Observation Journal #3: Common Courtesy on the Streets

This past week I was walking down Church Street on my way back to work after taking my break and as I walked through the crowds of people I made some observations. People were lingering around, shopping bags in hand, chatting up the great venues Burlington has to offer. Inferences could be made that these people were from out of town and were pretty well off given the bags in their hands and how they were attired. Now saying this, and I do realize that I am making assumptions about these people, it irritated me to see how these people completely ignored the passer-bys. More specifically,there was this one man who was talking to himself and clearly looked under distress. He was trying to be polilte and make his way through, but the group of "chatters" just stood there and pretended not to notice.

As I got closer to the situation, I moved so that there was room for the man to get by. He said "finally, thank you" in a short and quick, nervous tone. I have no idea what his background is or what life situations he is dealing with, but he appeared to be struggling, perhaps a local transient.

Things like this don't just happen on Church Street, but many places. A certain hierarchy of social status, classism if you will leading into behaviors that treat others who are different with a lack of respect and common courtousey. There was no obvious "this is discrimination" going on here, but rather a quiet descriminating--a type that so often slips under the rug noticed only by those who are observant and wanting to change it. Our country's civil rights benefit these people who are standing in someone's way...well off, "good" citizens. They contribute to a hegemonic-culturally dominant belief--society here in this country. Contriuting to the extending beliefs of the ideas of the "American Dream" and continuing the traits of a class warfare. I am really branching out here with this example, but you have to take the so called "blinders off" and think of the situation in a broader, more globalized sense.

This situation may seem insignificant to the reader at first, but I see some very implicit things that are happening here. The group of "chatters" and the man who was trying to pass them most likely have very different master statuses. They probably grew up differently, face different struggles and interact on a whole other level. I realize that these are all initial assumptions that I am making here. I may even be stereotyping and generalizing here, but it is how I felt.

I could have said to the "chatters" excuse me, this man is trying to, and has been for quite some time, to get by. They looked right at him. I know they saw him. But they only saw him for what he didn't have...not really seeing him and acknowledging him as a human being with human rights. Did I? No. Although, I was happy that I took the initiative to make a physical action to make way for him, even if it wasn't a verbal one. The man clearly appreciated me for what I did. He looked at me like, "finally, somebody paid attention to the man in the tattered clothes...I really am here...just like them."

This event didn't really challenge or change a value/belief of mine as much as it did highlight and strengthen my value/belief around common courtesy and decency to all people. I was raised to show respect to everyone. Stranger, best friend, rich, poor etc. It angered me and made me feel proud for my beliefs and how I was brought up all at the same time. I wanted to shake the people and say..."Don't just ignore someone just because he looks weathered and is talking to himself! We are all humans...show some common courtesy at the very least."