"How come there's no Americans working at this restaurant? They are all Latino"

[LesterKasai]

I am sitting in a casual restaurant that bills itself as serving traditional American food. My companion (I have dropped her to borderline friend) asked me, as we were sitting waiting for our food, "How come there's no Americans working at this restaurant? They are all Latino." I was taken aback by this comment given that "Latino" and "American" are not mutually exclusive. I just shrugged to her thinking to myself at least she did not say "Mexican".

I am contemplating if I should bring up this issue to correct her after we finish our meals. I find it disturbing that she would equate Latinos as being non-American.

[Zoonart]

1. Anthony Bourdain once said

that if one wanted to eat in a restaurant where there were on "Latinos" or "Mexicans" you would not be able to eat anywhere in the USA.
Our Latin American and Mexican friends are the backbone of the restaurant and many other businesses in this country.
They are hard workers and salt of the earth people.

[BigmanPigman]

10. He always has given them the credit they deserve.

[onecaliberal]

33. Everyone should watch the movie A Day Without Mexicans.

No food, clean clothes, hotels. No luggage arriving. There is nothing that would be unaffected. These Americans deserve respect. I'm sick of these bigots labeling everyone not white as "other"

[MindPilot]

40. That is a very good movie!

Good story, educational, a little preachy in places, but also pretty funny.

Watching the California Governor's wife try to figure out how to operate a paint roller is hysterical. Or the white restaurant owner buying black market tomatoes & lettuce from a "former" drug dealer. "This shit's worth more than crack and it's legal!"

[onecaliberal]

42. Yes very informative.

[bettyellen]

35. There's a town in Mexico known for turning out master prep cooks and all the good chefs look to the

Staff they already have from there to find them new people via the grapevine when they need them. And yes I do mean guys as too few are women.

[atreides1]

2. Ask yourself

Do you think it would be the right thing to do? If you answer yes, then kindly correct her...and if she becomes offended, she can go back to being a companion!!!

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. I guess she means white people like her.

I'm sure she has her opinion.

[LesterKasai]

6. From what I can tell, yes I am only hearing English being spoken.

I dropped her status to companion/borderline friend after she said that comment.

[brush]

53. Good for you. You know where she's coming from now. I'd drop her even lower myself.

I don't have time for that crap.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

56. Why do you need racists for "companion/borderline friends"? She crossed the border. . . nt

[Iggo]

11. A whole bunch of us native-born Americans speak Spanish.

[LanternWaste]

14. Odd thing to focus on.

"I'm still floored by "companion"--bit of a microagression there..."

Odd thing to focus on.

[Sanity Claws]

15. If you want to accuse someone of microaggression, at least spell it right.

Please consider this an aggressive aggression.

[NCTraveler]

5. You typed all of this out while at the meal with her?

I have to be reading wrong.

Can we live blog your lunch?

[LesterKasai]

7. Yes, the food is boring me. And I am now reluctant to engage in conversation with her.

[snooper2]

9. ROFLMAO

mkay

[NCTraveler]

13. Might I suggest a brief uncomfortable silence....

followed up by: "Have you ever met a traveler from NC. They are due beer and travel money."

[irisblue]

28. ::snort::

[nolabear]

58. ...

[cwydro]

36. Lmao!

[jberryhill]

8. Did they turn down her job application there?

Tell the manager that they have a new applicant for head of human resources for the restaurant, and ask if they have an opening available for your friend.

[MindPilot]

12. Because white people can't cook?

I'm tempted to respond with a "cool story, bro..."

I can't imagine anyone in a restaurant being the least bit concerned about the nationality of the people working there.

[lunasun]

31. Yet there are plenty that are concerned

[WhiskeyGrinder]

16. Are you really looking for permission to call out someone's casual racism?

What even is happening here??

[NCTraveler]

17. What are you eating? You really aren't keeping up with this live blog thing.

It's killing me.

[struggle4progress]

18. Was pimihkan on the menu at this traditional food restaurant?

[NCTraveler]

19. Can we get a picture to really set the mood? nt.

[janx]

21. Yes, we need a pic!

I want to see the food.

[Sanity Claws]

20. Let us know how she tips

That might be a good indication of what she meant.

[LesterKasai]

22. She got upset and left without splitting the bill with me. :(

[B2G]

26. Upset about what?

Your live blogging skills need some work.

[LesterKasai]

38. Upset about me calling her out on her comments.

Ok I need to get back to studying.

[cwydro]

44. This thread is nearing door buzzard greatness.

[MedusaX]

27. Small price to pay considering the knowledge you gained...

[LesterKasai]

37. Agreed. But I may also have a legal claim against her for breach of quasi-contract and to prevent...

...unjust enrichment on her part.

[B2G]

45. Please live blog the trial.

I'm begging you.

[LesterKasai]

50. I'm going for a settlement, judgement on the pleadings, or summary judgement. No trial needed.

[B2G]

51. Best of luck on that. Lol. nt

[LesterKasai]

52. Thanks :)

[Vinca]

23. Did she check their birth certificates?

[IronLionZion]

24. What makes her think Latinos are not American?

A lot of Trumpsters were horrified to see Latinos voting in the election also. It was proof of fraud or something.

[FSogol]

25. Cool Story, Bro.

[lunasun]

29. She means real Americans you know white Christians . They could be 4 th generation , her 3 rd

But people like that consider only Northern Europe immigrants as real Americans

[onecaliberal]

43. You mean the "Christians" who pretend to follow Christ but do everything he preached against?

[Thomas Hurt]

30. Should have told that conservatives are too lazy to take those jobs...

see if that pushed a button with her.

[underpants]

32. How about some memes for dessert?

[WillowTree]

34. Try asking her "¿Cmo est tu comida?" and let us know what she says.

[MedusaX]

39. Considering there are some 35 countries in N.&S. America... a better question might be

Why are there so many europeans Bitching about Americans living & working in an American country? ....

(Well... that's my pet peeve .. so I won't ramble on.)

[doc03]

41. How come there are no Mexicans working at Taco Bell or Chipotle

where I live?

[MindPilot]

46. You might have better luck finding Mexicans in a place that serves...

Mexican food!






Oh, man, sometimes I crack me up!

[doc03]

47. Good point nt

[malaise]

48. Ask her how she knows they're not American?

Clearlt she thinks American is white

[struggle4progress]

49. Tell her she needs to study Latin

[amrita73]

54. So deeply offensive that I am almost speechless

What she said is so offensive, I have
a hard time trying to process it.

It is based on race and speech alone,
how does she know? She basically said,
"Why are there only non-whites here?"
If that isn't openly a racist statement,
I don't know what is.


I wouldn't be able to be her friend,
or companion...since she wouldn't think I am
good enough to work in restaurants
as an American.

If it weren't for my accent, she would not know I was born abroad from just looking at me.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

55. Racism persists partly because good people don't call it out when it happens in front of them.

Why do you need friends like the racist?

It's so blatant and yet you think of saying nothing?

Also, you don't have to "correct her". You can make her appear so stupid even to herself that she begins to shift her world view. That is more effective than a confrontational correction, but even that would put her on notice that her racism is not acceptable in 1967, let alone 2017.

[LesterKasai]

57. I did say something. That's why she left me hanging with the bill.