Hi guys,
Something happened last evening and I want to know if anyone has gone thro a similar incident and also your views on what I should do in this case.
I live in an apartment. I have a surround sound system and TV in my living room. Lately, there have been instances when I have been watching programmes/movies on the TV/DVD, during regular hours( before 10PM or during daytime) and the neighbour on one side has banged on the walls from his side, obviously to express his dissatisfaction about the volume. The first few times he did that I responded by lowering down the volume a little. Now here's what happened last evening. I am at home, the time is 7:45PM and I watching this movie at normal volume. Any lower and I would have to strain to hear the dialogues. Suddenly, this guy starts banging away at the wall again. I get pissed off and yell back asking him to shut the FU. A minute later he is there knocking at my door. I open the door and this guy shouts at me saying, "Lissen man, I am trying to sleep". I am already pissed and so I tell him,"So what do I do about it. I cannot lower the volume any lower and if that doesn't suit you, go live in a detached house and not in an apartment." As I was closing the door he starts yelling profanities, including sentences like "You bloody paki...go home paki...FU paki.." and so on. I close the door and come away cursing him for having ruined the movie for me. A couple of minutes later, he is again knocking at my door. I was more than pissed now. When I open the door, he says," Why don't we take it outside paki?" I am pretty mad by this time and yell back the F words to him and tell him that if he knocks at my door again I will call the police. He again yells back the same 'paki' stuff accompanied by obscene gestures. I close the door and come away. A little while later, there is again a knock at my door, only this time it is the apartment super. He asks me if I could possibly lower the volume. I invite the guy in and take him into the living room. I make him sit on the chair where I sit and watch the TV, and ask him if he finds the volume high. He says, it is fine but could I do something about the base. I tell him, look man this is a hi performance surround sound system and it has a subwoofer, and that is what gives it the base and the hi quality of what you hear. They call it "home theater" not without reason. I ask him how it sounds in the movie theaters here, the music blaring through the side speakers but dialogues at lower volume from the front. That's what happens here too. If I turn down the volume any further I will not be able to hear what is being said by those movie guys over there. He agrees and bids good night and leaves.
My question: What should I do? Should I lower the volume and give up the pleasure of watching DVDs in surround sound? This question is about my reaction at the social level.
The other question is, what should I do about this guy who made those racial slurs? Is he or can he be a threat to me and can I become a victim of his hate crime? I have not seen the guy much, but he is white and has heavily tattoed arms. Should I report the incident to the police as a preventive measure? If I do, won't the police call on him for enquiries? Will it make him even more angry and could he do something bad?
BTW, I am not a Pakistani

-----------------------------------------------------------------
wisernow

Sir
The proper name is Pakistani not “Paki”. If the other imbecile used that filth during the fight, does not mean that you start using it too and explaining to the forum that “I am not a Paki”. Proper sentence would be “ I AM NOT A PAKISTANI”. You should know better as you must be from India or some other neighboring country.
BTW I am from India.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ab Raj karay Gee Junta!

Isnt that racial abuse.....Why didnt you call the police?

-----------------------------------------------------------------
I once made a mistake, but I was wrong about it.

Not sure, whether you guys are being sarcastic, or you just do not know – Paki is a derogatory term for all browns, in general.

My little take on this, maybe the guy works a late shift, perhaps starting midnight or some other unearthly hour (yeah whites work labor jobs too), and therefore needs his sleep in the evening. You could help being social by turning your volume down – the part of town that I live in, its not too common to see neighbours shaking their fists at each other, and am sure its because we are accomodating to each other.

If you choose not to do this, you could be in for some more confrontation, and I’d suggest that you think about talking to an officer in your division, since the guy uttered a racial slur by saying “Paki go back” and you could interpret it as a threat. If the cops choose to interview the guy though, he could well turn it back against you by saying that you had your volume above the permissible level (if there is one under the local law).

I know I’m rambling, but with this, the thread gets pushed back up to the top, and if someone’s got a better idea, I’m sure they’d contradict me.

You're right Satesh. I am sorry. I have changed it as suggested. It was just a slip in denying what the guy said.
Mercury:

I did not know whether it is a case that calls for reporting it to the police. He had not assaulted me or it iwas not like I have been treated unfairly at work or anything like that. He was ranting and I am not sure if that is good enough for asking for police action. That is what I want to know from you guys. Should I go and report it to the police now, or is it likely to make things worse for me?

-----------------------------------------------------------------
wisernow

I work afternoon shifts (3 - 11 pm) and whenI get home I dont sleep till 2 am or later....I know in the morning there is going to be some noise be it from my own house or outside....so I bring the same ear plugs that I use at work (very good quality) and use them......100 % silence.

next time if he comes over suggest him that.

I will leave it up to you whether to call the police....any other witness or were you alone in house.

and yes as far as I know racial verbal abuse is racial abuse. It doesnt have to be physical.

OR

invest in a pair of quality headphones. I use it when I watch Tv late night. Unbelievable sound quality (stereo and all).

It will cost you about 100 - 150 CDN.



It angers me that a canadian would do this....HE could have just made his point without the Paki thing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
I once made a mistake, but I was wrong about it.

Quote:

---

Orginally posted by crenshaw
You could help being social by turning your volume down –

---

Quote:

---

Orginally posted by crenshaw
If the cops choose to interview the guy though, he could well turn it back against you by saying that you had your volume above the permissible level (if there is one under the local law).

---

-----------------------------------------------------------------
wisernow