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Mom goes off on store clerk who made racist comment to her kids
- Thread starter Nasser
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Mammoth Jones
Member
I could understand how you could come to this conclusion if your only experience with Black people is the movie Coming to America.
Just like there a large variety of dress among people of European descent the same exists for people of African descent.
It's almost like we're people too!
I am all for outing bigots that do shit in public.
PixelatedBookake
Junior Member
You're part of the problem man.
Only at Halloween.
Mammoth Jones
Member
Ah ah! It's your duty to benevolently explain why that's rude and ignorant....
If only both sides yadda yadda..,
PixelatedBookake
Junior Member
Do we have to teach people how to use Google?
FadedRevolution
Member
If only black people reacted the way I wanted them to then racism would be over.
I was hoping to get more of a personal experience more so than general information. When did you start to post in these types of threads? Has posting in these threads made you feel better? Do you think your method of explaining helps others better understand racism?
echoshifting
Banned
I watch American movies and TV shows all of the time. I've been to the states. I have never seen American black people dressed like that.
FadedRevolution
Member
You mean to tell me that you met every single black person in America?
Chie Satonaka
Member
Hard lesson learned. Maybe the next time she'll keep her fucking mouth closed.
I know, right? It's just a shame.
HyperCubed4
Member
Mammoth going on a goddamn rampage in this thread, holy shit
There are few topics where somebody could shoot from the hip like that and I'd be cool with it; this is probably one of them.
There are few topics where somebody could shoot from the hip like that and I'd be cool with it; this is probably one of them.
I get it, I'm Arab and I would never wear traditional clothing that I wear at home in the US or Europe, I applaud the kids for sticking to their traditional garments in front of judgmental ignorant people. But the cashier sounded polite regretful and apologetic, I would correct her and calmly ask to speak to her manager, calling her a bitch and insulting her is uncalled for in my opinion.
echoshifting
Banned
Well let's all hope she doesn't say anything like that again so she doesn't have to have this experience again.
While we're at it though perhaps we should maybe also cross our fingers and hope those kids never experience casual racism because of what they're wearing again. But since of course they will, I'd say their mom did a pretty good job showing them they don't have to stand for it.
Mammoth Jones
Member
This thread isn't about my personal experiences with overt racism, silent racism, that type of "is this motherfucker racist???" racism, or passive-egressive bigotry. Or racial ignorance. Sure that shapes my worldview but it doesn't define me.
But like shit on a baby I know that stuff when I smell it. But I'll answer:
I started posting in these threads when I realized that unlike other forums racist pieces of shits weren't allowed here.
It doesn't make me feel better or worse. It's a discussion, not therapy. I sleep like a baby.
I have no clue if my method of explanation helps others deal with understanding racism. That's not my job, that's their parents job. If they failed at that that's not really on me...
Well if it's uncommon the displayed reaction might have been ignorant, inappropriate or condescending but not necessarily racist. That's why I asked the question. No serious answer yet...
PixelatedBookake
Junior Member
But why can't we label what she said as racist? It was ignorant, inappropriate, and condescending BECAUSE it was racist. We have to acknowledge this to make a change, no matter how small the change may be.
Thank you for your reply. I wasn't trying to get you to bite on anything. I was trying to open a dialog why you exert so much energy into posting on gaf about racism. I can sense you're very passionate about this.
MLK was a great man. His stance on non violence was admirable. One of my favorite quotes from him...
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
He was also a good friend to one of my favorite people in the world Thich Naht Hahn. TNH is a Buddhist monk from Vietnam. They both were very passionate about peace and compassion. MLK even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Price in 1967. I would recommend looking up some of his work. It has helped my greatly the past few years learning compassion for others, relieving stress, and overall happiness.
I believe mindfulness and compassion would greatly help in situations like this one involving the mother and clerk.
Mammoth Jones
Member
Read the thread. It's filled with serious answers.
Yes. Some people dress like this. Do I have statistical breakdowns for you? No. But you see it every now and then. It's so common that it occurs in Indiana, FFS...
So that being said let's strike ignorance off the list. She's playing pretend with that shit. And so is anyone else in this thread that wants to play pretend right along with her simple simon ass. She's not ignorant of ethnic garbs. Even if one doesn't know which specific culture it's from. She knew it was some form of ethnic clothing. Anyone with eyeballs and neurons can ascertain that.
Then she says it anyway. At work. Now the fact that she's act work is a big part of this. Because the standards for behavior are far higher there. So she still decides to go forward and make her snotty comment.
To children. Really let this sink in. She decides to be cute and put a smarmy snide ass common to her black customers who are children spending money.
At a store in a Black neighborhood. This derails a bit but it's too too common for people to set up shop in the hood, take the money out and not give two shits about putting one fucking cent back in. Don't even take time to learn the names of motherfuckers paying their mortgage and putting their kids through college. If they took that time perhaps they'd know their names aren't Shifty, D-Money, or Smoothie.
Why do you think that is after all the aforementioned she still goes and says this dumb shit? Cause it was the first thing on her mind and she let it slip the fuck out.
Their rareness of the clothing doesn't matter. I don't often see "X" in my area but if I say dumb shit like this yes, I'm being racist as fuck at worst. Ignorantly bigoted at best.
Either way isn't the way an employee should treat customers.
Mammoth Jones
Member
I'm passionate about this cause I'm Black. And I'm tired of motherfuckers co-signing racism and ignorance and excusing it. Or acting like we need to be benevolent suffering people. Fuck that.
I prefer Marcus Garvery:
"A race that is solely dependent upon another for economic existence sooner or later dies. As we have in the past been living upon the mercies shown by others, and by the chances obtainable, and have suffered there from, so we will in the future suffer if an effort is not made now to adjust our own affairs."
And I'll drop some Malcolm X for you:
"If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and pull it out three inches, that is not progress. Even if you pull it all the way out, that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound, and America hasn't even begun to pull out the knife."
And let's not forget Medgar Evars:
When a black Jacksonian looks about his home community, he sees a city of over 150,000, of which 40% is Negro, in which there is not a single Negro policeman or policewoman, school crossing guard, or fireman.
And just cause I love Carl Sagan lemme drop:
One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If weve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. Were no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. Its simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that weve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.
Shoutout to Scott Woods:
The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other peoples expense, whether whites know/like it or not. Racism is an insidious cultural disease. It is so insidious that it doesnt care if you are a white person who likes black people; its still going to find a way to infect how you deal with people who dont look like you. Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another. And so on. So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that were immediately born into. Its like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe. Its not a cold that you can get over. There is no anti-racist certification class. Its a set of socioeconomic traps and cultural values that are fired up every time we interact with the world. It is a thing you have to keep scooping out of the boat of your life to keep from drowning in it. I know its hard work, but its the price you pay for owning everything.
Chie Satonaka
Member
Thank you for your work in here, Mammoth.
PixelatedBookake
Junior Member
I was just about to quote his post but yeah, good job man.
Mammoth Jones
Member
Thanks. I live in New York so I'm very used to Diet Racism.
[/B]
Well, they kind of do that already
Don't forget the time they said they don't wanna teach accurate history to Latino children because they might get angry and be resentful or violent towards teachers or White students...
Claude Augario
Member
It's not like America has spent centuries obliterating black bodies and cultures or anything like that.
CadetMahoney
Member
Everything from Slavery to the Native Americans and all central and South America takes a lot of effort to spin into an easy pill to swallow, so not surprised they'd rather outright lie or not talk about it at all.
Valjean Lafitte
Banned
Which she did. You can almost immediately hear her say she was sorry before explaining she didn't know any better, but no, this bitch's racist ass deserved to yelled at endlessly. /s
White American here. While I wouldn't made the comment the cashier/clerk made because I'm familiar with traditional African garb, I have not once in my life ever seen an African-American wearing such clothes (not even on TV), despite living in a fairly black area.
Valjean Lafitte
Banned
Something something something white folks have said worse about black folks for 200+ years which makes this okay.
Mammoth Jones
Member
I love how this is now about racism against White people. Which is of course the REAL problem in America, right....
Never change.
Trashy is claiming someone's kids are dressed for Halloween cause they don't look like they're conforming to Whiteness well enough.
You might wanna read those posts again if that's what you got out of them.
I don't really agree with those posts btw. But this was just ridiculous.
edit: Never mind, I should take my own hint.
You know what will really blow your mind? Come to southern China and see how the black people dress!
excelsiorlef
Member
?
The post chain was literally the mom was as racist if not more
Followed by seconding of that argument via sarcasm.
That's exactly what those posts were about
Theanine3D
Member
Awesome lady.
I think she was fully justified in how angry she was. Minorities have to deal with racism every single day of our lives. After a certain point, it becomes too difficult to stay "nice" anymore, you learn to stop being too forgiving to people that should really know better by now. Especially the case when you're a parent - you absolutely don't want your kids to also have to deal with the crap you had your entire life.
Who in the U.S. honestly doesn't know what traditional African garment looks like? You'd have to be living under a rock
I think she was fully justified in how angry she was. Minorities have to deal with racism every single day of our lives. After a certain point, it becomes too difficult to stay "nice" anymore, you learn to stop being too forgiving to people that should really know better by now. Especially the case when you're a parent - you absolutely don't want your kids to also have to deal with the crap you had your entire life.
Who in the U.S. honestly doesn't know what traditional African garment looks like? You'd have to be living under a rock
The mom was not being racist, she was being unnecessarily rude and obnoxious.
That's the argument anyway, I think she had every right to get pissed.
I don't see what that has to do with racism.
edit: I didn't hear the cracker part in the video. That does give it a racist tone.
excelsiorlef
Member
What?
I'm saying the conversation chain you accused Mammoth of "misreading" was calling the mom racist against white people.
And I disagree 100% that she was unnecessarily anything
See my edit. I didn't hear anything racist from the mom and skipped the quote. (Or more accurately, NeoGAF skipped the quote since they don't like nested quotes)
If the mom responded in kind, she really doesn't have any moral high ground here.
Edit: Oh, it was in the description.
Valjean Lafitte
Banned
The cracker comment comes from the video description.
Also, I love how instead of admitting that 'cracker' is a pejorative, Mammoth instead makes a snarky comment about how I'm making it all about racism against white people, which isn't the REAL problem in America.
Which of course doesn't sound at all like "black people have it worse, so racist remarks against white people are okay". Apparently acknowledging an offense means you're trying to rewrite the narrative completely so that it's all about that offense and not the offense that triggered it.
Oe just ignorant. Regardless doesn't change the reaction.
That was my takeaway. I also get the feeling the worker was making what they thought was a harmless jape.
Anyways, seems like an episode that could have been cleared up with a lot less aggression. Just some adult conversation.
I'll just put this post here because I think it was a fantastic response to posts like yours.
Also if a seemingly racist remark is made to your kid, how are you suppose to take that as a harmless jape?
It's like if someone made a seemingly sexist joke about your daughter, I doubt you'd be just taking that on the chin in a relaxed manner.
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