Recently there has been much media coverage regarding the number of individuals who stand at traffic lights and wash windows. It appears that the presence of window washers will be an ongoing debate with most people falling into the two dominant camps of either hating them or not really minding what they do. Last night a person posted on a community group that I belong to stating
As you can possibly imagine there was a lot of comments made on this page. Many stories shared were in regards to how intimidated many feel, the unsafe environment many washers work in and a general feel of comfortableness at the whole window washing experience. I shared my personal experience of having found window washers polite and friendly, often taking the time to talk to them even if they aren’t washing my windows because I have said no or have no cash on me. When I shared this experience I was told that I am “lucky” not to have been verbally abused or had my car hit by them. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I was lucky, or because I smile at them and am polite rather than giving them attitude….(sometime to consider possibly).
As I was scrolling through the comments one particular comment caught my eye. You can find the ‘edited’ version of the comment below…the comment was edited after I questioned the person referring to the window washers as ‘rats’.
Now this may not seem like much of an issue to some, or may even seem like nit picking on my part. But let me explain why I made the comment that I did.
The initial comment about window washers being ‘rats’ was made by a man who is currently campaigning for my local council. The reason I question his use of the word ‘rat’ is because his comment has made it obvious (to me) that as a potential councillor that some people in our community count and others don’t and are just ‘rats’. If you have been following my blog, you will know that marginalisation of certain groups within our society is what I am against. As I stated within my reply to the initial comment, I am not saying that window washing is safe, or that people don’t feel intimidated or that the washers are not aggressive, what I am questioning is the ability for people within our community to move from ‘human’ to that of ‘rats’ within the eyes of a potential council man because of a dislike for what those ‘rats’ do.
The individual then followed his initial comment up with the following experience
“Perhaps I have a particularly unfriendly persona but they don’t dare try it on”
“No tolerance of these people”
Don’t get me wrong, we are all entitled to our opinions and views and I know that not all experiences with individuals including window washers are pleasant ones. But these comments from the community and particularly the council campaigner have made me question a few things.
- If the local council is about supporting the community (which I assume it is), is it the whole community that they support or just the majority (as in those who vote for them)?
- If the local council is about supporting the majority (I mean that’s how democracy works right) then who is the voice on the council for the marginalised and vulnerable in our community who haven’t supported the majority? Do they even have a right to a voice or no because they are viewed as the ‘rats’ within our community by member(s) of our local board?
I by no means understand how council really works so this is just another perspective or view on the discussion around community and its marginalised. But I do wonder what would happen if this potential councillor approached the window washers armed with some hot chocolate and asked to have a conversation with them regarding the communities concerns. Could there possibly be an understanding or compromise reached between this group and the community if time was taken to approach them like human beings rather than ring the cops and have the ‘rats scuttle when the cops come down hard on them’?
Who represents the Southside? 