Saturday, August 15, 2009

A disturbing anecdote

On the way home from the train today (Saturday, Aug 15 @ 5pm), I was walking home (from the Air & Water show/Red Line) on 79th with my cousins, who are visting from the Netherlands. They're white, as I am (well, genetically half, anyway).

As we're approaching Indiana & 79th, a car with temporary plates slows down, and a young male (late teen/early 20's?) sticks his head out the window and yells "F***ing Cracker!" (He had 2-3 friends in the vehicle too). They pulled over for a second, then took off.

I have been in this neighborhood for 2 years, and most interactions have been positive. I am very solid in the feeling that such words are not representative of the Chatham community or the 6th ward as a whole.


But that really bothered me...i didn't have time to react, or to look that person in the eye to address their issue. Just drive by hate...verbal violence.

Anybody have any ideas who those guys were? Or had experience with people in our neighborhood with similar feelings?

Just had to get it out, while it was fresh...

4 comments:

  1. Drive by hate is pathetic! If they're young, they may think it's funny. It's not, but too bad that they can't/won't face you.

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  2. This is an unfortunate incident and its happening more and more in our community. This intolerance for people who are different racially, sexually and others is unacceptable.

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  3. It's disturbing and disappointing. I often ride my bike or public transit through Chatham, Roseland and other south side neighborhoods that are mostly black. I'm aware that I stand out there, often being the only white face in sight. I'm grateful that I've rarely encountered hostility.

    Once on the 95W bus, a guy who seemed to be drunk and/or high started yelling "what's this white b@*(# doing on this bus?" Everyone ignored him. My experiences while riding my bike have almost always been the opposite. I've had pleasant bits of small talk with people, and sometimes enjoyed pleasant conversations with people in nearby cars while waiting for a freight train to pass. If I see someone working in a garden I've often enjoyed, I might stop to compliment them.

    I'd rather treat others as I'd prefer to be treated.

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  4. Unfortunately ignorance knows no color. It has been my experience that people of other races work in and live in this Ward with little negative interaction from residents. We have White, Black, Latino and many mixed race residents in every community that comprises the 6th Ward. People would be surprised to know that many of the schools in the Ward also have students that are not Black. So while there are some racist, ignorant, loud mouthed clowns out there, this should not be seen as any sort of statement about the area.

    Soul Veg has a very diverse following and young white people can be seen walking (in groups mind you) from the 79th St. red line stop to the restaurant. There are people who live and travel among us however, that are predators looking for people to prey upon. It serves all of us well to be vigilent.

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