hatespeech in berkeley, homeless and PoC
April 4, 2019 11:19 AM Subscribe
there's a guy in Berkeley who verbally attacks women and people of color. nothing physical, doesn't approach, doesn't shout, just stations himself on a public sidewalk and directs noxious, customized racism, sexism, and homophobia at any PoC or woman within earshot.
he's black and he's homeless, and in conversation he believes everyone around him hates him and deserves his insults.
Is there an organization or supportive department in Berkeley or Alameda County that could gently redirect him from his public hate spew?
he's black and he's homeless, and in conversation he believes everyone around him hates him and deserves his insults.
Is there an organization or supportive department in Berkeley or Alameda County that could gently redirect him from his public hate spew?
Best answer: I would be very careful in doing anything that might direct police attention to him if he is not physically endangering anyone. This is the kind of person who is at very high risk of being killed in a police encounter.
posted by praemunire at 11:58 AM on April 4, 2019 [28 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 11:58 AM on April 4, 2019 [28 favorites]
The worst case is that this person is killed by police, but I feel like that's more likely if no one attempts to connect him to the system.
I might be picturing more confrontational interactions than the reality. It sounds like he's directing normal-speaking-volume vitriol at individuals, forcing those people to pass him or turn around by standing on a busy sidewalk, and it's happening dozens of times a day. In that case, I don't feel good about the odds of this continuing indefinitely without anybody calling the cops.
If he's mumbling to himself seated on a bench or curb in a low-traffic area, where he's not upsetting that many people per hour and he's less physically imposing, I feel like this is less of a time bomb.
posted by bagel at 12:17 PM on April 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
I might be picturing more confrontational interactions than the reality. It sounds like he's directing normal-speaking-volume vitriol at individuals, forcing those people to pass him or turn around by standing on a busy sidewalk, and it's happening dozens of times a day. In that case, I don't feel good about the odds of this continuing indefinitely without anybody calling the cops.
If he's mumbling to himself seated on a bench or curb in a low-traffic area, where he's not upsetting that many people per hour and he's less physically imposing, I feel like this is less of a time bomb.
posted by bagel at 12:17 PM on April 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
I'm just saying that calling 311 with language like "threatening" (not that the OP uses it here, but it wouldn't be bizarre for them to do so) is liable to draw police attention and so to use extra care that you don't accidentally mobilize the cops instead of social workers.
posted by praemunire at 2:04 PM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by praemunire at 2:04 PM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I’d start by calling your local homeless outreach team, which appears to be listed here. It’s unclear to me whether they’re set up well to take calls from members of the general public, as opposed to service providers or people experiencing homelessness, but it’s worth a shot. (In my city there is a specific number that passersby who see people experiencing homelessness are told to call for outreach; I can’t find a comparable Berkeley equivalent in my cursory googling).
However: If you do get through to outreach, be prepared for the possibility that they are well acquainted with your person and that he has consistently refused services. One of my most demoralizing moments as a case worker in homeless services was walking through a neighborhood with my client and having a car literally slow down to approach us and ask me “can you do something about her?” This client had been in contact with my organization for upwards of four years at that point and even been housed for a period, but still wound up back outside because the combination of mental illness, addiction, and the deterioration of the US safety net is a hell of a thing.
You are obviously not the level of asshole described above, but you have no idea how many hours social service providers may have spent banging their heads against walls in meetings about this person. The best case scenario if you call is that he’s not known to any kind of service providers and he gets connected right away and accepts redirection. Worst case is that an overburdened case worker sighs and thinks “oh honey you have no idea” when you ask what can be done. It’s worth a shot in any case, and I commend you for caring, just know that outreach workers have more limited power than you might think.
posted by I am a Sock, I am an Island at 6:57 PM on April 4, 2019 [7 favorites]
However: If you do get through to outreach, be prepared for the possibility that they are well acquainted with your person and that he has consistently refused services. One of my most demoralizing moments as a case worker in homeless services was walking through a neighborhood with my client and having a car literally slow down to approach us and ask me “can you do something about her?” This client had been in contact with my organization for upwards of four years at that point and even been housed for a period, but still wound up back outside because the combination of mental illness, addiction, and the deterioration of the US safety net is a hell of a thing.
You are obviously not the level of asshole described above, but you have no idea how many hours social service providers may have spent banging their heads against walls in meetings about this person. The best case scenario if you call is that he’s not known to any kind of service providers and he gets connected right away and accepts redirection. Worst case is that an overburdened case worker sighs and thinks “oh honey you have no idea” when you ask what can be done. It’s worth a shot in any case, and I commend you for caring, just know that outreach workers have more limited power than you might think.
posted by I am a Sock, I am an Island at 6:57 PM on April 4, 2019 [7 favorites]
You might consult NAMI so that if it gets to the point where somebody calls the police you can do it in the manner least likely to get the person killed. Ask for the Crisis Intervention Team.
posted by Don Pepino at 7:37 AM on April 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Don Pepino at 7:37 AM on April 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
I think I know who you're talking about (although I could very well be wrong) and if so I've felt forced to significantly change my habits due to harassment from him combined with him seeming to always be on my routes/around different places I frequent. I hope he does get help.
posted by cosmic owl at 3:58 PM on April 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by cosmic owl at 3:58 PM on April 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
It really sucks when someone who is clearly having problems is also inflicting distress on others. Personally, I have low enough tolerance for street harassment that I'd call the non-emergency medical services number if this guy was still doing this thing a day or two later.
He's not required to accept help from social services, but I'm not required to enable his "verbal attacks."
posted by bagel at 11:54 AM on April 4, 2019 [9 favorites]