What would you say?

Good evening guys, just looking for some friendly conversation. I would like to start off by saying that i am very, very anti-racist, and that will be the topic of this conversation. Yes i understand freedom of speech, and this term they use around called 'White guilt', The latter of which keeps 'white people' from the former thing i mentioned.

I am here to see what YOU would say when confronted with racism, or someone is judging you to be racist. I will enact out a conversation for you, and would like to know your thoughts.

~~~

Scene: Standing outside of working with a co-worker, having a cigarette on the sidewalk. A bus stop is to the left, and there are lots of people wandering the sidewalk. Only working upstairs, you only came down with the cigarette you are going to smoke in hand, and a sweater. A young black man walks up to you while you are conversing with your co-worker,
Thug: "Hey bro, could i have a cigarette?"
Having only the one you are smoking, you respond "No sorry man, i left them upstairs"
Thug moves a little closer and says loudly, enough for everyone to hear "Its because im BLACK isn't it!"
Now you have several people on the sidewalk and bus stop watching you, now you have a dozen or more people judging you right this very second for being 'a racist',

~Pause~

Now. We will pause here for a moment, let you guys think about it for a second. IF you were in this situation (several of my co-workers have, and it kind of leaves them speechless). What would you say? I have put a lot of thought into what i would say actually. I do not like being accused of racism, or being a racist. As a matter of fact, it makes me VERY angry.

~Unpause~
Me: *Staring blankly at person in front of him* "Really? Thats the first thing that pops into mind when you don't get what you want? Number one: By assuming because im white that im not giving you a cigarette because you black, makes you the racist in this conversation. Number two: By saying what you just said, you have automatically segregated yourself from society by acknowledging there is a difference between you and i, when there really isn't. Number three: It makes you sound like an idiot, and idiocy transcends "race" (quote hand motion)"
Seeing as how there are several people staring at you in shock, said thug turns and walks away, perhaps a look of anger or shame as he walks through the crowd.

~end~

So, Does this make me a racist at all? Is it a proper defence against such a blatant attack on ones character? Did i just dig myself a bigger hole? I would also like to hear YOUR stories here if you feel like sharing them.

The way i see it, we are all brothers and sisters of the stars. "We are all star stuff". I think judging based on physical traits is lowest common denominator, people have done so to me since middle school (i am large), and i vowed to never judge on physical appearance, and i make it a point to prove how stupid people sound when they do it, nothing stops something like that quicker than embarrassment. Racism is a real issue for everyone.

It doesn't help when TPTB are trying to fester a race war with their propaganda crap.

What say you?

Not at all in the way this went down in real time... I think you handled it in a very intelligent and non-confrontational way. Sometimes all it takes is to show someone the errors of their ways. You may have made a difference for someone.

I do have to ask though...

Why did you refer to him as a "thug" in the OP?

I would say nothing but let the man make a fool out himself. It's obvious to to me that he's just using a dirty trick to try to get a cigarette or is looking for a fight.

As for me I don't smoke so I don't carry cigarettes on me.

Your trying to hard.

I'd just say: "No, its because I left them up the stairs"

With a look of chaste, I guess.

His hang up, his problem.

And why dooo you refer to him as thug? Lol...ironyyyy

reply to post by AzureSky


I have been in this exact situation before and here's what happened.

"Are you stupid or something I left my cigarettes upstairs. Want me to turn out my pockets or something? Maybe you should get a job and buy some instead of bumming."

Shocked and appalled the three Hispanics went about their business.

You are not a racist. Your a human that didn't have another cigarette to mooch out and someone tried to bully one out of you.

thumbs up for you.

Originally posted by EvilSadamClone
I would say nothing but let the man make a fool out himself. It's obvious to to me that he's just using a dirty trick to try to get a cigarette or is looking for a fight.

As for me I don't smoke so I don't carry cigarettes on me.

It doesn't have to be cigarettes, i've heard of it happening during all sorts of situations. My girlfriend works with a girl that says it to almost anything pointed her way. I don't think i could do it, i would have said something similar already and quit.

Originally posted by Sinny
Your trying to hard.

I'd just say: "No, its because I left them up the stairs"

With a look of chaste, I guess.

His hang up, his problem.

That was the first thought i had, its what i normally would have said. I guess i was just cranky that day or something because i was really on edge the whole morning. Guess i just needed to let off a little steam.

Originally posted by thesungod
reply to post by AzureSky

 

I have been in this exact situation before and here's what happened.

"Are you stupid or something I left my cigarettes upstairs. Want me to turn out my pockets or something? Maybe you should get a job and buy some instead of bumming."

Shocked and appalled the three Hispanics went about their business.

You are not a racist. Your a human that didn't have another cigarette to mooch out and someone tried to bully one out of you.

thumbs up for you.

Haha, yeah. Its one of the things that i don't like about working in the city, when your having one, it's like an open invitation for anyone to come up and ask. 14 year olds. homeless. random people. Hence why i leave them upstairs.

I just have a very low tolerance for stupid bullsh!t. (as george carlin would say). And that kind of thing falls into that category.

Originally posted by freakjive
Not at all in the way this went down in real time... I think you handled it in a very intelligent and non-confrontational way. Sometimes all it takes is to show someone the errors of their ways. You may have made a difference for someone.

I do have to ask though...

Why did you refer to him as a "thug" in the OP?

edit on 5/8/2012 by freakjive because: (no reason given)

Because he was dressed like one. And acting like one.
You know, flat rimmed hat to the side, clothes so baggy they looked like giants clothes. bling. The whole deal.
I'll make a note that im 23 as well, and he looked a little younger than i did, 19 maybe.

Thug is a generic term for someone that acts/dresses a certain way, at least here it is. Just like goth or prep. You know, the whole labelling thing. And he sure acted like one too.

I know it sounds like a judgement, But its the best description i could give.

reply to post by AzureSky


The way you would handle that situation would make young black people more confused then anything else. It's been my experience (Yes, I've had quite a few) that young black people who make statements like that aren't very educated. So coming at them with something educated like that would only confuse them. Remember too that just because they're uneducated doesn't mean they don't know it. They know what their weakness is.
And a lot of times they'll end up thinking that you're screwing with them because they think YOU know they're uneducated too. And that in turn just pisses them off.

You may think you're taking the high road here by responding that way, but 8 times out 10 you're only going to make the situation worse. If I were in that situation I would've responded " No, I'm not giving you a cigarette because I don't have any. Prove me wrong a**hole." Or even " No, I'm not racist, I bummed this one from your mother." Keep in mind that I'm thinking like someone your age and I have the look and experience with black people that would let me get away with "behavior" like that.. But being the age I am now., I would've just stared him down and not said a damn thing. If people don't know by now that I don't care if they perceive me as a racist or not, they would then. If you don't care either way it shows. Especially to a young kid like that.

I really don't see why you care so much anyway. This race card thing that's going around these days just shows me how little people know about each other. Certain young people, blacks and white's alike, may be uneducated but they know how to play on people's weak spots. Some people call it "street smarts". Like this race issue thing. If you let this race issue get you to by caring what other people think about you, you're giving them a weak spot to play on. You're asking for confrontations like that IMO because kids like that can smell you coming.

Don't give them anything to play with and they won't play with you.

I would look and say to him as loudly as he did to me "no it's because your a MOOCH", then turned to the bus stop to watch as people laughed with me.

reply to post by AzureSky

Me: *Staring blankly at person in front of him* "Really? Thats the first thing that pops into mind when you don't get what you want? Number one: By assuming because im white that im not giving you a cigarette because you black, makes you the racist in this conversation. Number two: By saying what you just said, you have automatically segregated yourself from society by acknowledging there is a difference between you and i, when there really isn't. Number three: It makes you sound like an idiot, and idiocy transcends "race" (quote hand motion)"
Seeing as how there are several people staring at you in shock, said thug turns and walks away, perhaps a look of anger or shame as he walks through the crowd.

If you really said that, you're awesome!!!!!
I wish I had said it

I personally have never had such a confrontation. Perhaps you come across in a certain mannerism - perhaps he was just having a bad day - perhaps I'm just never without cigarettes.

I did give it a lot of thought though. If I did encounter such a situation, my automatic response would've been (in the most sarcastic voice possible) simply, "yeah, OK!" followed by an exagerated

Depending on their response it would probably have ended there. Then I would've gossipped about it with the other smokers around me, discussing mostly how could there POSSIBLY still be people like that in the 21st freakin century. FFS get over it already.


Lastly: Thugs come in all colors ♥ Sounds like you met something. Thug was probably a nice term to use.

Man, sh*t like that happens to me all the time. I am in no way racist, I believe in equality, and it really gets on my nerves when people accuse other people of racism when they don't get what they want. It's like, if you're not racist, people try to make out like you are so they have something to complain about. A great excuse. >.<

I think that's an awesome approach, OP. Maybe said accuser would have gotten angrier about what you said, but you would have been absolutely right.