I wanted to make sure to write a post about what happened to me on Sunday night while I was out. It was disturbing, but rewarding in the end, and speaks a lot for the work society has made but also still has ahead of us.
Sunday two of my girl friends and I were out at a bar in Charleston, WV. All three of us are friends with the bartender, as well as an "off-duty" bouncer who was there. Both of these men were sitting and talking with us; when the bouncer and my friend would go outside to smoke (yay smoking ban!!), I would generally accompany them. On one of these occasions, the bouncer happened to give me a hug, for which he is well-known around town for doing. While this was happening, a man who had been in the bar and who knew my friend through work (but did not know her well) was watching from afar. As I would later find out, this man was not okay with a black man hugging a white woman.
After returning to the bar, the bouncer joined some of his friends and left us to continue talking at our table. The man from outside returned as well, and after seeing that I was not with the bouncer, used it as an opportunity to voice his opinion. This came in the form of some very offensive statements, beginning with the question, "Are you really okay F------ a black guy?" This not only offended me because of the obvious racism, but also because to him, a woman hugging a male at a bar is presumed to automatically lead to sex. He continued along this line of questioning, and also mentioned things like that just not being "right". He showed immediate disgust when I told him that I really saw no problem with the scenario he was presenting. My friend wasted little time in sternly telling him that it should not matter one's race in any type of relationship, whether it be platonic or intimate. When he continued to make offensive statements, my friend left to alert the bartender of the problem. He then alerted the owner of the bar, who was there at the time.
The offender had walked away by this time, and my friend and I went on to discuss the situation. After some time, we started to leave the bar only to find the exit blocked by what turned out to be a very satisfying sight. The bartender, owner, bouncer, and three of the other patrons were calmly confronting the man and explaining why what he said was not okay. They informed him that he needed to leave and not come back. One should also understand that the owner and bartender were white men and the bouncer and other patrons black men. While I was incredibly surprised, offended, and saddened at the remarks that were said, the sight of this group coming together to peacefully defy the remarks and actions of this man was relatively moving. I have been in bars in Charleston where offenses, albeit generally sexist ones, are overlooked because the person is a [well] paying customer. That was not the case in this situation; further, it illustrated the power of approaching such situations with words rather than punches.
35 comments:
i had a similar conversation with one of my best friends a couple weekends ago. i hadn't seen him in a few years. we used to eat dirt together (i've known him since i was 3). we were catching up well into several beers and as i was showing him some pics of my friends and experiences of the past few years, he commented on the race of a girl/friend of mine. she's from the philipines and he thought she was black. the next few comments he made after that really crushed me, the same type of that's-just-not-right rhetoric was coming out of the mouth of someone i never would've guessed even had those ignorant thoughts. so i proceeded to argue the fact that even though she is a different race, just because she's not black makes it ok? i still don't know what to think of my old friend. i was so disappointed in him that i didn't know how to react. it's clear that rational thought and guidance does not work in trying to convince someone with irrational 'values'. anyways, it is somewhat refreshing to hear that your bar employed friends didn't thrash the shit out of that dude. something that happens quite a bit around the area, for for less even.
Racism is vile.
Doesn't it bother you a little however that a person was asked to never return to a public place because he expressed an opinion in (what sounds like) a non threatening manner?
Would this situation have turned out any differently if a black man had asked a black woman how she could date a white guy given this country's racial history and problems? If such a black man would have been asked to leave and never return to a public place due to such a comment wouldn't you feel the opposite of the way you feel now?
We live in a race conscious country, like it or not. Telling people they can't feel a particular way fosters resentment, isolation and extremism. So long as people are not threatening, if you don't like their ideas, simply ignore them.
Market place of ideas... if you don't like what is being sold, don't buy it, and their won't be a market for it anymore. (The point being that you don't need to ban people from selling it).
Freedom of speech and expression are the answer to racism not the cause.
Anon, just because a place is open to the public does not make it a "public place" for purposes of freedom of expression. The owner is certainly allowed to decide he doesn't want the patronage of that person, and the person's freedom of expression, in a legal sense of the phrase, doesn't come in to play---the owner can bar someone for a good reason, or no reason, but not for a legally prohibited reason(like because of someone's race, religion, national origin, etc). So, next level of consideration, should someone be barred just for their view of the world, just cuz the owner was within the law to do so. Sure. Why not? Acts have consequences---it's one thing if Mr. Racist wants to sit in the bar and have those thoughts when he sees a white person and a black person hugging. But going up to one of the participants, and note he confronted the female in the encounter, who was most likely smaller than he, rather than the male???, anyway, going up to one of the participants and confronting them takes the entire matter to another level---view has become action toward another. And yes, an owner is justified in saying "I don't want my patrons to have to put up with that kind of action in my bar". So, let Mr. Racist either conform his behavior toward other people (he can have all the thoughts he wants) or let him go do his drinking somewhere where other people meet his conduct code.
And good on everyone in this situation who wouldn't stand idly by, and instead turned their thoughts into action.
In a legal sense you are correct. This happened in a bar, not at the Courthouse. And if b was threatened or felt unsafe in any way then that becomes another story entirely (I will not defend threatening behavior).
(In fairness though it sounded to me that Mr. Racist approached the girl because he believed that she (the member of his race) was the wrong doer, not the black man)
The point is that if the standard to be banned forever from a place of public accomodation (hotel, resturant, bar etc.) is saying something to someone that they or the owner finds politically offensive, none of us, who still believe in talking about anything other than the weather, will be able to leave our homes.
While you may think that Mr. Racist staying home all day is a good thing, I worry about what comes next and about what will happen to the principle of public discourse when people who are so ready and willinging to try to supress it are able to make the decisions about what is 'appropriate' or 'right' for places of public accomodation. (What good is the right to think freely if you can't say what is on your mind?)
I would rather defend the lone non-threatening racist's right to speak his mind than sit idly by while others use their own moral and so called 'educated' judgment to determine what is appropriate for you and I.
A few things here:
First, the situation you present between a black woman and black man seems like an intelligent discussion, which is not what Mr.Racist (nice name, Ma)was trying to engage me in. Asking a person how they justify something is different than rhetorically asking someone how they could stand to have sex with another person.
Second, the men did not tell Mr. Racist how he could or could not think and feel; rather, they told him he could express incredibly offensive comments to other patrons in that particular bar.
Third, the owner and bartender did no kick this man out because they were politically offended; they kicked him out because he was being offensive and yes, quite threatening which I will get to in a moment, to three women less than half his size. He was saying hostile, rhetorical, and unproductive things that were creating a very threatening situation. It worries me that you keep referring to the situation described as "public discourse"; it was absolutely nothing of the sort. I regularly engage in this type of intelligent conversation with my One Republican Friend, yet it does not involve offensive statements. Asking someone how they could really stand to f--- a black guy (I have a feeling he would have less of a problem if the man was still not white, but also not black) is by no way trying to start a discussion on race issues in this country. In reality, it creates a threatening (just ask someone who grew up in the south in the 50s if they'd consider what that man said threatening) and hostile environment; he can feel however the hell he wants, but he can't offend three other customers and get away with it.
*Correction:
They told him he could NOT, not that he could. Typo!
Anon, I will defend all day Mr. Racist's ability (although not a right) to sit at the bar and say "Geez, it pisses me off when I see white women with men not of their race and it drives me BERZERK when I thin they are f&*^ing them". That makes him a jerk as far as I'm concerned. But that's not what Mr. Racist did. He decided it was OK, or his right, to go up to the white woman he believed was offending his sensibilities and confront her on the issue. Confront her in a manner that she found physically threatening and intimidating. That is what is not OK. And the bar owner was absolutely right to convey to Mr. Racist that bar owner will not tolerate and will not welcome into his privately owned establishment anyone who behaves in a threatening manner to another patron.
Let Mr Racist talk all day long and give his views. But when Mr. Racist purposely confronts another person in a purposely threatening manner (oh please do not tell me that he might not have meant to be threatening to a woman less than half his size--just do not insult the intelligence or experience of women in this culture that we can't tell the difference), that's when Mr. Racist went beyond what is tolerable by an open society to keep the channels of discourse open and flowing
And Anon, Mr Racist did not approach "the girl because he believed that she"---he approached a woman---give b her due here.
you tell 'em sweet lou!!
Alan, yes, I often find myself channeling the Cubs' manager--although I can't kick dust at a base quite the way he can
Only have time for 3 quick points.
1. I made it very clear that if Mr. Racist was threatening in any manner that the situation was indefensible. Aside from the crass language (which I would expect from a drunk ignorant idiot) I didn't take 'threatening' away from the story..."I just don't think its right" didn't sound threatening to me. That being said b's subsequent comment made it clear that it was threatening. That being the case, I will now speak only in theory.
2. It has been said over and over in these comments in one way or another that it is ok for Mr. Racist to think these things, it might even be ok for him to sit and mutter them aloud to himself, but staying them outloud to the person offending his opinions is inappropriate (again, please don't talk about threats here because I agree with you on that issue). But this brings me back to the issue that I was focused on, freedom to think is meaningless without freedom to speak (and I don't mean mutter or talk to oneself, I mean to state your opinion aloud to those who disagree and may even be offended by your views).
3. Finally, "girl" is a widely accepted informal term to refer to woman in much the same way that "guy" is an an informal word to describe a man. To be offensive one would need to add some sort of adjective that played into the notion that a 'girl' was something less than a full grown, independant, adult..."little girl" e.g. (however if b found such a reference offensive then I am sincerely sorry). Furthermore I find it a little odd that it is not ok for me to refer to b as a girl but it is ok to suggest that because she is a female that she is somehow meek, weak or otherwise incapable of being confronted with a disagreeable or offensive view by a member of the opposite sex. (Again please don't talk about threatening here...if it was threatening then it is (was) totally inappropriate.)
Oh and one more thing since b said it was interesting. Same situation except both participants are black instead of white. Black guy says to black girl, woman, gal, female...whatever, "I can't believe you would eff a white guy, (man, dude, boy whatever)...I just don't think its right."
Is that guy is banned from the bar? Same feelings about him being banned?
I believe the issues raised both in 2 and 3 are more complex than you are making them out to be.
You keep separating Mr. Racist simply saying something aloud to someone and saying it in a threatening manner. You are missing the point: freedom of speech allows that he can think and say these things, but feeling threatened or offended is not something he has control over. Thus,perhaps he felt that he had the right to express his opinion, but it is how the person feels in the end that is the point. I already agreed that an intelligent and calm discourse of differing opinions is fine and generally welcome. The expression we are talking about here, and that you keep defending, is inherently threatening (again, just ask someone,specifically a person of color, who grew up in the South in the 50s) when it is by a stranger, is a man confronting a woman (I will get to that next...), and is an offensive, rhetorical question. I will agree (which I already did), that the interaction you described between the black man and the black woman was non-confrontational and contained language that initiated a thoughtful discussion. Had Mr. Racist approached me and said something along the lines, politely of course, Did you grow up in a family that welcomed interracial dating? Have you always felt comfortable personally with interracial dating?, that would have been different. Yet, because of the fact that Mr. Racist was just that, blatantly racist, it is almost impossible to say whether we could have a thoughtful discussion such as one I would welcome and consider to be exercising one's freedom of speech.
Secondly, while this is a different matter almost entirely, I disagree with your assessment of both using the term "girl" as accepted and that by feeling threatened by a man, I was implying females are inherently weak. First, I admit that this is simply an assumption, but I am guessing you are not female, because I know few women over the age of 18 that are comfortable being called "girl". I do not know to which community you are referring, but "girl" is not widely accepted as a term to refer to woman as is "guy" with men. Guy does not imply young, innocent, unintelligent; rather, that would be "boy". Might I remind you of the usage of "boy" to refer to black men less than 50 years ago to imply their inferiority; now, "girl" is used by [mostly] men to refer to women as the inferior opposite. Again, you will be hard pressed to find a woman who needs to hear any adjective in front of the word "girl" to feel offended. We do not go around referring to grown men as "boys". Further, I am not implying that because I am female, I am inherently weaker than a male. Just last weekend, I alone stood up to three males trying to steal my taxi. Yet, this is far more complex than perhaps you realize. There are situations when strong females can easily stand up to males (ie my taxi), but unfortunately, due to the prevalence, spectral nature of sexual[ized] violence, there is not much room for unknown, large men to confront females with offensive statements without implying threat because the threat is always present. If you still don't get it, just watch this Wanda Sykes clip. Not only will it make you laugh, but perhaps enlighten you about the fact that just by being or identifying visibly as a female inherently leaves you open to the possibility of assault, even if you can single-handedly kick three males out of your taxi.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=R8FfFwtL91Q
Long time reader, first time commenter (but I saw I was mentioned in these comments and I could not resist).
I agree with b that such a comment, to anyone (but espicially a woman), in a bar is inherently threatening. Threats and incitements toward violence are NOT constitutionally protected speech. Mr. Racist crossed the line, I am fine with him being asked to leave the bar and not return.
That being said, forgetting about the specifics of your situation,
I would argue that the right to free expression and speech is MOST important when that speech is offensive and terrible. "One man's vulgarity is another man's lyric." (Justice Harlan) Free speech is not designed to protect intellectual discussion among friends. It is meant to protect those whose views would be banned (perhaps even by well intentioned folks) because they are hateful, dangerous, offensive or ignorant.
I guess what I am saying is that free speech protects the rights of American's to offend you. It protects the rights of people to say terrible things and they are not required to listen to reason or intellect, they are not required to listen at all.
The best thing about what anon said was when she/he spoke about the market place of ideas. I learned about that concept in school too. But in order to work, it must be a free market. That means both free of censorship against ugly ideas AND free of intimidation or threat.
Well, unfortunately for Mr. Racist, he was in a privately owned establishment. Perhaps if he had chosen to confront me on the street outside of the bar, it would have been a different story.
Would anyone be surprised if this "Anonymous" character was a white man (or boy)?
I play on my company's soccer team in this intermediate league in San Francisco and apparently a player in the game that played before us this past week was kicked out for yelling racial slurs at other players. When the ref told us, everyone on the field agreed how awful that was and that racism should never be tolerated. If people aren't kicked out of restaurants, games, etc. for their racist comments, it tells them that it's OK with us to be openly racist and those attitudes will just be perpetuated. Kick those assholes out every chance you get! Otherwise they'll keep opening their dirty, racist mouths. If you're worried about not being able to leave the house, then good, stay at home and be hateful by yourself.
b, please don't talk to strangers in bars.
Unca D
Because obviously a white guy shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion on race (he certainly lacks the education and mental capacity to understand the issues, and he probably spends his spare time beating up brown people and non-christians).
Thank God there are still those who will tell me how to think and act since I am incapable thinking intelligently on my own. I appriciate you making decisions for me about what can be said by whom and where they can say it. It might help if you just made all of these decisions, it would really cut down on contraversy and dissent if you just chose who had to stay at home.
If you have spare time would you choose a religion for me?
Anon, you're obviously missing many of the points made. Men don't get to choose and make assumptions about what women might take offense to, sorry, just don't. You made quite the false assumption that "girl" is widely accepted as a term for adults identifying as women, something a man does not get to make the judgment call on. So yea, sorry, we (the women in this comment section) do get to choose what you can call us, since we take offense to being called a word that actually means young, unsophisticated, and inferior.
Also, you are now acting as though you identify with Mr. Racist. Let me make this even clearer: think whatever the hell you want, just don't angrily and offensively confront someone about it in a private establishment without the understanding that there can, and may very well be, retaliation. Go hold a picket sign on the damn sidewalk if you want your freedom of speech.
Lastly, I have little sympathy for the white man's boo-hooing. You've had little to worry about since, well, the beginning of time. No one is telling you what to feel or think, or what religion to be, but seriously, there are things white men have long taken for granted that women and people of color must think about every day (and don't give me that liberal, "But, I'm aware!!" bullshit, it's not the same). Read up on what it means to be a white male in this society and how damn privileged you are.
Oh and P.S. - If you're going to be so ridiculously defensive about freedom of speech, learn how to spell, or at least how to use spell-checker before you go on some sarcastic rant.
appriciate=appreciate
contraversy=controversy
It's hard to take someone seriously who can't spell, or even right click when their computer puts a red line under it.
You are also missing the central point, which is that the measure of what offends you IS NOT THE STANDARD OF FREE SPEECH, so you are welcome to tell us what is offensive, in your opinion, lets just not start regulating society based upon yours (or anyones) sensitivities. I am sorry that ap is offended by racisim, so am I, but that doesn't mean I am prepared to force my moral and political judgment on others. (I already told you to kick Mr. Racist out of the bar for threating and offensive behavior, but "Kick those assholes out every chance you get!" seems a little extreme to me).
FWIW I think Mr. Racist is an idiot.
Are you saying that they only basis for an intelligent opinion on an issue is experience? Thus white men cannot have intelligent thoughts on race and racism?
Sorry about the spelling errors, I broke my finger over the weekend and I am having trouble typing.
a) No one said our standard of offense is the standard for free speech; you are coming to a lot of conclusions on your own by making assumptions, because you are forgetting that this story included a threat and a private space. As for what ap brought up, getting kicked out of a soccer game (ie a public space), well, people have the right to feel comfortable going into public spaces without feeling threatened. And anon, racism is inherently threatening, especially when expressed; it isn't just a free opinion. And expressed racism isn't just someone's "sensitivity"..are you f@#$ing kidding me? I don't even have words for that; oh, except, maybe you should tell Emmett Till's Mom, or Dr. King's children, or James Meredith even, that, sorry, what they consider outright racism was really just something they were overly "sensitive" to.
b) No one ever said the only basis for an intelligent opinion was experience; you came up with that on your own. But I do say you don't get to tell me what I can or cannot find offensive, especially if it has to do with being a woman. And you can have all the thoughts on racism you want, but only if they originate from an understanding that you are inherently privileged and get no say on what people of color and/or women are allowed to find offensive. Sorry, get over it.
I didn't say a white guy shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion on race. I think that it's interesting that after all you've said you can't deny that you are white male.
Think however you want, I don't really care. I just don't want you to be able contribute to our already hateful society with outward expressions of racism and hate.
buttons have been pushed an dthe gloves are off. this is fucking awesome \m/
Are you listening to yourselves?
"I just don't want you to be able contribute to our already hateful society with outward expressions of racism and hate."
That is so scary. Historically when such content based censorship becomes the rule in a society it has been the forerunner of repressive governments both on the left (communists) and on the right (facists).
Well luckily the Republicans are going to do that for me anyway! Not really for racism and hate, but still, doing great things with wiretapping. God, they're great.
p.s. still hasn't denied it...
ap, could you please explain to me what difference it makes that I am a white male (since you seem to be making such a big deal out of it)?
I'm interested to hear why my race and sex are so important when considering the value of my thoughts.
just sayin.
(it's ap, I can't sign in from work)
OK, the race/gender of anonymous do not matter here, and let's try to lay off the ad hominem attacks (OK Latin majors, did I spell that right?) The points everyone is making are all valid--do we confront racism when we witness/experience it? Where do we draw the line between recognizing and honoring someone's freedom of expression (whether in a legal sense or emotional one)and letting them know they offend us and going the next step--where do we as a society draw the next line and take action against that offensive language (eg, throwing someone out of the game literally or figuratively).
but beyond that, it does us no good in trying to consider these issues to diminish each other or our experience, whether it's by using the term girl to address women or suggesting that the fact that someone may be a white male allows us to make assumptions about that person.
Let's be careful not to beocme what we decry.
I actually think that race and gender matter a lot. Also, I think that people who come from privileged backgrounds (race, gender, class, etc.) don't consider their position many times when forming opinions about situations where discrimination is involved. I think this person is way off in their thinking about this particular situation and can bet that their background and experience has a lot to do with it, just as my experience as a woman having had too many inappropriate comments made to me in restaurants and places outside the home influences the way I see this situation.
I agree with ap on this one. Sorry, but whiteness and maleness are privileges. And white males take shit for granted, even if you're liberal and aware. So yea, being a white male means you form opinions about these issues not based on experience. Not saying those opinions aren't valid, but they are subject to scrutiny. That's why I like things like when they put a bunch of guys in a line and let women yell obscene cat calls at them; it tears them apart and then they know how it feels.
It is like this: I know what it is like to feel violated walking down the street to the store, but I have no idea what it feels like to feel violated even further once in the store (ie being followed around, watched, etc). Experience speaks volumes.
Anon, read this:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/
2007/07/15/how_racism_hurts____literally/
Still think some racist asshole's right to say offensive things is worth it??
As I said at the outset, racism is vile. As your article demonstrates it makes people angry and stresses them out.
Quote:
"Racism, other research suggests, acts as a classic chronic stressor, setting off the same physiological train wreck as job strain or marital conflict: higher blood pressure, elevated heart rate, increases in the stress hormone cortisol, suppressed immunity. Chronic stress is also known to encourage unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and eating too much, that themselves raise the risk of disease."
The point being, that racist a$$holes (as you so eloquently put it) make it stressful to be black in America. Stress, as a direct result of racist speech, leads to health problems.
However, if you take your argument to its logical conclusion then all stressful and emotional speech must also be banned (or severely restricted so that those who are stressed out by it, can't hear it).
As an example, I am sure that doctors that perform abortions would have far less stress if they weren't forced to walk through pro-life picket lines to get to work. That doesn't mean that it is ok to ban speech that argues against abortion rights.
If I was scared before when we were talking about severely curtailing racist speech, now I am terrified that your argument leads to the position of advocating the severe restriction of any speech contraversial enough to raise someone's blood pressure.
Ok, you spelled controversial wrong again. Enough said.
Hello, I'm a middle-aged black woman who just read this post and the endless comments on it. While I do find the actual incident to be offense, though not surprising, the issue that is rearing it's head again here has to do with b.
I do agree with many of the points you've made about racism be terrible, etc. But while you harp on how it is a privilege to be a white male, being a white woman is second best (I'm guessing the picture next to your name is you). Obviously there are trials and tribulations that come with being a woman that no man could ever understand, no matter how much they claim to, but along those same lines, you cannot possibly comprehend the stresses and social difficulties still surround black men and women.
Of course I have no idea of your personal background, which is why I won't attempt to comment on it. My point is that while it is valiant of you to stick up for others and what you see as the right thing, it 's another example of the strange phenomenon of racial issues being blown way out of proportion by people who aren't even a part of the race in question.
Again, I will be the first to plead that the color of one's skin should have no impact on anything in life. But the African American culture (that I'm included in at least) finds it curious when people such as yourself get into heated debates about things that don't involve you. I'm really getting away from your story now, which of course involved you a great deal, so please do not come after me as an ignorant insensitive. I guess the point I'm trying to make in general is so many racial issues now are made out to be more than they are because of people (such as yourself) who try to stand up for something they aren't even a part of. Of course you can argue that you're a part of society and are standing up for the greater good, but you don't need to get into a verbal death-match with people about every little insensitive comment.
If you're talking about health issues as a result of stress, I would guess based on reading your postings, as well as those of your friend, that you're both taking 20 years off of your own lives by allowing others to get to you so much. While I'll never fault someone for standing up for what they believe in, my advice to you is to let yourself enjoy your own life rather than worrying about how others live theirs. Thanks you very much for your time.
ve to agree with sweet lou again. and while juicy debate is pretty damn cool, we sometimes let our emotions get involved. bush sucks, white people suck, especially white men. unfortunately, that's all that some folks hear when you raise most of these arguments. focus your knowledge, not your aggression.
bigger things, thank you for your input. I fully understand and accept your general sentiments, but as it relates to the story at hand, as well as many of the comments, I still disagree.
First, let me point out that, ultimately, it is about what happened in the story I posted. Once again, a commenter has taken this one instance of threatening behavior that did involve me and used it to generalize for a slew of free speech and racialized situations.
I also do not agree with your oversimplified statement that being a white women is "second best". There are issues that face all women, issues that face all people of color, specific issues that affect different races and ethnicities, and many in between that only affect some or affect some differently. Just to throw it in there, let me remind you who got to attend institutions of higher education and vote before all women - black men. As another example, issues of reproductive health affect all women before they affect non-white males, yet they most definitely affect women of color in different and generally more persistent ways. My point is that it is not that cut and dry.
Moving on, I do not, nor have I ever, professed to occupying the same, or even a similar, position to that of people of color. I obviously cannot begin to comprehend racism first-hand. You said that you find it strange when people such as myself get into heated debates over things that do not involve me; besides the story at hand, to which debate are you referring? Because this story, which you acknowledge, obviously did involve me. Further, you say it is unnecessary for someone such as myself to get in a verbal death-match over every single insensitive comment. Might I again ask to what other comments you are referring? If those who find themselves in offensive situations, no matter their race, do not stand up to the views of the offender, what kind of message are we sending? That we are okay with it? I, for one, am just not comfortable with that.
As for the stressful worrying, I am not going to allow myself to sit back and not care simply because it may or may not cause me a little stress. Thank you anyways for the concern.
The view that I should "live my life and let others live theirs" is to me a point of view that many in this world hold and that, unfortunately, breeds intense complacency.
Lastly, only out of genuine curiosity, when you claim to believe that a person's skin color should have no impact on anything in life, does that mean you are against Affirmative Action?
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