He proceeded to say to his friend that he’s sick of this racist crap and I shouldn’t even be racist because I am Asian.

I understand there are racist people out there and there are people who are racist against blacks so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I said to him, “I can see how you might take that as racism, but I was not even thinking about the fact that he was African American when I jumped; that’s a natural reflex of mine regardless of who you are or what race you are. If I’m surprised, I jump.”

He continued to imply I was being racist and that really hurt me. But what made it worse was when he attacked me with a racist remark after he just insinuated I was racist. He told me “his people” were responsible for giving “my people” jobs. “My people,” I thought, what kind of racist remark was that?

Then he continued to say “my people” (Asians) did this and that and we should be grateful to blacks. Yet I hadn’t said anything about blacks or made any racist remarks.

So again it angered me that he was implying I was a certain way because of whatever view he has of Asians.

I have never experienced anything like this in my life, so it really angered and hurt me. I was being discriminated against and at the same time being accused of discriminating.

He had no logic with the information I gave him to accuse me of being racist. I told him my little brother is part black, my roommates are Puerto Rican and black and I have been around people of every race all my life.

The guy who I was accused of being racist toward saw I was upset and told his friend to apologize to me, but he refused. He finally acknowledged I was not racist but wouldn’t apologize because he said people are racist and maybe I wasn’t, but in general they are and there was nothing to apologize about.

So his friend again asked him to apologize. He replied by saying his friend was the reason racism still existed and if he saw him in the street he would beat him up. He told his friend he couldn’t believe he was asking him to apologize.

I am very grateful he stuck up for me and told his friend he was ignorant. He was a very kind person and even came to my office downtown later to make sure I was OK.

I think this incident was one of total ignorance and though I know I can’t change people’s opinions, this needs to stop because it is really hurtful and wrong. The worst part is I don’t even think this guy believed he was being ignorant, when in reality he was and I took great offense to what he said and did.

Who would have thought standing at a bus stop would amount to this, but maybe this was a good thing for me. Now I can understand a little more what it feels like to be discriminated against and feel hurt. I know I wouldn’t wish the feeling on anyone.

Kristen Woloszyn
interdisciplinary studies in social science junior