General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'm tired of the 'run-of-the-mill' racists whom I encounter daily...
I'm referring to those individuals, for example, who responded to the questions about Martin/Zimmerman with the 'obligatory' "Of COURSE he should have gotten off" as though Zimmerman were the Henry Fonda character in Hitchcock's "The Wrong Man". Or who speak disparagingly of the President in that sideways, indistinct-yet-purposeful manner by way of implying that somehow his election and re-election was an accident of nature, like the duck-billed platypus. Or those who punctuate sentences with 'you know who I'm talking about' with that narrowed stare meant to convey the understanding among Caucasians that the Others are at the Gates and we need to tacitly acknowledge their encroachment upon our 'civilized' society.
Some civilized.
Yesterday, my extreme RWer couple came in: I only have a few Tea Partiers but these two make them look like George McGovern and Bella Abzug. A former military man, the gentleman informed me that the country is going Communist. I no longer respond in an engaging fashion, I simply say "Gee, I sure hope not. How are your teeth treating you?" He still thinks I'm a sympathetic-to-his-cause guy, a fellow-traveler as it were (he wouldn't use that phrase in a complimentary fashion), but can't verbalize because of my profession and the fact that 2/3 of my practice is African-American. At least.
But as I stated in the subject line, I'm just getting tired of hearing the same crap spewing form the same people. All that phony sanctimony and holier-than-thou testimony when their own houses are not just out of order, they're collapsing in toto, but of course, you can't point this out to them, because their own issues are, of course, different, than those of the "Others". It's just boring to hear this stuff over and over and when they speak this way, they act as though they've discovered great insights and that you are privileged to hear their philosophy as though they were William F. Buckley or Arnold Toynbee. Enoch Powell is more like it, quite frankly.
I have one black employee. She's been with me for 23 years and works chairside so one can argue that I've spent more time with he than with anyone else in my lifetime, right? I mean even if I were married for 40 years, I wouldn't have that much contact with my spouse, eight hours a day continuous five to six days weekly, right? We play a little game with the assholes. When they want to tell me about their deepest-held beliefs, they drop their voices way down, and if I'm feeling frisky, I'll look up and call the assistant over. I takes her about 10 seconds to come to the chair and during that time, the eyes widen, the breaths become shallow, and fear begins to rise. "Could you please get me one of those wide matrix bands and some fluoride varnish, please?" The patient clearly believed that I was going to repeat what he or she had said to the assistant. And I just stare at them. Interestingly, they tend to stop with that stuff, because after they leave, they realize that I deliberately tweaked them. Nothing that they could point to or tell anyone about: all I did was ask for some supplies, but they get it, for the most part.
Sometimes, one of the patients will want to tell me about something they left off, or someone with whom they've spoke, and if it's my assistant, and the patient is Caucasian, they'll hem and haw and then say, "I left it/spoke to the black lady...you know." I look at them quizzically, and say, "Who?" and they'll say, "your chair side assistant." And I'll reply, "Oh...is she black?" When she comes into the room, I'll ask her, "Are you black?" And she smiles and says "Yes." (Fully understanding what's been going on in the room while she was out) and I'll turn to the patient and shrug my shoulders and say, "Hadn't noticed. Now where was I". It leaves them flabbergasted every time.
But the racists, they still bore the Hell out of me.
Riftaxe
(2,693 posts)Nothing pisses me off as when someone insists racism has something to do with the color of one's skin!
As we all know it is just an insult to hurl to shutdown conversation or express disagreement since mere disagreement on whatever vague topic is an obvious sign it.
You would think the dumb bastards would just realize that by now.
ananda
(28,858 posts)They are such lost souls when it comes to that.
Riftaxe
(2,693 posts)it is a cop out. On DU it is mainly a political term with no relationship to the ugly truth of the word. Whether that reflects poorly upon the DU posters who use it so liberally relies on how they use it....how do you tell the difference
Response to PCIntern (Original post)
UserNSAv32 This message was self-deleted by its author.
PCIntern
(25,541 posts)I provide healthcare and it is ethically imperative that I not discriminate. You do not screen your patients for political beliefs in the same manner in which you do not screen them for racial/religious/social class. Sorry...you wouldn't want your ER doc to do it and I won't do it. It isn't a matter of what I have to do, it is what I wish to do.
Response to PCIntern (Reply #3)
UserNSAv32 This message was self-deleted by its author.
BanzaiBonnie
(3,621 posts)But I will.
UserNSAv32, you could use some education. PCIntern made an attempt to enlighten you as to ethical conduct.
You have bought into the idea that if we just cut out those people (the one's with assholish behavior) we'll be fine. No, we won't. Better to point out their poor behavior without behaving as assholes ourselves.
I don't tolerate racist behavior. I call people on it when I see, hear, taste or smell it.
Those who behave that way out of their ignorance, stupidity or just plain mean spirit are in a bad way. That's my thought on it. Ignoring their behavior is not an option, but neither is cutting them out of society. Kinda like saying... everything would be fine if I was a dictator.
Response to BanzaiBonnie (Reply #6)
UserNSAv32 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Igel
(35,300 posts)One bed and breakfast refused service because they found the erstwhile patrons' behavior ethically unaccepted, for instance.
Another photographer refused service because the clients' behavior was something he morally objected to.
The clients in both cases were gay. I figure that there's a good--a really good--chance that they'll be found guilty of discrimination.
Discrimination doesn't have to be officially sanctioned to be wrong. These business owners' morality would be deemed immorality by many, and the official state morality is that discrimination is wrong.
At one point people discriminated against unmarried couples. Before that, against blacks, and especially those who committed the "sin" of miscegenation. These were legal and rooted in morality. One person's morality is another person's immorality.
sorefeet
(1,241 posts)Either you have ethics or you don't have ethics. You can't have both. Otherwise you discriminate.
Response to sorefeet (Reply #9)
Post removed
sorefeet
(1,241 posts)But by being honest and treating them, I bet they would not call me that for long. I would be a doctor by conviction or a calling to help people, not a popularity contest. The popularity comes after you set an example. Why would they call a doctor that name anyway, to their face. That's just not a very good example.
Response to sorefeet (Reply #11)
UserNSAv32 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)several thousand dollars in fees no matter how badly they need treatment while claiming it is unethical to not play nice with racists, to not only treat them but to do so in silence which can be seen as agreement. The fact is the only 'ethic' is 'do they have the money, if so we treat, if not they can go elsewhere'.
Dentists do discriminate, they do treat only those who can pay inflated fees, they feel underpaid if they are not making mid six figures. They 'deserve' that. So if it means racists and homophobes chatting away unchecked, that's how the cookie crumbles, but some poor old man with treatment needs is of no concern, it is the money, not some 'ethic' being practiced.
PCIntern
(25,541 posts)You are right. You don't understand.
Tell you what: when you open a business which involves the health of individuals, you work at it for 35 years and then come back and we'll discuss what you can, can't, should, and shouldn't do. And BTW, no one walks out of my office infected or in pain or missing a front tooth no matter what. since I can hear you sputtering, there are many ways that I can instantly replace a missing front tooth in about 7 minutes or less, so that the individual does not need to suffer shame.
Please save your outrage for the automobile dealer down the block from you with respect to who can afford what.
LiberalLoner
(9,761 posts)Kali
(55,007 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)Because you're advocating racist behavior.
Skittles
(153,156 posts)when new folk at work ask for a dentist referral I don't screen them by asking their political views before referring them to my dentist
Flashmann
(2,140 posts)I really admire the classy and low key way you handle it,weary of it as you are.
sorefeet
(1,241 posts)I went to a racist dentist and I could not imagine being a person of color and letting this creep put his dental tools in my mouth. He insisted the reason THEY go into Wal-Mart is to steal.
You have a good moral and ethic heart. I literally enjoy helping people and I think you do too.
PCIntern
(25,541 posts)disgusting.
One of my families was vacationing in Maine; they are of the "Jewish persuasion", and the man to whose office they had to go due to a severe dental problem, could not have been ruder after he deliberately mispronounced their last name. He actually told them to go back home and not to come back to his office after he charged them triple what anyone would have OVERcharged them.
PCIntern
(25,541 posts)racists and by extension for some of you, REPUBLICANS! --gasp--
Sorry to disappoint, but no, I don't close my door to anyone, I'm here to help AND, BTW, since some of you equate us with MONEYMONEYMONEYMONEY, I'll tell you that, well, that's how it is in America. I would be happy with National Health Care and a salary, but guess what? It ain't coming anytime soon, so you're going to have to live, at least for the time being, with this system. Do you like to get paid on Fridays? So. Do. I.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)They're racist trolls.
PCIntern
(25,541 posts)Warpy
(111,254 posts)I have to admit I took care of more racists in Boston than I have here in New Mexico, the type of people who'd refuse to be cared for by black health care professionals of any job description.
Then I'd get them.
My job wasn't to change their hearts or minds. My job was to make sure they lived to be assholes another day and I did it well.
That's just the way health care is.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)or under whatever rock or cave they used to live under before Sarah Palin's siren screech song drew them out. When I worked with people who would do the whisper behind their hand crap I knew who not to befriend. I could just stay away from them. At that time they didn't have the nerve to be open about their comments so it was easy to marginalize them. Now they are rampant because they feel totally free to spew their hateful racism. And with Zimmerman's acquittal they will only get more blatant about it. It makes me sick.
And they always give themselves away because their racism extends to all white people too because they think being white means we agree with them. It's disgusting.
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)when racists kept their ugly views to themselves. Sexists too. Was it Sarah Palin that brought them out of hiding? If so, one more reason to despise her.
Stainless
(718 posts)My 42 year old niece (who happens to live in Florida), went on a racist tirade after the George Zimmerman trial. She even used the obligatory "I'm not a racist, but...." in her pathetic rant! Her mother (my sister), my son and several of her redneck racist friends all showered her with praise and commented that they could not have said it better. I pointed out to her that George Zimmerman was neither a hero nor a role model as she had insinuated in her vitriolic tirade. I also made sure that she understood that she is indeed a racist by definition. I'm now blocked by most of my family on Facebook. My son called me early the next morning expecting to catch me still sleeping. He started out by saying "you're a fucking worthless POS"....after which I hung up on him. My pathetic son is 45, divorced and lives with his alcoholic mother. He works for the IRS in Northern Utah and he hates Obama. He blames me and Obama for his miserable existence instead of accepting responsibility for his own actions. I invested 65K dollars in a business with him and he ran it into the ground in about 8 years.
There now, I feel much better!
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)That was a very good movie. Shows what happens in the real criminal justice system for
people that can't afford expensive lawyers. It had the perfect 'unglamorous' atmosphere.
alarimer
(16,245 posts)To me those two phrases scream two things:
1)The speaker is an asshole
and/or
2)The speaker sees him or herself as "going against the grain" and prides themselves on being non-PC.
But they are usually racist to.