As a tall, white male there are few places where I do not feel safe. I feel comfortable walking around Madison alone at all hours of the night. Also, as a man who spent two years in Ukraine, where the office staff stressed safety, I feel even more confident in my safety. My understanding is that people are not out looking for trouble. 

I am fully aware not everyone has the luxury of peace of mind like I do. There are far less confident people all around me, and for good reason. They’re members of the groups who have been targets of crimes for decades or longer. The media further emphasizes these issues, in the name of safety. I feel they do more fear mongering than good, but that could be me just seeing the world as safe even when it’s not.

I did not grow up in a dangerous place. I grew up in a small college town in Wisconsin. There was, and still is, little more to fear than boredom. However, it seems I was inoculated with stories about the how bad all big cities are. No where in a city is it safe. I like to think this is a load of bull, and from experience it tends to be, but who can know?

Who can go to a place for the first time and feel safe? Who can know what will happen and what will happen to them? I can’t, but I have faith good things will happen.