Was it Racism ? Hope this an an isolated thing :(
- Thread starter suprastanger507mgte
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empera said:
True, just don't forget who the aggressor is.
Israel is just trying to frikkin survive, Hezbollah et al have made it their mission to destroy Israel. You gotta feel sorry for em, actually.
I usually agree with you but i dunno... I don't see how you couldn't assume she was making the comment soley because he's brown. Look at the state of affairs right now in the US. I would bet $50 that she thought to herself "Damn ____(insert racist term here), Speaking their damn jibba jabba, i'ma show them who really owns this town." Completely racist in my opinion. I don't see how she could have a problem with a language. Does it SOUND offensive? i think not. Is she interested in what you're saying? Probabl not. to me there is no other explanation for this than racism. Racism invoked indirectly by propoganda.MDCmotorsports said:
Well,aparently you DO speak English,and cursed her out USING English. You have a diploma,and she do not have(redneck English)
As much as that comment does have value,(coming from Cali,home of the Mexican immigrant) it was just out of place there.
As much as that comment does have value,(coming from Cali,home of the Mexican immigrant) it was just out of place there.
ChadMKIII said:
IF you snatch someones country, cut it up in half and give it to someone else...ofcourse they will be angry.....I blame Britian for creating these kinda chaos in the worls. Everyplace the meddled around, they created division and wars and ethnics violece. India / Pakistan is another example.
About speaking English here in the US:
Speaking Japanese, French, German or any other Language here in the USA is perfactly acceptable in my oppinion. It's when you're doing it, where you're doing it, and who you're around that could even remotely be a factor. There is no reason that woman should have said what she said, in that way. I would have been very upset as well.
However, hearing how you handled that situation didn't help your standings and her attitude toward that type of behavior. I agree with you that it did sound racist. I agree with you that there is no way she should have said something like that. I disagree with how you handled it, only because of how it impacts how she now views you, and your friends, and for that matter, others who look like you.
Just so you know where I'm coming from, I hang around people all the time that speak other languages around me, and it only bothers me if I think they're making fun of me. And yeah... sure they do. So what? If I don't like it I'll leave, it is a "free" Country.
May I suggest an alternate way of handling such a rude person, wherein a positive outcome could be reached.
"I'm sorry, I was not aware that our conversation was bothering you in that way. However, I do not believe the way you stated your concern was at all intended to reach a positive outcome, and that provides me some insite to how shallow your request is. In the future, you might want to think about what you say, rather than causing yourself to look racist and insecure. I will do this, I will speak English for the time I remain in your hearing range, as to make you feel more comfortable around me, even though you had no such intentions."
Think before you speak. Think of how you will make yourself look, and all others that look like you. Think of how you could possibly put a positive spin on a very negative situation. If we all thought through things we say a little more, we might see that cussing and swearing at someone who already doesn't like you, would only make matters worse for you and people who look like you.
That was just my humble oppinion.
Speaking Japanese, French, German or any other Language here in the USA is perfactly acceptable in my oppinion. It's when you're doing it, where you're doing it, and who you're around that could even remotely be a factor. There is no reason that woman should have said what she said, in that way. I would have been very upset as well.
However, hearing how you handled that situation didn't help your standings and her attitude toward that type of behavior. I agree with you that it did sound racist. I agree with you that there is no way she should have said something like that. I disagree with how you handled it, only because of how it impacts how she now views you, and your friends, and for that matter, others who look like you.
Just so you know where I'm coming from, I hang around people all the time that speak other languages around me, and it only bothers me if I think they're making fun of me. And yeah... sure they do. So what? If I don't like it I'll leave, it is a "free" Country.
May I suggest an alternate way of handling such a rude person, wherein a positive outcome could be reached.
"I'm sorry, I was not aware that our conversation was bothering you in that way. However, I do not believe the way you stated your concern was at all intended to reach a positive outcome, and that provides me some insite to how shallow your request is. In the future, you might want to think about what you say, rather than causing yourself to look racist and insecure. I will do this, I will speak English for the time I remain in your hearing range, as to make you feel more comfortable around me, even though you had no such intentions."
Think before you speak. Think of how you will make yourself look, and all others that look like you. Think of how you could possibly put a positive spin on a very negative situation. If we all thought through things we say a little more, we might see that cussing and swearing at someone who already doesn't like you, would only make matters worse for you and people who look like you.
That was just my humble oppinion.
Definatly racist and rude, you can speak whatever language you want, you wernt talking to them or about them, so why is it her hillbilly-ass's business what language you speak. The only time i get offended by other people speaking their own languages is if they're obviously talking about me to eachother so i cant understand, and even thats only them being rude. There is no excuse for the way that bitch acted but most old people were just raised to act like that and they dont (and most never will) understand what a free country is.
Up here in canada we basically have people from all over (great for culture, getting to know so many, its amazing, like travelling the world and meeting people, but in the comfort of your very own city.) But here other languages/religions and stuff are 100% accepted, ofcourse you get the old racist geezers and punk wanna be neo-nazi homos, but other then that the other 99.9% of the population is open to not only tolerate other cultures but learn and be interested in them and such. Not that the states are not like this also, im just saying the usa seems to have alot more people who view "foreigners" as inferior. Really, North america, we're all foreigners a few generations back.
Up here in canada we basically have people from all over (great for culture, getting to know so many, its amazing, like travelling the world and meeting people, but in the comfort of your very own city.) But here other languages/religions and stuff are 100% accepted, ofcourse you get the old racist geezers and punk wanna be neo-nazi homos, but other then that the other 99.9% of the population is open to not only tolerate other cultures but learn and be interested in them and such. Not that the states are not like this also, im just saying the usa seems to have alot more people who view "foreigners" as inferior. Really, North america, we're all foreigners a few generations back.
NATAN666 said:
Ponder this, maybe this misguided woman is a symptom of a much larger problem.America used to be a 'melting pot' where the world came to be american. Now, thanks to a certain political group we have hyphenated americans who instead of melting, try to change their little part of america into a reflection of their 'homeland'. Bi-lingual education is a good example of this. This is promoted by politicians who want to keep americans subjugated and powerless so they can have greater power for themselves. There are people who see this happening and so there is a strong undercurrent of anger because they can't stop it and every time they hear people talking in a different language it makes the anger surface. They fear that America of old is dying and they are powerless to stop it and they don't like it.
I don't condone this kind of reaction and I think the encounter was handled badly on all sides. Remember, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.
cadman said:
Wow that's one for the books. Very true, sometimes you have to think before you speak. But, we don't always practice what we preach. In the heat of the moment, you have no thought about a positive outcome. Usually, when things of this nature occur to me, I'll just make a smartass coment because I don't wanna be embarrased.
You just have to know when to "Pick your Spots" -Dave Chapelle
I'm not from the northwest obviously(although I was in victoria last summer, south of the washington border)....But here's my take on it.
Yea, everybody has the right to speak their own language. You obviously know how to speak English...but why would you be speaking another language in the first place? It's America after all. Personally I get VERY annoyed when I'm standing in line at the bank and I can't understand a word of what anybody is saying around me. She was rude to you, sure...But I bet if anything, she was wondering why you wouldn't be speaking English as it is in fact, the official language.
If that makes me racist, then so be it. But if I lived in Germany for example, I'd speak German, not English there...
Yea, everybody has the right to speak their own language. You obviously know how to speak English...but why would you be speaking another language in the first place? It's America after all. Personally I get VERY annoyed when I'm standing in line at the bank and I can't understand a word of what anybody is saying around me. She was rude to you, sure...But I bet if anything, she was wondering why you wouldn't be speaking English as it is in fact, the official language.
If that makes me racist, then so be it. But if I lived in Germany for example, I'd speak German, not English there...
JustAnotherVictim
Supramania Contributor
The whole problem with that approach is he's speaking to his friends, not to anybody who can't understand him. When you talk to people who work at places of course you should speak English but not simply because you live in America.
Freedom of speech, not freedom to speak only English.
Freedom of speech, not freedom to speak only English.
mc_h said:
I think I can speak whatever language I want whenever I want.I do have a freedom of speech in this country, and yes, I am a US citizen. If I am addressing someone, who does not speak my language, then ofcourse I will. I think it is rude to try and listen on to someone elses conversation when it does not concern you. Why would you want to know what another person is talking about if you are standing in a line at a bank or any other place for that matter.Might as well just tap on their shoulder sand ask them what they are talking about...
Even if you say "Whoever lives in the US should only speak English in public places", would you also apply this to tourists? I wouldn't...mc_h said:
The "lady" can't even have known whether he was living in the US or just visiting for a few days or if he was an exchange student or whatever.
I really just don't see the need to speak other languages in an English speaking country if English is in fact, the official language. I mean...what's the point?
No I don't "listen in" on peoples' conversations but at the same time, when there's conversations going on quite audibly in other languages it catches your attention.
Yes, you have the right to - But it's something I see every day here in toronto and I can't understand it to this day...
No I don't "listen in" on peoples' conversations but at the same time, when there's conversations going on quite audibly in other languages it catches your attention.
Yes, you have the right to - But it's something I see every day here in toronto and I can't understand it to this day...
JustAnotherVictim
Supramania Contributor
So people should just forget who they are then?
There is nothing wrong with speaking other languages as long as you take the time to learn the language that is spoken in the country you are in.
There is nothing wrong with speaking other languages as long as you take the time to learn the language that is spoken in the country you are in.
USA was never an English Speaking Country......the "immigrants" came and spoke English and made it so.English is as foreign to this country as my language is.
i havent read all the comments here..but racism as big as it is will always exsist! nothing will ever stop it....i am no racist but you look at it through the youth today and its there. Take a step into my school's lunch room...you see all the white rich kids sitting together, you see all the people from the ghetto/slums sitting together, the "wankstas" and in the halls too...white people walk with white people and black people walk with black people...
racism even occurs among the same races....some upper class white people look down on the lower class white people....upper class black people look down on the lower class black people...it is a contiueous (sp?) chain of actions and i doubt it will ever stop!
Chris Rock even touches on same race racism in some of his work....if you listen to him....he sadly makes sence.....
racism even occurs among the same races....some upper class white people look down on the lower class white people....upper class black people look down on the lower class black people...it is a contiueous (sp?) chain of actions and i doubt it will ever stop!
Chris Rock even touches on same race racism in some of his work....if you listen to him....he sadly makes sence.....
Aaron said:
yoda quote FTW.
if you thought spokane was bad, dont go to granite falls. they actually focus a lot on japanese people for some reason...
I know this because one of my friends is japanese and lives ther, and we usually have to take our cars anywhere instead of just walking..
suprastanger507mgte said:
Yes, but using that analogy, no country spoke their original language practically...Ever since the US was founded, it was founded as an English speaking country. Just like Canada except we've also got French as an official language because of Quebec.
I still don't understand the need to use other languages though - Moreso in public because all it does is create an obvious seperation between people.