ok, so i'm overhearing some people at work talking. they always always get chinese food for lunch, at least 3 times a week. it always smells so good.
today, the delivery is really late and i overhear a woman say, "those chinese people need to get themselves over here, quick!"
... i don't know how i feel about this. maybe i'm overly sensitive, but perhaps that's only culled from years of racial mocking in elementary and middle school.
if i were to order "soul food" and say, "those black people need to get over here quick!" or from the jerk hut, "those black jamaican people need to get my food over here" - i wonder how they would feel.
just looking for opinions here, because i'm not sure i can be objective. it just doesn't sound right, perhaps it was the tone of her voice.
10 comments:
Sounds bad to me.
Those white people need to quit being so racist!
;)
I'm not saying they're right, because there's a very good chance they weren't. But there's a small possibility that didn't mean Chinese people so much as the people with the chinese food. Sort of how I complain about the pizza guy being late.
Again, it's a long shot. Mostly people are just stupid.
people are pretty stupid, i completely agree w/ that.
People are pretty stupid, and I have a feeling that we say stuff like "the pizza guy" because we assume that person will be white - but if it's a person of ethnicity, then I believe the assumption they are late BECAUSE of their ethnicity... Why couldn't they say - "that delivery person needs to get here right quick!"? Hmmmmm.... And besides, you have every right to be sensitive about this - after all, you did endure a hell of a lot of mockery for your ethnicity. Judging from what you've said about your illustrious coworkers in the past, I think this was definitely a racial slur - come people of color and serve me - bring me my food. Blech. I hope they spit in it!
i agree with Michelle, but less eloquently: those folk are assholes. these days, lots of people don't even realise that what they're saying can be hurtful... like when somebody says they were "gypped" and all i can think of is my family, who would never "gyp" somebody if they could help it.
grrrr
---MB
i agree that it seems racist - it would be one thing if they said, "the chinese food delivery guy," but saying, "these chinese people" makes it seem like their beef has to do with the people being chinese.
btw, gimchi, i've had to update my url. please send me an email if you'd like the new address:
dorisnightblogger@yahoo.com
My favourite when people find out I'm Japanese:
'I've had sushi once.'
Yeah and so what? I don't tell an Italian:
'Hey I had spaghetti once.'
Or the other one that irks me from schooldays is when iys a bit chilly and people say;
'There's a nip in the air' or 'It's a bit nippy'
Now they're stressing the word like at school but I think you get my drift.
I meant to say 'Not that they're stressing the word'
K, you have every right to feel whatever comes up around that. For me, I've come to realize that so many people truly don't know when they are being offensive, even those with hearts of gold (like me). I sometimes say something not knowing it might offend. From the sound of your story it is probably a case of ignorance. And if people want to know when they are being offensive (as I do) it might be something you could talk to them about one on one. That is up to you. It really is a tough subject, what with comedians muddying the water, not to mention our president and his family being about as rascist as you can be.
I want to keep learning. :-)
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