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The guy could have just had his ancestors headstones destroyed (see the news)....note that Trump has unleashed a wave of white supremacy and hate which seem to be bringing out the worst in many people.
Maybe he/she was discussing a subject like that. One of our good friends in Philadelphia just had all their ancestors graves defiled. It's hard to have a good day when the forces of hate have been unleashed nationally.
You could certainly be right about the man's conversation. I still believe that the OP was entirely remiss in attempting to confront this stranger, in the middle of his call. So out of line imo.
Regarding your assertion that Trump has unleashed a wave of white supremacy and hate.....
Some would argue your statement blaming these crimes on the election of President Trump. Although, I've seen plenty of hate displayed by people who were against Trump becoming President.
These are really good examples. Have you been in a restaurant with somebody talking on the phone at the next table? Or even worse, someone talking on the phone while on the bus? It's really not the same as chitchatting with the person you're sitting with. My mother does it all the time without thinking. Even when I call her I'll ask her if she's in a restaurant and if she is I will quickly and the call.
I won't weigh in on whether or not it's right to enter an opinion on the one-sided conversation, but I will say there has been some research showing that humans become extra-agitated when only able to hear [forced to hear] one side of a conversation.
And I agree it's highly annoying to have these people around us literally shouting into a little plastic and metal chotchke.
You could certainly be right about the man's conversation. I still believe that the OP was entirely remiss in attempting to confront this stranger, in the middle of his call. So out of line imo.
Regarding your assertion that Trump has unleashed a wave of white supremacy and hate.....
Some would argue your statement blaming these crimes on the election of President Trump. Although, I've seen plenty of hate displayed by people who were against Trump becoming President.
I won't weigh in on whether or not it's right to enter an opinion on the one-sided conversation, but I will say there has been some research showing that humans become extra-agitated when only able to hear [forced to hear] one side of a conversation.
And I agree it's highly annoying to have these people around us literally shouting into a little plastic and metal chotchke.
I don't think many of us would pipe in. The eye roll is probably more common. Very interesting about the one-sided comment effect. Makes sense. There are some funny compilations on youtube of folk that do this. I don't think we've all quite fleshed out the etiquette with the new technology.
You had every right to say what you did. He had every right to say what he did. You were both in public. Not sure I would have said anything to him though - what's the point? What were you hoping to achieve other than relieving your frustration?
I guess I am surprised that you are surprised that we have haters like that all around us. This country has ALWAYS has a subculture of racism and intolerance, it is nothing new. The only difference today is that Trump's campaign outreach to the Alt-right, followed by the appointment of Bannon and Sessions, has emboldened them to be more open and outspoken so that they are more willing to reveal their true beliefs in a public way. It's a good thing actually. America is getting a good hard look at the way this small minority thinks. My prediction is that it will be their downfall. They would have been a lot smarter to keep a low profile and stay under their rocks.
And I agree it's highly annoying to have these people around us literally shouting into a little plastic and metal chotchke.
On this point I agree. It always makes me a little sad when I see a parent pushing a stroller and yapping on the phone. I always think to myself how much better that time could be spent actually engaging their child, instead of multitasking their communications. I see it in restaurants, airplanes, everywhere.
You had every right to say what you did. He had every right to say what he did. You were both in public. Not sure I would have said anything to him though - what's the point? What were you hoping to achieve other than relieving your frustration?
I guess I am surprised that you are surprised that we have haters like that all around us. This country has ALWAYS has a subculture of racism and intolerance, it is nothing new. The only difference today is that Trump's campaign outreach to the Alt-right has emboldened them to be more open and outspoken, they are more willing to reveal their true beliefs in a public way. It's a good thing actually. America is getting a good hard look at the way this small minority thinks. My prediction is that it will be their downfall. They would have been a lot smarter to keep a low profile and stay under their rocks.
You've made a lot of assumptions of the anonymous man in question in order to slip in some politicizing. Tsk tsk tsk. Guess like the OP, your mind can be very quickly made up without much evidence.
No doubt I had a really bad day. I actually was out in my neighborhood, taking a brisk walk around a small lake trying to work off my frustrations. As I go around the lake, I begin to overtake a man pushing a stroller. I thought, "How nice. A dad out with his kids." At first I thought he was talking to them. No, he was talking on his cell phone. So much for quality time with the kids. As I closed in to overtake them, he was saying, "Yeah, all of them out here hate the Jews...Hillary! Hillary!"
I stopped. I looked at him and said, "We don't hate Jews." He said, "Ma'am, you're intruding on a private conversation." I just went ahead and resumed my walk, a little shaken. Perhaps I should have just kept walking but you know, sometimes I think you should speak out when something isn't right. He yelled behind me, "Bible Belt!" I kept walking but I started to cry at that point. It felt so ugly. I feel so bad for all of us.
I've worked really hard all my life to try and understand others. I've gone to different churches with friends, I have read the bible, meditated and have felt at home in many settings. I even took a Kabbalah class with a friend (we even got to make kosher cookies). I felt so bad I had to look up Martin Niemoller's quote:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
So it's not a hate crime, but maybe the genesis of one. He had two kids in that stroller listening to his conversation, both on the phone (who knows what else he said) and with me/at me. How many of those terrible hate crimes, like the ones happening in Jewish cemeteries and community centers begin by someone making comments (or listening to said comments) like he did?
I feel terrible. Should I just have kept my mouth shut and kept walking?
Just imagine you're having a phone conversation with a friend, and you're talking to a friend about buying a new car on the phone. And the friend asks "what color is the car?" and you respond "white, because I hate black"....as a black person walks by you....and then that black person interrupts your private phone conversation and took your comment out of context. How would you feel?
Yes, you probably should not interrupt people on the phone. You strike me as one of those type who will yell RAPE if a guy is looking at you funny.
No doubt I had a really bad day. I actually was out in my neighborhood, taking a brisk walk around a small lake trying to work off my frustrations. As I go around the lake, I begin to overtake a man pushing a stroller. I thought, "How nice. A dad out with his kids." At first I thought he was talking to them. No, he was talking on his cell phone. So much for quality time with the kids. As I closed in to overtake them, he was saying, "Yeah, all of them out here hate the Jews...Hillary! Hillary!"
I stopped. I looked at him and said, "We don't hate Jews." He said, "Ma'am, you're intruding on a private conversation." I just went ahead and resumed my walk, a little shaken. Perhaps I should have just kept walking but you know, sometimes I think you should speak out when something isn't right. He yelled behind me, "Bible Belt!" I kept walking but I started to cry at that point. It felt so ugly. I feel so bad for all of us.
I've worked really hard all my life to try and understand others. I've gone to different churches with friends, I have read the bible, meditated and have felt at home in many settings. I even took a Kabbalah class with a friend (we even got to make kosher cookies). I felt so bad I had to look up Martin Niemoller's quote:
I feel terrible. Should I just have kept my mouth shut and kept walking?
Based on the black bold, I would have kept walking because he was right, it was a private conversation. You did not really know what he was referring to when he said, "all of them out here."
I wouldn't say you did anything wrong, I think you were just being nice to him.
The pink bold, sheesh, dude sounds like an angry drama queen. I would have said, "Nah, nobody hates the Jews, maybe they just dislike you." but then again, a response is perhaps not worth it.
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