Racial Profiling
I frequently eat at restaurants around my city. Usually after Kung Fu classes on Saturday and sometimes during lunch throughout the week.
We frequent two (usually) main types of restaurants:
Indian and Thai.
I love these two cultures as far as cuisine goes: fresh Vegetarian food with no bullshit.
For preValentines Day I took my sister and girlfriend out to a new Thai place around the corner. The place was pretty awesome. It was cheap, good food, fast and friendly. Overall it was a great experience.
Why the hell am I talking about this? What does the title have to do with this post? Well hold your horses and I'll let you know.
Here in America we have a problem recognizing that just because one person has black hair is named Bob doesn't mean that everyone who has black hair is named Bob.
At the Thai place I noticed this rather curvy Asian woman longingly walking to the bathroom. After a few minutes she started her journey back to her seat.
"Excuse me" a woman’s voice, yelled out. The curvy Asian stopped to look at this woman and her family.
"Can we have our check please?" the woman’s voice rang out again. The sound of her voice seemed to echo in this place. Ignorance and my embarrassment drowned all other sound out.
"Uh, I don't work here" the curvy Asian woman replied. Internally, I think I interpreted her reply was in a nasty tone. She continued on her way playing off her obvious(to me) insult.
Wow. That's all I can think.
Wow.
Now I'm sure that you have done that as well. I think I have. Honest mistake.
But I think that people just have to be more aware. Just because I’m a 25-year-old white guy doesn’t mean that I’m amazing at lifting shit up and down the stairs, loading the back of trucks and sweeping dirt into a pile. Just because a woman is Asian eating at a restaurant doesn’t mean she works there.
My bitch is thus: Please take the time to recognize the difference between people. Asian people are different. There are Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian etc. and yes they look different.
Yes mistakes happen I am an advocate of mistakes. In a world of diversity don’t be so self-centered that you think that everyone is the same.
We frequent two (usually) main types of restaurants:
Indian and Thai.
I love these two cultures as far as cuisine goes: fresh Vegetarian food with no bullshit.
For preValentines Day I took my sister and girlfriend out to a new Thai place around the corner. The place was pretty awesome. It was cheap, good food, fast and friendly. Overall it was a great experience.
Why the hell am I talking about this? What does the title have to do with this post? Well hold your horses and I'll let you know.
Here in America we have a problem recognizing that just because one person has black hair is named Bob doesn't mean that everyone who has black hair is named Bob.
At the Thai place I noticed this rather curvy Asian woman longingly walking to the bathroom. After a few minutes she started her journey back to her seat.
"Excuse me" a woman’s voice, yelled out. The curvy Asian stopped to look at this woman and her family.
"Can we have our check please?" the woman’s voice rang out again. The sound of her voice seemed to echo in this place. Ignorance and my embarrassment drowned all other sound out.
"Uh, I don't work here" the curvy Asian woman replied. Internally, I think I interpreted her reply was in a nasty tone. She continued on her way playing off her obvious(to me) insult.
Wow. That's all I can think.
Wow.
Now I'm sure that you have done that as well. I think I have. Honest mistake.
But I think that people just have to be more aware. Just because I’m a 25-year-old white guy doesn’t mean that I’m amazing at lifting shit up and down the stairs, loading the back of trucks and sweeping dirt into a pile. Just because a woman is Asian eating at a restaurant doesn’t mean she works there.
My bitch is thus: Please take the time to recognize the difference between people. Asian people are different. There are Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian etc. and yes they look different.
Yes mistakes happen I am an advocate of mistakes. In a world of diversity don’t be so self-centered that you think that everyone is the same.
posted by Ryan at 2/14/2005 11:12:00 AM
7 Comments:
Good post and a good reminder.People always are making assumptions about others based on appearance alone.
It always facinates me that when you are blogging or IMing you really never know what the other person looks like. You form friendships based purely on their words.
Anyway, hope you and your girlfriend have a Happy Valentines Day..if you really are a guy and really do have a girlfriend and.......
why is that people stereotype all the time...when I'm out and about i'm nice to everyone...the server the shop assistant, the guy clearing the tables, why should you treat people differently because of their status or appearance...ooooh it bugs the helloutame...
thankyou for my link sweetie...you too are very kewl...happy valentines...
I agree. I have always had a sense of humor about these issues, because people can be so looney. Rascism? In 2005?? Come on people.
That being said I did once make an ass of myself at Taco Bell. The guy said in an Indian accent, "May I take your order?" and I, assuming he was some kid joking around said back in a haha I'm a funny white chick Indian voice, "oh well, jes you certainly can."
When I pulled up to the window I was horrified to see that he was in fact from India. He wasn't upset, but I apologized for like 5 minutes for being a jackass. I'm pretty sure he put boogers in my buritto. I deserved those boogers.
also - my hubby once fielded twelve enquiries for ikea when he went their in a blue shirt and yellow tie...very funny...
Great blog. I have to agree about the racism side of things, that is one thing that I truly find difficult to witness.
I actually occasionally get treated differently (depending on what I wear) because I have tattoos. This bugs me, I am no different a person but some people are just close-minded.
Another good post, and a good example of why people should not assume. (It makes an "ass" out of "u" and "me".) Hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Thank you to everyone for their comments. I'm glad with this little piece of web space here that I actually have made a small impact.
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