Only occasionally. This isn’t one of those times.
Well, that should improve your standing here.
Rich
ChefScot
That about sums it up.
[[As we (supposedly) move to a more service oriented economy, it seems that the word service has been erased from the lexicon of today’s work force. I detest having to repeat myself when being waited on, giving my order or asking for assistance.]] Chiefscott
I work at D’Angelo’s and as hard as we try we sometimes forget parts of an order. We try not to ask about more sandwiches than we can remember but because almost everyone has a different way that they want their sandwich sometimes we need to have an order repeated. Unfortunately some people are offended or downright rude to us when we ask. And your comment seems to put you as one of those people. We’re asking again because we don’t have anything better to do, we’re asking because we’re trying to give you the best, correctly made sandwich we can. Would you rather that you repeated it or that you got a possibly wrong sandwich.
Anyway, since this isn’t really on subject I’ll stop ranting now. But if you want to open a topic a topic in the pit and I’ll be there.
Veera, I come from Baltimore originally and I haven’t really noticed any difference in the way I’ve been treated by different races of people. That said, I greet everyone with a friendly smile, tend to ignore the odd unfriendly comment, and have rarely had any memorably bad experiences. I have to say that MVA’s are just generally unpleasant places – long queues of frustrated and impatient people and bored employees who have to deal with them. I’m assuming the one you went to was the one downtown, starts with an M, can’t remember it’s name sorry. I have to admit that one is particularly bad, but there are people of all races working at the other ones so I don’t think it has too much to do with that. I’d recommend the Express MVA in Towson if it’s not too out of your way. I’ve never seen it crowded and even though the employees (of whatever race) can be a bit unpleasant at least you’re out of there fairly quickly. If that’s too far, try the one in Glen Burnie off Ritchie Hwy. I, for one, am finding that one of the benefits of living (permanently) abroad is that I can renew my license by post and not face any MVA again!
My brother who lived in Baltimore was surprisingly mellow with his reply:
“To answer your question. unfortunatly there are plenty of bad experiences of this sort, but I do have to admit I have had almost as many with other backgrounds. One possibility is of course, to this person it seems like it is always a black person might be because in Balitmore there are just that many more blacks working in general.”
First of all, I’d like to thank you for posting this. It seems as though you want someone to help change your mind on this issue. That’s good.
Now, let’s go back to the original post: In it you refer to the people you are complaining about as “colored” and then you specify “…but I am yet to have a bad experience with a non-black person behind the counter” (Grammatical errors were reproduced to support my point). So for you, “colored” = “black”, correct? This seems outdated - I have not heard the term “colored” in contemporary usage since Archie Bunker went off the air. Maybe your racism is overt enough that it is causing you to recieve this kind of treatment when being assisted by a “colored” person.
I noticed you use the spelling “licence”, which is not correct in this country. Are you British (“driving licence” would be the correct term across the pond), or is it that you are simply a bad speller and typist? If indeed your typing is not excellent (it’s not), you should retract your statement about the “colored” woman at the counter not knowing how to type (“The woman didnt know typing”, big deal, you don’t know punctuation). It seems as though you could use some brushing up in the areas of spelling and proofreading.
What I am getting at is this: Generalization based upon one impression of a person is not usually accurate. I am guessing that you have a bias against “colored” people that existed long before you faced a black person across a counter, but I could be wrong, all I have is a couple of emails upon which to judge you.
Expect the worst and you’ll probably get it.
Some mornings, it’s just not worth chewing through the leather straps.
– Emo Phillips
I feel trying to get at a person based on his spelling skills is not substantial (If it were loverock, I will make an exception) And yes, I was taught English the British way (colour et al). I am from India (I dont care if you think I am not justified to judge people from this country).
"If indeed your typing is not excellent (it’s not), you should retract your statement about the “colored” woman at the counter not knowing how to type (“The woman didnt know typing”, big deal, you don’t know punctuation). It seems as though you could use some brushing up in the areas of spelling and proofreading. "
I would like to make a small distinction between that woman and myself. My profession is NOT to sit in front of the computer and type out data. If it were, I promise you I will learn typing atleast by practice; I wont use my two soiled index fingers alone.
And about my punctuation, joke, right? As long as I get my point across clearly, I dont (sic) see how you can say its a fault of mine.
About my using “colored” and “black” I have usually noticed people generally dont like words repeated in a small piece of text. so, instead of repeating “black” or colored again and again I just alternated between them.
“What I am getting at is this: Generalization based upon one impression of a person is not usually accurate.” - Please read my first post again. I list three instances there. I could go on, but Ihope you get the idea.
“Expect the worst and you’ll probably get it.”- After my first experience probably **I am ** biased. I will give you that.
Ps. Somehow I detest your condescending tone.
Sorry guys, but I have to help end Veera’s needless suffering. Based on her last post, she is apparently saying english is a second language to her. Let’s give her a break. (That said, I laughed out loud at Veg’s first attempt to point out the error.)
Veera, you said “I have many blacks.” I think you meant I have met many blacks, or something of that nature. Having the blacks of which you speak seems to imply ownership, and the fact that you made this error while attempting to avoid racism as an explanation for your experience did make it a little funny.
Oops! I REALLY screwed up didnt I?
And, for the last time, I am a man!! I am going to change my handle.
Sheesh!!
Adios to veera13!!
I had a summer job at a drivers license bureau in Chicago 20 years ago (called the Secretary of State’s office). The (all-white) people who worked there were some of the most miserable, chip-on-their shoulder harridans I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with. A few years later, I was gratified to see that many of them were fired because of a scandal involving selling drivers licenses.
An incident: A few years ago, we went to a Bennigans in downtown Chicago. We were told there was a 20 minute wait for a table. During a 30 minute wait, we saw a group of black people come in and get seated after a 5-minute wait. We got angry and suspicious that we were being discriminated against because of our race (our family is predominantly caucasian) by the black people in charge of seating. After complaining, we left angry.
The point? First, public service employees often develop an attitude problem, and it has nothing to do with race. I would implore those public service employees to have an open mind about their customers. They are John Q. Public, NOT necessarily someone who’s there to give you grief.
Second, black people do get discriminated against, and some of them get angry and bitter toward non-blacks as a result. I have only 1 example when it appeared I was being discriminated against because of my race; for most blacks this is commonplace. So, please take this into account.
In you example, veera13, I think you would be justified for complaining about the soiling of your documents, however.
Actually, the documents in question were the property of the DMV and remain so. They have the right to soil them any way they want. This isn’t really the issue, is it?
I asked about the British issue due to an idea that I have formed about prejudice in British society - apparently there is a whole lot of racism in the middle and lower (and probably upper) classes in Britain. Read No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by Johnny Rotten, it gives good insight on prejudice precipitated by immigration (and it’s a damned good book!).
I noticed that you refer to another government employee as “a bit lethargic”. Was she white? If she was black, would you have labeled her as “slow” rather than “lethargic”? So, it’s okay for someone to be slow as long as they are nice? And white, I suppose.
It is unfortunate that when someone is at a disadvantage for any reason the tendency is to blame other influences (bias, racism) rather than one’s own motivation or ability, but bias is real. It exists. It exists in your mirror, go look.
As for my “condescending” tone, if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the BBQ pit.
Some mornings, it’s just not worth chewing through the leather straps.
– Emo Phillips
I agree with Gr8Kat: I worked for the State of Utah as an accountant for over 8 years and I saved tax payers millions of dollars by finding and eliminating waste (or fraud). Many times call were switched to me by accident and rather than dump them around (some had been dumped over 20 times) I took their number, found the answer or the right person and then switched them. I may have been an accountant but I also took seriously the fact that I was a public employee and worked my butt off to help people.
As far as race goes: My dad once said that, “assholes come in all colors” and I took that to mean that just because someone is slow, rude, or whatever, it has nothing to do with their race. I’ve met, worked and loved many people of all races: some were good experences some not. But I don’t think I could single out just one race as being “bad” or whatever. I mean the biggest jerk I know is my uncle so I guess I could hate all white men that I’m related to or just mark him off as a jerk and move on.
{{{it’s hard to know what to do when accused of being racist when that was the furthest thing from your mind. }}}—Gr8Kat
I guess that one is easier for me to tackle than most–I usually get that from one of two students per semester (usually in response to the grade they earned).
I show them family photos, and then explain the definition of transferrence. I normally sum it up with profound disappointment in their being so ethnically biased as to accuse me of “racisim.”
It works beautifully with non-students as well.
–Kalél
(The Original EnigmaOne)
Common ¢ for all ages.
Point to all…Veera announced his racism with the title of this thread. I doubt that we can change his attitude here. But I am happy to be reminded that so many of us feel the same about this issue. Racism is everywhere and effects us all. I can assure you that Veera (being from India) would find life difficult in one of the cities neighboring my community. Does this mean that he is a bad person? If so, does that mean all people from India are? I think not…You can pull a wild hare out of anybody’s hat, doesn’t mean the hat’s no good. The only way I know to confront these problems is like others have suggested. Meet each person as an individual and a human being. I, too have worked in schools all my adult life in rural as well as urban areas. There is ALWAYS someone ready to accuse you of prejudice because they are black, latino, Vietnamese, Indian, and yada, yada, yada. It always makes me wonder if they feel inferior. I know they say it is because their people have been oppressed, but not by me. I meet all with the same expectation…mutual respect. If I don’t receive it, it is difficult to return it.
BTW…until I moved to my present community, I would have echoed all the complaints about government workers. If I go into the town to the south of me (the one Veera doesn’t want to move to) that life long lesson is confirmed. If I go to the town north of me, the DMV, SSA and Social Security workers are, almost without exception, some of the most kind, helpful people you could ask for. The difference? The nicer town has a different racial make-up (fewer Indians, more Vietnamese) !!!KIDDING!!!
Who knows…maybe the dregs from all races move to the south of me. Which, come to think of it, is better than me being down-wind from them.
Be kind
Lew
“Man, the 60’s must have been real good for you!”
George Carlin…“Outrageous Fortune”
“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore”
Dorothy…“The Wizard of Oz”
For a multi-racial society you Americans are so racist!
Middsy, Bath, England
Oh, dear this is most, most unfortunate. To whatever idiot remarked on racism in England, I would say this; be very careful. Firstly, do not rely on the biography of an aeging punk as your primary source of evidence, secondly, while there is unquestionably racism in the UK, the implication that someone might be more inclined toward racism because they are English rather than American is utter nonsense. We did not have segregation by law well into the second half of this century. England is not the home of armed white supremacist militia groups who appear to be tolerated by the government. England is not the country which threw up the KKK. Your country is. And England was the first of the imperial powers to try to abolish slavery (while also being one of its major players, of course).
My country is not wothout fault. Historically it has been responsible for terrible immorality and cruelty, and modern England has many problems too; but you are way out of line in your suggestion that a more serious problem with racism afflicts us than it does you. This looks like trying to pass the buck “Oh, hey, there may be a racist remark on this this board, but see, it was made by a Limey.”
Fool.
Oh, and by the way, while I have never visited your country, I do have considerable regard for its culture and people.
Uh-oh. Fish.
BELN,
I presume you are English from your previous message, and to be honest you sound like the reason English people are sterotyped in American films, using quotes from history to promote your view and your distinct snobbish attitude.
I am from a working class background in Bristol,England and obviously I would be quite nieve to assume no racism exists, though do we lynch black men for having a relationship with a white girl? In Tennesee I am told this still goes on!
English people are the best in the world, and most interesting but you my friend sound very pompous.
Why are you so concerned with establishing your class credentials? As it 'appens I am the first in my family to attend university and am first generation lower middle-class; father - apprentice at 17, then engineer, mother – nurse after training in middle age. So what?
If one does not use examples and evidence to back up a point, one is only making usupported statements. Something this board, for all its good points, has too many of already. To ATTEMPT to be accurate and specific is vital for good debate. And good invective.
Oh, and I don’t think I am your friend yet. Though I don’t rule it out as a possibility for the future.
Uh-oh. Fish.
[[English people are the best in the world]]
I’m sure that’s what they’ve always maintained in, say, India, Africa, Ireland, China …
You’ve not heard of the NAACP lately, Jett?
+Ron