Perilous moments?

[il Padrino Ute]

It is douchebaggery to perpetuate racist stereotypes in any thread. That is what IPU's story does, even if he genuinely felt threatened. Did anyone approach him? Did anyone get in his face? He got looks in a public place in a room full of people who, moments later were his friends. puke.

Again, you have no idea what you're taking about. At that time, the black residents in Harlem were very distrustful of whites - and rightfully so because of people like Goetz and several incidents of white cops shooting black males. Harlem then was nothing like it is today. It's a lot more diverse now days.

[il Padrino Ute]

Thanks, I guess. Someone needs to tell you the subtext of your story, since you don't seem to see it yourself. Even if your story is 100% true, and you were in serious peril, you need to understand that there IS a racist subtext to the story. You better 'remember' something more than foul looks if you want that story not to sound racist.

You see racism because you want to see it. I am not racist and don't have to convince you to know that I am.

BTW, condescension is not an admirable trait.

[RobinFinderson]

Again, you have no idea what you're taking about. At that time, the black residents in Harlem were very distrustful of whites - and rightfully so because of people like Goetz and several incidents of white cops shooting black males. Harlem then was nothing like it is today. It's a lot more diverse now days.

There is a ton of distrust of white people in lots of parts of LA to this very day. Distrust does not equal threat. Did anyone approach you? Did anyone make a threatening gesture? You probably DID see distrust in their looks. So what? Interpreting distrust as 'peril' sounds racist. Seriously, you say you felt frightened. How do you think that look might be interpreted by the people in your story?

[RobinFinderson]

You see racism because you want to see it. I am not racist and don't have to convince you to know that I am.

BTW, condescension is not an admirable trait.

Your story, even if true, comes across as racist. You have been warned. Tell it whenever and wherever you like, but you should know that SOME reasonable people are going to hear this story and think you are a racist.

[YOhio]

Faith and I got caught in a flash flood in a slot canyon in Zion's. We spent the night, wet and with no gear, on a high boulder in the middle of the canyon. By 2am I had accepted that we were probably going to have serious hypothermia, because our shivering had become so uncontrollable that we could hardly speak. By morning the flood waters had subsided and we were able to wade the last five miles out of the canyon. Once we were able to get some sunshine on our skin we shaped up in a hurry, with no damage... but there was a moment the day before, when the flood started to really build up where Faith got sucked under the water and dragged under a log. For a second I thought she was a goner, but I was able to reach under and unsnag her. One of our worst days and nights ever.

Zions is in a desert. It doesn't rain there. I call BS on this story.

[ERCougar]

People! It's ZION! Not Zion's, Zions, Zionzz. ZION!

[RobinFinderson]

Zions is in a desert. It doesn't rain there. I call BS on this story.

YOhio, I am happy to play the douchebag, so long as it serves the truth. You aren't helping. I know for a fact that you can see that a reasonable person would think that IPU was a racist based on his story. Maybe you don't care if he walks around with his fly undone, but I'm going to suggest he zip up his pants.

[YOhio]

Thanks, I guess. Someone needs to tell you the subtext of your story, since you don't seem to see it yourself. Even if your story is 100% true, and you were in serious peril, you need to understand that there IS a racist subtext to the story. You better 'remember' something more than foul looks if you want that story not to sound racist.

Didn't you get the post-racial memo? The gratuitous parsing of innocent remarks is out.

[il Padrino Ute]

Your story, even if true, comes across as racist. You have been warned. Tell it whenever and wherever you like, but you should know that SOME reasonable people are going to hear this story and think you are a racist.

The only people who will see racism are hypersensitve ninnies like you.

I'm really starting to understand why Mike Waters hates you.

[RobinFinderson]

The only people who will see racism are hypersensitve ninnies like you.

I'm really starting to understand why Mike Waters hates you.

I said it because I care. Hate away.

[ERCougar]

C'mon people, enough of the fighting.

IPU, your story comes across as racist. Doesn't mean you are racist--it just comes across that way, and I think that if a black man read it, he'd call you on it. Of course, that's just a white guilt-laden Mormon from Sandy talking.

RF, haven't you ever come across a group of black people and gotten a little nervous? If not, you're either lying or not very self-aware. So why not lay off on the reprimand and take the story for what it is--a story of an uncomfortable situation.

Can't we all just get along?

[SteelBlue]

I said it because I care. Hate away.

You've made your point now quit ruining the thread. I'd like to get back to the stories.

[RobinFinderson]

C'mon people, enough of the fighting.

IPU, your story comes across as racist. Doesn't mean you are racist--it just comes across that way, and I think that if a black man read it, he'd call you on it. Of course, that's just a white guilt-laden Mormon from Sandy talking.

RF, haven't you ever come across a group of black people and gotten a little nervous? If not, you're either lying or not very self-aware. So why not lay off on the reprimand and take the story for what it is--a story of an uncomfortable situation.

Can't we all just get along?

Sure, I can get along.

Here is a story where I come acorss a group of black people, didn't get nervous, but should have.

I had two pitbulls here in South Central. One day I decided to take them out for a walk. I had them on a pair of chains, one with a bright red handle, and the other with a bright blue handle. Those were the only colors the store had, so I picked one of each, thinking that might help avoid pissing off the crips and bloods. "Look!" I would say. "I got one of each!" That bit of stupidity is inconsequential. Anyhow, so I am walking the dogs through a seriously rough part of South Central. I'm walking down the street, and I'm about half way into a block when I notice a group of young men hanging out in a front yard, just chilling. I keep walking toward them, the dogs pulling me hard. Now they are watching me. As I'm passing them I overhear one say, "Sheeit man.." and another says, "I can respect that. I can respect that." At the moment I thought it was pretty cool. Then I got home, watered the dogs, and starting thinking about it. What if they hadn't 'respected that?'

[ERCougar]

Sure, I can get along.

Here is a story where I come acorss a group of black people, didn't get nervous, but should have.

I had two pitbulls here in South Central. One day I decided to take them out for a walk. I had them on a pair of chains, one with a bright red handle, and the other with a bright blue handle. Those were the only colors the store had, so I picked on of each, thinking that might help avoid pissing off the crips and bloods. "Look!" I would say. "I got one of each!" That bit of stupidity is inconsequential. Anyhow, so I am walking the dogs through a seriously rough part of South Central. I'm walking down the street, and I'm about half way into a block when I notice a group of young men hanging out in a front yard, just chilling. I keep walking toward them, the dogs pulling me hard. Now they are watching me. As I'm passing them I overhear one say, "Sheeit man.." and another says, "I can respect that. I can respect that." At the moment I thought it was pretty cool. Then I got home, watered the dogs, and starting thinking about it. What if they hadn't 'respected that?'

I don't know how things go in south LA, but I spent three years working in an ER smack dab in the middle of a gangbanger turf war, and I never spent a second worrying about what color I was wearing. I didn't walk around at night, I tried not to spend too much time walking alone (although I didn't have two pitbulls either), but that was mostly because I didn't want to get robbed or mugged. The reason I didn't care about what color I wore was that it was blatantly obvious that I didn't belong to any of the gangs around. I suspect the "Sheeit man..." guy was thinking right down those lines.

[RobinFinderson]

I don't know how things go in south LA, but I spent three years working in an ER smack dab in the middle of a gangbanger turf war, and I never spent a second worrying about what color I was wearing. I didn't walk around at night, I tried not to spend too much time walking alone (although I didn't have two pitbulls either), but that was mostly because I didn't want to get robbed or mugged. The reason I didn't care about what color I wore was that it was blatantly obvious that I didn't belong to any of the gangs around. I suspect the "Sheeit man..." guy was thinking right down those lines.

I agree about not worrying about wearing certain colors. I didn't know better at the time, so the idea that I bought a red AND blue handled chain cracks me up. But there are lots of muggings in my neighborhood. I have found several wallets and purses, emptied with the contents strewn all over, left on the sidewalks around the house. That is what I was worried about in retrospect, which is why I wondered what would have happened if they 'didn't respect that.'