What Would Buddha Do?
So, this happened......
I was at a social gathering. It is important to note that this was last evening, and not in 1975. We were sitting around talking and this man said to another, "Are you Chinese?" The Asian man replied that he wasn't and he was Vietnamese. The first man asked the second, "so, what do you people believe in?" My jaw dropped and then the conversation moved on.
The second man moved on to another group and a third man joined our gathering. The first man asked the third man, "Are you Chinese?" The third man shook his head that he wasn't. The first man said, "well, that's good. I can't stand the Chinese. They are the rudest people. They are always doing things that they shouldn't. They never clean up after themselves. And, they always carry around durian even though they have been asked not to, and that stuff stinks and they all carry it around."
I was stunned and wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say. Anyone spreading this much absolutes is obviously not going to be persuaded by one voice. The third man said, "Well, although I consider myself Canadian, my ethnic origin is Chinese."
The first man, whom I shall call Archie Bunker for reference sake only, was quieted. Then, he said, "see, you people are rude. You trapped me into thinking you weren't Chinese."
I can't believe that in 2017, the term "you people" is still being used. I can't believe the man felt comfortable spreading bigotry in a social gathering. I can't believe I didn't say something, but, really I still don't know what I would have said. I can't believe the third man's grace in this situation.
I guess I no longer have to wonder how Trump got elected.
I was at a social gathering. It is important to note that this was last evening, and not in 1975. We were sitting around talking and this man said to another, "Are you Chinese?" The Asian man replied that he wasn't and he was Vietnamese. The first man asked the second, "so, what do you people believe in?" My jaw dropped and then the conversation moved on.
The second man moved on to another group and a third man joined our gathering. The first man asked the third man, "Are you Chinese?" The third man shook his head that he wasn't. The first man said, "well, that's good. I can't stand the Chinese. They are the rudest people. They are always doing things that they shouldn't. They never clean up after themselves. And, they always carry around durian even though they have been asked not to, and that stuff stinks and they all carry it around."
I was stunned and wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say. Anyone spreading this much absolutes is obviously not going to be persuaded by one voice. The third man said, "Well, although I consider myself Canadian, my ethnic origin is Chinese."
The first man, whom I shall call Archie Bunker for reference sake only, was quieted. Then, he said, "see, you people are rude. You trapped me into thinking you weren't Chinese."
I can't believe that in 2017, the term "you people" is still being used. I can't believe the man felt comfortable spreading bigotry in a social gathering. I can't believe I didn't say something, but, really I still don't know what I would have said. I can't believe the third man's grace in this situation.
I guess I no longer have to wonder how Trump got elected.
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