I am typing and posting this now because once I leave from work I’m supposed to chill with my chick until late (which would lead to no new post for tomorrow).
The title of this entry is called “I Feel Ashamed” because of what just transpired not too long ago at my work place. After you read about it I would like your honest opinion on the situation. How you felt about what was said, my reaction, how you would have reacted and how you would have felt after your reaction.
The story…
Today was someone’s birthday in my department and that means…party. I swear, my department will look for the most minute and minuscule reason to plan a party then itch and moan about the work that’s piled up on their desks at the end of the day. We celebrated the extra day in February with an extravagant Leap Year party. All I was thinking was “Where in the hell of hells did these retards find ‘Happy Leap Year’ balloons?”
After everybody set up their dish in the cluster of empty cubicles, we all took some of everything and stood in a circle to converse about the food and call the first person with sauce on their cheek fat. It was during this “Koombaya” gathering that the injustice occurred.
This guy, Nicholas, was standing next to me in the circle making sure that he was not denied an active role in the streams of conversation. After a convo about acquired tastes and different cultures, He decided to cut one of the few good looking girls left in the office off to say, “OH DON’T GIVE ME THAT! I'M TIRED OF ALL OF THIS 'YO SON! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BOUTS DIS SOUL FOOD DOGGY SCRAP mess!” (Oh, in case you have not caught on yet, dude’s white…) He then went on to say, "HOW YOU THINK YOU PEOPLE GOT YOUR PRECIOUS SOUL FOOD? THERE AINT NO PIGS IN AFRICA. YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU ARE SOOO IN LOVE WITH FRIED CHICKED, THERE AINT NO CHICKENS AND WATERMELON IN AFRICA AND IF THERE ARE CHICKENS THEN UMPH!"
Why did he say “Umph?” He said it because my fist went clean across his jaw.
I didn’t get fired or anything. In fact, I was apologized to over and over again by the President and VP of the company for this happening.
I feel ashamed because dude obviously has a certain perception of African-Americans, Blacks, Negroes, whatever floats your boat nowadays. I don’t believe that my losing my cool during a potential verbal altercation and by hurting him physically helped rectify how he misperceived my race, culture, creed etc. I don’t believe it was a good/helpful image for the others in and out of the circle who witnessed the event either. I feel as though I may have perpetuated the normal stereotypes associated with “my people.”
*Deep Sigh*
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13 comments:
I think its understandable that you felt that way. I would have been mad as hell if I heard a white person be outwardly racist. At least you know who to look out for.
I dont think you perpetuated any stereotypes. You acted as a man(no color matters) who was being confronted and you had to defend yourself. Maybe you should use words instead of anger but your reaction is understood.
I agree with 1/3 of blah blah blah. Dude needed to be chin-checked. But it woulda been better if you verbally destroyed like only you can. Cuz you cant punch every racist you meet, and there's goin be more. You lucky you still got ya job, so be on ya best behavior there in the future. Cuz please believe niggas is watchin you now. Don't want em thinking you're a hothead.
As for his perception and reinforcing stereotypes, fuck that! That dude still going hate Blacks regardless of what you do prolly, and it ain't your responsibility to fix his perception. That said, my ocnclusion is that you still could have handled it better.
Dude read any one of my "It's Racism...It's Always Racism" blogs...heck read onthewritersblock.blogspot.com...believe me the whole crew can sympathize
sometime u have to let ignant ppl be ignant. all i could do was laugh when i read that shit...i know it's hard to accept, but what can u do. glad u didnt lose ur job behind it...
-karrie b.
@1/3
I don't think dude is there anymore. Either he got a suspension of they fired him.
Words would have been the more logical choice in this case but hey...I'm just happy that I have a job lol.
@Knowledge:
I have nothing else to say but...you are right. I could've slaughtered him verbally but instead i reacted without a second thought.
@Yellow:
I've been meaning to Subscribe to the OntheWritersblock blog. Thanks for the reminder. When Google reader starts working in Firefox again I'm doing that.
@karrie:
Yeah thats the funny thing. I believe that if I was still in college, or if this was anytime before college I wouldn't have hit/cold-copped him like that. I don't know why I didn't exert more self control. I guess I'm suffering from the whole "Angry Black Man" complex...
I don't think that you perpetuated any stereotypes either. No matter how professional you are, he still thinks what he wants to think. I can't believe the balls on that guy... He didn't care who he offended. I'm glad you punched his lights out though. (And didn't get fired!)
aww man i laughed out loud when i read the umph! part. LOL.
seriously though, i think you did what any black man, intelligent or not, would have done. there was no reason for him to come out of the side of his face like that and i bet he won't anymore. LOL.
seriously, that was awesome. just be on your best behavior now. i'm glad they fired his butt.
there was an incident at my job last year when a 40-something white guy made a joke. i came dressed as batgirl for our halloween party and he said something along the lines of:
a black baby is born. God gives the baby wings. the baby is happy and asks God, 'does this mean i am an angel?' God laughs hysterically, then says, 'hell no nigger, you're a bat. happy halloween'.
yeah. i was on his butt like white on...well him. he was fired so fast it made his head spin. don't piss off a black woman. for real. lol.
I am dying at the umph! I can't believe you didn't get fired.
Why did he say “Umph?” He said it because my fist went clean across his jaw.
hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
I wouldn't have hit him. I wouldn't have ignored either. Knowing me, I would have ragged him from here on out though. At my job, the whites, the cool whites "try" and act black. We rag em but its all in good fun. If one was to get out of line, then it's 4:30...we're going to hurt his feelings.
@Pretty.Hip:
Yeah it's a shame that you can not alter ignorant peoples point of view as easily as you would like to.He came in today to get his box that they give people who've been fired for their belongings that were in their cubicle.
@Muze:
I'm glad that I could entertain you lol.
LOL at the "side of mouth" play on words (I don't know if you intended to do so but you get credit anyway because...you're Muze lol)
and about the comment that guy made at your job, I would have had two office knockouts on record lol. syke nah...I'm glad you got him fired. He deserved it. That gave him enough time to think about that mess (while he looked for another job and waiting the three month period so that he could qualify for new benefits).
@Monie:
That makes two of us. The execs were apologizing for hours...that mess shocked me.
@Don:
If one was to get out of line, then it's 4:30...we're going to hurt his feelings
LOL it sounds as if you were setting up an after school fight in the parking lot lol. Too funny!
Don't worry about feeling shame... you took one for the team. Thank you. Now dude will know that the stereotype about black people not taking any shit is true! Kudoes, applause, snaps... and whatever the hell else you want. You are my hero!
lol Thanks MP thats whats up!
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