Do you drop it, or make it your business anyway?

If I see three guys beating up on a fourth, I’m calling the cops. No matter what.

Sorry to admit that I would walk away after that and not get involved. You never know where that could lead you.

How I see it you can’t help someone who doesn’t want it. I wouldnt want to get involved because they could try to come after you also.

You cannot force someone to take help. I would probably ask him several times whether he was okay, needed anything, tell him that although I did not witness enough of what occurred to be a liable witness, that I would stick around and wait with him if he wanted to call the cops and file a report. If he still asserts that he wants to go home, then I would wish him a safe drive, a good night, and assure him that there are people who care.

I would neither assume he is gay nor that he is illegally residing in the United States. They are not relevant to how I would handle the situation anyway.

The injured man has no idea how injured he might actually be after taking hard punches from 4 dudes. I’d call 911. And if those guys came back and dared to hit me? They’re going down, because I’m a petite 5’1” woman. A Marine or a soldier beating on a tiny woman will get them in very hot water.

Wow. If they weren’t sailors and marines, I prob would have reached for my cell phone much quicker. But I have to say I give these guys in uniform a bit more… trust(?) than the average Joe? So wouldn’t have called right away because of that and then def wouldn’t have called if the guy said no. Legally he shouldn’t be taken in if he’s “illegal” and has just been beaten up. But sh*t happens. He had SOME reason he didn’t want help/cops.

Let’s see… you see 2 Marines and some other guy beating the crap out of some guy and you’re wondering whether or not you should do anything about it? You call the cops, for god’s sake. Why are assuming that just because he is Hispanic that he might be illegal? And what do you mean by “Do you figure he got punched because he was Hispanic or maybe because he was Gay?” Are you saying that is a reason to do something about it or a reason not to do something about it?

@lillycoyote @muppetish And what do you mean by “Do you figure he got punched because he was Hispanic or maybe because he was Gay?” If those facts were the main reason(s) he got punched that would change the nature of any crime commited, would it not?

@Hypocrisy_Central Perhaps, but it would not change whether or not the right thing to do would be to call the cops.

@Hypocrisy_Central “Do you figure he got punched because he was Hispanic or maybe because he was Gay?” HOW would I know his ethnicity or whether he is gay? I don’t look at people and suddenly think, “Wow! There’s a gay Cuban standing there! Did you see him?” So NO, I would not assume he is either. NO I would not assume that was his reason for, from your description, politely declining my offer to call he police. I would ask him why he does not want to involve the authorities, but I would not make assumptions.

Of course it would change the nature of how the police would handle the situation, but I am not the police and this man is a stranger I know almost nothing about. All I can do is be a concerned, courteous citizen and offer my support.

I’d make sure he was okay and offer to help him as best I could. If he continued to refuse help, I’d respect his decision.

I’m never without my phone. I’d take pictures and call the police. I’d also scream fire multiple times at the top of my lungs so others come, as well.

@muppetish HOW would I know his ethnicity or whether he is gay? The same way one would know a alligator from a croc, they look similar but there are traits indicative to each that sets them apart. Hispanic people (many of them) don’t look like Black people or Asian, and even if they looked more white than Hispanic an accent might be the last piece of the puzzle. His race might be a clue to why he was attacked by service personel and not robbed…..

NO I would not assume that was his reason for, from your description, politely declining my offer to call he police. Who declined to call the cops? Someone did not want the cops there but no one denied the opportunity for having the cops there, for any reason.

@tinyfaery Some of us had our phones for quite a while and don’t need all that fancy stuff so it would not be a picture phone. I heard that but it can back fire. I once read that someone did that and someone else actually called the fire department out, but by the time anyone got there the incident was over and the fire department was there for nothing.

One anecdote will not stop me from doing what I think is right.

@Hypocrisy_Central is right although “it can backfire” is kind of an understatement , and @tinyfaery not a good idea to scream fire and/or call the fire department unless there is actually a fire. They really, really frown on that sort of thing to the point that it’s kind of illegal to call in a false fire alarm.

@Hypocrisy_Central “The same way one would know a alligator from a croc” Look, I grew up in an area that is, by the census, 95% “Hispanic” (which many of us find a ridiculous point of reference by the way: we are Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and etc. but there is NO such thing as “Hispanic”.) We do NOT all look “Hispanic” and we do not all have “Hispanic” accents.

From the original post: “he says no cops, he just wants to go home” – you are the one who said he declined an offer to call the cops, not me.

And you’re still missing the main point which is the man’s ethnic background and sexual preference have no impact on whether or not I would want to get involved in the situation. I will help someone whom, from my viewpoint, has been wronged no matter who they are or where they come from.