I was on a bus, in suit and tie, coming home from the “Remain Close to Jehovah” convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses yesterday. One of my covert harassers (gang stalkers) sitting in the seat in front of me, began playing a song rather loudly on his cell phone. The lyrics of the song contained “trigger words” that have been used before by the stalkers. The bus driver stopped the bus, made an announcement that there is no radio playing on the bus and asked for it to be turned off. The request was ignored, At the next stop the bus driver repeats his request. The fellow playing the radio, (who could be perfectly typecast as a gang member in any movie) starts loudly cursing and berating the bus driver. However, he dropped a clue in his verbal tirade that blew his cover. “Don’t tell me to turn off my cellphone, just drive the bus.” You can’t tell me to turn of my phone. I got a job to do too. You do your job and I’ll do mine!” (Of course, I’ve cleaned up his language.) I was praying within myself that the bus driver would drop the issue because this harasser was really angry (vein bulging in the side of the neck angry!) and was quite likely to escalate the argument into an altercation if the bus driver pushed the issue. Thankfully, the bus driver was smart enough to stop talking to this man. I got off the bus at my stop, leaving the harasser behind.
This harasser-covert surveillance person was clearly someone with a violent past. However, he is not the first person of his type I have seen who revealed that this surveillance/harassment is a job for them. It appears that they are employed by some sort of “make-work” program (I believe that here in Newark it is colloquially termed Pest Control) that hires recently released criminals for the street-level psychological attacks and surveillance employed against victims like myself. This group, as one would expect, contains individuals whose violent tendencies lie just below the surface, and can be easily uncovered without much provocation. This is not the first time I’ve seen that violent streak flare up.
As I listened to this exchange on the bus, it brought to mind the stories I have read in the past about the Tonton Macoutes, a militia force used by Haitian Dictator “Papa Doc” Duvalier to violently repress opposition in Haiti. The Tonton were fashioned after the Fascist Blackshirts of Italy. The street level “gang-stalkers” I observe on a daily basis are also a “militia” in that they provide a form of psychological violence. At what point will they pass from surveillance and psychological attacks into physical brutality?
What a bizarre world we have become! One thing is for certain. We face an immediate future that will no doubt be more lawless and violent. The truth of the Bible’s statement that “. . . the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one . . .” (John 5:19) becomes more evident each passing day. However, it is my determination to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and to “love my enemies” and “pray for those persecuting me.” I make a daily effort to speak about the Bible’s hope for the future to all sorts of people, including those who participate in my harassment. Doing good to others is the best way for me to resist the corrosive effect my environment would otherwise have on my personality.
Addendum: To any of my “Brothers and Sisters” in the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses:
Jehovah is providing spiritual “food at the proper time” to meet our needs and concerns. I am sure you will find the publication released on the Saturday Program of the “Remain Close to Jehovah” Convention an extraordinary source of comfort and strength, helping us to cope with our distresses. Be sure to get your copy. I know you will be as deeply grateful for this evidence of Jehovah’s tender compassion for us as I have been.