Verbal Violence

Is this only of recent, or always has been there

Sometimes in life, certain occurrences happen that make you think, has this always been existing, or is this only in a more recent climate. Of recent, I witnessed and will outline 5 different situations with 4 on Wisconsin Ave NW.

Just this morning and another morning hours earlier, a bus driver parked his bus, was on his phone outside of the bus to communicate to his supervisors about something. Those on his bus appeared to be with many blankets and some bags, and somewhat unaware of the bus driver making a call. Days before, another bus driver asked people to leave his bus and they would need to find another bus to continue on, and the bus riders were waiting on the sidewalk for another bus to come by. In these cases, it did not appear to include verbal violence, but instead, perhaps a rerouting of people, as the bus driver may be at the end of his route for the day/night. Just like a bus that ended at Union Station in Washington DC and there were many on the bus who walked onto the sidewalk at 4am on a cool night. I had gone into Union Station and grabbed a coffee and readied myself for what I was doing next.

Several days ago there was an incident, unlike a potential incident weeks ago, on the same route on Wisconsin Ave NW. The potential one was when one bus passenger started yelling at another passenger from opposite ends of the bus and then, the one from the back got up and started approaching the other in rage and unreasonable behavior for the situation and being on the bus. I got off at that stop as I could still walk to my destination easily, as I did not want to be embroiled in what was becoming anger and what I felt as danger for me and others.

The more violent situation happened just a few days ago. A woman sitting in the front of the bus commented on the man entering the bus. She spoke with disdain and shouted that he should go back to his country. While he was making his way to sit toward the back of the bus, she continued to rant stating she was going to call ICE as soon as she got off the bus. The man left the bus from the back as he was trying to manage the situation the best he could. The woman started to become more enraged, stating she has schizophrenia and I believe she said manic depression. The only problem was the woman started loosing control and was taking the cart away from the woman sitting next to her. Then, someone close by (I did not see who) threw a large cup of some fluid onto the more unruly woman. The rest of the passengers were trying to get to the back of the bus. The woman continued to go out of control and (I believe) the man across from her, stopped her from throwing the other woman’s cart. I was shouting “back door” as the bus had come to a stop and I wanted to get off to then walk.

Typically this route during day or night has been reasonably safe, but at least in more than several instances, there seems to be more issues with people loosing their emotions and creating dangerous situations in public places. I am not fully clear as to the underlying reasons for the lack of emotional discipline in public areas.

Washington DC has been a place of strong political views and yet in the past, there was more acceptance of the differences or changes occurring. Certainly with the dramatic changes in this administration and creating often with great accomplishment in a short time frame, some of the unsettled people act out their insecurities or feeling of dominance over others. This affects bystanders who try to manage as best as they can in what was becoming unruly situations. In the cases I saw, the bus drivers acted with stability and due diligence, and with professionalism.

We in the United States have been experiencing great changes which includes a birthing of sorts - all in the name of hopeful change and a better future. It is critical that we of the United States work with the change and protection for human dignity and human rights. Some are experiencing greater challenges now, yet somehow we need to work together, versus falling out into a potential anarchy or dysfunctional state. It would be wise for us as individuals and as a nation to take heed and be more aware and handle disharmony more effectively, so that we support and protect our nation and its people, and those who have come to the United States from other countries. Those from other countries who come to the United States for citizenship, should experience the process where the immigrants learn about the United States like they would going into other countries, for better integration into the culture and values of the nation overall, and still being able to maintain their origin cultural traditions.