He thought I was a racist!

[tlewis2]

Hurley,  It is good you reacted the way did and did not hold a grudge the way many persons would. Speaking as a person of color it is often felt that you are judged by the color of your skin (even at times when it is not intentional) That is one of the burdens of growing up in this society.
I agree with the statement above also, maybe he commonly receives comments like that and is fed up. I disagree that he was using his race as a "tool", he probably faced blatant racism before and was venting from that previous experiences. It is common for people to stereotype off of one experience. If someone calls you a racial slur, no matter what race- it is often that you believe everyone from that race is a racist and the same. Thats just life and how many people think.
  I do not believe you where showing prejudice from what you stated. Please dont take the young man's statement personal, it was most likely an external circumstance that triggered him to state what he said.

[Garbled]

IMO, some <insert race>'s use their race as an excuse for what they see as mistreatment by others when it isn't that way at all. If they choose to perpetuate racism in this way then there isn't much you can do about it. If you try to say anything it will probably just make a bigger problem because they don't want to listen; just treat everybody the same regardless of color.

edit: i'm not saying that there isn't racism at all, just that it can be an easy excuse.

K, while I agree with your general idea to some degree I think your statement may be to broad. For one, I don't think you can draw the conclusion that that individual was using "their race as an excuse....". He could have just experienced a racist response from the last person he asked.

As for Hurley, I think you acted quite appropriately.

You don't seem to understand my statement, but that's ok. My statement was meant to be general and broad, that was the whole point.

But I'm really not interested in arguing about it. If you disagree, that's fine. I've said all i care to say on this topic; the person that i was addressing seemed to understand what i said and that was my purpose.

[HURLEY- L.S.D.]

the highlight of my undergraduate career was being called a "sandnigger" by a construction worker in the elevator at the reitz union.  i was so shocked that I started laughing.  the elevator was full of people with jaws that had dropped to the basement of the reitz

I've heard that term before, but I'm not sure what it means.  Is is a referance to someone of Arabian or Egyptian heritage?  The "sand" part makes me think of the desert. 

Thanks for the feedback everyone.  I still feel bad for that guy, but I've managed to conclude that whatever he was angry at had nothing to do with me. 


Here is another quick one...

The other day I was at the bank and there were these kids selling Pineapples in the parking lot.  They had these mega-huge knives out and were cutting pieces of the pineapple off for people to have a taste test.  I thought to myself, "Geez, it is interesting that those kids can stand out in front of a busy bank, walk up to people with sharp knives, and the people give them money."  Crazy..

I guess that every generation has a certain measure of innocence.  In the 50's it was the ability to leave your doors unlocked.  In the 60's it was promiscuous, unprotected sex.  Last decade it was bringing everything short of a gun with you on an airplane.  Today it is wielding a knive in a bank parking lot under the pretense of selling fruit.

[SanchoPanzo]

You don't seem to understand my statement, but that's ok. My statement was meant to be general and broad, that was the whole point.

But I'm really not interested in arguing about it. If you disagree, that's fine. I've said all i care to say on this topic; the person that i was addressing seemed to understand what i said and that was my purpose.

Point taken, K.

[HBCU.EDU]

-Every racial group (except white people) use their race as a tool at some point-

You don't think whites have used their race as a tool? What the @#!* planet are you from? Ever heard of a place called South Africa? Every heard of a guy called Nelson Mandella? Think he agrees with that? Every heard of Jim Crow? Oh, but I guess white people don't have anything to do witht that huh? you are a f-ing joke. 

[HURLEY- L.S.D.]

*sigh*   

I hope that you never approach me in front of the video store! 

j/k


I think that he was referring to white people not using their race within the context of "today in metro America".  Race is not an advantageous card for whites to pull in those areas. 

[the REAL desi]

that IS what I meant... I mean, my next post was about being called a sandnigger in an elevator.  sorry I offended you, though.

[SanchoPanzo]

Is it interesting/telling that white people "cannot" use their race in today's "metro america " because they used it in the past?

[Dolcejn]

Is it interesting/telling that white people "cannot" use their race in today's "metro america " because they used it in the past?

'Splain?  Just curious about what it tells (I'm not good with subtlety!).  Are you suggesting that maybe race will oneday be nobody's tool (to me the ideal situation) -- that this is the natural progression?


Hurley, it's amazing how hurtful those things can be.  You didn't mention being hurt, just that the experience stuck in your head.  But at least in my experience, when those things happen, you feel attacked, confused, disoriented.  It's like your world was rocked for a second, in an unpleasant way.  I'm sure the man who addressed you must have had some bad experiences in the past, and that his comments had NOTHING to do with you.  I know it felt personal, but if you had been anyone else in that situation the same thing probably would have happened.  Thinking about it will just make you feel bad for something you're not responsible for.  Keep your chin up

[blk_reign]

*sigh*   

I hope that you never approach me in front of the video store! 

j/k


I think that he was referring to white people not using their race within the context of "today in metro America".  Race is not an advantageous card for whites to pull in those areas. 

Do you honestly think that we "pull a card"