I’ve been a fan of NBA basketball for a long, long time.
I’ve also worked with people experiencing homelessness for more than 15 years
on the streets of Portland and Seattle.
When I read that Terrence Jones, Portland native and NBA
player alledgedly stomped on an individual experiencing homelessness just one block from
the Street Roots office, my heart sank.
It brought me back to a time several years ago when a friend
and I witnessed a teenager kick a homeless man in a doorway in downtown
Portland. After making sure the individual in the doorway was OK, my friend and
I chased the kid four blocks before he gave up and confronted us. We gave the
kid two choices. We were either calling the police on him, or he was going to
have to go back and talk to the guy he kicked.
The teenager, scared and shaking, sat with all of us for the
next hour talking about the realities of homelessness, including just how
vulnerable people actually are. The gentleman experiencing homelessness forgave
the young man. The kid apologized profusely. They continued to talk and shook
hands. It was a learning lesson.
Before I talk about Terrence Jones, let me say, if anyone
actually witnesses someone assaulting someone on the streets — the correct
response is to call 911 right then and there. Violence against the homeless is
all too real and shouldn’t be tolerated.
Terrence Jones no doubt wasn’t thinking clearly. It’s my
assumption that he was coming out of the bar and in a flash made a decision to
do something that turned out to be very stupid. The idea that another human being
was on the receiving end of those actions is unfortunate.
No doubt the press, and the public, will crucify him. But waving a judgmental finger at the
situation will do nothing to address the roots of homelessness and violence on
the streets.
If all that happens in this circumstance is that a young man’s
career is tarnished and the individual on the street was at the receiving end
of a violent act — than ultimately nothing changes. Practicing non-violence takes
effort and discipline. It’s not just something that happens without teachable
moments — especially for those on the streets and experiencing poverty.
This could be a teachable moment for Terrence. It’s an opportunity
for anyone who may have similar kinds of impulses to pause and think twice
before actually carrying through with assaulting someone on the streets, or anyone else for that matter.
Experiencing homelessness is not kind. It’s a traumatic
experience that leaves people vulnerable to violence, sickness and even death.
Getting kicked while you’re sleeping is something that no human being should
ever have to experience and I’m sure the individual it happened to will never
forget.
Terrence Jones still has the opportunity to have a long and
fruitful career. I would love to be a Portlander cheering him on (unless he’s
playing against the Blazers) instead of having to root against him.
For Terrence Jones, this is an opportunity to stand up and be a responsible person. It’s a chance for him to educate himself on the issue of homelessness in
Portland and throughout the country.
It’s a chance for Terrence to stand up and say, “What I did
was wrong and this is what I’m going to do to correct it.” It’s got to be more
than words. I challenge Terrence to do the right thing and to give back. To
educate the masses and help the public understand that homelessness and
violence is something that should never be accepted in our community.
Israel Bayer is the Executive Director of Street Roots, a street newspapaer in Portland, OR. On Twitter @IsraelBayer
This article appears in 2013-07-19.