Public Comment

Harassment exists where someone doesn't want to be contacted, and where the other person is violating this expressed need. Harassment can exist in numerous contexts. Harassment causes people to lose their jobs. Even presidents of universities have lost their beloved job because they have abused their position. Harassment is a major issue in the modern world, where society is trying to evolve into something better. 

From what I have heard in the news media about sexual harassment cases, often there is a "quid pro quo," in which a man or woman in a supervisor position abuses that power. That's not exactly the same thing as the repetitive contact that brings a person into court for a restraining order. Either way, a person, often but not always a male, is trying to force his way into getting something to which he feels entitled. 

I have been a victim of harassment a huge amount for most of my life. People have believed I was good to pick on. This provided some type of interaction that helped the sick mind of the perpetrator. Finally, when I got older, I gained an arsenal of defenses against this kind of behavior. Men can be victims of harassment. I have also received random phone calls from one or more militant women who believed I didn't have the right to live within society. One of them called and tried to ask why I was spotted the previous day at a bank. I replied I didn't have to tell her anything. But to answer to the reader why I was at a bank; I have a bank account and I was doing banking. Is that so absurd for a mentally disabled man? 

Harassment, whether it is sexual harassment or bully harassment, cuts across all lines of race, gender, and sexual orientation. No demographic never harasses, and no demographic is never harassed.  

Under some circumstances, harassment is legal. For example, if you are collecting on a debt, you can phone the debtor every day, for twenty years if you want, and, apparently, this is not illegal. If you are involved in a political campaign or working for a political party, harassment may not technically be legal, but this is not enforceable. 

However, in modern times, sexual harassment is a crime. Most people look upon it as immoral. 

Persistence was once touted as a good quality. Persistence is where your repeated attempts at doing something are welcome. You could submit a hundred times to a pulp fiction magazine and get a hundred rejections. When it gets to be two hundred, they may get tired of you. Some cut you off after two or three rejected subs. 

People can change their behavior at almost any age. This doesn't erase the aftermath of doing something disreputable. But it does look good in the eyes of god and of some people. Not everyone forgives easily. You do not change behavior for the purpose of pleasing someone else. You change the behavior because the initial behavior didn't work, or it wasn't appropriate, or harmed someone in some way. You changed the behavior because the behavior was causing jeopardy to you. 

My eighteenth birthday was at Gladman Psych Hospital. I think Gladman has changed completely since the time of my visit, over 40 years ago. It is not uncommon for people with psychiatric problems to fail to understand the word "No." But most of us, when we regain our senses, probably after being medicated (sometimes by force) will realize, no means no. The value of this realization is that I'm protected from huge losses. 

Post-word: In my distant past, at age 30, I had a behavior that I couldn't control on my own. It had the potential to ruin my life if I couldn't change what I was doing. A social worker spoke to me about it and gave a stern warning. I replied I needed help. 

If you behave in a manner people condemn, it doesn't mean you need to pile self-condemnation on top of that. You should continue liking yourself. If you can't control your actions, get help. Get professional help and get it now. Those who work in the treatment systems are paid for the purpose of helping us have better behaviors. Put that principle to work. We can't always do it alone.