What to do when you witness racism?

schaffer · 10-05-2016 05:36PM #1

I was travelling on the Luas red line from Hueston to Connelly station at 2pm a few afternoons ago.

At museum a ticket inspector ran up the luas to the driver to stop some scumbag entering through the top door.

Then the scumbag start hurling racist abuse at the ticket inspector. The usual, go back to your country, you're taking Irish jobs, you f***ing black bas***d etc

I was so stunned I didn't know how to react. The luas moved off and as the inspector passed by some other couple she mutters that the scumbag was right.
This seemed to really hurt the inspector and he tried to laugh it off.
By that stage I only managed to say "don't mind the scumbag, we're all not like that" as he quickly moved down the luas.

It's quite painful to see this happen and feel so helpless to react.
At this stage I wonder should/could I have done more.
Should I have defended him more publicly and risked the wrath of the other handful of scumbags sitting nearby.

What is the best thing to do in future?

Buona Fortuna · 10-05-2016 05:37PM

Tazer

LDN_Irish · 10-05-2016 05:38PM

Are you sure he wasn't just playing the race card? I have it on good authority from a few totally not racists on here that "they" play the race card at the drop of a hat.

Panthro · 10-05-2016 05:40PM

World's full or wannnkers unfortunately

Tombo2001 · 10-05-2016 05:41PM

Very little you can do IMO.....

People who do that are nutjobs; and you take on a nutjob at your own peril.

I did see that on Dublin Bus before.

The driver was very calm; no doubt he was quaking inside. There was a bunch of thugs with cider bottles who wanted to get on - he wouldn't let them. Next thing was the verbal abuse as you've described; but worse than that they spat at him. It was horrendous, and I was only watching.

I was with my kids, and there was just no way I was going to say anything to the thugs. You just wouldn't know what else they would do.

In the case above, in my view its up to Dublin Bus to have a really clear line that if it happens, the bus is stopped until the Gardaí arrive. That's what happened when I witnessed it.

As mentioned, in fairness, the driver was incredibly brave.

hmmm · 10-05-2016 05:41PM

schaffer wrote: »

What is the best thing to do in future?

I suspect if you're the type of person that is shocked by the language being used by a young ruffian, you should do nothing.

thattequilagirl · 10-05-2016 05:43PM

I think you did all you could. I had a similar experience recently on the bus. I scribbled my phone number on a receipt because they threatened to report the guy (who was just doing his job) and told him I'd back him up if they actually did it.

It's pretty dangerous business to challenge the racists directly as you never know when the situation might turn violent.

Carlos Orange · 10-05-2016 05:43PM

Ask them to check their privilege.

Robsweezie · 10-05-2016 05:48PM

Stop, drop and roll

kfallon · 10-05-2016 05:49PM

The Red Line, salt of the earth them boys.....The Junkie Express

JackieBauer · 10-05-2016 05:55PM

Ignore it, don't get involved.

nkav86 · 10-05-2016 05:56PM

Was walking down the street and saw a black woman being 'talked at' by a white woman, she then walked off. White woman walked towards me, looked the crazy/down and out type, she went on at me about 'f*kin blacks', I was shocked so I didn't respond just walked away from her. I wish I could have stopped her berating that woman for no good reason and said something to her, her behaviour was ridiculous, the woman got abused on the street and probably felt awful for the rest of the day and did nothing to deserve it.

MadDog76 · 10-05-2016 06:01PM

I think skangers are being mistaken for actual racists .......... they hate everybody who challenges/confronts them equally.

If you're fat, you'll be called "a fat b*stard!".

If you're an old lady, you'll be called "an 'ol c*nt!".

If you wear glasses, you'll be called "a specky f*cker!".

If you're black, you'll be called "a black b*stard!" and so on ......... I tend to confront them and call them "little junkie scumbags!" ......... they retort but I don't take it personally because I don't see them, or their opinions, as relevant.

Notavirus.exe · 10-05-2016 06:05PM

MadDog76 wrote: »

I think skangers are being mistaken for actual racists .......... they hate everybody who challenges/confronts them equally.

If you're fat, you'll be called "a fat b*stard!".

If you're an old lady, you'll be called "an 'ol c*nt!".

If you wear glasses, you'll be called "a specky f*cker!".

If you're black, you'll be called "a black b*stard!" and so on ......... I tend to confront them and call them "little junkie scumbags!" ......... they retort but I don't take it personally because I don't see them, or their opinions, as relevant.

Telling someone to go back to their own country isn't racist?

The_Kew_Tour · 10-05-2016 06:08PM

A Co worker now friend ( dark skin

) and myself were walking down Street in Belgrade back around 2006

Anyway couple of lads hurl abuse ( the N word came, rest was in non English)at my Co Worker and flung Banana at us which hit me.

He gets banana tells them he delighted they hit me and thanks for banana as he was Hungry.

He still gets kick out of it. In fairness Belgrade ain't place be if your anything but Pale but best thing you can do is take the hit like I did.

The Backwards Man · 10-05-2016 06:09PM

Yeah, in that case I wouldn't really describe the scumbag as a racist, just a general wankbag, but the cowardly mutterer, now there's a racist.

The_Valeyard · 10-05-2016 06:13PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Telling someone to go back to their own country isn't racist?

It is, but he means they sort of would have a default rude and obnoxious response to anyone to confronts them. The insult would be whatever they could think about you.

FTA69 · 10-05-2016 06:14PM

I never really understood the whole "he's not really racist..." angle. If someone categorically uses your race as a form of abuse then it's fair to say that person is engaging in racist behaviour and that the person on the receiving end of it is the victim of racist behaviour. They type of person who immediately launches into that sort of thing usually is a bigoted ignorant f*cker anyway.

Legal Action · 10-05-2016 06:19PM

Not a thing you can do. People get hassled by scumbags everyday for every reason and no reason. Op, you could got involved and what would that have achieved? A fight between you and six scumbags (funny how the hardmen always have their boyfriends to back them up)

Nothing is going to change until the Guards get the powers to deal with the feral scum.

The Backwards Man · 10-05-2016 06:21PM

FTA69 wrote: »

I never really understood the whole "he's not really racist..." angle. If someone categorically uses your race as a form of abuse then it's fair to say that person is engaging in racist behaviour and that the person on the receiving end of it is the victim of racist behaviour. They type of person who immediately launches into that sort of thing usually is a bigoted ignorant f*cker anyway.

In my experience, scumbags know they are scumbags, but racists are convinced they are the normal ones.

The_Valeyard · 10-05-2016 06:25PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

In my experience, scumbags know they are scumbags, but racists are convinced they are the normal ones.

And racists usually have bizarre reasons to back up their beliefs and some sort of ideology or structure.

Scumbags are like wasps. Just attack for no reason.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 10-05-2016 06:26PM

The racist are usually the ones who 'know loads of black people' I think.

It's really annoying seeing that sort of thing OP but realistically there's not much you can safely do, beyond offering to leave your details if the person wants to make a report

Notavirus.exe · 10-05-2016 06:29PM

The_Valeyard wrote: »

And racists usually have bizarre reasons to back up their beliefs and some sort of ideology or structure.

I completely disagree with your post. Can you please expand on it?

10-05-2016 06:32PM

It would all depend on the level of danger. One scumbag, you'd feel that you and the victim of the abuse could deal with it. A group of them, better for all to keep the head down, they'll hardly convert anyway. Think about the lifetime of scumbaggery ahead of them, knowing some day in their empty lives they will get a hammering in some other context as violence is their way, that's enough.

MadDog76 · 10-05-2016 08:14PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Telling someone to go back to their own country isn't racist?

I think you completely missed my point ............

The_Valeyard · 10-05-2016 08:15PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

I completely disagree with your post. Can you please expand on it?

Simples. Take the kkk, they have books, websites, fake science all to make their case for 'white supremacy'

FTA69 · 10-05-2016 08:37PM

My missus is black Caribbean and unfortunately the only real prejudice we encounter as a mixed race couple comes from old African women; some of whom can be beyond rude to the point it's almost comical. I had to go to the hospital last year and the two African women at reception looked like someone waved a turd under their nose when we approached the counter. Most weeks we'd get some auld bitch eyeballing us on the Tube and once some old Nigerian one even spat at the ground as we walked by holding hands. It's all well and good to say it should be challenged at every turn etc but to be honest it's just easier to ignore it. If we reacted with rage every time this happened you'd be constantly arguing and constantly deflated. Idiots exits in all walks of life and it's better to leave them to their own bigotry rather than let them trouble you any further.

One thing that does get my girlfriend down though is the racism she faces in her corporate job on a regular basis. She often gets stopped by security going into buildings for meetings and only last month she was in Brussels and before a meeting started an executive tapped her on the shoulder and asked her could she get some more milk while she was bringing up the coffee. If I had to put up with that sh*t in work all the time I don't know how I'd react to be honest.

KingBrian2 · 10-05-2016 09:02PM

In the overwhelming majority of these cases the central complaint is the use of foul language as opposed to racism. Shouting abusive language is not the only form of racism out there it is only the most audible. Usually a sign of class as opposed to being a bigot.

ToddyDoody · 10-05-2016 09:05PM

Could try Joe Duffy, or any talkshow.

Dr Crayfish · 10-05-2016 09:21PM

I know immigration is relatively new to Ireland but I've never seen racist abuse hurled at asians and black people anywhere else in the world I've been to. In saying that it has always been uneducated scumbag types doing this. Some acquaintances of mine would be dropping N bombs when talking about black people and I always see people avoiding black taxi drivers in the city centre.
It will probably fade out over time as people get more used to non white Irish in the country. I wouldn't like to be black in this country right now though.

Skatedude · 10-05-2016 09:23PM

I usually remind them that the irish were among the biggest race of immigrants ever

What to do when you witness racism?

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