally abusing him like shouting all bad things at him and what not. So i screamed "**** off" at them really loudly and started walking towards them and they shouted back but then my mom pulled me away and was angry at me cause she thought i said that just cause they were noisy, she didn't realise what they were doing. But anyway there were other people there just watching the whole thing happen. just standing there letting it happen. They are exactly the type of people who bitch about how Limerick has such a bad name and how it's only the small few causing the problems. And they go on about how they love their city but it took a young communist who thinks the place is a **** hole to stand up for the basic rights of a man to walk in public without being abused. I hate the country and think the people here are just generally bad but i was the one defending the innocent citizen of their city. What little respect I had for the people of Limerick went out the door that day. If they really were good people they would've defended that man, who was being blatantly abused in front of them.

I think the problem of "scumbag" behavior in Limerick has as much to do with the people of the city being cowardly as it does with the scumbags themselves. A city of no heros. Can anyone restore my faith that there are good people out there, willing to resist intimidation? I'd love to hear a story of someone in this city (or any city for that matter) standing up for what's right. Anyone got any?

thats alot of words

Moriarty

Generally people not getting involved has a lot more to do with 'I don't want a knife in my chest' rather than 'I couldn't care less about others'. Perhaps when you wisen up more and realise that it doesn't take a whole lot for certain people to cause serious physical harm to others, you'll look back at acts like you describe above and think 'jesus, I was lucky'.

MrPudding

It is unfortunatly an sad state of affairs. We all know people who have tried to help out and have ended up getting a kicking for it. The son of a friend of my Mother got kicked to death for trying to help someone.

Some people will help and some won't. I am kind of stupid like that so I would help. At the same time I don't think we should slag those people intelligent enough to know they are taking their lives in there hands by butting in.

On a slightly related note. There is an interesting story abour a murder in New York (I think.) A woman was murdered, over the course of 30 minutes or so. Her attacker kept leaving the scene as people in appartments overlooking the area came to the windows as the woman screamed. He kept coming back to continue his attack. A large number of people watched from their window, including 1 man that even pulled a chair to the window so he could watch in comfort. No one called the police. Everyone assumed someone else would. THis is Bystander Apathy and it is not uncommon.

MrP

Digi_Tilmitt

Moriarty wrote:

Generally people not getting involved has a lot more to do with 'I don't want a knife in my chest' rather than 'I couldn't care less about others'. Perhaps when you wisen up more and realise that it doesn't take a whole lot for certain people to cause serious physical harm to others, you'll look back at acts like you describe above and think 'jesus, I was lucky'.

I see your point, and it is a dangerous thing to get involved in situations like that. It's just a shame to see people do as they please without any consequences.

Seraphina

MrPudding wrote:

On a slightly related note. There is an interesting story abour a murder in New York (I think.) A woman was murdered, over the course of 30 minutes or so. Her attacker kept leaving the scene as people in appartments overlooking the area came to the windows as the woman screamed. He kept coming back to continue his attack. A large number of people watched from their window, including 1 man that even pulled a chair to the window so he could watch in comfort. No one called the police. Everyone assumed someone else would. THis is Bystander Apathy and it is not uncommon.

the attack was actually almost an hour i think. 39 people witnessed the event. we studied it in psychology, i thought it was a fascinating story. we did alot of case studies, and people's reactions vary greatly according to the actions of those around them.
its insane how sheep-like people really are.

Hobbes

My Opinion wrote:

thats alot of words

Congrats for explaining his point.

MrPudding

Seraphina wrote:

.....we studied it in psychology.....

Same here but it was a while ago, hence forgeting the details. The bit that got me was the guy that moved the chair to the window so he could watch the whole thing in comfort.

I think people not intervening in fights they witness on the the street is a mixture of bystander apathy, good sense and a liberal sprinkling of good healthy fear and self preservation. GEtting stuck in is definitaly *not* the smart thing to do. My mothers friend can testify to that.

MrP

damnyanks

Whenever I see someone being harassed or physically assaulted I do my best to help them. I have been attacked before doing this... on one occasion when I was 15 I had finished work (in a pub) some 35 year old was assaulting the staff so I stood in between him he gladly struck me (He was pretty sober just scum).

To this day I would do the same and still do my best to help people who are harassed for no reason.

I would hope that someday when I get into hassle someone would help me in someway. Maybe it won't maybe something terrible will happen. Thats life... at least I know that at the end of the day I made an effort to help someone rather then watch

MrPudding

Don't get me wrong. I would still wade in myself. This, of course, makes me very stupid as I know exactly how dangerous it is. I think it is the right thing to do, but it being the right thing to do will not stop a gang of scumbags from jumping on your head.

So I guess what I am saying is while jumping in to help is the right thing to do it is also the wrong thing to do. If you know what I mean.

MrP