Boy, am I mad!

Today in my African History class, something happened that irritated me so much it has touched every nerve I have. I was wearing a shirt that my fiancee's mom got me when she went to Jamaica. Anyway, it says Jamaica and has a rasta-man image on the back. Anyway, I was wearing this shirt and this guy in my class, who is Jamaican, is walking out of the door while I am about to walk in. He grabs the bottom on my shirt in the front and says "gimme that shirt, you aint know nothing about that". Ok, considering that I am a white female, that might have had something to do with it, but why should he think that just because I am white that I either don't know anything about rastafarian or that I can't wear that shirt. If it offended him, I wish he would have just said that...
Well, race issues are coming up in the class, as it did for me personally today and I relized, shamefully, that while I am angry at him for saying what he said and behaving the way he did, I have some issues to deal with, myself. What do you guys think I should do? Should I just let it go, pull him aside and talk to him, write him a note simply telling him that it bothered me that he said that and that I don't want any junk between us? When he did it, I just walked off and didn't react--I was shocked. But the more I think about it, the more I feel the need to say something. I am a passive person, so don't think I'd be rude. I plan on going to see the professor anyway and just let him know that there are race issues coming up. Thanks guys.

 

tell him it was a gift and exactly what you said "why should he think that just because I am white that I either don't know anything about rastafarian or that I can't wear that shirt. If it offended him, I wish he would have just said that..."

 

write him a note or just let it be. probly get into a fight if you try to talk with him, not worth the un-jah like feelings he gives off.

 

I think that he was really disrespectful to you for just grabbing your shirt. He could have explained his feeings in a much better way and so I would definitely talk to him about that.

 

File a harrasment claim and then pray to the great Jah

 

Deep breath! He just liked your shirt and wanted it. The racial slur was probably unintentional. I just bet you if you got him a tee shirt just like it he'd probably even thank you. If it had Marajuana on it (pictuer I mena lol) then you prbably made him sad that he can't have it over here lol. In other words, don't worry about it. He just wanted something to say and he just went about it the wrong way. Next time talk to him in Rasta. it will probably ,make him laugh and you as well.

 

Was he being mean? Maybe he was hitting on you or something. If that's ruled out, then I would talk to him about it. Basically what Hippylove said.

 

I'm not a passive person, you handled it a lot better then I would have.

You probably should talk to your prof about it.

 

let it slide. shit happens, bigots abound. think of all the petty insults your average black person in america has to endure, feel a little brotherhood and move on convinced not to do the same to someone else.

 

listen, when i was little, living in long beach, i got loads and loads of hand me downs from mymother's coworker, cathy. i went to school with her kids, you know? and the older brother of the girl never shut up about how i was wearing poor black kid's cast off clothes because i was just white trash. so what? i STILL have it easier, ultimately, than that kid ever did.

 

interesting comment.:H

I kinda know how you feel, I used to work in an Aboriginal Community. I was often told that I had no idea where they were coming from etc etc. and maybe I didn't ....but I never meant or said anything disrespectful. I know once it was about traditional spiritual dancers that I had organized to come in for the children in the centre and my boss dissed me in front of some co-workers because it wasnt some kind of "display" it was more sacred and I shouldve respected that .... I just wanted the kids to see traditional dancing! I think maybe he meant it was about the rastifarian religious type angle was nothing you know about.... Anyways it's not your fault- kick his ass.

Just kidding. I'd let him know though. You never meant to be rude or whatever and maybe he can explain his concerns to you.

 

but it's not hippie-ish to be mad




Just kiddin, do what others folks said if he approaches you (tell him it was a gift, why on earth should a shirt you wear affect him in anywayshapeorform unless it's actually insulting him ie "Bob is a smelly asshat")... but if he doesn't approach you after a week or two, just forget it, let it go, no sense holding on to other people's stupidity

 

yes, ignore it

 

Thanks everyone, I really feel much better about it today. I am going to the class where I see him tomorrow, and I think that I am just going to let it slide, unless he says something else to me, in which I will try and see and he and I can have a time to talk together. I guess I should not focus on me so much, as this came to such a shock to me because I have only had a racial comment directed at me twice in my life. I would imagine that your average african american child doesn't get out of middle school before they experience that pain. Now, I humble myself and realize that I have had it so lucky to be in highschool before anyone ever said a racial comment to me. Thanks for the imput everyone!

 

Well, I still don't like it when people touch me hostile like. I'm kind of defensive about that kind of thing. Ironically I get hit a lot and don't mind it...

Anyway, everyone else was right. It is probably pretty hard being an African American in America even today. And he might have just been having a bad day about something, and lashed out irrationally. It's best to let things like that slide.

You still might want to tell your teacher that their is some friction in the class if you've seen it anywhere else and not mention that specifically. Maybe your professor can shed some good advice to the whole class if they realise that tensions are running a little high.

 

Tell him to fuck off, it's none of his damn business what you wear.

 

Take him the shirt and make the point of saying here ******, ya happy.

Sure hes no ****** and your not from his country so its all good, leave him thinking and feeling bad cause now HE is the on who has been profiled.

 

Well I'm glad you read what I wrote. Thanks alot of people don't take the time or worse read it and ignore it.

 

I wouldn't mess with a real Jamaican. I'm not saying that Jamaican people are evil, quite the opposite. I've never met a Jamaican person, but I assume Jamaicans are cool. The only thing that struck me from reading this post, is that while it's not cool to like physically attack someone, or put one's hand on someone's shirt (a stranger or whatever), I can kinda understand what the guy was feeling. Black people in Jamaica were really oprressed (and still are to some extent) by the white system ("Babylon"). The rasta movement (which grew into a religion) was based on "Pan-Africanism", or Marcus Garvey's "Back to Africa" idea, which needs no explenation, but is basically rooted in the idea that there is a black messaiah (Ras-Tafari, Hali Sallassi), and that the white system has cruelly and wrongly dispersed black people throughout the world, and that they should go back to their natural roots in Africa, where the living God, Ras-Tafari would be crowned king. (and he actually was crowned king of Ethiopia in 1975), and all of Jah's children could live free, in harmony with teh earth and eachother, without the inhibition of a racsist white government. So mabye the guy had had struggles with Babylon, like being beat up by a cop or something, and had general beef with the white race (which I understand). I think a Jamaican seeing a white person (with some kind of stoner rhetoric, or Bob Marley complex) wearing a Rasta T-Shirt, is like a man walking into a room of Holucost survivors wearing a t-shitr that says "Smile- Jesus Loves You". No offense, that's just my opinion.

 

Thanks for that info!