Amon had really grown tired of the discussion he’d been having with the preppy girl. As usual, the girls at his new school wanted to get to know him, largely because he was handsome, but assumed he wasn’t bright or didn’t speak English because he was from Egypt.
Despite Amon answering in perfect English, Angela persisted in speaking to him as if he was a six-year-old.
Done with being talked down to, Amon drawled, “It’s great that you’re so non-judgmental when you meet new people.”
Angela looked confused for a moment, then, seeming to decide to take that as a compliment, shone a radiant smile on him. “Why thank you, Amon. I do pride myself on how welcoming I am to incoming students.”
Shaking his head, Amon turned on his heel and walked away, relishing the shocked look on her face as he shot back, “I guess you don’t speak sarcasm at this school.”
This reminds me of a quote someone in my Gratisangha posted recently.
The earth is dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
...Albert Einstein
How do you react when you see casual racism happen? In this case, Amon handled it himself. Would you step in if you saw it?
I would not step into someone else's conversation but I do not tolerate someone speaking to me in a demeaning manner about others based on sexual preference, colour, nationality, faith. I have actually managed to cause someone to stop and think about what they were saying right in front of me. And I certainly won't tolerate it if my grandchildren are present; I will not teach them to be silent by my silence. Sometimes the situation calls for me to just walk away, the confrontation may not be worth it, however I cannot stand idly by. Wayne was 81 and raised in a different time but he sure learned quickly what NOT to say around me. And he was a good man, it was just what he'd heard all his life, casual racism. Good words.
People are odd about that. Love the quote, so true.