Are YOU racist?

[qaxons]

I'll see you all and raise you Avenue Q- Everyone's a little bit Racist.

I'm not racist, I just don't trust anyone. I react the same way to you if I've never met you before that I do with anyone else. If it's night and we're heading towards each other on the street alone, I will give you the same wide berth I give anyone I don't know.

I've been called on this twice. Once by a very angry Puerto Rican (who is now one of my best friends, somehow) because I ignored him while I was having an important phone conversation with my Mother while my Grandmother was in the hospital.

The other time was by one of the people I was on the phone with today because they had a nigh-impenetrable accent and I was getting slowly frustrated with having to repeat everything and trying to figure out what they were saying. They had already classified themselves as "white" in the survey, they were just recently transplanted from Russia.

All in all though, hate is hate, no matter what form it takes, and I just don't trust anyone, even people I've known for years to be "trustworthy" Paranoia ftw.

Not trusting someone doesn't mean you hate them, mind. I like a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I trust them. I'm just that way. Heck, even people who I love, and have slept in the same bed, cuddled up together, after a great night, I still don't trust. Sometimes I have reasons, other times it is just because I haven't gotten to know them enough. I do trust some people... to a point. there are things I won't trust anyone with, even myself. (Yaaay, issues)...

Moving on, I think a good logic beating is good for some racists... "I hate the french!" "Your last name is Laroche, a french name meaning "of the rock" (roughly) and likely means you are descended from a minor french duke." I used this on a relative of mine who apparently hadn't noted the LARGE genealogy poster behind him detailing our family history, back to said french duke. (My name isn't Laroche, btw)

[edible_hat]

I have just deleted a long post I had written that would have gotten me hit with the fratching-stick rather hard. Instead, I'll just say this:

I am damn tired of being painted with the racial guilt brush for events I had no part of, and would have fought against if I had been. I am deeply insulted by being lumped into such a group. All German's were not Nazis, all whites were not racist.

When I was doing some volunteering at the Australian Refugee Association, I had to turn down one guy's request for financial assistance on the grounds that he'd already had his share (because funding is limited we could only give people a certain amount of money, something like $100 a year for their first 3 years in Australia, and only when they brought in bills they were having trouble paying). He started harping on about "the refugee people" and "you wouldn't know because you're white". Actually my mother's side of the family can be traced back to the German Lutherans who were the first refugees to come to Australia, and my father's parents came here from a refugee camp after WWII.

Incidentally, he was the only SC I encountered in my time there. All the other refugees I met were the most wonderful people, no matter what the answer was to their requests they were very thankful and polite. I guess once you've had to make do with literally nothing, you're thankful for everything you get (even if it's just a list of other charities that might be able to help you).

[Saydrah]

I was recently called a racist because I rebuffed the flirting of a coworker who is black and nearly twice my age.

Him: "So when are you coming over so I can make you dinner?"

Me: "I really don't think it's a good idea."

Him: "Aww, why?"

Me: "Personal reasons." (Those reasons being 1. I have all the men, women, and houseplants in my life that I want, 2. He is twice my age, 3. I don't date anyone I have to work with)

Him: "It's because I'm black, right? You just don't want to date a black guy. I knew it. You're not even going to give a brother a chance."

.....Of course, when he reported me for being racist, he got the writeup for using work as a place to try to pick up girls.

[greensinestro]

Of course I'm a racist! Whenever I don't give in to any customer requesting the impossible, or wanting something that I would not give to someone else, it's always, "You hate blacks/Puerto Ricans/Jewish people/Klingons/Vulcans, etc."

A few years back, I had this woman who called in ranting about not being able to get through to a long distance number. No matter how polite I was, she did not like me because I was a white employee (being she stated this a few times on the call). It turned out this lady's phone had a long distance restriction on it, which I again, politely told her. "What the fuck is wrong with you (racial slur) reps?" After that, I had to turn over the call, flat out telling the customer, "Maam, I'm handing you to a supervisor being I have tolerated enough of your comments." Her reply was, "You'd better get me a fucking manager who isn't a (racial slur), because I can tell you hate (her ethnic race)"

So, I had to get her a manager, someone that she could possibly be happy with. It later on turned out this woman received a $100 credit on her phone bill, and it was because (get this now), she was unhappy that when she called, she was not speaking to an employee of her own kind! Plus, she stated I was a racist for blocking her phone service (yep, I personally did that to her). I could not believe it. And again, it was one of those nasty-ass SC's who don't pay their bill every month, get their service shut off every month for non payment, but get free stuff in the end.

So, yes, I am a racist simply for telling you the truth, and for not bending over backwards for you.

[greensinestro]

I was recently called a racist because I rebuffed the flirting of a coworker who is black and nearly twice my age.

Him: "It's because I'm black, right? You just don't want to date a black guy. I knew it. You're not even going to give a brother a chance."

.....Of course, when he reported me for being racist, he got the writeup for using work as a place to try to pick up girls.

Sounds to me like he had more of an ulterior motive there, and when you refused his advances, he was going to get even with you. Glad to hear his little plan backfired.

[Saydrah]

Yes, and I even managed to resist breaking any of his limbs before the supervisor caught him

....C'mon, he wasn't using that tibia....