Reverse prejudice
Posted April 22nd, 2008 byCategories: Uncategorized
I’ve been living in an apartment for 8 years. It’s an interesting place downtown with many characters who drink too much, and have subsidized rent and stuff. Then there are those of us who pay market value for the rent.
I had heard that every 5 years the Landlord is obligated to paint your apartment if you ask. So I went to our municipally supported C00P, mostly run be tree hugging folks who are pretty “on the left”, not that I like talking about philopsphy in terms of “right” and “left”.
Anyway, I spoke with the woman in charge, a young confident attractive person. She said, “we have no obligation to paint, and we provide that only if our budjet isn’t used up. Then we do it on an ‘as needed’ basis.”
I said “do those of us who pay rent have any precidence over those who don’t?”
OOOOOPS!!! I couldn’t have said anything worse. Her face contorted up and she glared at me and said “do you think you’re better than the welfare mom, or the women who have trouble with alcohol?”
I didn’t want to get into the whole story about how I was a recovered alcoholic, and drug user, post abortive, same sex attracted, Harlem rap producer, and messed up guy who was set free in Jesus many years ago.
I didn’t think that would have helped matters much anyway. So I said “uhhh, I don’t know, I just thought that I might not get punished for being a good, stable, working, rent paying tenant for 8 years, while transient people get a paint job every time they move.”
She said curtly “We will look at your apartment but will give preference to those who need it.” I left my name and number. As I walked out I tried to understand her level of anger. I suddenly realized for the first time, that I am a member of an new oppressed minority here in urban Canada. I appear to be a garden variety “straight, white, working male.” I think I’m going to have to write a song called “straight, white, working man”.
I guess her reaction is a compliment, I finally look like a normal upright citizen, who deserves to be punished for his good behaviour.