Crime Attitudes from a Filipina Perspective

[davewe]

We live in a "nice" neighborhood, but it's urban. It's one of the attractions; it's a pleasant, slightly upscale area that's close to downtown and all the action. So it's not unusual for homeless people to wander up our street.

The other day a young man, clearly stoned and/or psychotic, stopped in front of our house. He was yelling and screaming, flipping the bird, tore off his shirt, etc. He walked onto our porch and then back to the sidewalk a couple of times. My wife is watching him like a hawk. I'm watching too but I'm mostly amused. Finally he hits the For Sale sign in front of our house with his fist. He grabs the flyers in the box, crumples them up and throws them in the street. Apparently he doesn't want us to move! I call 911.

A few minutes later a policeman arrives. We watch (as do the rest of our neighbors) as the cop talks to the young man. I know the drill; the cop can and will do nothing. I talk to the officer who as expected explains that unless he sees the guy committing a real crime he can't arrest him. He asked him if he wanted to go to the hospital and the guy said no. That's all the cop can do. 

In the meantime our next-door neighbor arrives and she is hugging Janet and is crying. Janet is not crying; Janet is pissed. Why can't the police take him away or at least allow her to bolo the guy. The young man continues to wander aimlessly and the officer talks to him again. He eventually agrees to be taken to the hospital.

I explain the realities to my pissed off wife. The streets and sidewalks are public; you cannot keep people from using them just because they don't live there, even if they are stoned, drunk, crazy or all three.

I think of when and where I grew up. It was a suburban neighborhood. There were no drunks or crazies wandering that neighborhood. Vagrancy laws back in those days ensured that people who did not "belong" were kept out. Of course that often meant that anyone who wasn't the right color was also kept out.

Janet simply does not understand the insane nature of the United States. Our next door neighbor is a construction contractor and has a few pick up trucks. One or two are often parked in front of our house. Janet is incensed. I've talked to my neighbor, a nice guy, and he tries to keep them from my house, but after all, the streets are public and I don't own the spaces in front of our home. I suspect that my lovely wife thinks that the bolo to a couple tires might solve the problem.

I am not sure what my point is or if I have a point; it's just interesting to see the cultural difference. In the Philippines I suspect Janet would threaten the young man with a bolo (and she is very skilled) and he'd run off. She'd complain to the barangay captain about the neighbor's trucks or take the law into her own hands. Needless to say, Janet loves Duterte.

I understand her attitude. I pay plenty for my house, am annoyed by the homeless wandering through, and the inability or unwillingness of the police to lock them all up. But I also understand this is the price I pay for living in a nice place close to the action.

It did make me nostalgic for a time when the cops could act differently. I explained to Janet that the freedom we have in the US does not only impact home owners, but in my heart I wouldn't mind taking out the bolo myself.

 

[Old55]

I feel your pain nothing you can do.

We live in a small town outside Seattle Washington. Seattle hosts at least 100,000 homeless drug zombies and insane people who are provided daily free metro passes enabling them to travel through out the suburbs stealing anything they can carry while taxpayers living their are at work. Then every evening they return to encampments that make Filipino shanties look good. The radical leftists ruling the area have so undermined police that they are unable to uphold the law. 

The daily gang killings have resulted in a Wild West vibe gun shots very commonly heard. 

I could go on....

[robert k]

The cops could subdue, cuff and transport to detox...if they had any interest in doing their job. It's within their discretion. Grabbing the flyers and throwing them in the street would be enough justification. A small offense but if you let the guy go he may commit 50 such offenses during the day. The deranged guy might even hurt himself, or others.

[Reboot]

I'm from Florida. A lot of people here would have shot the bastard once he reached the front porch. He was acting plenty threatening as per your description.

 

Edited May 24, 2017 by Reboot

[stevewool]

And all i moan about is a cat shitting in my garden, i dont know how lucky i am

[bows00]

6 hours ago, davewe said:

 

I am not sure what my point is or if I have a point; it's just interesting to see the cultural difference.

 

Very interesting.  Another reason why a Foreigner should not jump into marriage right away.  Need at least a year to get to know all the in's and out's of your Filipina.  Although this example probably wouldn't make me jump ship, there could be other cultural related differences that you may not be able to tolerate...

 

[robert k]

31 minutes ago, bows00 said:

Very interesting.  Another reason why a Foreigner should not jump into marriage right away.  Need at least a year to get to know all the in's and out's of your Filipina.  Although this example probably wouldn't make me jump ship, there could be other cultural related differences that you may not be able to tolerate...

 

I never forget that the female of the species is usually the deadliest. I'd say you can't safely repress it so get her her choice of bolo or spear.

[Gratefuled]

The drunk guy could have been arrested and charged with "drunk and disorderly in public" add "littering" to the charge and maybe "trespassing" also. 

Just a lazy cop, from what it appears. Jut doesn't want to do the paperwork connected to the arrest. Time for his doughnut and cup of coffee with his friends.

[sonjack2847]

6 hours ago, robert k said:

The cops could subdue, cuff and transport to detox...if they had any interest in doing their job. It's within their discretion. Grabbing the flyers and throwing them in the street would be enough justification. A small offense but if you let the guy go he may commit 50 such offenses during the day. The deranged guy might even hurt himself, or others.

My thoughts exactly.The guy went onto their property so i`n`t that trespass.

[sonjack2847]

2 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

The drunk guy could have been arrested and charged with "drunk and disorderly in public" add "littering" to the charge and maybe "trespassing" also. 

Just a lazy cop, from what it appears. Jut doesn't want to do the paperwork connected to the arrest. Time for his doughnut and cup of coffee with his friends.

If it`s like the UK the paperwork the police have to do is horrendous.They can spend a whole shift and overtime doing it.I am not condoning laziness but we all want them to do serious crimes until we get a problem.