A friend who manages a nonprofit organization fired a two-week employee who went a little batty, showing his true colors. I waited over the weekend to hear from an animal rescue shelter about our family fostering a Dalmatian from angry owners.
A Baltimore Examiner photographer was attacked at a school while working on a story about berserk students attacking teachers. Police suspect road ragein a fatal accident Friday. And someone last week shot two people, killing one, during funeral services at Unity United Methodist Church in West Baltimore.
Would someone please explain why everyone is so angry? Does Baltimore need anger management?
You can register online for an anger management seminar if your blood typically boils over.
If you prefer private lessons, there?s an anger boot camp in Prince George?s County run by author and relationship expert Steven Stosny. If you have three eight-hour days to spare, and his fee of $2,400 a day doesn?t make you angry, you?re in. (C?mon, the guy?s been on “Oprah.”)
Stosny grew up in a violent home. Wonder why he?s not angry?
His menu of “anger regulation” workshops is geared toward teens, couples, drivers, parents and families. That?s a lot of irate people.
Anger is one of Andy Ross? favorite subjects. The president of the Children?s Guild, a nonprofit Baltimore organization serving emotionally disturbed children, said he sees three reasons for “anger that seems unjustified or results from overreaction to others or situations.”
When people feel they don?t have control over their lives, can?t tolerate someone challenging their ideas or modes of operation, and associate their own images, experiences and feelings to the words they hear even when different from the speaker intended.
“For example, people bully them or people are unreasonable at work, or the economy or life treats them unfairly,” Ross said. “They turn passive into active and explode toward others when they are in the power position … to the waiter, the dog or their employee.”
With a staff of 275, Ross constantly attempts to grow people, change organizations, bring about social justice and introduce new ways of thinking.
“So I stimulate anger rather easily,” he said, “and work hard at managing the feelings that come my way without taking it personally.”
Maybe I have an unrealistic visualization ? if an enraged stranger tried to attack or mug me, point a gun in my direction or try another equally creepy act, I?d attempt earnestly to talk them out of it. It?s been done. Women can really chitchat.
Maybe angry people simply feel unheard and invisible.
Have you ever felt an irrational minute when you were enraged enough to explode and believed you could hurt someone? Anyone can get heated up, yet not everyone stays in anger mode. Being mad at the world, then wanting to harm people in the process, goes over the top.
We cannot control others? actions or words, only our reactions to them.
Baltimorean Suzanne Molino Singleton freelances for The Baltimore Examiner, is a staff writer for The Catholic Review and writes SNIPPETS, a weekly women?s inspirational e-letter; [email protected].
