Tuesday, August 7, 2012

HE SAID... Friends and Other "Unions"

Tony Walker

Friends... For the past 20 years I've been in a Union. Being in a Union has taught me a ton about solidarity, standing up for what's right, & supporting your fellow Union Brother/Sister. I use this mindset in my everyday life, not just with Union related issues.
I'm not sure if living my everyday life this way is the way to go. In a Union, if your Union Brother/Sister is in a pinch, you support that person. You're expected to support that person. 
With that engrained in my head, I live my whole life this way. If a friend is in some kind of trouble I try to find a way I can help. If a friend is being screwed over by someone else, I don't support the person doing the screwing. My problem is I don't get that back.

Is it wrong to expect a friend to back you when you're the one getting screwed? Is it wrong to say to your friend, "Hey.... this person really screwed me & I didn't deserve it. I expect you to show me some support." Are the friends who don't step up in the wrong for not stepping up and being supportive?  Is this a matter of a friend showing their true colors in a time of need?

I was talking to someone recently about this. This person admitted that she couldn't support a friend who was having trouble with another person because she doesn't like confrontation. She admitted she would like to tell the person to go scratch but she didn't have it in her. Is this person wrong? Should we just accept this or should her friend be pissed for not getting the support that's needed?

What do you think...???

1 comment: