Teenagers humiliating America's homeless
Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 08:52 AM
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Usually you just shrug and you wait. But yesterday was a little different. As we stood in the crowded train I noticed a group of teenagers pointing eagerly at someone on the platform.They couldn't contain their amusement so I looked out to see what was going on.
I saw a mentally ill African American man, about 60, in a cheap blue track suit, who was clearly in distress. He was homeless and although was standing in one place his entire body was convulsing, his arms flailing wildly, as though something was on him that he couldn't throw off.
It was pathetic and frightening. It never occurred to me that it could also be entertainment.
Because that's when I noticed the three teenagers had pulled out their smart phones and were recording the scene. One of them said: "Oh man, this belongs on Youtube." They were laughing uproariously. They sounded like it was the funniest thing they'd seen all day.
Now, it wouldn't be the first time the pain and distress of others got repackaged as entertainment. But surely there's a new level of callousness and utter disregard at work here. They weren't moved by his pain, they were amused by it.
That man was being literally consumed by madness and yet he was left to fend for himself on the city streets. On those streets his distress was compounded by the heartlessness of some of the citizens who had no pity for his plight. Instead of kindness, they showed him contempt.
I held up my iPhone and I pretended to film the three teens mocking the homeless man. When they became aware of it they got mightily offended. I pointed to them and then to the homeless man on the platform. Everything connects. I gave them a big smile. It probably wasn't the wisest thing to do but I felt it was time to do something.
This is the next generation of American citizens we're talking about - oh, not all of them, or even most of them, but enough of them. Presumably they'll vote too.
Attacks against the homeless are on the rise nationwide, and teenagers - even kids - are to blame. Of all the attacks against the homeless last year 64% were carried out by teenagers. Type "homeless" or "crazy homeless" into the search engine at Youtube and you'll find hundreds of homeless beating and baiting films like the one I was witnessing. It's an epidemic.
Everything connects. Yesterday it was a vulnerable homeless man being humiliated, tomorrow it will be someone else. If our youth haven't learned basic compassion by now they're not magically going to later.
These teenagers are part of the future of this nation. They regard the pain and distress of others as entertainment. You share the same streets with them.
Be careful out there.
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seamusmoore | Feb 23, 2011, 01:18 PM EST
seanomelbourne When did you join Eamonn Gilmour in the Labour Party? The fall of the Berlin wall must have been brutal for those of your ilk; i.e., "the stickies".
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mamaginnty | Feb 21, 2011, 06:09 PM EST
Well said Colkelley...if there was any irish in Caher he would have jumped of the s.train and been hero of the day. and Olovely, if I thought it would save a sick man any more torment,,yes I would use the phone, maybe thats whats wrong, surely then America will take notice. Now Maloney, stupid to say " only on the 2 coasts" it's all over the States, then you are so annoyed you start sour mouthing other people. "Go suck a lemon" oh I love saying that, much better than cursing.
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seanomelbourne | Feb 21, 2011, 05:30 PM EST
It's strange how the right always demonize the poor and oppressed heartless bl##dy lot and steal from the workers and give tax breaks to millionaires.Right wing workers should be proud to make their upper class mates richer and themselves poorer.But that's ok they have God,guns and patriotism and no food on table and no college funds.They are like sheep in a field
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olovely | Feb 21, 2011, 02:32 PM EST
Visit NYC sometime ciarajoyce. If you call 911 every time you see a homeless person in distress you're going to find yourself paying a memorable phone bill. America doesn't look after its weakest and most vulnerable, it tosses them onto the street like garbage.
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ciarajoyce | Feb 21, 2011, 01:35 PM EST
Did the man who saw such outrageous behavior by "teens" and such a sick man call 911 for help for the man who needed help?
No. It's easier to say "look at the rude teenagers" and take no personal responsibility for your own actions or inactions.
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jamieLM | Feb 21, 2011, 11:08 AM EST
In other areas of the U.S. there have been numerous cases, including murder, of homeless adults being attacked by other homeless adults. I think the violence among the homeless is under-reported. In my city, homeless men have been killed or seriously injured by other homeless men in disputes over cigarettes, boxes, alcohol/drugs, blankets, and women. There was also a group of homeless women who seriously attacked each other. For the past 10 yrs. I've served meals and dispensed medical care on a monthly basis to chronic homeless adults. Many have mental disorders and drug/alcohol addictions and are easily incited by the smallest thing. Their problems make them vulnerable to others in society. The beating and baiting of the homeless by teenagers is disgusting and deplorable and shouldn't be tolerated. Unfortunately, the homeless are also victims of non-homeless adults and even themselves.
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hollabackgurl | Feb 21, 2011, 08:30 AM EST
Florida has seen an epidemic of teenagers attacking the homeless. You haven't looked at the links and you can't processed any fact that Fox News hasn't told you what to do with. Michigan, California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas have all seen shocking attacks on the homeless. Florida leads the nation and state with the second highest tally is Arizona.
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maloney | Feb 21, 2011, 12:03 AM EST
Cahir's stories are about modern American life on the two coasts only. These kind of things don't happen in the rest of America other than Chicago. The liberal strong holds of America are indeed places to be proud of. Crime, perversions, drugs & sanctuary cities. You could all learn a lot from Ted Nugent. By the way hollagurl, Towngate, on Cahir's next post, asked you if your name was a riding term. Why didn't you go ahead & tell him the truth? The term hollabackgurl comes from the WiggerGayCan'tSpell community. Come on down to the mountains & we'll introduce you to some old guys bluster.
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hollabackgurl | Feb 20, 2011, 10:42 PM EST
My, some old guys get macho from the safety of 1000 miles and a comfy computer screen. I don't know which is worse, the sinister behavior of those teenagers or the inability of some American conservatives to react to any story about modern American life without blaming Jane Fonda and the Kenyan. LMAO. I don't believe you can neither fix nor kick the crap out of anyone mr safely anonymous maloney, it's all bluster.
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maloney | Feb 20, 2011, 09:31 PM EST
These things happen on the two coasts, that should tell you something. The liberal raised teens don't know any better because of their upbringing. oloveless proves my point by bad mouthing the poster who dares to want to do the right thing. Cahir showed his courage by not helping the man but taking a picture instead, same attitude as oloveless. You can't fix stupid but you can kick the crap out of it.
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clancy4unc | Feb 20, 2011, 06:24 PM EST
You can thank the idiot liberals here in the USA for this guy not getting help. If anyone tried to help they'd be sued.
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Ajreaper | Feb 20, 2011, 03:16 PM EST
Not a thing wrong with teenagers it's the complete and utter failure of parents, many of whom are more concerned with being their kids "buddy" then they are with being a parent. Point the finger where it belongs to be pointed.
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Calhunski | Feb 20, 2011, 03:02 PM EST
You can't fix stupid!
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Searlit | Feb 20, 2011, 10:38 AM EST
Aimless youths, who only know how to connect to Youtube and not their fellow human beings. It's part of the sad landscape of corporate America. It's the result of a charter from 1886 which made a corporation a person.
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