The problem with entitlement attitudes
I realized today that I have a huge problem with people who have entitlement attitudes, but don't extend the same favor to the rest of society in return.
Three recent examples:
I've seen three thugs over the past week or so wearing "stop snitching" shirts. fn1. One said "Stop watching me. Go home and watch TV." The very idea behind these shirts just angers me to no end. It's the idea that thugs should have the right to break the law in whatever way they like, and no one should be able to do anything about it. Listen, if you have the right to be a drug dealer, I should have a right to call the cops on you if I want. At least extend to me the same courtesy of free action that you claim you should have for yourself.
Last week, a panhandler asked me for money while J1 and I were finishing up dinner at a sidewalk table on Broadway. I ignored him, but when he persisted, I told him no thanks. He responded that I should "go f*** myself." fn2. If you have the right to disturb me while I'm eating dinner and ask me for money, I have just as much of a right to tell you no. It's an equality issue -- my right to action is as important as your right to action.
Of course, most prominent in my mind is the psycho domestic felon we encountered last weekend. He seemed to think that he had the right to beat up on his woman without anyone calling the police. Again, I have as much of a right to act as you do. If you're going to exercise your right, then I can exercise mine.
In all these situations, I would prefer that people behaved in a proper way. I don't want to be asked for money, I am opposed to domestic abuse, and I wish thugs would stop committing crimes. But these bottom hangers of society should at least recognize that the rest of us have as much right to action as they do.
1. The whole "stop snitching" thing really came out into the open when Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony appeared (allegedly without knowledge of the end product) in a Stop Snitching video set in Baltimore.
2. Larger issues aside, this is a clear violation of the simple bum code, which every panhandler should understand. If you're going to ask people for money and they ignore you (which means "no") or tell you no, then you move on. No one is required to give you money. If they were, everyone would become a panhandler. It's a hell of a lot better gig than working 9-5 in an office. So don't get pissed at me when I tell you no. Life just doesn't work that way.
Three recent examples:
I've seen three thugs over the past week or so wearing "stop snitching" shirts. fn1. One said "Stop watching me. Go home and watch TV." The very idea behind these shirts just angers me to no end. It's the idea that thugs should have the right to break the law in whatever way they like, and no one should be able to do anything about it. Listen, if you have the right to be a drug dealer, I should have a right to call the cops on you if I want. At least extend to me the same courtesy of free action that you claim you should have for yourself.
Last week, a panhandler asked me for money while J1 and I were finishing up dinner at a sidewalk table on Broadway. I ignored him, but when he persisted, I told him no thanks. He responded that I should "go f*** myself." fn2. If you have the right to disturb me while I'm eating dinner and ask me for money, I have just as much of a right to tell you no. It's an equality issue -- my right to action is as important as your right to action.
Of course, most prominent in my mind is the psycho domestic felon we encountered last weekend. He seemed to think that he had the right to beat up on his woman without anyone calling the police. Again, I have as much of a right to act as you do. If you're going to exercise your right, then I can exercise mine.
In all these situations, I would prefer that people behaved in a proper way. I don't want to be asked for money, I am opposed to domestic abuse, and I wish thugs would stop committing crimes. But these bottom hangers of society should at least recognize that the rest of us have as much right to action as they do.
1. The whole "stop snitching" thing really came out into the open when Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony appeared (allegedly without knowledge of the end product) in a Stop Snitching video set in Baltimore.
2. Larger issues aside, this is a clear violation of the simple bum code, which every panhandler should understand. If you're going to ask people for money and they ignore you (which means "no") or tell you no, then you move on. No one is required to give you money. If they were, everyone would become a panhandler. It's a hell of a lot better gig than working 9-5 in an office. So don't get pissed at me when I tell you no. Life just doesn't work that way.
posted by N at 3:39 PM
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