Another Walk Home

Before I become lethargic to write this blog due to the million and one distractions I have and will encounter, I feel the urgency to document what I have witnessed about 15 minutes ago.

Right now, someone is gushing blood from their head probably from being pounded onto the cement ground or being bit by a masculine dog. I can't recall, it happened too quickly.

I was walking home from class as I was approaching the telegraph and hasting when I immediately noticed two people (one female, one male) running after another male as a result of some type of heated argument. They were regulars from peoples park, dressed in hippies clothing. The guy was eventually caught up with and the female and males simultaneously punched the third person. The man was clearly retaliating but was continued to be dragged on the ground. Out of no where, a huge dog runs towards one of them and starts jumping over and biting them. It all happen so fast and didn't seem to want to end. I don't take sides to this situation since I obviously don't know the reason for why they fought, but it is apparent to me that they are all victims of themselves.

I felt a rush of emotions, I was sickened at the sight of the beatings, afraid of what was to come next, and confused as to what to do about it. Here I am standing 1/4 of a block from them with the rest of the passer by's who seem just as shocked as I was. Then there was one guy who called out, "please yall, don't call the cops man...",to the people walking by, as if he was helping both parties, nonchalantly and with a smile. There were a few people who gave a chuckle and said things along the lines of "are you serious?". How could someone laugh, let alone smile in a situation like this?


It just didn't feel right in my guts. I remembered seeing a cop parked on the sidewalk on the previous block, so I ran to him. Finding myself out of breath I said to the middle age Asian officer, "excuse me there's a fight happening on the other corner". He gave me a expressionless glance and said "I'm on my way" as he waits patiently behind a red light so he can make his car around the one way streets to make a full circle around the block. I walked away feeling a bit unsure about what I just did.

By the time I walked back to the scene, one of the guy was already swaying and walking along side the gates of an abandoned lot, holding his head as the fore and side of his head was gushing with bright red blood. He was obviously hurt and had a few of his friends walking next to him trying to tend to his wounds. I stand there for a few seconds fixated at his physical weariness. At the same time, the police officer finally pulls up on the corner but stays in his car.

This encounter today made me feel heavy hearted about the whole issue. What is there to do when you see someone violently beat another person almost to death, while a spectator / peer citizen tells you to essentially not do anything about it? It makes me think about a number of things. Firstly, it makes me think about how difficult the role of law enforcement agents are because if I were to see what I saw today everyday as part of my occupation, I would become indifferent and hardened as well. But more importantly, this particular officer has just reaffirmed to me the ineffectiveness of their roles as neither preventive nor responsive agents to crime.


Maybe I'm being too idealistic and peace loving? I don't know, but I sure hope not.