. . . The city had called me back to give me an update. They believed they had tracked down what was now a series of random punching- all with no motive or theft involved. "A college fraternity initiation," stated the kind gentleman on the phone. I found myself relieved. I found myself with a renewed sense of safety. And I found myself ashamed for slowly buying into some of the assumptions of those around me. Why did it make a difference whether this person was a wealthy attender of a nearby expensive institution or a homeless man? Either way, he is a man. I began to think about which scenario says more about our society. If it was a homeless man, at least I could have blamed myself for perpetuating a monetary and economic system that forces a rapidly growing list of those who cannot make ends meet. Who was I to blame now? What injustices existed to create this problem? Were the roles reversed? Did I appear to be the poorly dressed city "kid" that someone (probably not even from the state) thought was expendable to meet his own desires?
What a beautiful lesson in solidarity and what a tiny window into the world in which our neighbors have lived for generations.
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