i think that by reading these sort of posts you really get a feeling for how widespread street crime really is. it is really wrong that at some stage in their lives most people, not just in your area but the world, have been attacked without provocation. sorry to get all political, but it had never hit me that way before reading the experiences of everyone here.
I think everyone else has pretty much covered what I was going to say. I dont think you could have reacted any better. I just wanted to ask whereabouts it happened (fellow Edinburger!)?
Sorry to hear about you getting hassle, semphoon. I'm well impressed with the way you kept your cool.
I consider it wrong not because of the danger to yourself (An ostracised loner of a 5th Kyu like me doesn't have a whole lot to be afraid of!!!) but because a lot of social structures seem to have the tendency to blame the victim. I don't understand it, but there it is, if someone is hammering the crap out of you and you take him out, for some reason you're seen as the one in the wrong not them. I think it's something to do with the so-called 'noble' philosophy of not fighting back. Why anyone thinks they have a right however to impose that on other people is beyond me entirely.
Exactly. Being attacked is one thing. Being shot in the head by the police because you happen to be walking along the road at 3:00am is another.
It happened to a schoolmate of mine, a few blocks from where I used to live. Some guys were robbing a store and the police decided they needed a victim. It was a rare occurence, but still, it was frightening. Heard it happens an awful lot more in Haiti.
Damn, that's a tough place to be living. Makes me feel lucky to live in a country with a decent legal system.
Not really, it's a great place to live in. Just that there are a few lunatics who have little respect for human life, and they have guns!
The truth of the matter about the Rodney King beating you mention is that although symbolic of police brutality, it is a very atypical incident. True, the King beating was tragic, all shown on videotape. He'd resisted the officers, he'd charged the officers, he'd thrown four officers off his back, he'd been shot twice with a stun gun, which keeps most people down. (50,000 volts of electricity each time, and it didn't keep him down). This was a case where a great effort was made to take King into custody without hurting him, believe it or not.
While this is true you must realize that in many places in the US the police officers use inordinate amounts of force and make serious misjudgements. Like pulling over a bunch of students because the were black. Of course the issue with the police is very complicated because criminals are very very brutal. If I got pulled over and asked to step out of the car, and while I was reaching quickly to unfasten my seatbelt I got smacked with a maglite, I wouldn't be mad. Because the cop has to cover his ass, and I bet guys have pulled heat on his colleagues when asked to step out of the car.
I know that placename. A collegue was heading to a meeting at "North Edinburgh Arts Centre", and when he told the taxi driver the address (in Muirhouse) - he was laughed at and asked if he really wanted to go to that area. Sounds like you need to keep your eyes open around there. :woo:
Its the place were "trainspotting" was based (trainspotting is a book about heroine addicts) so that gives you an idea. Im surprised that there are no self defence classes offered in this area.
I like heroines, I would not say I was addicted though, maybe linda carter as wonder woman when I was in my teens.
Yeah, justice has fallen by the wayside, social structures are pretty much all about covering your ass.
