I want to share something with you all that I think is relevant to the national debate we are having right now. No, not the one on Health INSURANCE not care Reform. The one on Racism. It seems the phony outrage by the teabaggers and Town Hall Terrormongers has stirred up a little sub debate on racism. And there is no short supply of racist acts lately. From swastikas painted on a Black Congressman's sign all the way to death threats against the entire First Family, there's plenty to expose and discuss. What puzzles me though is in the face of these blatant acts of hate and bigotry, there are still some who, well, they can't see it as racism. They want to define it as something else.
I don't know if they are just willfully in denial or they just cannot accept that this evil is in their fellow man in friggen 2009. But whatever it is, I want to try to help them understand. I am an African American woman who deems myself very blessed to have been raised in Southern California among those white liberals that are so loathed by the Republicans and because of that and having three White brother in laws, I have never really experienced blatant hard core racism like many of my fellow Blacks in other parts of the country have. But despite that shelter, I am not blind to Bigotry.
Those of you who know who I really am , know that my name is very "English". The first and the last name is a very prestigious BRITISH name and to top it off, I was educated in what Californians call, The Valley. I talk like a Vally Girl although I have picked up some of the Wisconsin accent after living here for five years. All these little details are important to know. You'll understand why shortly. I have never wondered what a conversation between a full blown racist bigot and an average White American would be like, but I actually experienced it.
I was working at a Call Center a few years ago for a Travel Agency and I received a call. For the sake my privacy, I will go by the name Danielle because that's how "English" my name is. I want to relay a conversation I had with a bigot who thought I was White because of my name and how I talked over the phone. This is a rough transcript to the best of my recollection. I blogged about this the day it happened , but I don't feel like digging it up on my DNC Party Builder Blog , but I remember it like yesterday.
Me: "Thank you for calling ***** , my name is Danielle , How can I assist you."
Bigot: "Uh, yeah. I have a situation. I'm gonna need to cancel my trip .We have a family emergency I need to take care of"
Me: "I'm sorry to hear that. What is your emergency?"
Bigot: "Well, I need to get back home. The wife and I are all the way in ___, but we need to get back to ___. I have a situation with my daughter. If you could just refund the rest of the trip , I'd appreciate it."
Me: "Is your emergency medical related?"
(Note: that's the only way you get a refund on a pre-paid nonrefundable reservation)
Bigot: sighs and changes his tone of voice "Well, Danielle.....let me be frank with you. See, my daughter was told not to bring her boyfriend into my home and Danielle, she went and brought that Black man back to our home."
Me: "You want to cancel your trip because there's a Black man in your house?"
Bigot: "Well, he's in MY home. I told her not to let that boy in my home and she went and let him in . He's in there right now !"
Me: "I'm sorry that this concerns you, but sir, I am unable to refund you simply because there's a Black man in your home"
By this time , I am pushing the mute button and laughing hard.
Bigot: "Well, I'm very disappointed in you Danielle. I'm going to have to ask to speak to your supervisor"
Me: "Sure. I'll transfer you now."
Not only did that bigot think I was a White woman, he accused me of transferring him to a Black man on purpose because of what he had told me . But I didn't. I transferred him to a white man who happened to have a deep voice. He didn't want to talk to him and was transferred to another White male who I guess, sounded white enough for him. Needless to say, he did not get a refund, but the whole office got a huge laugh that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.
Now. Did he use the word n*gger ? Nope. Did he call the White man that he thought was Black a n*gger ? Nope. So, how can I assuredly and with confidence call him a racist ?
BECAUSE HE IS A RACIST!
Who the hell cancels a trip so they can go back home and kick a Black man out of their house ? Their daughters boyfriend. And if I sounded a little more urban , would he have told me that there was a Black man in his house ? And why did he accuse me of purposely transferring him to a Black man when the man I transferred to was white with a deep voice ? And why did he ask to be transferred from the White man whom he thought was a Black man to another White man ? And when he was denied the third time , why did he accuse that man of not refunding him because of what he told me as opposed to the fact that we don't refund non refundable reservations unless there is a medical emergency and knowing that your daughters Black boyfriend is in your house , does not qualify as a medical emergency?
BECAUSE HE IS A RACIST!