Yet another racist anecdote

[Orrex]

A while back a coworker and I were returning to our building after lunch. We'd stopped at a retail store so that she could pick up a backet or a vase or something, and the line at the check-out was unusually slow. The cashier was quite dark-skinned and, I learned from speaking with her on another occasion, moved here from Pakistan three years ago.

After checking out, and on the way back to the office, my coworker--out of the blue--said "God, I hate Indians. Sometimes I think I hate them even more than blacks."

Good grief! What can you say to something like that? Especially when you're in the car at 50 mph, and the bigot is the one driving! And that's an exact quote; try as I might, I can't burn it from my brain.

I muttered something like "In college I had the benefit of more positive exposure to different cultures," but she wasn't impressed.

"They come over and take all the good jobs," she observed sagely.

No wonder the economy is in the shitter; with all the lousy Pakistani Indians taking those sweet cashier jobs, what's left for the real Americans?

:banghead:

[Catch22Dem]

1. That's really fucked up

I have a co-worker EXACTLY like that. Today I said, "You know, I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food. I mean, it's OK, but I don't often seek it out."

His reply, "I'm not a huge fan of Mexicans."

[Orrex]

3. Truly enlightened--makes me proud of our whole species

In my episode, the most jarring of all was until that exact moment, I was really fond of this woman. Not romantically--it wasn't like that--but fond of her as a person because she seemed really cool and fun to talk to. This idiotic racist quip came without warning and hit me right between the eyes.

[Catch22Dem]

7. Yeah, it'll do that to ya

I hate that. :(

[CoffeeAnnan]

2. To see the total irrationality of that bigotry all one has to note is that

this person hates blacks because she thinks they are lazy and do not like to work;on the other hand, the darker skinned people from India are the excat opposite.They come to this country, establish businesses, work long hours and have become succesful in many professions.The lesson is that people like your friend will be threatened by a person different from them in looks, language, religion what have you. That is the deep well of racism Karl Rove and Bush have tapped into.

[Catherine Vincent]

4. What a biggoted bitch!

[ultraist]

5. You really should say something to her about that remark

Let her know how offensive it was. She will continue to spread her sickness if she is allowed. I'd let her know that her remark was highly inappropriate and a blatant display of hatred and racism.

Those people should be shamed for that BS and not given a carte blanche to spread their illness in our society.

I'm not suggesting you read her the riot act, but calmly and intelligently explain to her why it was offensive. Perhaps offer her some reading materials. ;)

[FreedomAngel82]

6. I would remind her

that we stole the Indians land and she has no right to say that. We never owned this country until we killed thousands of them.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Ask her why she thinks working retail

is a 'good job'.