Racist Darren Wilson Supporters Asks Ferguson Business Owner If He Speaks English

[maddiemom]

20. I worked at a call center with a number of foreign students. These kids not only spoke their native

language, very good English, but often other languages as well. One young African woman also spoke several other European languages (but "not as good as English," (she'd be quick to qualify) and her grandparents' tribal language. Some of the local recent high school graduates, many of whom spoke pretty poor English and no other languages would often make fun of their accents when on the phone. Also an active sub teacher who 'd had many of these kids in class, I often called them aside and gave them a chewing out that emphasized that they needed to get half as accomplished, language wise, as these foreign kids. A surprising number took it to heart (or at least were careful when I was around). Ironically, some of the Black students from from Philly and Pittsburgh (this was in PA) were just knocked out/impressed by these African and Asian kids. American "exceptionalism" ican be a blind and unthinking source of pride.