A redneck idiot I encountered at a hospital today

[Bluzmann57]

My uncle just had a heart attack and is in a local hospital. Being a good fella, I decided to pay him a visit, as did my cousin Missy's husband, Jason. Jason happens to be black and one helluva nice guy. Anyway, as we were walking out into the parking lot, we went our separate ways and I wandered over to my truck. Some stupid bastard approached me and asked why was I walking out with that n*****. I said "What"? and he said "I saw you leaving with that boy. You should have your ass kicked." I then proceeded to start laughing and explained to him that first of all, I am 6'2", 270 lbs. and have been involved in street fights in my time and, while basically a nonviolent person, would love to pound him into oblivion as I moved toward him. And when I pointed that Jason was an MP in Gulf War 1 and tried his hand at pro boxing, and was now a Martial Arts competitor as well as instructor, the redneck shut up and almost ran to his vehicle. There was a time when I would have either walked away or just said "whatever" or something like that, but there was something about this guy that just pissed me off. As I was watching him leave, he flipped me off. I pointed at him and laughed. A kindly old man then came over and congratulated me. He said that we needed more people who will fight back against that kind of crap. I thanked him and went home. I certainly don't advocate violence, but I just felt something had to be done and this guy(the redneck) just pissed me off.

[villager]

1. dare we ask...

where this was? (though, granted the GOP hate agenda makes this kind of behavior "permissible" pretty much everywhere now...)

[Bluzmann57]

9. Rock Island, IL

Which is somewhat surprising since Rock Island is a fairly liberal town. But I guess the dumbfucks are everywhere.

[villager]

27. they are indeed, with permission to come out of the woodwork...

Good for you for standing up for America!

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. good job

thanks for standing up to that creep.

[ComerPerro]

3. Ahh, yes. The moral majority.

Rush fans. The GOP base.

Wonderful people

[maveric]

4. I'm willing to bet he voted for the Chimp!

Where do these people come from?

[ewagner]

5. Good job

I don't know if you "rehabilitated" him but you certainly shut him up.

Do you think people like that will ever change?

[0007]

16. No! These types of racists are incorrigible......they are of the

Eric Rudolph mold. Sneaky killers in the name of God.

[phusion]

6. Wow..

I can't even fathom something like that happening here. You handled it well, way to go!

What a redneck freak.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

19. Don't kid yourself

We have a house in Santa Fe, so I'm familiar with your town. Believe me, the racists there are well and thriving.

[hector459]

34. I've always said, "The tone is set at the top." Bush admin gives a blank

check to these turds. I have lots of them in my family. That's why I seldom even deal with my mother's kin folks...they are all hateful racists. the thing that gets me is that my father's folks are less well off economically, basically poor, but they are the nicest people you would ever want to meet. My mother's folks are low-to middle income with a few with just enough money to make them THINK they are in the upper 2% (but they are really far from it). They are mostly hateful, racist, biggoted, and religously intolerant people. I hate the holidays when they are the hosts. It seems so unfair that the most evil people seem to get the most of life's "goodies."

[glitch]

7. The racists are emboldened by their fearful leader. You did the right

thing. That old man knows where this ugliness leads, we gotta fight it.

:yourock:

Edit: I really like that you laughed and pointed at him when he flipped you off. I smile and wave when I get flipped off, and they hate it.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

8. You did the right thing

People like that need to be confronted and scared if necessary. They do not respond to reason and letting them get away without at least a good scare only emboldens them in the future. That happens enough and innocent people get dragged to pieces behind pick-ups. Kudos to you!
:yourock:

[FreedomAngel82]

14. I agree

You did the right thing. They're all the same. They talk big but when confronted they run away. Asses.

[CottonBear]

Good for you and good for the old man.

We need to sdpeak out against this type of hateful speech.

There are rednecks and racists in states other than those in the south (where I live)?????

I'm shocked I tell you , shocked! (sarcasm off)

[Nite Owl]

10. Good for you

and best wishes to your uncle.

That old man is right, we have to fight back and put these people in their place. They seem to think that their intolerance of anyone should be ok and they need to be put down.

[DainBramaged]

11. You should have just said "try" and THEN kicked his ass anyway.

[justjones]

12. But, but....we live in a colorblind society! eom

[pnutchuck]

13. Holy crap! Where the hell are you living?

I know that there are still people out there that THINK like that, but I didn't know there are people that actually will confront someone with those kinds of racial slurs anymore. :wtf:

Good for you for standing up to bigotry!!:kick:

[bunkerbuster1]

44. I'll be honest, the story surprised me too

Not questioning its veracity, but I can't ever recall hearing anything like that, for such a trivial reason. I mean, if this redneck takes to task EVERY white guy who is friendly to a black guy, he'd have to be awfully busy.

But maybe I missed something.

[AspenRose]

15. Chickenhawk syndrome

I bet that moron never served in the military...yet he swaggers, running his mouth talking a tough talk. Meanwhile your cousin's husband served this country bravely and still is disrespected by his own countrymen based on the color of his skin.

That's not just chickenhawkish...that's chickensh**.

You did the right thing. More people need to do the same when they see these emboldened idiots spewing off.

[Catherine Vincent]

17. Wow! Some people just won't change.

Thank you for standing up to this prejudiced puke.

[ultraist]

18. What a sicko!

Good for you and the elderly gentlemen. I agree with the poster who stated we need to speak out against this hatred.

Bush's culture of hate is spreading...

I'll also mention that when we were in SC recently, I noticed a lot more interracial couples and parents with children of different races than I've seen here in NC. Areas that have a higher percentage of blacks, like SC, are more integrated in some ways.

[wicket]

20. What a jackass!

:mad:

[richmwill]

21. You're a better man than me...

I'd have loved to have heard this story end in another way- with the redneck having to crawl back in the hospital crying "Some'un paleease help me!!".

[Catherine Vincent]

28. hahaha!

:-):thumbsup:

[Shell Beau]

22. Some people really have some nerve. What I don't understand

is why racist people automatically assume everyone of their like race is also racist. He isn't even worth our time discussing this.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

23. Here's what's really unfortunate about this incident:

That you felt the need to respond to that kind of blatant attack with a defense of Jason by reciting his experiences.

What if he hadn't been a veteran or a boxer or an MA instructor?

What if he had been a street cleaner?

The point I'm trying to make here is that Jason needed no defense, nor did you (or anyone) need to list his accomplishments to some asshole. Jason's fine on his own. You got sucked into the attacker's arena, and you defended instead of going after him. Same as John Kerry in this past election.

You went around the issue. The issue wasn't Jason and what he's done - the issue is why that fuckhead thinks he has the right to speak to you (or anyone) like that.

It got turned around. If there's ever a next time, don't let the racist get away with it - pin him down and go after his beliefs. That's the only way you get off the defensive and put them on it. I've been in situations like that, and my opening line usually was "How DARE you talk to me that way!" That was just for openers.

I hope your uncle's doing real well.

[Bluzmann57]

25. You make some valid points

But I have a long history of sometimes not doing the smartest thing. And in this situation I was trying to say that Jason would have gladly reached down his throat and ripped out his larynx, or something like that. I just got angry and went into the "counter punch" mode. Hopefully there will not be next time. But if there is, I will try to keep your advice in mind. Thank you. And my uncle is doing well. He was bitching about getting out and going home.

[Ravenseye]

29. I disagree

While I totally agree that it doesn't matter whether Jason won the Nobel Prize or whether he worked at a McDonalds as far as needing a defense, I think he did the right thing.

One way to combat ignorance is with the truth.

Many racists are by and large extremely ignorant, and this either feeds their beliefs, or their beliefs help create their ignorance.

By saying what he did, he was educating the man. That racist probably thinks all black people are on welfare and lazy...or something like that. Some sort of negative right wing stereotype.

Maybe by telling him that Jason was a veteran that today that guy is pondering in his head going up to him and saying the things he did.

he probably isn't but he might be.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

36. First Rule Of Engagement

1. Set the rules.

By responding as the gentleman did to the thug, he placed himself squarely in the center of the thug's playing field. Always a mistake.

Be aware that "educating the man" is a lovely concept, but, seriously, do you honestly believe that the thug might - in a million years - have backed away and said, "Oh, WOW! That black guy is all that?!?!? WOW! Was I wrong about black people!"??

Do you?

A fight is a fight. A fight is not a classroom.

People like this only respond to humiliation; that's the only way to get them to shut up and perhaps think twice before they decide to mouth off the next time.

But, rest assured, there will be a next time. There will always be a next time with thugs like this.

So, forget "educating" and remember to observe the First Rule Of Engagement.

[Ravenseye]

42. Again I disagree

From my own personal experience, extending a hand of friendship and truth to these people, while it may be immediately spat on, can often times throw them for a loop.

I don't agree with the violent posturing involved, but I do agree with educating the racist that the person he's calling names is an honorable person.

I've had many an encounter in my life, with people attacking others, and attacking myself. I've been called names and physically attacked by racists, and have been forced to defend myself.

I learned in my late teens though that often the thing that these people least expect is to be greeted with a smile and a handshake. Often it throws them to the point where they're off balance for the remainder of the encounter, and perhaps throws them enough for them to actually THINK.

Just my opinion and experience though. In my whole life I've only turned one violent lunatic into a decent person, but many times I've diffused situations with truth and friendship. As I said though sometimes it don't work and they'll come at you with a knife and you have to be ready.

[BiggJawn]

49. Oh, I don't know about that.

While I think "How DARE you speak to me like that!" would have been an excellent reponse, and probably would have sent that Gin-bucket screaming for his rusty Ram pick-up, if someone came up to me and said "Yew otta have yer ASS kicked, boy!", I could NOT help but bump chests with him and say "Oh? you volunteering, limp-dick?"

Any man wants to threaten 6'4" 290# perpetually pissed off me is either heavily armed or has a desire for pain. And if he's armed, there's a good chance he'll need his weapon surgically removed from his rectum, which covers the other possibility, too.

But that's just me. Need I tell you I don't get many offers to kick my ass?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

51. Will you be on my side?

When the revolution comes?

Please?

[BiggJawn]

55. If you'll be on mine.

Even though Comms is my Bag. Something our Spooks seem incapable of believing the "Gentlemen of the Other Firm" possess....

[Beaverhausen]

24. I can't believe this could happen in 2005

maybe 1965.

You handled him well. Good job!

[CrispyQ]

26. Which just goes to show that Dennis Miller was right at least once

in his life:

"It's stupid to hate someone for the color of their skin when if you spend just 5 minutes talking to them, you'll find plenty of VALID reasons to hate them!"

[Blue Belle]

31. Well Dennis Miller also said...

(in regard to homosexuality) "I don't care if your gay, bi, or straight - the only person's orgasm I'm concerned with... is mine".

I suppose the less his new found conservative audience knows about him the better.

[democrank]

30. Glad you stood up for your beliefs.

People like this usually don`t respond to reasoned thought. They`re too preoccupied with hating folks who don`t look like them.

[leftchick]

32. Good work ! I am glad you didn't let the asshole off the hook.

I saw a truck sitting in Lowe's parking lot last weekend. I had to sit in my car to see what a real racist looked like because the truck had a bumper sticker with a confederate flag that read "Never apologize for being white"! He arrived as soon as my hubby and kids came back so I could not say a thing. He was short fat and with one of those half beard thingys all the rednecks wear down south. If only my children had not been with me. I would have given him an earful! I am so glad you did not miss your opportunity!
:thumbsup:
:applause:
:)

[flordehinojos]

33. i have recently started to read a book called,

THE SECRET LIVES OF BEES... the story of a 14 year old white girl in South Carolina and how her life entangles with Rosalee, the black woman who took care of her after her mother died, and their escape to a bee keeper's farm (another black woman and her family) in another part of south carolina.

there are plenty of illustrations of whites committing abuse on blacks

(the story takes place at the beginning of the civil rights era) ...

i am about right in the middle of the book ... but was i was reading yesterday, i was thinking... gees... they are now doing it to the ragheads!!! but not only are they doing it to the ragheads, the bushes have opened season on racism, raghead, brownskinned, or on any thing but whites -- all over again. they have set the clock back on so many issues that they should all be thrown in jail ...

and here today i read what happened to you in that parking lot ... and say to myself, here is one shining example of how these bushit boys have turned our country back.

i don't know who to be more pissed off at, the redneck guy who said what he said to you, or at the bushit boys who turned back the hands of time and sprung open such a gassy leak of irrational prejudice all over again.

[pnutchuck]

35. "Rag heads??" n/t

[ultraist]

37. He needs to put that in quotations. yikes

[bunkerbuster1]

45. Has he seen Herbert's column today?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/opinion/02herbert.html?hp

[flordehinojos]

52. yes. that is what some of my neighbors call the middle eastern people,

they call them "rag heads"... they have become the new object of their sick prejudices.

[Mondon]

38. PROPS!

[Jack The Tab]

39. So... some total stranger just walks up to you and starts asking you..

why you are walking around with a n*****r?

And you are 6'2", 270?

And not only that, he also flips you off as he leaves?

Im sorry to be the first to say it, but my bullshit detector is going off....

[Bluzmann57]

41. Well I think he was loaded

and I know he was totally stupid. Think what you want. It doesn't matter. As far as flipping me off WHILE HE WAS IN HIS VEHICLE, thats a fairly easy thing to do, as I couldn't very well go after him.

[shanti]

40. good on you, sir!!

we need more like you to speak up - silence denotes acception!

[Henny Penny]

43. You did the right thing...

ok in an ideal situation the lawyer guy's "make the rules" advice is good, but you were taken by surprise and you were angry.

In those circumstances you absolutely did the right thing. The climate that those fu$%£rs in the WH have developed means that the red necks think they are normal, and they need to be told the truth. Fast.

[leftofthedial]

46. unbelievable

I have not seen that kind of public racism since I was a kid.

I've seen plenty of racism (sadly), but nothing that overt and public.

[Blue Gardener]

47. Looks like racist bigots are everywhere today

I had a problem with them at work today.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3585823

[Ladyhawk]

48. People like this need to be verbally smacked down.

Too long have they bought into the myth that all progressives are pacifists. I looked into becoming a pacifist, but decided this was not the right time. I'm not advocating looking for trouble. I am advocating sticking up for one's beliefs and sticking up for the little guy. If that makes me violent, fine, I'm violent.

[babylonsister]

50. Such blatant racism-totally ignorant and disgusting.

I'm glad you expressed yourself, Bluzmann, and, dare I say it, while not advocating violence myself usually, someone needs to teach that bigot a lesson. Maybe if he had met Jason, his opinion would have been changed for the better, though that's probably too much to ask. :mad:

[BikeWriter]

53. Lol! I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but...

I may have raised an eyebrow or two last week. I, too, was coming out of a hospital after visiting and saw a black man I'd worked with for over twenty years until my retirement a few years ago. There was no hesitation on either of our parts. We gave each other a big hug and then he introduced me to his companion.
Let the assholes think what they want. I consider him a Brother.

[spanone]

54. It's a sad world. Assholes abound.