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From: rh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Randy Haskins)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Nothing ever happens to people unless they want it to
Message-ID: <1198@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Jan-84 05:36:04 EST
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.1198
Posted: Mon Jan 16 05:36:04 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Jan-84 02:04:48 EST
References: <3411@tekecs.UUCP>
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 39

Okay, add the statement "for the most part."  I'll tell you
wnat exactly is in my head.  The first week I was in Boston
(God, it was 4-1/2 years ago), I was approached by what were
apparently homosexuals (this was before I was incredibly perceptive).
After that, I bought myself a knife that I intended to use if
I needed to.  Then, after a while, I realized that people
would try to keep their distance from me on the street.  Now,
I'm only about 5'9" or so, so it's not my physical stature
(well, I do weigh about 200 lbs, with an appreciable (though
not as much as I'd like) amount of it muscle, but I'm not
really awesome physically).  I realized that it was the air
I carried about me, my aura if you will.  I didn't need the
knife (but I still carry it, it's a useful tool), I just
needed the attitude.  My aura says, "Here I am.  You can
screw with me if you want, and you might even win.  But
I will be rutheless, and I will try to tear your face off
and pull your arms and legs out of socket and break all
of your bones.  I won't punch you in the face; I'll try
to gouch your eyes out."  I keep this frame of mind when
walking down the street, and I can see people trying to
get farther away from me on the sidewalk.  People talk
about "smelling" fear.  Well, I suppose that others can
smell the violence and rage in me (I'm indignant about
having to worry about getting attacked on the street).
I've spent four years walking the streets of Boston
(well, not stupidly), and I haven't had any trouble since
the first week.  I suppose that this approach isn't that
great for women, because the threat of tearing someone
apart is more difficult for a woman to project, but 
this stuff can all operate on a sub-conscious level.
It's just the same as your parents always told you about
dealing with a barking dog:  don't let it know you're
afraid.  If you walk down the street like no one is
going to mess with you, then chances are no one will.
Oh, well, enough prosteletyzing (about the power of the
mind, which is the Buddha) for one night.  Think positive.

-- 
Randwulf  (Randy Haskins);  Path= genrad!mit-eddie!rh