And I've really been having to sit with my ambivelence about this strike, about particpating in a strike that has the potential to be violent, and just the whole idea of challenging the self.
On my very first day out there as a picket captain, I witnesses someone drive through the line, almost hitting some people, others get out of cars and scream and swear at picketers, and someone get out of his car and cock his fist at a lady on the line. If it hadn't been for the quick phone cameraing of some witnesses, things could have escalated pretty quickly to physical violence. I hear tales on the listserves everyday of this escalation. Someone has already been hit by a car, many have been on the receiving end of verbal threats of violence. Yesterday someone threatened to bring a gun the next time they were held up by a picket line.
I'm astonished and horrified.
I guess I don't understand how someone can get upset enough as to threaten, or engage in, physical violence with another human being. How does a person get this entitled? How do they equate being held up for 20-40 mins by people exercising their civil liberties with a reason to punch? This is especially difficult for me who believes that there just aren't that many reasons other than self-defense to punch EVER. How does a slight (or even major) inconvienience get a person so quickly to the point of hurting someone else?
I guess I've been sitting (in fear) with this for the past week or so. Naturally, I start thinking about the inability to empathize, a narcissistic belief that one is more important than everyone else or "special" in some way. And in the particular neighbourhood of my school, there is a reputation/history of this kind of behaviour.
There is also a general feeling of what I will call "outrageous entitlement." Please see:
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=948718 The Post isn't my fav paper but I thought the numbers quoted in this article were interesting and speak to a larger phenom of students expecting the world to give them something for nothing and not knowing how 1. to be good citizens and 2. be able to see beyond how any situation affects them and them only.
I guess what I'm saying is that it worries and alarms me that our society is growing young people so individually focused. It's quite the counterpoint to hearing Barack Obama talk about helping each other. And it just makes me sad. And afraid.
So, in eloquently, that's where I'm at.
Antisocial traits are notoriously difficult to therapize out of someone. In order for their to be any sort of positive movement, society has to act as the conscience for people who aren't able to engage empathically. Actual consequences that are meaningful to the antisocial have to be implemented. Huh... don't expect that considering the police "support" I've witnessed on the lines either. It took the police just under an hour to respond to the woman who was hit by the car. In a major metropolitan city... it took just under an HOUR. Way to remain neutral, huh?
When it comes down to it, I'm sick... so I'm off this week. But I worry, as the evenings get darker sooner and this thing runs on longer, for the safety of people out there. And for the possible trauma this will induce. I don't like seeing violence triumph, but I can't put myself in a place where I'm going to have to engage in it. I don't know what the answer is right now.
Psyche.
