Rude comment at H.S. game sparks thoughtful response
I've been called the N-word more times than I care to remember. I've also tasted the sting of ignorance far too often.
I've been called the N-word more times than I care to remember. I've also tasted the sting of ignorance far too often.
This past weekend, however, was particularly disappointing.
To the person who tried to persuade me to buy 50-50 tickets at a crowded high school football game this weekend, no, I was not more inclined to purchase your tickets after you saw me, looked in my eyes, smiled and said, "Fiddy-fiddy tickets, Fiddy-fiddy tickets!"
As if that wasn't enough, it continued as I walked into Coach McNelly Stadium to cover host Spring-Ford and rival Perkiomen Valley.
Through clenched teeth, I forced an uncomfortable smile and refused to break stride as I walked past this person.
"What, you don't want fiddy-fiddy tickets? You're missing out!"
Yes, I missed out on an opportunity to walk into the game with the same respect and dignity likely afforded others who entered.
As evidence, I was still within earshot as this person's voice - which I believe returned to its natural inflection and cadence - went back to pronouncing "fifty-fifty tickets" for the benefit of those walking behind me.
Now, let's make something clear. This is not meant to cast aspersions upon Spring-Ford, Perkiomen Valley, their players, coaches, faculty, administrators, or the community at large. To do so would be to stereotype an entire group based on the ignorance of one person.
Likewise, I don't know what to make of this person. I don't know the individual from a can of paint.
Judging by the smile on the person's face, however, it appeared they either believed themselves to be hip or mistakenly believed they were "speaking my language," blithely unaware of how offensive their words were.
If you want to relate to me, you are far better off saying something intelligent.
I have a degree in business administration. I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. I also earned the Howard Simons Fellowship from the University of Maryland, where I earned a master's in journalism.
But most important - even if I wasn't educated at all - shouldn't I be afforded the same respect and dignity of those who entered the stadium, presumably without hearing some sort of stereotype?
It made me wonder: If this person knew that my grandmother is Filipino, would their inflection and accent have devolved into Asian stereotypes recently perpetuated by a Fox News television correspondent?
By now, you may have noticed that I am choosing my pronouns carefully.
That is because I do not want this person to be identifiable. I realize that social media can be an ugly, unforgiving place, and it is not my wish for this person to feel any discomfort other than whatever dissonance comes from having your horizons expanded.
This, I hope, is a teachable moment.
Sure, I could have addressed the issue right then and there, but that would have required me to ingest the ignorance, set aside my anger, frustration, and sadness, and summon poise that likely wouldn't be available to many people amid such circumstances.
Besides, I hope these words will educate others and stop this from happening again, especially to our young people.
I'm a soon-to-be-37-year-old man, and life experience has afforded me the tools to handle such ignorance.
But, please, do not say such stereotypical things to our young people of color.
I deal with young people on almost a daily basis, and my spirit is typically nourished by their ambition, zeal, and determination. To damage their youthful exuberance in this way would be unconscionable.
For example, Mariana Bracetti female wrestler Tatyana Ortiz once told me her win against a male wrestler last year made her feel this way: "It was so overwhelming that I got to impress everyone and show them that I'm actually going somewhere in life instead of being this Latina that doesn't go anywhere, like everyone assumes."
Strawberry Mansion senior linebacker/center Darell Young wants to study computer software engineering and takes online courses to that effect in his free time.
Central senior running back Kei-shon Graham hopes to graduate high school with enough credits to enroll in college as a sophomore next year.
I could go on and on.
So if you want to relate to them, please, I beg you, say something intelligent. Then you'll truly be speaking our language.
@AceCarterINQ
