Subjected to 'racial abuse' while kilted - sorry if length and/or content offends

[emolas]

READ A BOOK!"

Sorta like my favorite phrase: RTFM

My favorite comeback when somebody says something suggestive about what they and my mother have done is to thank them for being kind to her because she's over 60, fat, toothless, and hasn't seen much action in a while. I have yet to see anyone come back from that one.

I think it was well handled. A good joke or just plain ignoring someone does wonders to take the wind out of their sails. Like I tell my kids, fighting is foolish and it takes two to fight so if you aren't fighting then the other person is just making a fool of themselves all alone.

[Ozman1944]

As a fellow-Aussie (now in the U.S.) You handled it perfectly. "Slur for slur' does not have the same connotations there as it does here in the U.S. Racism is endemic in U.S. history, and is still alive & well-even if improving. Australia is only just beginning to have interracial problems, which ironicaly are actually being instigated by certain Middle Easterners of a certain religion & culture.
Mature Aussies tend to use their tongues first, and fists as a reluctant last recourse. Many fights are avoided with a buit of verbal one upmanship.
Good on yer mate! You told him - & he backed off.

[Kiltman]

As a fellow-Aussie (now in the U.S.) You handled it perfectly. "Slur for slur' does not have the same connotations there as it does here in the U.S. Racism is endemic in U.S. history, and is still alive & well-even if improving.

To judge from today's news (Sept 20, 2007) racism is still a major part of the US. Emmett Till's fate is all too immediate still.

Australia is only just beginning to have interracial problems, which ironically are actually being instigated by certain Middle Easterners of a certain religion & culture.
Mature Aussies tend to use their tongues first, and fists as a reluctant last recourse. Many fights are avoided with a buit of verbal one upsmanship.
Good on yer mate! You told him - & he backed off.

Won't it be great when all this disappears and we all can get on with being humans?

[Archangel]

Won't it be great when all this disappears and we all can get on with being humans?

Carbon Unit Infestation.


No, really, your sentiments/wishes are right on.

[Dirk Skene]

I am no doctor, but it sounds like these boys have some serious emotional problems You still handled the problem in a much more gentlemanly manner than I would have. I rarely am subjected to crass comments, but when I am go from zero to nasty very quickly. Turpin is trying to make me better.

[gseven1]

Thanks Troy for posting this. It is always good to see how other people handle these types of situations. I've not had many problems myself, but it gives me something to think about just in case.

Glad it resolved itself that well.

Cheers.

[Perldog007]

I guess that cultures vary. I have posted it before and will probably post it a thousand more times. If some idiot calling me a homosexual is the worst thing that happens to me in a day, that ain't such a tough day.

Compared to what others on this earth face, it's a cakewalk. Personally I know some decent hardworking folks who happen to be gay or lesbian. I grew up backstage in the theatre so I guess I just don't care. As long as the Mrs. knows my preference, the rest of the world can be hanged.

How or if I respond would be determined by situation and state of mind. Usually if I bothered, it would be in a way to point out the obvious. The person making the comment has got some things going on in the imagination department.

I have to confess an unfavorable prejudice towards some middle eastern cultures. I do have good friends from the region, but had to work past my preconceptions to get there.

While responding to such a statement would be out of character for me I could understand why some would feel impelled to. Such blatent ignorance and hatred would tend to invoke a strong emotional response from me. Making it all the more likely that I would simply take my leave.

My unsolicited .02 USD, if we are secure enough to wear kilts, we can handle the occasional idiot exposing his latent tendencies. Just a thought.

[Bob C]

Troy, you did great. You must have laughed like hell when it was all over. I was chuckling, just reading your story.

Well done!

[Troy]

I have to confess an unfavorable prejudice towards some middle eastern cultures. I do have good friends from the region, but had to work past my preconceptions to get there.

While responding to such a statement would be out of character for me I could understand why some would feel impelled to. Such blatent ignorance and hatred would tend to invoke a strong emotional response from me. Making it all the more likely that I would simply take my leave.

My unsolicited .02 USD, if we are secure enough to wear kilts, we can handle the occasional idiot exposing his latent tendencies. Just a thought.

I agree with you totally - what somebody does or doesn't think about me doesn't worry me in the least. If somebody wants to make a smart-alec remark about me wearing a kilt I'm not going to get upset about it, but unfortunately I have a bit of mongrel streak in me if someone wants to get nasty.

As far as the whole Middle Eastern thing goes - I take people as I find them. Unfortunately a lot of these young guys here in Sydney who are of Lebanese descent have a bit of a chip on their shoulder and buy into the whole gangsta rap scene and think of themselves as hard men. To be fair though, I wonder how many of these lads have grown up seeing their mother get abused or spat on by some ignorant Anglo-Celt for wearing a headscarf. Still, copping grief over your own ethnicity is no excuse for wanting to attack other people because of theirs.

Cheers,

Troy

[Casper]

"Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience"

Well played, good on ya for keeping your cool.