Never before in my life had i happened to encounter waht i did today. Perhaps nothing i couldhave done or known would have prepared me for this.
I was coming back from work and decided to stop at the gas station to fill up the car. At the intersection right before the gas place, the signal was yellow while i was crossing it. A pedestrian (white guy, early 50s or so) tried to stand in the middle of the road and stop me. I thought he was trying to flag a cab. So i am at the gas station while he walks up to me and tells me this is America where they follow the road signs. And proceeded ont elling me what a red means and i should just go back to the country i came from. I was so dumb founded, and still managed to say, “Sir, are you the only American around here, you think?”. And he tells me more stuff on how immigrants arent Americans etc etc. I was so angry and shaking but controlled myself and ignored him so he walks away. Paid for the gas and i was almost in tears driving back.
I have heard this happening to ppl but it has never happened to me like this. So this is the America where you can yell at ppl for running red, excuse me yellow lights but its ok to keep hundreds of ppl in Guantnamo Bay and also to do what we do to Iraqis?
And while we are at the topic, where should i really go back to?? Born in Bahrain, raised in Oman, pakistani by nationality, now a US citizen, where do i really belong to? After working in the USAF, is uppose i am still brown enough not to be welcome here and go back to “my country” whichever it is.
[Edit: Learn the art of 'gali galoch', Ira. It'll help you in such trying times. Had you called him a 'rapist' or a 'slave owner', he'd have held his chest and fainted on the street. ]
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I have heard this happening to ppl but it has never happened to me like this. So this is the America where you can yell at ppl for running red, excuse me yellow lights but its ok to keep hundreds of ppl in Guantnamo Bay and also to do what we do to Iraqis?
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You can't reason with this kind of mentality given the situation. I am afraid that the number of such incidents (taunts, threats) will grow for Muslims in America as the situation in "eye-rack" deteriorates and other disturbances.
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And while we are at the topic, where should i really go back to?? Born in Bahrain, raised in Oman, pakistani by nationality, now a US citizen, where do i really belong to? After working in the USAF, is uppose i am still brown enough not to be welcome here and go back to "my country" whichever it is.
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You can't control your fate nor these incidents. They'll happen. You just gotta hunker down and tough it out.
Thats sad to hear. Personally, I wouldn't give it much thought since such people are mostly low-life trailer trash but I would have definitely gave him an ear full at that time. I know you were probably hoping that he goes away as soon as possible but once he started a scene, no use sending him back without saying anything to him.
There will always be discrimination. Its a good thing that you did not react back emotionally. Its not worth your effort to fight with a nut like that. No sane person starts yelling at people in public like that for no reason.
The only thing I would have done might have been to go into the gas station and have them call the police that this person is harassing you. He would have loved immigrants after that.
Before you all start the muslim bias game - let me tell you it is happening to all 'Brown' people - Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Buddhist!!!
A year ago I was travelling within Australia by car Sydney-Adeliade road and decided to get some petrol from a deserted Gas Station. (Those days I had started sporting a 'goatee beard'). These guys from a truck stop started yelling at me, not understanding what they were saying - I walked towards them.
I soon realised my mistake - because they were yelling''are you Osama Bin Laden' etc and were abusing and threatening me. I forced a laugh and turned back to my car and drove off. I could hear them still shouting behind.
So my question to all of you is - you think this is only happening to Muslims. No - all Brown immigrants are now facing taunts on a regular basis. Some Sikhs have been been bashed in Sydney because they wear a turban.!!
A year ago I was travelling within Australia by car Sydney-Adeliade road and decided to get some petrol from a deserted Gas Station. (Those days I had started sporting a 'goatee beard'). These guys from a truck stop started yelling at me, not understanding what they were saying - I walked towards them.
I soon realised my mistake - because they were yelling''are you Osama Bin Laden' etc and were abusing and threatening me. I forced a laugh and turned back to my car and drove off. I could hear them still shouting behind.
So my question to all of you is - you think this is only happening to Muslims. No - all Brown immigrants are now facing taunts on a regular basis. Some Sikhs have been been bashed in Sydney because they wear a turban.!!
Forget Sydney, there have been incidents of violent attacks on Sikhs in the US!
I was coming back from work and decided to stop at the gas station to fill up the car. At the intersection right before the gas place, the signal was yellow while i was crossing it. A pedestrian (white guy, early 50s or so) tried to stand in the middle of the road and stop me. I thought he was trying to flag a cab. So i am at the gas station while he walks up to me and tells me this is America where they follow the road signs. And proceeded ont elling me what a red means and i should just go back to the country i came from. I was so dumb founded, and still managed to say, "Sir, are you the only American around here, you think?". And he tells me more stuff on how immigrants arent Americans etc etc. I was so angry and shaking but controlled myself and ignored him so he walks away. Paid for the gas and i was almost in tears driving back.
I have heard this happening to ppl but it has never happened to me like this. So this is the America where you can yell at ppl for running red, excuse me yellow lights but its ok to keep hundreds of ppl in Guantnamo Bay and also to do what we do to Iraqis?
And while we are at the topic, where should i really go back to?? Born in Bahrain, raised in Oman, pakistani by nationality, now a US citizen, where do i really belong to? After working in the USAF, is uppose i am still brown enough not to be welcome here and go back to "my country" whichever it is.
thats easy....
the country you cheer for when u watch the world cup cricket:D
morons say that kind of shyt when they dont have anything else to say, it shows a limit of their wit and even their ability to hurl insults.
jackass should not have been in the middle of the intersection whe the light is turnign yellow anyways, cuz it def was not give him a walk sign then.
anyways..its unsafe to get i these morons face, and if you want to get to them usually a condescending chuckle and shake of head puts them in their place. I once told a guy that he was an insignificant gnat whose excistence was inconsequential to me and he was boring me. it got him so mad .. i have gone as far as telling someone who was threatening me to come hit me and said< u lay a finger on me and I will sue him for his hillbilly white trash trailer and the pick up truck..
Ira, you can't let some ignorant jerk take away what is rightfully yours. If you let it bother you and make you feel like you don't belong, then he will have succeeded.
If you really think that talking to a person who says something like this will help to open their minds, go for it. But often these people just need time, experience, etc to change them. They've had some bad experience and they're taking it out on you. Blow them off.
According to me you should move to Canada, that would be better and easier for you to move from America. I'm sure you won't be facing such a problem in Canada in your everyday life. Belive me Canada is much much peaceful country compare to America.. I've been there and lived there for couple of months and I never faced or heared such kind of problem in Canada.
I can so relate to that. First time in my 21 years in hong kong I got to face a similar incident. While at the bus stop waiting for my bus, this old woman approached me (out of nowhere), yelled and waved a newspaper piece in my face. The newspaper, I suppose was about the aftermath of opium war which left HK in ruins. She told me how they have worked hard and built HK to what it is today. While us 'lazy' immigrants have comfortably settled in and are enjoying their fruits of labor when not having the least of right to. And shooed me to go back home.
However shocking, this incident certainly got me thinking. At the end of the day it is their country. And when I look around me, sad but true most desis have gotten the easy way out. They're renting the government house, enjoying free services while not giving in much. Furthermore, whatever little money that's saved is sent back to their homecountry.
So to say that these people are 'morons' and whatever they say isn't justified might a bit wrong.
Not quite. Same holds true of the generation that was born after her (her kids, grand kids etc.) and they are also enjoying the friuts of thier labor -- you don't see them rebuilding the country brick by brick, do you?
You can't really reason with such emotional outburts. Also, these nutjobs catch pepole off guard where even the most clever people could find themselves speechless and nervous. All you can do is either a) ignore them and move on; b) if you are a quick thinker, land a 1-2 verbal combination that leaves them stunned -- use anything like 'rapist', 'slave owner', 'child molester', etc. c) for women, you can use your high pitched voices to a tactical advantage and scream bloody murder.