I’m a New Yorker. I remember when Central Park was where no one would go at night unless a large festival was happening. During the day, it was crowded, fun, and rarely clean. My family would take me there to play at the Alice in Wonderland statue or one of the many children’s playgrounds and then for a walk around the park and then to a grassy knoll to play frisbee or something. Interestingly, we always came across someone unbalanced or looking to take advantage of a quiet spot we had unintentionally inhabited. Unintentionally meaning, it started with a lot of people, and during our preoccupation with whatever we were doing, we didn’t notice the other people had departed. These confrontations, coupled with our street smarts, made us very hesitant to enter the Ramble.

The allure of the Rambles for good and evil was ever-present when I was a child, and it still is today. The Ramble is a beautiful, quiet area of Central Park just a tad south of the Shakespeare theater that allows a person to be close to nature in a tranquil setting, away from Manhattan’s sensory overload.

Recently, my German Shepherd and I tailed a man who had been following a tourist into the Rambles. My Gotham instincts kicked in, and I wasn’t about to let a poor tourist get robbed. After several winding curves in the woods and quite a few paranoid glances, the would-be thief also noticed he was a target. He rapidly abandoned his plan and left the Rambles. Shortly after our exit, I politely explained to the tourist that it would be wise to be more aware of his surroundings and that Central Park still has its dangers like any other city, no matter how clean and welcoming it has become.

I’m sure the Rambles have kept the police busy over the years. This week, there was a confrontation in the Rambles between an African American male birdwatcher and a European American woman with an off-leash Spaniel dog. Note I mention the distinction in their races because the media is running amuck with inuendos and racially charged headlines. As a New Yorker, I simultaneously find this humorous and cringe-worthy.

First and foremost, I must point out that there are signs everywhere that dogs must be on a leash in the Rambles. However, the video below shows the boldness of a man remaining steadfast in his position when a woman is so clearly, threatened and fearful. The dog’s behavior is also an animal sensing his owner’s fear and lashing out in her defense. Why did the man stay in that position when she was alone in the Rambles with a Spaniel? I could argue the two sides with ease. The first is the one I believe to be the most accurate. He felt that as a birdwatcher, he was a form of a custodian of the Rambles. He wanted to threaten her and intimidate her into submission. He wanted her to leash her dog and not return to his avian paradise again. But I question, “would he have gone this far if she had been a man?” The other argument is that he felt like he was just a person. Not a man or a woman. A birdwatcher. He didn’t recognize that what he was doing could be considered a “Stand your ground” issue. Though not a defense in New York, I think it could have gotten him shot in another part of the country.

I think the media is again using a form of identification of a potential perpetrator as a weapon to further a cause. It’s a disservice to all people and especially New Yorkers, in this case. Ethnicity is an identifier, and evolution or God or the Universe or whatever you believe in has programmed us to use differences as a warning beacon to others when threatened. It’s a fact. All animals on the planet use this defense. We humans are no different, despite the attempt to fool ourselves into believing otherwise.

The bottom line, men, don’t ever trap a woman in a quiet place. You’re looking for trouble, whether you intend to or not. This incident is not a race issue. It’s a sex issue because his posture suggested that he believed brawn has the advantage.

Finally, this man, black, white, brown, or blue, used poor judgment. Unless we’ve finally reached a point in our society where men and women feel equal, and all rules and fears aside, we confront with confidence. In that case, shouldn’t we be rejoicing? Either way, going into the Rambles means exercising caution. So, to go or not to go? That is the question! Or, to Ramble or not to Ramble? Either way, it’s my blog, so I’ll ramble on to whoever will listen. By the way, thanks to those who read my articles. You inspire me!