Totally unintentional racism.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I thought I'd put this topic here because it could degenerate into something worse. I'm sure someone else has much better stories of "unintentional racism" than I do, but I'll start off with what inspired this topic.

 

I was talking earlier with a friend about this experience I had when I was, oh, about 9 or 10 years old. I've always been something of a history geek, and persuaded my parents to go to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia along with our trip to Washington, DC that summer. The appeal of that town is that it's preserved pretty much in how it would've looked like back in the late 18th century, late 19th century. Anyways, I remember going to this one thing where there was this white man blabbing on and on about "his work" (he's really probably just an actor, but was acting as if he was a cobbler in the 18th century) while I noticed a black woman behind him. I got excited for some reason, pointed at her and went, "OHH IS THAT YOUR SLAVE? THAT'S SO COOL!". My parents, along with everyone else in the room, were horrified. My dad hit me. The black lady just laughed.

 

And years later, I still remember that and probably would've also hit myself for the lack of tact, but I suppose all little kids kind of lack that to begin with, anyways.

[Vampiro69 0]

A friend of mine was showing a black family around my old college campus for a tour a few years back and he kept have sophomore helpers running around asking him questions. The family said that they are very hard workers and he said that they are working like slaves trying to get their work done. There was an akward pause of about 5 seconds and he quickly apoligized. The family's daughter never did attend the college.

 

I was ten feet away when he said this and you have never heard a room of 50 people get that quiet so fast.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Awesome story, V-X. When I was a kid my old man kept in close touch with his childhood friend named Bumpy (don't ask). One day we were eating watermelon at my grandma's house and for some reason dad pronounced it ebonic-like, something like "wadda-melon." Well the next time we were at Bumpy's house I said that I wanted some "wadda-melon." My old man didn't speak ebonic-like to me after that (or at least not as much). Bumpy died not too long ago.

[Red Baron 0]

My friends little brother went to Six Flags, and coming from a town that is 99.99999999% white, he pointed to a black person saying "Hey look, a chocolate man."

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

It's techincally bigotry and not racism, but a customer came into WalMart about a year ago and told me:

 

Customer: I just bought a fantastic home theatre, all kinds of speakers, DVD player; Whats a good movie to watch on it? Show me some action movies!

Me: Well, how about Total Recall? Terminator Series? Generic good guy-bad guy stuff?

C: Meh.

M: *pics up Day After Tomorrow*. How bout this, the Day After Tomorrow?

C: What's it about?

M: Armageddon. New York, Washington, America - they take a beating from tidal waves and earthquakes. It's awesome.

 

 

 

I just discussed this in the sports folder; a buddy of mine always liked that The Masters golf tournament was played in a state that was part of the Confederacy.

[Richard 0]

When I five or six, my mom showed me a book of Uncle Remus stories. Of course, I think it's a swell idea to talk that way at the place my parents worked at. My dad was pretty pissed at my mom naturally.

[Art Sandusky 0]

When I was four, I ordered "frump" (shrimp) at a restaurant. My grandmother realized the folly of speaking her "nigga-talk" around me quickly.

[Special K 0]

I was an infant, and my Dad was showing me around the workplace. One of his friends comes up, and he's the first black man I'd ever seen. Apparently, I just started BAWLING.

[Richard 0]

When I was four, I ordered "frump" (shrimp) at a restaurant. My grandmother realized the folly of speaking her "nigga-talk" around me quickly.

 

Can you explain this one a little more?

[foleyfanforever88 0]

A few months ago, a friend and I were walking up to the dining hall and a black guy asked me if I could swipe him in, meaning into the dining hall, because he had forgotten his card I assume, and we get unlimited meals, whatever. Well, for some reason I thought he meant into the dorm where the dining hall we were going to was (across campus from where I live), so since I didn't live there, I said no. Then I realized once we were in line for food what he had asked for and I felt like an ass.

[Art Sandusky 0]

When I was four, I ordered "frump" (shrimp) at a restaurant. My grandmother realized the folly of speaking her "nigga-talk" around me quickly.

 

Can you explain this one a little more?

It's a pretty exclusively Southern thing. Gullah talk and all that.

[BUTT 0]

Well, when I was 7, after learning the term in a book about Martin Luther King, I referred to my older brother as a "little nigger". He laughed and my mom told me what it meant. Good thing I found that out early.

[Copper Feel 0]

J.R's "pet coon" talk got me into a similar situation with my father back in 2001.

[Twisted Intestine 0]

I don't know how unintentional this was, but Me and a friend were at Macs buying scratch tickets and playing them outside. A black woman was working... This couple came in (I forget where they said they were from) who I assume haven't ever seen a black person before. They were tanked, and talking to me and my friend before they went in. Once they came out of the store the woman shouts to us, "There's a nigger in there!" but in a real happy, excited voice...

 

It was weird.

[luke-o 0]

When my grandfather got a bus from liverpool to reading, he enjoyed his trip.

 

I asked him as much upon his rival, he replied with:

 

"yeah it was nice, untill we got to Birmingham and then all these wogs got on".

 

I think he can get away with it because he's old.

[Twisted Intestine 0]

My sister's fiance is black...

 

Last night I was talking to her on MSN, and just randomly I said "You're boyfriends hungry, go make him a chicken." I quickly realized that it could have come off racist and added "Or turkey... Or beef."

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Please.

 

That's not racism. Black people will fully, willingly admit their love of poultry.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Now, now, just because he's black does not mean he's genetically predisposed to liking him some chicken. I just thought black folk liked chicken because it was good!

[Hoff 0]

Man, it IS good. I could go for a nice drumstick right now, or maybe a few buffalo wings...mmm!

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, it would've ben worse if you said watermelon or something.

[luke-o 0]

Or banana.

[lomasmoney 0]

hey if he was thirsty too, you could have added in Kool-aid, but only red, purple, or orange

[foleyfanforever88 0]

Or banana.

[Special K 0]

I just got my first watermelon of the season. Fucking delicious.

 

On the intentional racism side, one of the fraternities, when I was in college, had a 'MLK day' party. Sitting outside, 40's, Popeye's, and watermelon. Worst fucking thing i've ever seen. Thankfully, they got busted.

[migoli 0]

Yeah i have a few stories like these but the funniest one is probably when my mother and aunt took my great grandma out to lunch,well my great grandma had Alzheimer's and a few other things at the end there so she would just pop off at the mouth with tons of random things, well when the food was taking a while my grandma asked the waiter,who was black, "Wheres my food jigga-boo?"

[BX 0]

I just got my first watermelon of the season. Fucking delicious.

 

On the intentional racism side, one of the fraternities, when I was in college, had a 'MLK day' party. Sitting outside, 40's, Popeye's, and watermelon. Worst fucking thing i've ever seen. Thankfully, they got busted.

 

Do you go to Appalachian State?

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

This one just happened a few days ago to me at work at WalMart. I'm not sure if it counts, as the "victim" wasnt offended. Prelude: We use the word 'brother' to almost every guy in the store. You can surely see where this is going.

 

A black guy came into electronics, where I work, and asked for help getting some furniture into his car, from the neighbourhing department. I told him I'd call a Store Standards guy, for whom I paged. He called back and I told him a carry-out was needed. He said he was about to do one, so I'd have to wait. I said "no problem, just need one when you're finished". We hung up, and it dawned on me about 10 seconds later that it might be the same carry-out. By this time, the customer had gone back into furniture. I went into the centre aisle to tidy up a mess, and I saw Dan, the Store Standards guy (aka Store Dandards) pushing an empty cart about 30 yards away. I shouted "Where's the carry-out, brother?" to Dan, but the customer popped his head out from one of the furniture aisles and said "right here, please".

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

I thought it was proven VX was a racist when he made that stupid comment on McNabb being on par with Jake Plummer.

[Gary Floyd 0]

I thought it was proven VX was a racist when he made that stupid comment on McNabb being on par with Jake Plummer.

Carlito: The Racism Police

[Guest Vitamin X]

Oh god, not this tool again.