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Thread: What would you do?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    What would you do?

    Yesterday evening my significant other (who is black) and I went to a small lakeside town for some perch and walleye dinners.

    We went to the restaurant and she was the only black person there. The town is very white, with a few Latinos in the shadows.

    But the town is a popular place for tourists to stop in -- for food or to do lake-related activities.

    My significant other, who I will call "T" said she felt like a number of older white folks were giving us mean looks. I ignore this on the rare occasion it happens. It bothers her more though.

    Then a black family pulled into the restaurant parking lot. They were dressed a little bit on the urban side. Though the grandma and grandpa were dressed in what looked like church clothes.

    Anyway, I am not paying much attention because I am slamming some delicious perch.

    But in the corner of my eye in the parking lot I see a little kid, probably about 10 years old, from this black family go running around a car.

    T says nonchalantly: "I think she is mad or something..."

    Then I see the dad, who is huge -- like linebacker size -- go tearing after her. He catches her between cars, towers over her, and strikes her several times on the head while yelling at her. She is cowering under him and trying to cover her head with her hands to little avail. After about 30 seconds the incident is over, but the little kid is crying, and looks like the strikes her father dealt her certainly hurt.

    I quickly glance around the restaurant and see a handful of other people looking at this incident. They avert their eyes, paint over their shocked and upset expressions, and go back to eating.

    What would you do?

  2. #2
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    I wouldnt take on a linebacker. And its too bad the little girl's family didnt think enough of her to protect her.

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    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    I wouldnt take on a linebacker. And its too bad the little girl's family didnt think enough of her to protect her.
    He was her family, perhaps her dad or stepdad.

  4. #4
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler View Post
    He was her family, perhaps her dad or stepdad.
    There was a group of family members, at least thats what I got from your description. Tacit approval from them says a lot about my theoretical success in stepping into the middle of this.

    i will say that in this situation it may be better for a woman to approach the linebacker than for a man to do it.

    During one of many culture clash episodes in our neighborhood's history, my petite blonde female friend regularly approached people who threw trash out of their cars onto the street in front of her house and asked them not to do that. It is common for people to pull up to our park, open their car door, and throw an accumulation of trash onto the street.

    Her ladylike presence and lilting Irish accent coupled with a very politely expressed request often shocked them into compliance.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Yes, there was a group of family members. You read correctly. I just wasn't sure I explained very clearly at first.


    Also: That trash dumping is just horrible and kind of wacky.

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    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    This thread reminds me of the John Quinones TV show of the same name. In fact, they just had a segment on a litterbug in Portland. If you're not familiar with the show, the "litterbug" was an actor with the show who just sat on a walkway bench in Portland where people were walking/jogging and he threw his trash on the walk. The camera would catch responses by the onlookers--some acted just the way your Irish friend did, IL. Some got mad and called him names, many walked by. One man called the cops.

    Then John Quinones and the crew typically will come out of hiding and approach the people who responded to the wrongdoing and asked why they acted the way they did. It makes you wonder what you would/should do.

    Other segments have been public emotional abuse of children (child actors, mom actors), or scenarios where people witness a man slipping a date rape drug (supposedly) into a woman's drink.

    Frankly, if I were in that parking lot, I don't know what I would do--but unfortunately, unless it was more than a disciplinary slap, I mostly likely wouldn't do anything other than stare disapprovingly. I have, however, called Child Services before when I suspected child abuse, so it's not like I always turn a blind eye.
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    ...it was more than a disciplinary slap
    It was and it was obvious.

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    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Rev UL, What was your gf's take on this sitch?

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    I don't know if I'd do anything, but the only thing really to do is call the authorities or something. Thinking one should take on a linebacker oneself is just silly. They thing is while at least it is doing something, I don't actually see much good in say the cops showing up (it could escalate but what is more likely to happen is nothing is done as it's a domestic dispute and the cops don't really want to interfere in how you raise your kids, so brief talk and people are made more angry). See that family needs a social worker but ....
    Trees don't grow on money

  10. #10
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    Rev UL, What was your gf's take on this sitch?
    Well, if I tell you what her take on it was, then I basically have to tell you what all happened.

    When I saw it happen I, without thinking, said aloud: "That M-----F----- is beating his kid! This is B---S---!"

    I wisely caught myself before I got up to say something, as we were dining on the patio right there, along with other folks.

    I said to T: "Call the cops. Call the f------- cops!"

    T said: "I am not calling the cops. You call the cops!"

    Around this moment the incident stopped. The dad turned away and started walking into the restaurant. The kid followed warily behind by several steps crying.

    I had T write down the license plates. I scooped our leftovers into the to-go boxes. Then I went into the parking lot with T and used her phone to call the cops.

    I reported exactly what was seen and described the people involved.

    Then two minutes later the cops were there.

    T said that one reason she did not want to call was because she thought if a black lady reported a black man beating his black kid then the cops would just ignore it.

    But my white male privilege made the cops respond fast.

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