# So. That's what the race card looks like... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 31, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448 "2004-03-31T02:00:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/41 "2004-04-01T18:22:29Z")
This reminds me so much of the one Gen-You-Ine Ku Kluxer I have the pleasure (?) of knowing. He is, at best, semi-literate, a drunk, and has very questionable personal hygene habits. The reason he can’t get a good job? Them damned African-Americans. (Again, not _exactly_ the term used) If he did have a race card, he probably couldn’t read it… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/42 "2004-04-01T18:23:05Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > \ > And what about the “gay” card? Can I be a snivelly little whiner and pull that? I wanna be a victim and have no responsibility for my actions either, waaahh! Hey, I want in on this too! “It’s because I’m Canadian, isn’t it? All you Americans think you can just blame Canada…” ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/43 "2004-04-01T18:26:24Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > I was confronted with a not at all similar situation at work the other day. This guy said to me, “You just don’t like me because I’m an accountant.” > > Well, yeah, that’s actually pretty much my problem. Give him a break. Perhaps he_really_ wants to be a Lion Tamer. ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/44 "2004-04-01T18:27:36Z")
> [@Balle\_M](#): > > Give him a break. > > Perhaps he_really_ wants to be a Lion Tamer. …or maybe even he _really_ etc. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/45 "2004-04-01T19:05:14Z")
> [@TJdude825](#): > > :eek: Your school librarian split an infinitive?! :eek: [hijack] [And exactly what is wrong with that?](http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/059.html) > [@](#): > > In fact, the split infinitive is distinguished both by its length of use and the greatness of its users. People have been splitting infinitives since the 14th century, and some of the most noteworthy splitters include John Donne, Samuel Pepys, Daniel Defoe, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Johnson, William Wordsworth, Abraham Lincoln, George Eliot, Henry James, and Willa Cather. > > The only rationale for condemning the construction is based on a false analogy with Latin. The thinking is that because the Latin infinitive is a single word, the English infinitive should be treated as if it were a single unit. But English is not Latin, and people split infinitives all the time without giving it a thought. Should we condemn compound infinitives, such as I want to go and have a look, simply because the infinitive have has no to next to it? In a nutshell, calling a “split infinitive” a grammar error is an example of fake erudition. [/hijack] The referee calls “misplay of race card. 10-yard penalty, still first down.” P.S. Sorry for the hijack. The whole “split infinitive” business is a pet peeve of mine. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/46 "2004-04-01T21:55:45Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > “It’s because I’m black, isn’t it?” is a household catchphrase in the Biggirl household. > > “Ma, can I have a 5th cup of ice cream?” > “No.” > “It’s 'cause I’m black, isn’t it?” > The Biggirl household is a sit com without the cameras. I swear I just laughed so hard that I snorted. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/47 "2004-04-02T00:29:15Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I don’t know if it’s just you. I think a Magic card (unoffical, of course) that was the “Race card” would be hilarious. You pull it as an instant and automatically win the game or something like that. Brilliant. Maybe it would drain 1 life each time you use it, to discourage overuse. And of course, it would only be used to block attacks from white creatures/spells. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/48 "2004-04-02T00:32:35Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > I was confronted with a not at all similar situation at work the other day. This guy said to me, “You just don’t like me because I’m an accountant.” > > Well, yeah, that’s actually pretty much my problem. This story reminds me of a not at all similar situation at a birthday party/family reunion I attended. Dad, an engineer, and his Brother, an accountant, were giving each other grief as brothers due. Dad made a nasty comment about accountants, and Brother responds in kind with a nasty comment about engineers being worthless. Anne, a strong-minded woman of 80ish, overheard the last comment, and jumed in to defend engineers. (She used to be a civil engineer and geologist, and I’m not sure she’s entirely retired.) This amused us because the discussion was between Dad, his Brother, me and my brother and his wife. That makes 3 engineers, 1 accountant, and 5 people who understood that the bond of brotherhood was more important than minor differences between engineers and accountants. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/49 "2004-04-02T00:51:03Z")
> [@kung fu lola](#): > > Yes, it’s pork. It’s J.M. Schneider brand, as are our grilled chicken breasts. :eek: The chicken breasts at Subway are made out of pork? ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/50 "2004-04-02T01:23:18Z")
Nuts to the OP! He halfway eavesdrops in on a conflict, gets the “full story” presumably from one of the biased staff (there were only two sides, the guy and the staff), magnifies one would-be insignificant part of the guy’s rant and shares just that with the world helping to embiggen the already too-big-fucking deal of race. People say all kinds of things when angry, why is “this is because I’m black” so gasp-inducing? I heard this one girl call this guy a “fucking retard” yesterday, even though he clearly wasn’t retarded. Do I need to write ten God-damned paragraphs about it? And what the hell does he know? Maybe it was because the guy was black; it’s not impossible. Like he said, despite his self-assigned “witness” status, he hardly witnessed anything. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/51 "2004-04-02T01:47:27Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > Nuts to the OP! He halfway eavesdrops in on a conflict, gets the “full story” presumably from one of the biased staff (there were only two sides, the guy and the staff), magnifies one would-be insignificant part of the guy’s rant and shares just that with the world helping to embiggen the already too-big-fucking deal of race. People say all kinds of things when angry, why is “this is because I’m black” so gasp-inducing? Firstly, I’m female. Two, I wasn’t really eavesdropping, I was five feet away from it all and could qutie clearly hear what was going on without trying. The fact that I even noticed something was wrong is testament to that, I’m fairly oblivious to anything not directly involving me. I didn’t get the rest of the story from the staff, my friend also overheard the conversation (more than I did) and filled me in on what I missed. Third, ok, you’re right, that was the most insignificant part. It’s gasp inducing simply because I have never heard anyone say anything like that before, and after he had already shown himself to be an asshole, he cemented that fact. I know that for a lot of you probably, this isn’t a big thing, but for me it was. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/52 "2004-04-02T06:52:00Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > Nuts to the OP! He halfway eavesdrops in on a conflict, gets the “full story” presumably from one of the biased staff (there were only two sides, the guy and the staff), magnifies one would-be insignificant part of the guy’s rant and shares just that with the world helping to embiggen the already too-big-fucking deal of race. People say all kinds of things when angry, why is “this is because I’m black” so gasp-inducing? I heard this one girl call this guy a “fucking retard” yesterday, even though he clearly wasn’t retarded. Do I need to write ten God-damned paragraphs about it? And what the hell does he know? Maybe it was because the guy was black; it’s not impossible. Like he said, despite his self-assigned “witness” status, he hardly witnessed anything. Dude. Who put the bacon in _your_ pickles? Okay, you’re either the guy in the OP, or regularly use the race card yourself. Those are the only explanations I can think of for your insanely random attack on the OP. 😕 Overreact much? ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/53 "2004-04-02T13:02:18Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > Nuts to the OP! Nuts to you. You WEREN’T EVEN THERE but you’re absolutely sure the OP got it all wrong. You’re a racist asshole. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/54 "2004-04-02T13:19:15Z")
> [@Ottoerotic](#): > > I feel your pain guys, I used to work at a grocery store in a predominantly white neighborhood. One night around 2 A.M. a guy came into the store dressed like a bum and reeking of pot, and as it were happened to be black. He took a walk around the entire store then approached the register and bought a $0.50 pack of gum. > > I totaled the order and he paid with a $100.00 bill. I ran the counterfeit pen over it and put it in the drawer (I didn’t even follow full proceedure and check for a water-mark or security strip) and proceeded to give him his change back. This asshole went completely ape-shit on me for testing his bill, saying that I was only doing it because he was black. I tried explaining to him that it was early, and that he made a small purchase with a large bill, and it was store policy (even to check $20’s) He continued yelling about what a white racist mother-F\*cker I was and how he didn’t have to take this shit. > > So I told him that if he didn’t like it then he should shop somewhere else, because he wouldn’t be missed here, and I asked him if he would have said anything if I had been a black boy, because I don’t think that _I’m_ the racist one here. Big mistake which eventually ended up costing me my job. But on the upside the guy started yelling at my manager about our “racist” policies instead of at me, so it wasn’t all bad. So what kind of gum did **lambchops** buy? Sorry, had to do it. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/55 "2004-04-02T13:52:41Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > I heard this one girl call this guy a “fucking retard” yesterday, even though he clearly wasn’t retarded. Do I need to write ten God-damned paragraphs about it? You could have. We have rants about such things all the time in the Pit. Why was this one so gasp-inducing? You see what I did there? I turned it around. It’s a _switcheroo!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/56 "2004-04-02T15:18:07Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Nuts to you. You WEREN’T EVEN THERE but you’re absolutely sure the OP got it all wrong. You’re a racist asshole. [hijack]Okay, even though we’re on the same side here, I’ve got to address this. How in heavens name did you get “racist asshole” out of someone who’s pissed that the OP pitted someone for using a _race card_. Not everyone is always going to agree with you. That’s what makes these boards so damn interesting. But calling anyone who doesn’t agree with you a _racist_ asshole is over the top, and takes all meaning away from the word. I’ve seen you do it before, hell, you’ve done it to _me_ and had me convinced you had mistaken me for someone else, the comment came from so far left field. And when I called you on it, requesting what specifically I had said that made me a racist, you wouldn’t answer. Hint: if you can’t tell someone what specifically makes them a racist, maybe you shouldn’t be _calling_ them one. It’s not an all around insult. If you want to call someone an asshole, call them an asshole. Throwing “racist” in there for no apparent reason just makes you look like a overreactive jerk. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/57 "2004-04-02T15:49:18Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > helping **to embiggen** the already too-big-fucking deal of race. At least **pizzabrat** had the sense not to split that infinitive. How very cromulent of him/her. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/58 "2004-04-02T15:54:48Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > :eek: The chicken breasts at Subway are made out of pork? No, they’re the same brand name as the pork, doofus. 😛 You’d be surprised by how much of our stuff is available at your local grocery store. We use Kraft dressings, Black Diamond cheese, Quaker muffins, Pillsbury cookie dough (just like Tim Horton’s!)… ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/59 "2004-04-02T16:19:35Z")
> [@kung fu lola](#): > > No, they’re the same brand name as the pork, doofus. 😛 > > You’d be surprised by how much of our stuff is available at your local grocery store. We use Kraft dressings, Black Diamond cheese, Quaker muffins, Pillsbury cookie dough (just like Tim Horton’s!)… Ooh what about the soup? Is the soup Campbell’s? The chicken noodle is, to my untrained eye, identical to the “good” Campbell’s soup. That stuff that comes in a jar… You know. That stuff. Argh. Anyway. Is it Campbell’s? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448/60 "2004-04-02T16:28:06Z")
> [@](#): > > _lezlers_ > Okay, you’re either the guy in the OP, or regularly use the race card yourself. Those are the only explanations I can think of for your insanely random attack on the OP. Here’s another. It hit close to home because I’ve been in a few situations where I’ve been politely taken advantage of by some authority figure. I allowed myself to be walked over each time, but if I’d have rightfully taken a stand, some arrogant know-nothing bystander would have easily deemed me in the wrong. If somebody sees a ballistic black person in a conflict with somebody behind a desk or a badge, the OP proves who’s going to be the “bad guy” in everybody’s mind. And I never used the “race card” either, even though both situations it would have fit; but that has nothing to do with my anti-rant anyway. What stuck out in my mind was that the OP made it a point to point out how “polite” the person behind the counter was being. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-thats-what-the-race-card-looks-like/237448.md?page=4)