ethical question

[Jester]

Earlier int he grocery store today I saw this old man with a cane yelling at a young girl. He's like "THose are not the ten for a dollar cookies now go abck and get some ten for a dolalr cookies." but he was really yelling at the tope of his voice and was saying other things that I chose not to hear. As I passed them I debated whether to say anything but then chose not to... as I was getting in my own checkout line I turned back and saw the girl walking away and a few minutes later the man was sauntering after her with really angry and jerky motions... I could hear them from twenty feet away in a crowded grocery store.

My questions is should I have said soemthing... even if it was a family thing... he was treating the agirl so poorly .... I'm at a lost... I probably did hte right thing but I jsut don't know. :sick: :confused: :brickwall:

[imthefoolonthehill]

i dont think it was wrong to not say anything.... but personally, i would have. I would have given the geezer a talkin to about chivalry and women.

[Scheherazade]

How old was the girl?

[den]

Hmmmm I dunno, would I want to approach some cranky old b****d and tell him to shut up and be nicer? Don't think so.

However I would be compelled to say something to the `young girl' if she appeared to be under the age of 20. It depends on a lot of things, but, if she was around 10 or something, I'd be very upset and want to say to her `I hope one of your parents is around somewhere to look out for you because you don't deserve to be treated that way!!!' And also discretely write down on a piecee of paper the local `Kids Help' phoneline.

As many of us know, most people (the old man in this situation) don't appreciate this kind of `interference', they would be embarrassed that they're getting called on their crap behaviour, and resent the heck out of anyone trying to tell them what to do. That's why they need help in the first place but they're the last to realise it.

[Stanislaw]

I have had a similar expieriance and I do say something. If it is a child, they don't need that emotional abuse.

[Scheherazade]

I find it a very difficult situation. It would depend on many things, especially the age of this girl and how she is reacting. Sometimes it is possible to get clues from people's body languages and reacations.

[amuse]

there was a man killed yesterday when he tried to break up a fight between a few teens. he had just picked up his 2 young girls.

my point is, help discreetly, as den said; but don't put yourself in harm's way.

[Scheherazade]

That is so sad :(

[Stanislaw]

yes, in Canada stabbing incedents have greatly increased, more and more people are carrying concealed weapons, this world is really turning itno a scary place!

[Jester]

I couldn't tell how old she was but they way the man was talking made me guess that she was younger... even a child and the way he was talking to he made me think that he was her gaurdian or soemthing, family member.... thanks for your help....

[Jay]

If that happened to me I think I'd go balistic. Don't ask. But then, after having my share of talking with the man done I'd be worried about the girl because that *** of a 'guardian' could seek revenge on that girl because of what I said.

[Jester]

yeah part of my resaoning was that if one were to say something it would jsut make it harder on the girl