iRonnie's Comments
@violet: I understand the sentiment of what you're saying but I think it's worth the energy. In the same way that people choose to look the other way on subway platforms, we cede sanity to the fringe if we simply ignore their presence. By doing so, we oblige ourselves to follow their lead because, by default of our own choosing, we grant them ownership of the forum.
If for nothing else, consider the key almost every one of clings to in our day-to-day life and ask yourself why it is that we all lock ourselves in at night. What's worse, being jailed by others, or jailing ourselves?
What's not worth the energy is all the vitriol and anger that always has, and always will lead nowhere. The only person who has the right to be angry in all this is the woman who was a) raped, and b) raped, both actively and passively, by these prime specimens of what is becoming more and more a society of impotent humanity.
What is worth the energy is fumigating that "risky area" of its criminal intent and restoring it as public space for law-abiding men, women, children, and yes, even transit workers. It's utterly absurd that people should fear their place of work to this degree, and it's absurd that the employees themselves see nothing so wrong with it that a) a few rules won't fix, and b) don't apply in kind when they might themselves similar dire straits.
Rules help us ignore the roaches ultimately at our own expense - be it on a subway platform, or in a forum. But more immediately, it helps us ignore the roaches...at the rape victim's expense.
If for nothing else, consider the key almost every one of clings to in our day-to-day life and ask yourself why it is that we all lock ourselves in at night. What's worse, being jailed by others, or jailing ourselves?
What's not worth the energy is all the vitriol and anger that always has, and always will lead nowhere. The only person who has the right to be angry in all this is the woman who was a) raped, and b) raped, both actively and passively, by these prime specimens of what is becoming more and more a society of impotent humanity.
What is worth the energy is fumigating that "risky area" of its criminal intent and restoring it as public space for law-abiding men, women, children, and yes, even transit workers. It's utterly absurd that people should fear their place of work to this degree, and it's absurd that the employees themselves see nothing so wrong with it that a) a few rules won't fix, and b) don't apply in kind when they might themselves similar dire straits.
Rules help us ignore the roaches ultimately at our own expense - be it on a subway platform, or in a forum. But more immediately, it helps us ignore the roaches...at the rape victim's expense.
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I guess the true test of what's right or wrong is what those employees would hope transit users might do if they were violently abducted and attacked in front of knowing witnesses. Would they consider it just and humane to see citizen transit user just "call it in", according to the rulebook, or risk their own safety to help them? Rules are a two-way street.
Also, by saying it's the woman's fault because she was "alone in a risky area", we all acquiesce our rights to public spaces to the criminals. Crime is territorial. Law-abiding citizens, men, women, and children should have the right to feel safe in any public space at any hour. But how much we value that right depends on how much we're prepared to defend it.
Take a good look around the world you live in and think on how much of what should be safe, communal spaces are "owned" by criminal intent. That woman has more right to that "risky area" than the rapist, by far. And in these economic times, who's to say she's not someone holding down two jobs to make ends meet, or feed a family?
Next time you see transit workers in danger, remember the rules. Call it in, and call it a day.
Also, by saying it's the woman's fault because she was "alone in a risky area", we all acquiesce our rights to public spaces to the criminals. Crime is territorial. Law-abiding citizens, men, women, and children should have the right to feel safe in any public space at any hour. But how much we value that right depends on how much we're prepared to defend it.
Take a good look around the world you live in and think on how much of what should be safe, communal spaces are "owned" by criminal intent. That woman has more right to that "risky area" than the rapist, by far. And in these economic times, who's to say she's not someone holding down two jobs to make ends meet, or feed a family?
Next time you see transit workers in danger, remember the rules. Call it in, and call it a day.
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In this case, the rules are the "higher authority" that absolved the two subway workers, and more importantly - the MTA, from any direct responsibility for this woman, or anyone else for that matter. The rules also the signal to criminals that they can do as they please, when they please, and where they please, without immediate interference.
There's something drastically wrong when the rules are designed to value job security over another person's life. But so long as "the rules" tell us it's okay to "dial it in", we're all "safe".