-ist

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I get that...like the whole "black people love fried chicken and watermelon" thing. I read somewhere that some company banned these food items from company picnics so as not to offend their black employees, but...who doesn't like fried chicken and watermelon? Chris Rock even did a standup routine about it, "Y'see, when I was a kid, I ate that shit [fried chicken] 'cause I thought it was delicious...I didn't realize that I was genetically-predisposed to like it!"

Heh. I always told people I know of quite a number of white folk who like watermelon and fried chicken just as much.

But as for the "ist" folks who automatically think we agree w/them: we have a regular guy who comes in just about every morning and not only drives our dairy guy nuts talking about football, but he'll start spouting off about whatever controversy is currently in the news (aka Munch). And it doesn't matter if others are shopping nearby . . . he'll blather on unless a black person shows up, and then it's on.

Let's just say Grasshopper got a good dose of what the morning shift listens to Thursday when Munch came in. He was within earshot when Munch started blabbling to me about how he could do whatever he wanted to on his property.

I just shook my head and told him "That's your perogative . . . but it's not mine." And to the back room I went. I have no time for these shit-stirrers.

It's only a question of time before this guy incites a riot inside our store. I hope Grasshopper can get him banned by then.

[Aragarthiel]

My husband's one of those people who will say something without realizing it's offensive. I've had to explain to him SEVERAL times the origins of phrases that would be offensive, or that the word he just used isn't nice. It doesn't matter if his dad (who is one of those stubborn old bigots who spends all day yelling at FOX news or watching NASCAR) says it all the time, he should know better. Since he grew up around someone using derogatory terms so often, he never really got a chance to see that they were offensive, so I'm trying to teach him what is and isn't acceptable to say.

[Monterey Jack]

I understand the meaning, but what I'm saying is that I don't actually see that in reality. So to me the stereotypes are sometimes weird ideas people have pulled out of the air with no rhyme nor reason to them.

I get that...like the whole "black people love fried chicken and watermelon" thing. I read somewhere that some company banned these food items from company picnics so as not to offend their black employees, but...who doesn't like fried chicken and watermelon? Chris Rock even did a standup routine about it, "Y'see, when I was a kid, I ate that shit [fried chicken] 'cause I thought it was delicious...I didn't realize that I was genetically-predisposed to like it!"

[Food Lady]

I understand the meaning, but what I'm saying is that I don't actually see that in reality. So to me the stereotypes are sometimes weird ideas people have pulled out of the air with no rhyme nor reason to them.

[Monterey Jack]

I don't even understand where half these slurs/stereotypes come from (think specifically of the jew comment). I'm always like, "Huh, I don't see it."

The term "Jewing something down" refers to the stereotype that Jewish people are good with money and stingy spenders.

[Employee28567]

I usually respond to those with the old, "That's an interesting assumption," and then talk about the sale on canned peaches. That's what the Etiquette Hell lady would do, anyway.

[notalwaysright]

I love the people who post on Facebook about the Caitlyn Jenner thing getting plastered all over the place and dominating the news... but they're the only ones posting about it. I wouldn't see half as much about Caitlyn if they they didn't keep posting about it!

I have no Facebook, tv, or anything. Thus I have no idea of what you are speaking. (don't worry about explaining, I'm not curious)

But honestly I haven't had many issues with this sort of thing at my work. At school sometimes people will get a little heated, mostly about political stuff, but I put on headphones and ignore them.

[Food Lady]

I don't even understand where half these slurs/stereotypes come from (think specifically of the jew comment). I'm always like, "Huh, I don't see it." Like, where did people even get the idea? I think next time someone uses a term like that I'll ask them about the etymology, all curious-like, and make them think about what they're saying.

[An Haddock]

I love the people who post on Facebook about the Caitlyn Jenner thing getting plastered all over the place and dominating the news... but they're the only ones posting about it. I wouldn't see half as much about Caitlyn if they they didn't keep posting about it!

[EricKei]

Just a friendly reminder not to take this into religious/political (etc) territory. That belongs on Fratching, guys.

[AnaKhouri]

"I didn't sell my car yet because people kept trying to jew me down on the price."

That's a weird one; I had never heard that expression until a few years ago, when within a week or so I heard both my in-laws and one of my own parents use it.

The crazy thing is, my father-in-law, who used it first, is the least prejudiced person I've ever seen. He literally doesn't care what color you are or who you worship or who you're sleeping with so long as you work hard. He only hates lazy people. It's just a phrase people have used so long I guess they forgot what it originally meant. That doesn't make it right, of course, but that's how it struck me at the time.

[catcul]

I'll bet he's STILL wondering where to send his complaint letter about those gay pride rainbows that show up in the sky after it rains.... who's responsible for THAT recent development?! I DEMAND TO KNOW! Or I'll take my weather elsewhere!!!!

I bet that his head would explode if he reads Genesis 9:13.

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

[prjkt]

So, just curious - what's the general consensus? Do customers make racist/sexist/homophobic remarks to the hapless cashier before them because they know said hapless cashier is on the clock and cannot respond as they'd like to? Or do they really think that everyone thinks the same way they do?

Because if I have to hear one more pot bellied, hairy cretin make a snide remark about Caitlyn Jenner, I may lose my shit.

"I guess she was too ashamed to be associated with the same gender as someone like yourself"

[Argabarga]

I'll bet he's STILL wondering where to send his complaint letter about those gay pride rainbows that show up in the sky after it rains.... who's responsible for THAT recent development?! I DEMAND TO KNOW! Or I'll take my weather elsewhere!!!!

[raudf]

In my neck of the woods, it's likely both. When I was in both the repair center and the retail hell, I would have the various 'ists come and try to convert me. Problem with me is that I love a good debate, but with them, it feels like I'm up against an unarmed opponent.

It gets more entertaining when the 'ist finds the company FB page.. as case in point, today. I witnessed a fine piece of WTF posted by a "customer" to our local NBC station's page. Basic gist is the ijit accusing the NBC channel of "changing their avatar to gay pride colors," and "will take his viewing business to ABC from now on." I could almost hear the poor NBC facebook intern head-desking at a high rate of speed. The only response from the NBC station? "We haven't change our image, sir."

The image? The NBC Peacock with the station call sign on it. For those not familiar with the US stations, NBC's mascot, the Peacock has had it's apparently fabulous feathers since the advent of color tv.. So about 1956. This guy looked like he was born before then, so it would have been that way for most of his life. I guess he just now realized how "offensive" the mascot is now.

Fortunately for my entertainment, while NBC couldn't call him an ijit, all the rest of Facebook will gladly do it for them.