"I'm not a racist, but..."
This sentence annoys and infuriates me more than any other on the planet. If you are not a racist, then you shouldn't have to preempt any thought with this statement.
I was telling a friend of mine tonight that I went to see REM last week. At the concert, there were a couple of drunken gentlemen sitting in front of us on the lawn at Walnut Creek. They were hilarious. At times they would get up and dance, others they were just laying on the lawn listening to the band. The funniest part of the evening was when one of these guys would take his shirt and twirl it over his head. Eventually, he did the butt-shine dance with his shirt. Then the crotch-floss dance with this shirt (where he was riding his own shirt like a horse). It was the best part of the show. As it turns out, these guys were Hispanic.
I had left the fact that these guys were Hispanic. My friend asked me if they were. She then asked me if they spoke English. I have no idea. I am guessing that they did, or didn't. I don't really care to be honest with you.
And then the tangent started...
"They should speak English." (her)
"Why??" (me)
"Because they are in America." (her)
"So." (me)
"If you are in America, then you should speak English." (her)
"Why do you care about what someone speaks who isn't speaking to you?" (me)
"It's rude. We were at dinner one night, and some guy was talking on his cell phone in the restaurant in a foreign language. And not only was he loud, but we couldn't understand him." (her)
"Why do you care about what someone else is talking about on their cell phone? And why are you worried about what language they are speaking in if they are having a private moment? If they are at home they probably speak whatever language they are most fluent in." (me)
"They should speak English at home, they live in America." (her)
"Why do you care about what someone speaks in their own home? Get over it. " (me)
It goes on and on from there. Needless to say, I was extremely annoyed.
I wasn't aware that God had a contingency that you have to speak the language of whatever country you are in, at all times.
Ignorance annoys me. Dude... you are a racist. Get over yourself.
3 comments:
Hey, I just found your blog and have to say I love it! You rock.
And as a side note...as one who has lived in countries around the world for over seven years...I totally agree with your blog post.
While learning the language of the country you've adopted as "home"..is a sign of the fact that you're adapting to it rather than the other way around is something I think is important.
I don't think it's anyone's business what language we speak when we're conducting our own affairs and business.
I don't want to speak Zulu when I'm talking to my friends who only speak English...just because I'm surrounded by those who speak Zulu and can overhear my conversation.
I think to an extent America needs to get over itself.
I came home for a visit and wow...people sure do have strong opinions about what language should be spoken when.
So I guess it's our right to dictate to others what to speak and when it's appropriate?
I'm all for adaptation... I do it on a daily basis...as do thousands of other expats and missionaries. But we do like to keep pieces of our "home culture" aka..English at home.
Why would it be different for anyone else from another country?
Thanks Andrea. Keep reading. Would love to hear about your travels in Africa. Found your blog.
While I'm not sure why your friend was so triggered, and I think people should feel free to speak the language of their choice at home and in public, I disagree with your stance that anyone who disagrees with your POV is ignorant.
I have been in a situation where I was at a table having dinner with a group of people who would switch languages based on whether or not they wanted me to understand what they were saying. That was rude.
I have been walking down the street and heard men make unbelievably rude comments about me in a language they didn't realize I understood. That was rude.
I have had people come into a shop where I was working in the U.S. and become enraged because I didn't speak their language and they didn't speak English.
I lived in a part of the country where governments have their budgets grossly increased because they have to have all government paperwork and documents printed in two languages. My taxes were used to pay for translators for people who had lived in the U.S. for decades, but CHOSE not to learn English. That's pathetic.
So, I have a tendency to have my defenses rise when people choose not to speak English in my presence. (Again, the guy on the phone has the right to speak any language he desires...but it annoys me just a tiny bit.) Does that make me a racist? No, I think it makes me a bit insecure.
You said God doesn't mandate that we speak the language of the country we're in at all times. I agree. But, as followers of Christ, God does mandate that we consider others more important than ourselves. We are called to do whatever is within our (reasonable) power to treat others with respect, dignity and grace. For those living in another country, I believe that includes making an honest effort to learn the language of the people around them. For those who have folks living around them who haven't learned the language of this country, that means responding with kindness and patience and understanding...which I do.
But, I think it also means repsecting other people who hold opinions that annoy you. I'm not a racist, but I'm also not ignorant. I wouldn't call you that just because you diagree with me.
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