Comments on: It’s Important to Be Polite to Vancouver Drug Addicts http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/ Photography Tips and Digital Camera News from Andrew Ferguson's Photography Blog Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:56:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Andrew Ferguson http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16508 Andrew Ferguson Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:30:09 +0000 http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16508 You're right, Rowan. It makes sense from an objective perspective. It's hard for me to get my semi-conservative suburban upbringing out of my system in strange ways like this. When you're raised by a police officer, you grow up believing that all junkies are violent and unpredictable. I've never really encountered that many until moving to Vancouver. Just drunks and sober-seeming homeless folk. I've been through Main & Hastings at night and passed that same gauntlet, but this was my first time having a direct encounter with one. You’re right, Rowan. It makes sense from an objective perspective.

It’s hard for me to get my semi-conservative suburban upbringing out of my system in strange ways like this. When you’re raised by a police officer, you grow up believing that all junkies are violent and unpredictable.

I’ve never really encountered that many until moving to Vancouver. Just drunks and sober-seeming homeless folk.

I’ve been through Main & Hastings at night and passed that same gauntlet, but this was my first time having a direct encounter with one.

]]> By: Rowan Lipkovits http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16506 Rowan Lipkovits Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:12:35 +0000 http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16506 <i>I suddenly realized that two obvious junkies preparing to get high were blocking the way out.</i> For six months I co-hosted the all-accordion radio show at CO-OP Radio from 2-3 am once a week (still co-hosting -- but now at 9:30-10:30 pm Friday nights 8) ... CFRO being located at Hastings and Columbia (one block west of Main), traversing the gauntlet of junkies huddled in the front stoop was a necessary part of every station entrance and exit. It often took them a while to clue in to my "scusi"s, but once they understood the nature of the situation they were without exception polite and apologetic. (I don't see why; it's not like they were walking through MY living room.) I suddenly realized that two obvious junkies preparing to get high were blocking the way out.

For six months I co-hosted the all-accordion radio show at CO-OP Radio from 2-3 am once a week (still co-hosting — but now at 9:30-10:30 pm Friday nights 8) … CFRO being located at Hastings and Columbia (one block west of Main), traversing the gauntlet of junkies huddled in the front stoop was a necessary part of every station entrance and exit. It often took them a while to clue in to my “scusi”s, but once they understood the nature of the situation they were without exception polite and apologetic. (I don’t see why; it’s not like they were walking through MY living room.)

]]> By: Brendan http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16341 Brendan Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:21:19 +0000 http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16341 <p>I also think if you asked someone in a stairwell politely to move out of your way, they would. But I don't think that Andrew was asuming that just because they are crackheads, they do not respond to polite requests. He merely noted that they seemed a little taken back by his simple, yet equal and fair request. Which is equal and fair to say the least...</p> <p>For the person who begs for money without ambition... Is not a person who is searching for equality... The compassion you see or the guilt you feel towards such a person... is only fueled by their knowledge of habit and inevitablity... The soberness will all be over soon...</p> <p>I, However, would like to note how Andrew was a little taken back by the drug addicts' response. :)</p> I also think if you asked someone in a stairwell politely to move out of your way, they would. But I don’t think that Andrew was asuming that just because they are crackheads, they do not respond to polite requests. He merely noted that they seemed a little taken back by his simple, yet equal and fair request. Which is equal and fair to say the least…

For the person who begs for money without ambition… Is not a person who is searching for equality… The compassion you see or the guilt you feel towards such a person… is only fueled by their knowledge of habit and inevitablity… The soberness will all be over soon…

I, However, would like to note how Andrew was a little taken back by the drug addicts’ response. :)

]]> By: Stephanie http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16195 Stephanie Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:01:53 +0000 http://www.goldengod.net/2007/06/24/the-importance-of-being-polite-to-vancouver-drug-addicts/#comment-16195 I think if you had asked anyone in any stairwell to politely move out of your way, they would have. I don't think it's fair to assume that just because they're crackheads, that they don't respond to polite requests. After all, they were blocking your way. There's no arguing something like that, which is probably why they moved. I think if you had asked anyone in any stairwell to politely move out of your way, they would have. I don’t think it’s fair to assume that just because they’re crackheads, that they don’t respond to polite requests. After all, they were blocking your way. There’s no arguing something like that, which is probably why they moved.

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