A comment buried in an older post about previous unfortunate run-ins with Brix construction workers caught my eye. Dita reports:
I was walking northbound on eleventh ave. btwn. Mercer and Aloha when two of the hispanic construction workers were walking behind me about a hundred yards or so. I crossed the street (on the Lowell Elementary payground side) and one of them quickly walked across the street towards me and began following me a couple feet behind me. I turned around and saw thwe most creepy look on his face and just then a woman appeared and I started to walk with her.
Andersen Construction is now running the construction show at Brix. I have no idea if these workers are rollovers from WG Clark — which lost its job — who supposedly received a “talking to” about why harassing women is not OK. On the one hand, I understand that a company can’t control what their staff do when not technically on-the-job. But on the other hand, they represent the company and it is obviously terrible PR to let it continue unchecked.
Unfortunately, Andersen wasn’t overly responsive to Dita at first pass. Furthermore, the police weren’t going to get involved unless there was physical contact. I’m talking with her about possible next steps but wanted to see if anyone else has had similar problems with the Brix construction workers.
Maybe it was the way her comment was worded but is Dita certain that these construction workers came from the Brix project? I only ask since there are several projects (townhomes, Brix, QFC site) going on in that area.
There are workers at Lowell putting in new windows and working on the gutters.
oh and there are Hispanics that live in the US too….
we walk around stalking white women everywhere with creepy looking faces…
wow, now we are reporting about non-crimes!!! this is a classic example of stereotyping!
c’mon guys..
I’ve got to agree with thesoze here. I mean, “creepy look on his face”?
It is unfortunate that someone would feel threatened or harassed here (or anywhere, for that matter), but the evidence seems pretty thin. I’ve never been a huge fan of walking or looking creepy, but I don’t think that either is actually criminal.
Thanks, thesoze, for keeping things civil. The race element makes me uncomfortable also — especially in an uncertain situation like this. I’m trying to think roundly about it — from Dita’s perspective, she’s providing specific details in an account of what she said happened to her. Final is asking if this has happened to anybody else. And you, rightly, are pointing out the potential for stereotyping and generally unhealthy thinking that can come from this post. Me, I guess I’m trying to keep things on track and agree — as much as possible — with all of you. Seems like I can probably pipe down — but I’ll err on side of blabbering. I want to know if there’s still this kind of crap going on around the construction in the area and what people think about how to respond to the situation. I’d prefer to do it in a way that does not cast wide nets and does not single out a type of person. This should be about specifics. But, also, this doesn’t need to be about judging the accusation. Whether this has happened to other people is fine and good question. Let’s ask it.
I was walking down the street down 11th ave when I crossed the street to go home near volunteer park. Suddenly, this white woman who was walking way too slow in front of me turned around and gave me the UGLIEST look! Luckily another woman showed up (probably her manager at Quizno’s) and she calmed down. I called Quizno’s and the police but they said I was probably making it up and I should have a flatbread sammy? The next time I develop a condo development I’m building in Magnolia!!
I did not bring up race/ethnicity/class/etc in my post. Yes, Dita did in her comments, but I did not repeat it because I do not think it’s important. Obviously, ANYONE can be a creep. This behavior has nothing to do with demographics. Instead, this is good ol’ machismo that has made me, and perhaps others, feel unsafe walking in our own neighborhood. Should I not talk about it, because these guys may look differently from me? It sounds like that’s what you think.
Trust me, when a group of 4 guys walked within inches of me and made derogatory sounds, I didn’t walk away crying because they were Latino. I walked away crying because I was scared, felt like shit, and was just 10 feet from my front door. Funny looks don’t make me cry; genuine fear does.
I originally posted this because now other women have had similar experiences, and I’d like to do what I can to prevent it from happening again. But, clearly this isn’t the forum for that.
We should do whatever we can to make sure Capitol Hill is a place where anybody can walk down the street free of cruelty and ugliness. Don’t make excuses for it. Don’t accept it. I’m interested to know if this is happening to other people.
yea, I agree we should try to make Cap Hill as safe as we can…there is no excuse for some people’s behaviour but remember this is a city with big city problems..I get creepy looking stares from all types of people…we need to just move on and give the finger to the creep…
I wouldn’t have brought up the fact that they were hispanic had it not been for that they are the only at the site that I’ve had problems with. I wouldn’t call it racism, maybe it a ‘generalization’ at best. Prior to this incident, I’ve had my photo taken a few times, cat calls and just a creepier-than-normal vibe while walking past the brix site than at any other construction site I’ve encountered. The guys at Excell Pacific (of the old QFC site) seem to behave themselves, I don’t understand why Brix is so creepy.
It doesn’t help that they’ve also been found behaving rudely in other ways as well: http://blog.capitolhillseattle.com/2008/07/03/brix-complex-w
Jrrrl: I’m sorry you got your feelings hurt.