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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jai Narayan on December 19, 2003, at 12:41:32
On a British Airways flight from Johannesburg, a middle-aged,
well-off white South African Lady has found herself sitting next to a
black man.
She calls the cabin crew attendant over to complain about her
seating."What seems to be the problem Madam?" asks the attendant. "Can't
you see?"
she says. "You've sat me next to a kaffir. I can't possibly sit next
to this disgusting human. Find me another seat!" "Please calm down
Madam." the stewardess replies. "The flight is very full today, but I'lltell you what I ll do. I'll go and check to see if we have any seats
available in club or first class." The woman cocks a snooty look at the
outraged black man beside her (not to mention many of the surrounding
passengers).A few minutes later the stewardess returns with the good news, which
she delivers to the lady, who cannot help but look at the people around
her with a smug and self satisfied grin. "Madam, unfortunately, as I
suspected, economy is full. I've spoken to the cabin services
director,and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in first
class."Before the lady has a chance to answer, the stewardess
continues......... "It is most extraordinary to make this kind of
upgrade, however, and I have had to get special permission from the
captain.
But, given the circumstances, the captain felt that it is outrageous
that someone be forced to sit next to such an obnoxious person."With
that, she turns to the black man sitting next to the woman, and says."Soif you'd like to get your things, Sir, I have your seat ready for.you...
At which point, apparently the surrounding passengers stood and gave a
standing ovation while the black guy walked up to the front of the
plane.People will forget what you said .... People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget how you made them feel.
Posted by Karen_kay on December 19, 2003, at 13:14:54
In reply to a story of interest, posted by Jai Narayan on December 19, 2003, at 12:41:32
Wow! That is such a powerful story. Is it recent? (I surely hope not) I guess I tend to think that racism just doesn't exist anymore. I'll just pretend it doesn't...
But, even with a new seat I'm sure that didn't help the man feel much better. I wish I could give him a hug :(It reminds me of a story of my own. I worked as a supervisor at a telemarketing company after September 11, and the nicest man I've ever met in my life (who also happened to be from India and had an accent) was a sales rep. He called a customer and the customer was outraged. The rep motioned for me to listen to the customer and I did. The customer was insulting and swearing at him, stating it was his fault that September 11 happened. I got on the line and tried to calm him down and just took him off the list. I took the rep into the office and I just cried. I was so sad for him. He kept repeating to the customer "I'm from India, I'm from India." It was heartbreaking. But, the sales rep ended up graduating college and I wrote him a letter of recommendation (against company policy oopsie!)for an engineering firm. I hope he's doing well :) I'm sure he is!
Posted by Jai Narayan on December 19, 2003, at 16:36:08
In reply to Re: a story of interest, posted by Karen_kay on December 19, 2003, at 13:14:54
That whole 911 trauma send a number of people into hell. I mean a hell on earth. I was traumatized too.
An Indian Sikh was shot & killed while he was pumping gas at his own gas station...all cuz the guy with the gun was freaked out because the guy pumping gas wore a turban. I used to be a sikh & wore a turban.
So all I am really saying is I am continually shocked by human beings and their violent/unkind reaction to one another.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on December 20, 2003, at 9:02:48
In reply to 911, posted by Jai Narayan on December 19, 2003, at 16:36:08
Isn't it horrible what people will do to each other? I've worked along side many people from many different cultures. I think that what I've noticed is that the worst seem to be from America.
I was doing some work in Michigan, and after being asked what religion I was (Catholic back then), the man who asked got all upset and angry because the Catholic Church had killed his ancestors as heretics.
During the first Gulf War, an Indian man was getting provocative comments from a number of people in the plant.
While working in Italy, I found a number of racial stereotypes and biases against neighboring countries.
The worst that I see though, is here in America. Americans traveling have a terrible reputation. I've seen then trying to harrass people in other countries claiming that something is illegal in America, and shouldn't be illegal there. I've heard many loud and boisterous people while in other countries, and it's usually an american. I've been embarrassed to show my passport.
In Korea, I've seen signs held aloft by balloons and rope. No-one unties or cuts the rope, but that wouldn't be the same here. How can we make a claim to superiority over a country where when parking is tight, people will leave their keys in the car so that others can move them and get around?
I"m not saying I don't like where I am living, but I think that we have a long way to go before we can think ourselves as better than others.
Posted by jane d on December 21, 2003, at 19:02:58
In reply to Re: a story of interest, posted by Karen_kay on December 19, 2003, at 13:14:54
> Wow! That is such a powerful story. Is it recent? (I surely hope not) I guess I tend to think that racism just doesn't exist anymore. I'll just pretend it doesn't...
> But, even with a new seat I'm sure that didn't help the man feel much better. I wish I could give him a hug :(
It probably did make him feel better. I was on the receiving end of something similar years ago - it was about class, not race, and a woman was trying to make me feel that I didn't belong there, and implicitly was appealing to other people to back her up. The way it was handled made it quite clear to me that, even tho she was not directly told off, everyone there was on my side, not hers. If she had been directly contradicted she would have defended herself by attacking me even more harshly. This way it was made clear to me that she was not speaking for anyone else, she was just a lone crank, and I could stay and enjoy myself. 20 years and I am still grateful for this. I hope I'd be smart enough to do the same thing for someone else if necessary.Jane
Posted by Karen_kay on December 24, 2003, at 11:03:44
In reply to Re: a story of interest » Karen_kay, posted by jane d on December 21, 2003, at 19:02:58
That just breaks my heart... I don't understand people sometimes. My old man (boyfriend) was at his work Christmas party and a coworker's girlfriend was in the lady's room at the Country Club. One of the guests at the club asked what the party was for. She said the name of the business and the lady remarked that the business was trash. I told Andy that I wouldn't mind belonging to a country club when I get older, but just so that I could hang out with the old men :) Forget the old women. They seem kinda snooty.. Maybe it was just that case, maybe it is just the town.
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