I was walking home today and talking on the phone with a friend. Granted, I guess it is rude to walk around in public while talking on the phone, but I walked by guy ranting to entertain his friends and encountered another incident that makes me think Berkeley is no haven from racism. This guy, perhaps homeless, was mouthing off about how he had to live under the white man until he was seventeen, then seeing me added that the Japanese need to get off the phone. Japanese! Do I look Japanese? If you can't tell the difference between a Korean and Chinese person then don't make assumptions. Grr, I was seething afterwards. When these things happen I also get crazy mad at myself for not starting a scene and mouthing back. Do I perpetuate the stereotype of submissive Asians by not talking back? But you know, that is not me. I don't want live in a world where racial outbursts result in streetfights and neither do I want to be such an instigator. And I don't need to be the object of my anger either.
Why won't Spring Break just arrive already?
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3 comments:
It would be fun to see you fight back, though maybe dangerous.
I have a friend who is Chinese-American and has had people come up and speak Spanish to her before.
Jerk. That dude, not you my non-Japanese friend.
Now when someone pisses me off (and there are sooo many opportunities), I look at my watch and give 'em 3 minutes and then try to move on.
Don't even waste that much of your good-natured (yet still firm-edged) time and energy on such a turd. Though, dear SB, it does make for some good bloggable and cathectic material.
P.S. It's a supposedly free speech country, you could probably have cell phone sex in public if you wanted (not that I would recommend it ;)
ha, thanks for the votes of confidence! is there a way to fight with my friendliness? kill with kindness?
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