I Call a Spade a Spade, It Just Is What It Is...

I went to the Yankee game last Tuesday night with one of my favorite people.

Sick seats, as demonstrated by this blackberry photo :)

After the game, I hopped on the train to head home. As the doors behind me closed, an African American man standing next to me made a quick remark about the 4 Asian kids stranded on the platform, saying SARCASTICALLY "it's so easy to tell them apart from each other." His words caused me to glance back at the kids for fresher a frame of reference, and it wasn't until then that I even noticed they were Asian. His remark isn't even important right now; but him then uncomfortably announcing "I'm allowed to make jokes like that" immediately after is.

Now... there's a 90% chance I would have done what I did next regardless, but I think it's important to note that I've been listening to way too much Nas. That, and I had also just caught the video below within a day or so, so I was extra inspired...

Jay Smooth:

How To Tell People They Sound Racist

I took a minute to gather my thoughts before I politely said excuse me to the gentleman in question (who, FYI, was very clean-cut, early-40s, wearing khakis and a pink polo). I asked him if he would mind explaining what he meant in saying he was allowed to make those kind of jokes. He greeted my question openly, and with a pleasant tone... It was then that I noticed he was not traveling alone; his son (maybe 12-13) was standing beside him. Since we've all heard the ignorant, Western generalization that all Asians look the same, I'm sure you already know what this guy really meant. And although he's not the worst kind of biggot, saying what he said in a public setting (and in front of his kid!) isn't really acceptable.

Without hesitation, he asserted the rule that minorities are allowed to make fun of each other, and asked me to understand the humor in the Asian kids all having a similar look (Funny, I thought that rule only applied when you're in the same racial "category"). In his defense, 3 out of 4 of them were wearing glasses with extremely similar frames, but the "they" in his initial remark wasn't directed at "people with glasses," it was directed at Asians, and the excuse he made post-joke proved that. But no one would have known the difference if he didn't guiltily follow-up, flashing his minority hall pass, claiming he was allowed to do it. It's like a game of Texas Hold'em: Instead of bluffing, the dude teared up and showed everyone on the train how bad his hand was. He left me with no choice... I'm going all in, and I'm gonna win.

"I don't care WHAT HE IS,

but I need to hold him accountable for WHAT HE DID."

Jay Smooth would probably want me to be direct and tell the guy that what he SAID was somewhat racist... but in the end, I wound up taking it easy on him. Instead, I demonstrated to him the difference between racist people and racist remarks, indirectly alerting him of his blunder. I think he got the message, especially since he lost his composure and got less and less articulate as the conversation progressed, possibly because I'd glance over at his son periodically for more effect:) And I assure you: this is only the first installment of Lacezilla's racism project. Stay tuned!