Man punches out dad of autistic kid who was being 'noisy' in Olive Garden

[proud2BlibKansan]

BOYNTON BEACH, Florida - Four-year-old Sam Bennett’s parents admit, he can be a bit noisy, but they say they never expected it would frustrate a man enough to spark a fight at the Olive Garden restaurant in Delray Beach this weekend.

“He may appear he's being bratty or appear he's being loud when actually he's just trying to deal with the environment he's found himself in,” Sam’s father, Richard Bennett explains.

But as Sam and his extended family finished dinner, a man at a nearby table reportedly stood up and told Richard Bennett to quiet his son.

Bennett claims he explained that Sam has autism but that it did nothing to calm Paul Blankfield’s rage.

more ... http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/paul-blankfield-punches-out-dad-of-autistic-kid-who-was-being-noisy

[saltpoint]

1. Why fisticuffs were opted for instead of an old-fashioned

food fight is beyond this observer. And in a restaurant, no less. A squandered opportunity.

- - -

It's true that kids can make noise in restaurants. They're kids, they make noise. I've been in places where grown-ups are loud and obnoxious as well.

[mrs_p]

60. and olive garden

is perfect food for a food fight - heck knows, i would rather throw it than eat it ;)

[saltpoint]

62. LOL. I'm trying real hard to find some civil way

to think about a guy who becomes unhinged over the noise a child makes naturally.

Even at the Holy of Holies, the Olive Garden!

-- but I can't.

The child making noise was at least being true to himself. The grownup who resorted to violence is the one who needs corralled.

[mrs_p]

63. i agree

immature response to say the least. maybe he has some mental issues?

[saltpoint]

64. It's too bad the restaurant didn't have a bouncer

for the grown-up.

It looks to me as if the child was being exuberant, likely because children like to have fun. Once in a while they're kinda noisy, but hell, they're kids, and that's how it is with kids.

I certainly don't remember being a silent little mouse when I was that age.

Shame on that guy who freaked out. I sure wouldn't want him around in a real crisis.

[era veteran]

71. First rule; Never eat at corporate chain restaurants, they

call them stores not restaurants. Having managed/ chef/ everything in full service independent restaurants for over 30 years I can tell you that they serve shit. As to the autistic kid I have customers who have autistic kids and have watched several grow up. The parents of any autistic kid should be supported by the public. They have a terribly hard life that many can't imagine. Many marriages break up because of the constant stress. We have no bouncer but me and even though my old skinny ass is not the physical presence I had in the past I would have been on that creep like white on rice. My special autistic friend, John, is now an adolescent with a lot of the same growing problems all young people go through but with the extra burden of autism. This creep should do community service( very supervised ) with these innocent victims of a world they see so differently than we do. Olive Garden is a corporate store, don't trade there. In a different world we should shun Paul, the complete asshole, Blankfield. SCUM

[saltpoint]

73. Even before the big dust-up over the Olive Garden

here on this site, we never went there to eat.

It's nothing personal about any of the people they employ, just a vague sense that we'd rather support independent restaurants over the big chains.

Your idea is a good one, IMO, for the autistic child's parent to maybe demand community service, and maybe some serious counseling, for Blankfield. Adults need to absorb as full a range of events and circumstances in their environment as possible, and now and again that might involve eating in a place where there are noisy younguns. Kids make noise. Adults are supposed to be able to handle that.

And especially, adults should be able to respect the parents of an autistic child. Blankfield was even TOLD that was the case and he still blew his stack.

[yesphan]

74. And don't they

have something like an endless salad and/or pasta bowl ?

Perpetual ammo !

[griffi94]

2. as the father of an autistic son

i was always very sensitive to these kinds of situations. however olive garden being a self drscribed family style place would have been the kind of place we would have gone.
we avoided upscale places and places that were more couple friendly and adult oriented, but olive garden is in the same league as pizza hut.

there was also a time that had i been confronted by someone like paul blankfield i would have reacted in kind, but then i figured out that it's better to outthink them than to out punch them.

had i been physically handled by mr blankfield, i would have filed every crimminal charge possible and the heaviest civil suit i could.

i would have then offerred to drop all charges and legal actions on the condition that he attend anger management classes and spend 5 hours a week in the company of my family including of course my autistic son.

[Common Sense Party]

4. As the father of an autistic son, I would have dropped Mr. Blankenfield

like a sack of spuds if he mouthed off about my son and decided to get physical.

Yes, fine, stare at my son (I'll glare right back), wonder why he's acting so oddly, get your jollies complaining about something that's beyond his control, and mine.

I don't think you'd want to spend 5 hours with a jagoff like this Blankenfield.

[griffi94]

5. sure i would

because stupid ass bullies like him are pretty easy to de-fang when you get them out of their comfort zone.

i'd way rather have him humiliated by his own actions than by mine.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. IMO, Olive Garden is several steps above Pizza Hut

And if a child is overly disruptive, regardless of cause, the adult thing to do is to quiet them down or remove them the restaurant.

[Common Sense Party]

14. The key phrase in this case is "overly disruptive."

Was the child REALLY being that bad? Or was Mr. Bully just in a foul mood and was itching for a fight?

All children disrupt to a degree.

Yes, I took my kids out of restaurants and church when they were insufferable. But when they were a bit noisy, too bad. they're humans, too.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

21. I fully agree with what you posted in that regards in post #8

[kevinbgoode]

23. This clowns picture should be put on the door of every restaurant

in town - with a statement that he will not be served.

Yes, children can be very annoying in public places. That does not warrant this kind of scene by an "adult." Frankly, if you had a business establishment, would you want that hothead walking in there in the future? Let him go thru the drive-thru and explain to his friends and family that he can't control himself, so he isn't allowed to eat in sit-down restaurants.

[Yo_Mama]

46. Considering his behavior

I'd say the adult was far more out of control than the autistic child.

So the child has the excuse of being very young and also autistic. What's the adult's excuse?

I've had bad days, but I honestly always figured they were my problem, not the people who accidentally found themselves next to me.

[Odin2005]

53. Or was he just a child-hating asshole who thinks kids shouldn't be allowed in public ever?

[HuckleB]

16. OG is hardly much above Pizza Hut.

It's always loud, with a din that should mute any overbearing child or adult.

Further, the company's own goal with OG was to create and Italian Red Lobster. In other words, Pizza Hut.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. As I said, YMMV, but I see them as clearly in different classes of restaurants

Pizza Hut is at the level of a McDonalds IMO/IME.

[HuckleB]

24. Tell yourself whatever you want to tell yourself.

They all suck.

[Quantess]

26. Hah! I couldn't agree more.

Which would win?
Applebee's VS. Olive Garden

[Dorian Gray]

28. I think of Pizza Hut more as a Friendlys

style restaurant (they actually have servers), and Olive Garden more on par with Applebees.

But I do agree that they all suck, regardless of "level of culinary experiences."

[a la izquierda]

27. Clearly you're not Italian. NT

[asdjrocky]

34. Perfect response griffi94.

I thought about you when I saw this. Hope all is going well.

[Taverner]

51. Had I been physically handled by Blankfield, he'd be blind by now

Nothing like a few punches to the face with keys in your fist

[ibegurpard]

59. good response

[madinmaryland]

3. Thank god he was not carrying a gun.

:hide:

[Vickers]

12. Yup, that kid could've made a LOT of noise with a firearm. n/t

[ret5hd]

32. STOP IT!

This is obviously going to turn into an "Olive Garden" thread, and I, for one, am looking forward to it!

:popcorn:

( I wonder if anyone was breastfeeding and/or smoking there at the time of this incident)

[bbgrunt]

6. If a child is being disruptive to the distress of other

diners, that child should be taken out of the environment that is contributing to the problem. I don't know if that was the case in this instance, but I have seen many responsible parents deal with situations like this by taking the kid for a time-out outside. There is no reason to impose a screaming kid on a restaurant full of diners paying for an evening out.

I would think that if the kid was so disturbing to customers, management might step in and ask parents to deal with the situation. That they didn't might mean that the kid wasn't being all that disruptive and the other customer over-reacted.

[Common Sense Party]

8. I would like to hear from the restaurant and from other patrons nearby

just HOW unruly the child was. The parents admit the boy WAS making noise. I know if I'm sitting next to someone I find too unpleasant, I'll request a different table.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. Good call

Parents are often used the noise their children make, autistic or otherwise, and do not realize how disturbing it can be to others. Couple that with the modern trend towards rudeness, and I can see how this kind of situation can develop. Clearly the restaurant staff should have stepped in before punches were thrown.

I have seen similar scenes made over smoking before it was completely banned in restaurants (at least here in CA)

[Hepburn]

41. Kids at a table screaming and some parents are not the least bit aware.

I have to agree ~~ some parents are used to the noise and screaming and are not the least bit aware that their child is disturbing an entire restaurant.

I don't know enough facts to make a judgment in the instant case ~~ other than punching out the dad was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of line no matter what unless it was self-defense ~~ but if a child is causing a ruckus, the child leaves the restaurant.

I have had enough meals ruined by obnoxious children whose parents think it's just fine that their little darling is throwing food and screaming. And I am not talking Mickey D's where that kind of behavior is pretty standard most of the time. I am talking about restaurants where one expects dinner for two to run at least $100.00 and I am not including liquor, valet or tip.

JMHO

[ProgressiveProfessor]

57. Civility and Common Sense are so hard to find, let alone define

Parents who can not believe that their children are bothering others
Other people who can not accept the laughter of a child as a good thing now and then

Two extremes with no interest in being reasonable...

[backscatter712]

56. Yeah. Until I hear otherwise, I'm not inclined to believe that even this kid...

was more noisy than is usual in a family restaurant. Even with autism, maybe he'll make some noise, but I, unlike the douchebag, can deal with a little noise.

It's certainly no excuse for the piece of human garbage that decided to commit an act of assault and battery over the matter. I hope he has fun getting his spirit broken by the criminal justice system...

[surrealAmerican]

40. Regardless of how much noise the child was making ...

... the other customer overreacted. It is NEVER justified to punch someone for being disruptive.

[Common Sense Party]

7. After watching the video, I wonder if there *might* have been racial

undertones as well. Who knows? But if he's willing to punch someone out with no provocation, that indicates he's not a tolerant person. It's possible that he might have already been predisposed to dislike the family because of their complexion.

[HuckleB]

18. "Not a tolerant person" is FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR, too kind.

[RamboLiberal]

9. Probably a Michael Savage Wiener Listener

Savage on autism: "A fraud, a racket. ... In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out"

http://mediamatters.org/research/200807170005

[Common Sense Party]

10. That's another jerk who needs a good attitude adjustment.

[proud2BlibKansan]

31. +1

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

15. If a resturant has a kids menu and crayons

The complainers should shut the fuck up themselves, I see more adults misbehave in restaurants than children. The table of women I saw at the Olive Garden loudly cheering one another on while deep throating breadsticks come to mind.

[HuckleB]

17. +1

[TBF]

39. LOL

I have young children and do my best to be sensitive to others. We'll ask to be seated in a far corner even at IHOP - because I know my 3 year old is loud even when he's being "good" (for him). :)

I agree the standard should be whether the restaurant calls itself "family friendly". Olive Garden is just another chain in my book - not that great. We have a nearby home-cooked style Italian restaurant that welcomes kids and everyone sits in booths. The food is far superior to Olive Garden or Pizza Hut.

We're lucky in Texas though to have BBQ restaurants that bring in live music. Nothing quiets my kids down faster - they are entranced by banjo players and the like.

[Warren DeMontague]

68. "deep throating breadsticks"

that settles it. "Honey, we're going to Olive Garden this weekend!"

[HuckleB]

19. Sounds like he spent too much time in the lounge before getting a table.

Any way you look at it, the assault is unwarranted and ludicrous. The rest of the story is meaningless and happens to millions of people every day without such assaults occurring.

[cornermouse]

22. As the parent of an autistic child, you find out pretty

quickly that there are people who aren't able to tolerate breathing the same air with disabled children. They act like they think its a communicable disease. I would have filed charges against Mr. Blankfield.

The idea that you should never take them anywhere someone might become offended if the child occasionally makes too much noise or does things like standing too close (inability to recognize that people need some personal space) which can be disconcerting but is harmless in intent, would send the disabled child and parents into some sort of permanent lifelong homebound seclusion. I suggest those who think that should search their minds and hearts for a little understanding, patience, and occasional kindness toward others and remind themselves of "there but for the grace of God go I".

[chrisa]

25. Scummy little slime ball. Read his comment at the end of the article.

What a loser.

[AngryOldDem]

29. What. An .Asshole.

Just goes to show the ignorance of some people about autism.

[sendero]

30. Message to neanderthals..

.. that fact that you are annoyed does not give you the right to assault someone.

This asshole will probably get 30 days probation. I hope the father sues him in civil court and takes a bite of his cash.

[FSogol]

33. Shouldn't this be in the "General Discussion: Olive Garden" forum?

:woohoo:

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. I must admit

That's what inspired me to post this. The locale. :rofl:

[FSogol]

44. I'm going to have to go to a Olive Garden someday. Seems like RW dinner theater.

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

48. The food is actually pretty good

[Common Sense Party]

49. The food is great, unless you're an elitist, condescending snob

Is it authentic Italian? No, but your favorite Mexican restaurant isn't authentic Mexican, either.

[RainDog]

35. before my son was dx'd with autism

I would hear all kinds of criticism from people - people I knew -

That was the point when I realized that people who are critical, who provide their own "dime-store psychology," who think they're qualified to describe anyone's experience based upon their own, or based upon clinical terms they are not qualified to use, are ASSHOLES of the first order.

You see people like that on DU now, in regard to other issues.

Those people, again, are ASSHOLES with NOTHING of worth to say.

The sad thing is they're too stupid to realize it.

[demwing]

36. The OG Hating is a hoot!

It's just a family restaurant. I know a hater's gotta hate, but an eater's gotta eat, and I love the food and the price.

Get over the fact that it isn't a fine dining establishment, or don't. Y'all are making me chuckle.


and I love the little chocolate mints you get at the end of the meal. Oh yeah....

[HuckleB]

61. The food sucks for the price. (Well, for any price.)

If you pay attention, you'll likely find much better food for the same price or less, and the profits will actually stay in your community.

[Quantess]

70. It's not a good deal, not in any way.

I get better tasting food at the taco truck in a factory parking lot.

[Blue_Tires]

37. wow... i'm beyond words...

[lumberjack_jeff]

38. Police claim that on the drive to the Boynton Beach Police Department, he said...

Police claim that on the drive to the Boynton Beach Police Department, he said “Good for him, he gets what he deserved… an autistic kid.”

I'd really like to meet this guy. Really.

I hope the family gets his house.

[NJCher]

42. On the other hand

I'm not standing up for this guy, I want to make that clear, but I would like to say something on behalf of people who are sensitive to noise.

I am one and it is the result of a brain injury from a car accident. What most people don't know is that the brain has the ability to filter out ambient noise. Peoples' ability to do this varies. I used to be able to do that but as a result of this accident, I can't.

Fifteen per cent of the population, it is estimated, is ultra-sensitive, yet there is nothing that protects them: no laws, no nothing. For this fifteen percent, the rule of thumb is to withdraw and stay home. Indeed, in this society people become outraged if one suggests it is anything less than all right to put out any amount of noise a person wants. Thus it is perfectly fine to employ a leaf blower to come in and blast away for 20", removing leaves from the driveway, even if your house is located a modest 10" away from a neighbor.

Some places are worse than others. If you go around NYC much, you'll see practically everyone protects themselves with noise-cancelling earbuds or some other type of device.

Having worked in activist groups for measures to protect people from noise, I know of many, many cases like this where the person just flies off the handle because their noise threshold has been reached. I'll bet many of you would be startled at the number of people who have murdered someone over noise. I know of many, many such cases. There is one of a woman here in the northeast area who went nuts over her neighbor's use of leafblower and she shot him. She is now serving time for doing so.

Had I been in a similar situation, I would have just gotten up and left or asked the server for another part of the restaurant in which to "dine." I have been around an autistic kid who was making too much noise and this is what I did. Never mind the fact that I had to pick up the tab for a dinner I never enjoyed. That's the price of going out in a country where there is so little consideration for others.



Cher

[Yo_Mama]

47. So little consideration for others

Look, Cher, I also have neurological damage, and so I can sympathize with your situation.

But it's my problem, not the problem of the people who are next to me.

When I am on my good runs, I enjoy watching kids and families being very happy, and yes, noisy. When I am on my bad runs, I would go to a quieter place or listen to music with a headset - I find that helps a lot. I'm not saying that your concerns and discomfort isn't real, just - and I hope I am putting this very gently - that consideration cuts both ways.

And surely people like you and me should be the MOST able to sympathize with the parents of an autistic child who are trying to give that child the most normal life possible and the chance to learn to function in the public world.

[Odin2005]

55. I'm autistic and am extremely sensitive to noise, but for some reason loud kids don't...

...bother me. In fact seeing kids being bratty cracks me up. :)

[Common Sense Party]

65. My son (17) doesn't mind normal toddler-kid noise, but crying babies

set him off. He can't stand hearing children crying, because I don't think he likes it when others are sad. He has to wear earplugs at church to filter out the babies.

[Odin2005]

72. OMG, crying kids make me upset, too!

I feel like going up and giving them a big hug. :(

[slackmaster]

45. Mr. Blankfield should have asked the restaurant staff to re-seat his party

Politeness Man clonks him on the head with the Steel Hankie.

[alcibiades_mystery]

50. People have their birthday parties at the fucking Olive Garden?

Yeesh.

:hide:

[Odin2005]

52. This adult autistic STILL has problems with volume control.

What an asshole.

[backscatter712]

54. That man is human garbage.

I hope the autistic kid's dad sues the fuck out of him and takes his house.

[L0oniX]

58. Hrmm ...that would be assault to a minor and you go to jail for years for that...

and of course it will keep you from getting a good job forever.

Penalty example:

Third degree assault is charged when a person assaults another and inflicts substantial bodily harm or assaults a minor. This offense carries with it a penalty of imprisonment for not more than five years and payment of a fine of not more than $10,000.

[Common Sense Party]

66. He punched the dad, not the child.

He was an out-of-control A-hole and had no right attacking anyone, but he did attack the kid's father, not the minor himself.

[Warren DeMontague]

67. I don't think they make tubs of popcorn big enough for this one.

Seriously. What a perfect storm of variables for a DU thread. Perhaps we can shoehorn porn or peta in there, but, seriously... this is AMAZING.

[kenny blankenship]

69. I can empathize. If you find yourself at the Olive Garden your day has gone wrong enough already

without being made worse by overly loud breastfeeding or autistic karaoke competitions.

Seriously though, Mr. Blankfield needs to go to jail for a while to think about what an asshole he is.