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

[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!

[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.

[Makeitstop]

While I think you probably could have been a bit more mature in your response, I do think you did the right thing by confronting him. Punks like this one (if my read on his personality is right) often feel like a big man when people won't stand up to them. Having such behavior result in humiliation will hopefully help to teach him a lesson.

[ozone]

Am I missing something here? Many of the images of people of "middle eastern descent" I have seen usually involve the wearing of a skirt-like garment in the the form of flowing robes. So what was this guy's deal? Drunk people just don't make sense.......

[gilmore]

Am I missing something here? Many of the images of people of "middle eastern descent" I have seen usually involve the wearing of a skirt-like garment in the the form of flowing robes. So what was this guy's deal? Drunk people just don't make sense.......

Perhaps in his culture ankle length=heterosexual, knee length=homosexual. Who knows?

[ccga3359]

You handled yourself well enough. It's hoped that your "friend" has learned something, but then again he probably hasn't aside that his mates won't back up his ignorrant mouth. Give credit to his friends that even though it could have been five against one, they chose the right road.

[Rigged]

I think you handled the situation well. A few years ago I had a confrontation with a Middle Eastern fellow who, while passing me on my way to my car asked, "What the H*** is THAT?" pointing to my black workman's Utilikilt. I got out a card and handed it to him saying something like, "Here's the card of the company that makes them, you can read all about it on their website." He slapped the card out of my hand and threatened violence against me if I tried something like that again. I just shrugged and walked away.

Roll forward two weeks later. I run into the same guy at the Student Union. He's all apologetic and we get into a discussion about traditional male garments from his culture and others. He said that after he got home the night of his tirade against me he realized that his own traditional clothing might be viewed as women's clothing by someone who didn't know better.

[Troy]

Great to hear that confrontation went well Troy! I must say "those" people (of Middle Eastern extraction) are exactly the ones that cause me the most concern here in Sydney.
Regards,

Scotty

Welcome to the forum, Scotty.

Let me add a counterpoint to the incident I related to everyone...

Fifteen minutes later, my wife and I were at Central Station waiting for the last train home - we live near Merrylands, which will be familiar to most Sydneysiders. Anyway, we find ourselves on the platform next to six young guys who, judging by their vernacular and the music emitting from a mobile 'phone one of them was holding, were of Lebanese extraction. Not one of them gave me so much as a second glance. Before to long, we were chatting and having a good natured giggle about some poor guy (obviously a bit worse for wear)who was walking the length of almost every platform trying to find his mates, whom we had seen jump on a train a few minutes previously - in the words of the Lebanese boys, he'd been "dogged".

These young guys and my wife & I were the only people in the carriage for most of the way home, and they did nothing at all to harass, intimidate or annoy us. Sure, the were noisy, but they were just behaving like many of us probably did when we were in our late teens.

Sadly, in Sydney at least, young guys from this background have all been branded as thugs & criminals who are above the law, and who should never be stood up to because they will always find a way of getting you back. Even sadder, some of these young fellas, like the one who verbally attacked me, like to play on this image and think that they can say or do anything to anybody and get away with it because everybody is scared of them.

Am I proud of what I said to my antagonist? Not really - I do wish I had chosen my words a little more carefully and not played the 'race' card, so to speak. But, hey, it just goes to show that even though I'll be 40 in a few weeks, I'm still capable of learning.

By the way, Scotty, where in Sydney are you based, and where did yiou grow up.

Regards,

Troy

[Union Richard]

G'day Guys,

New member here. Have been keeping an eye on the forum for a while - have only been kilted a month, but have been interested in peoples experiences here for a bit longer.

Great to hear that confrontation went well Troy! I must say "those" people (of Middle Eastern extraction) are exactly the ones that cause me the most concern here in Sydney. And, most sadly, I even thought about what I would do if I were to be confronted by exactly them whilst wearing my kilt. Isn't that sad?! I'm more than capable of ribbing from mates and the odd jibe here and there... but unfortunately dealing with "them" is a trick indeed. I'm not a big bloke (5'10", 76kg's, green eyes, Pisces) and am certainly not imposing... but even someone built like a brick dunny doesn't seem to dissuade their verbal/physical abuse. The nature of which we have never before experienced in Australia - and so we're often caught off guard by their bravado and penchant for quickly escalating violence. At least in your instance the little dope's accomplices had the sense to keep moving on.

It's interesting isn't it (without delving too far into matters of race) to consider that your accuser was indeed the instigator and the racist.

After much consideration I have decided that if things turn really ugly (ie "they" won't give up and matters get serious) then - provided I'm alone - I will run. Running is definitely cool... particularly so in a kilt!! I guess having been stabbed by one of these types in my previous employ has taught me a thing or two about who the winner really is! Maybe a Crocodile Dundee knife in my hose may keep the buggers at bay?! ;)

So far I've had two full day casual outings in my kilt (with T-Shirt) in Sydney and was comfortable the whole time. I love it! And it really is the ice breaker that Sydney-siders seem to need to warrant having a good auld conversation with a stranger (not at all like in rural Oz like where I grew up!)

Regards,

Scotty

Is thr Kilt traditional or is it Modern?

Richard

[Troy]

I offer this comment as a member, not a moderator.


The racial slur you made brought you to the level of this unpleasant person and was an insult to not only him but the people accompanying him.

Respectfully

Jamie

Indeed, Sir, you are correct. I must admit that I was a little disappointed in myself for retorting in what would be perceived by most people as a racist manner - even though I was simply turning his braggadiccio back on him, my words should have been chosen more carefully.

While simply ignoring the little twit to start with may have been a better option overall, I believe that there are some times when bullies need to be stood up to and be made to look like the idiots they are (even if it sometimes requires one to momentarily stoop to their level).

Regards,

Troy