by Travis Mateer

The clip above is NOT someone having a medical event. After watching this man’s behavior in the park for 15 minutes, I determined that “break dancing” was the type of movement he was going for. He even tried documenting his dance moves by trying to find a level spot to prop up his phone near the playground.

My attempt to have a conversation with the person I was with was disrupted when my annoyance transformed into alarm as this guy started talking to a little girl. Up to that point he had not paid ANY attention to the girl, so I went over and asked him loudly if that was his kid and turns out YES, it was, and my question was interpreted by this tweaker as accusing him of being a pedophile.

Did the situation escalate quickly after that? Yes, it did, so I retreated as one of the moms tried calming the dude down as he screamed at me. Then he got in his car with the kid and drove around the park slowly, yelling out the window how lucky I was to not be getting my ass kicked.

What about the guy who got stabbed on Friday at the Poverello Center? How lucky was he? I don’t know, because this article barely describes what happened to “B.D” after a disagreement turned into a stabbing.

From the link:

B.D. told police after he left the shower, he struck Binns because “Binns struck him in the shower first.”

Law enforcement interviewed numerous witnesses and reviewed Poverello’s security footage. 

One of the witnesses said they tried to de-escalate the situation by telling Binns to calm down and “let it be.” 

The witness said he saw Binns attack the victim by the park bench and saw Binns stab the B.D.

Poverello staff employees told police that they asked Binns to leave following the fight in the shower. 

The staff member observed Binns on top of the victim stabbing him three to four times outside the shelter.

What kind of criminal charge do you think Binns should get for getting on top of someone and stabbing them three or four times? If you guessed attempted deliberate homicide, like what happened when that woman stabbed her boyfriend 9 times, you would be WRONG.

Maybe Paul Binns isn’t being charged with something more serious because he’s obviously an oppressed minority. And the victim? If “B.D.” is the guy I think it is, then he’s a white dude who has been on and off the streets for years. Paul should consider himself lucky that hate crimes can’t, or won’t, be applied to someone with his complexion. If the race of the perpetrator and victim was switched, it could be a MUCH different outcome in Double-Standard Town.

Getting back to the white dude trying to dance like he has some ethnic rhythm–what about the kid? If I thought he was all fucked up on drugs, shouldn’t I have at least called 911 to document it? Maybe, but why? Child Protective Services is a joke in this state, and I say that having worked for over a decade in the non-profit sector. That’s why I found this Facebook post so incredibly sad:

In the comments, some people got all bent out of shape that blame was so quickly directed at the parents. Then neighbors with actual knowledge of this family described why the concern is VERY legitimate:

What Taylor O’Connell doesn’t understand is that Montana is a sparsely populated, relatively poor state when it comes to the agencies that are supposed to get involved to protect vulnerable populations, like minors and the elderly, so even IF an agency like CPS was involved, it wouldn’t mean this kid would be any more safe.

Maybe I’m worrying too much and being too critical of supporting drug addicts. In LA, a lovely non-profit is doing GOD’S work by handing out fresh meth pipes to the homeless (video at link) Pretty cool, huh?

I don’t know why people are having such a problem with government-funded meth pipes being handed out to LA homeless people because it just makes you have a real good time, and who doesn’t want to have a real good time?

If reading my unfiltered take on the local drug scene is YOUR idea of a good time, keep the good times coming by supporting Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), or making a donation at my about page.

Thanks for reading!