Peacemaking & Mall Warfare: Get Involved
One of our goals in starting The Dusty Cover was to create a third space in our neighbourhood. Sadly, public spaces are diminishing quickly, largely driven by consumerism that seeks to encourage (even demand) consumption as the price of participation. In our inner city community, it is also fueled by sweeping attempts police "undesirables" from loitering or getting "up to no good". In its mildest form it manifests as classical music playing outside the 7-11, moving into more serious forms like loitering policy that is applied with heavy racial bias.
Yesterday I read about our downtown mall's most recent tool in this warfare: The Mosquito. The Mosquito, mounted outside the entrance of the mall, is an electronic device which emits high-frequency sounds (like the buzz of a mosquito). As our ability to hear high frequencies deteriorates over time (known as presbycusis), the sound is most commonly audible to younger people (between 13 and 25). Thus, teens who hang out in front the mall entrance are literally driven away by the annoying buzz.
The following report presents both sides of the issue (as well as a wonderfully creative counter-use of the technology by teens):
In my opinion, this technology (which isn't generaly used "only as a last resort" as some would claim) is offensive. While it does target only a specific segment of the population, it does so without discrimination. It forces young people to either be good consumers, get lost or suffer the discomfort. It is unapologetically used as a weapon designed for use against children.
I am not disregarding the very real problems this technology seeks to address. Living and running a business in an inner city community, I see these issue daily- issues that do need creative solutions. However, when we resort to this kind violence- and I truly believe it is violence- we are paying too high a price. We may achieve a degree of order, but we do so through aggresion and force. Part of our missional commitment to our neighourhoods is to make them places of welcome and peace. This might also mean that, in resisting these methods, we will need to participate in creating and sustaining better options. Genuine missionality always comes at a price, needing to inform every aspect of our lives.
If you disagree, I would like to hear what you have to say. If you agree, I would ask you consider getting involved. Send an email to the Mall manager and/or Security manager of the mall asking them to remove the device, calling for less aggresive methods:
Marilee Eldridge, Mall Manager
Email: meldridge@portageplace.mb.ca
Nick Basarowich, Security Manager
Email: nbasarowich@portageplace.mb.ca
It's all in your paradigms ... this particular paradigm is clashing with a paradigm which does not see value in capitalism. Or capitalism is of secondary value to them.
The store keepers and mall administrators have their paradigm, and the teens have a different one. Both stand to gain from each other. Perhaps they need to remember that. (Comment this)
I think this seems less aggressive because it is only impacting a narrow segment. Imagine you are standing in front of a local store and begin chatting with a friend. After a minute or two a loudspeaker over your head starts screeching at you, making conversation impossible. Don't you think that would be aggressive? Doesn't that seem dehumanizing?
I agree that there are paradigms at odds. I guess that I believe that the paradigm of materialism that drives the use of such a tool runs contrary to Christian practice and thus needs to be confronted.
I know people disagree with the level of my response to this, but I just can't over the idea of using a device that uses targeted physical discomfort to move kids on. Thanks for weighing in!
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)
your frod is still creepy. haha! (Comment this)
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)
i guess i find it more rude than offensive. but i am not opposed to moving in that direction. now i sound like a politician. (Comment this)
I guess what I find offensive about this is that I see it as a use of violence. It is an aggressive use of a physical force to force behaviour. The use of violence is offensive to me.
If I had presented this story as a technology designed to discourage the elderly from loitering, I have little doubt that people would have reacted differently. And yet, when dealing with teens, people seem to be less offended. What if there was a problem with a racial group loitering- would a targeted technology be so easily accepted? If not, why not?
Also, I have a cousin who is deaf. As a result, I have learned a great deal about the impact of sound. Even though we cannot hear it, our ears are being subjected to their effect. It can, over time, cause long term hearing damage. That alone should be enough to make it unacceptable.
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)
It would be better to take an offensive approach to helping the children do something else than cause problems in the mall. When I was a kid we used to hang out in malls simply because we were bored and that's where everything was. Give me an alternative and it might be different. (Comment this)
I agree! I was beginning to think I was the only one who saw it as inappropriate.
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)