Let’s be clear on one thing before it gets out of hand…their comments were wrong and most likely showed a lack of higher education
Plain and simple…right or wrong, most older people are set in their ways and it is difficult to change an opinion they have held their whole life. Possible? Yes. Difficult? Definitely!
While there are instances to call someone out on this viewpoint I disagree that the birthday party was the correct location. This would only serve to create hostility. In addition to that, if you were to call them out on this view at the party I think a more rational manner of bringing it up could have been used as opposed to a sarcastic comment.
Obviously the parents of this child are not espousing the racist viewpoints of the Grandparents as porcupine stated. So while racism is indeed learned, it does not condemn the child to the same manner of thinking. Obviously not being exposed to these views in their formative years is far more helpful in creating an open minded human being but education goes a long way towards opening the mind of people and teaching them right from wrong.
My point was the party was the wrong forum and based on the way I read the comments the tone was also inappropriate. This obviously resides with porcupine’s friend to make the rationalization for him/herself. I view the manner and location as disrespectful to the grandparents and the parents.
FTR, my friend (bday boy’s mom) has made it clear to me in the past that she think her mother is rather… um, whacked. Shortly after the conversation above, my friend joined us. Bday boys grandmother was telling everyone how Walmart is the only place to shop, she just loves to go there, everyone should buy everything there, etc. My friend looks at her mom and says “I hate Walmart.” I have the feeling that if she’d been sitting there for the first conversation, she would have said worse than “So?”
And I’m not trying to change anyone’s opinion. But I’m tired of feeling uncomfortable when someone makes a racist comment.
And it didn’t create hostility. A few minutes later the grandmother was chatting away to me about something else.
As far as these guys need to know, my grandfather was Ugandan. That’s why I’m heavyset. No, they don’t believe me, but it shuts them up.
Sledman, instead of higher education, might I suggest enlightenment? I’ve known more than enough bigots with college degrees, but people generally drop the act whenever their horizons are lifted.
Agreed, maybe enlightenment is a better word. However enlightenment is often gained through education.
But I also agree that being a bigot is not the exclusive domain of lower educational groups/individuals and not all people in this category are are bigots.
Last Christmas we were driving to my aunt’s house, and got stuck behind a music-blaring purple low rider. My dad said something about the “goddamn Puerto Rican car” and I asked him how he knew it was Puerto Rican? He went on a long rant (insert more rambling shite here) the gist of which was that they come to this country, don’t really learn the language, drive bad cars, are on welfare, etc.
When he was finished, I said “Um, like your parents, who came over on a boat from Greece and learned English mostly by watching All My Children, and drove 15 year old Buicks, slowly, and collected government cheese regularly even though they didn’t really need it?”
Veins popped out, spit flew, and there was much yelling. Merry Christmas, Dad.
I have the feeling that if she’d been sitting there for the first conversation, she would have said worse than “So?”