Friend racially abused on the bus :(

gettingbackontrack

Guest101 wrote: »

The justice system doesnt help i realise that, some people might be scared of the consequences, given that homeowners/tenants get arrested for defending themselves.

But i'd rather risk my freedom, than watch others being abused

I feel depressed when I read your post because I fear it it is true.

Not everyone feels like that though. Please believe that some are not racially or socially blind.

ecgirl07

Marker wrote: »

Horrific is very OTT don't you think.

Your not really getting his point because your just sitting on the 'im offended' bandwagon. Jump off it, even if just for a second.

horrific? aghast? to blame a 15 year old girl for being racially abuse because she had the audacity to wear a headscarf and travel on a public bus? what is it then?

thegirlintheattic

balletshoes wrote: »

thats awful - no-one came to your aid? I would have helped you.

No, not until she got off the bus. It didn't help that she was screaming that I was a [racist word] thief. Although thankfully the people who tried to help afterwards said they had seen the whole thing and knew I was nowhere near her and she followed me. I think she either had a screw loose or was trying to justify her actions or both.

Unfortunately there are not as many nice people as you in the world. Most people want to turn a blind eye.

Marker_2

gettingbackontrack wrote: »

And does one smile if one is the VICTIM of such abuse?

Turning the other cheek as you suggest is condoning it. Those who ALLOW abuse are just as culpable as those of practice it.

Think about that and smile if you dare,

YES! I am telling the OP, tell your friend to smile and laugh at the situation. She is living life and this drunken guy is spouting rubbish that nobody really cares about. Who's the one with the better life. I'd have a tendency to feel sorry for him, if I cared. But I dont!

As for turning the other cheek. FIRSTLY the others sitting on the bus, I'm sure there were some that just didn't get involved, and they have every RIGHT not to. No one was physically hurt afterall. SECONDLY others may have been doing what I suggested and trying to distract the drunken guy with conversation. That is something I WOULD do in the situation the OP described. LASTLY, you dont know what was going on in the lives of the people on the bus, to state they condone it is wrong.

Like I said, pick your battles. And 'sticks and stones'. I am opinionated, argumentative and very confrontational, but I am smart enough to realise that trying to do any of those things with a drunk guy on a bus is pointless. If he started getting physical, I would have put a stop to that straight away. But he didn't, he spouted a few idiotic comments, none that made much sense by the sound of it either.

Marker_2

ecgirl07 wrote: »

horrific? aghast? to blame a 15 year old girl for being racially abuse because she had the audacity to wear a headscarf and travel on a public bus? what is it then?

Not one have I blamed the girl. Clearly we are not able to discuss this further as you have clearly not read anything I have said and are putting words into my mouth. You stay on that bandwagon!

gettingbackontrack

ecgirl07 wrote: »

horrific? aghast? to blame a 15 year old girl for being racially abuse because she had the audacity to wear a headscarf and travel on a public bus? what is it then?

Absolutely. The idea that the victim is in some way to blame is the last resort of those whose theory has been discredited elsewhere.

Those who have tried to blame the OP's friend for her dress or actions, I would say look to yourself. Bigotry and racism are sadly aspects of UK society that one might expect to have been eradicated by 2013.If it hasn't been, then I say again, look to yourself.

You shame all of us who proclaim ourselves Britons.

dktreesea

gettingbackontrack wrote: »

Absolutely. I find them very disturbing.

I hope the OP is reading if not posting and knows that many people think she and her friend were not only appallingly treated but also displayed real courage and intelligence in how they reacted.

And that, despite that despite what dktreesea unbelievably posts, they are not to blame.

And your continual flaming of someone for having an opinion other than your own is just as bigoted as the people you are attacking.

Did I at any point say the OP and her friend were to blame? No, though I certainly blame their parents for not making sure they weren't put in that position in the first place.

ecgirl07

Marker wrote: »

Not one have I blamed the girl. Clearly we are not able to discuss this further as you have clearly not read anything I have said and are putting words into my mouth. You stay on that bandwagon!

i never said you did

i said dktreesea posts were horrific, you questioned it and i backed up my assertion that blaming a girl for being racially abused because she was bringing it on herself because she was wearing a headscarf and was travelling on a bus was horrific.

then i asked you what would you call it instead of horrific?

ultimately you have put the wrong words in your own mouth....

dktreesea

Guest101 wrote: »

So a 17 year old boy is supposed to stand up when adults dont, ridiculous. All on that bus should hang their head in shame!

Not so much that, but more that I expect friends and family to stand up for each other, even when adults who are strangers may choose not to get involved. Teenage girls, even in a group, are vulnerable. At least with male company that vulnerability is reduced.

Some of the posters on here seem to be suggesting that when this kind of thing happens, strangers are obligated to get involved. That may be a nice comforting view to hold, but in my experience, it doesn't reflect reality. We need to be prepared in our lives for reality, not what we would like reality to be.

gettingbackontrack

Marker wrote: »

YES! I am telling the OP, tell your friend to smile and laugh at the situation. She is living life and this drunken guy is spouting rubbish that nobody really cares about. Who's the one with the better life. I'd have a tendency to feel sorry for him, if I cared. But I dont!

As for turning the other cheek. FIRSTLY the others sitting on the bus, I'm sure there were some that just didn't get involved, and they have every RIGHT not to. No one was physically hurt afterall. SECONDLY others may have been doing what I suggested and trying to distract the drunken guy with conversation. That is something I WOULD do in the situation the OP described. LASTLY, you dont know what was going on in the lives of the people on the bus, to state they condone it is wrong.
Like I said, pick your battles. And 'sticks and stones'. I am opinionated, argumentative and very confrontational, but I am smart enough to realise that trying to do any of those things with a drunk guy on a bus is pointless. If he started getting physical, I would have put a stop to that straight away. But he didn't, he spouted a few idiotic comments, none that made much sense by the sound of it either.

Oh here we go, The bully's defence. I was only having a laugh


Smile and laugh at the abuse? The classic line from the abuser. it was only a bit of fun, don't you have a sense of humour?

This response is pathetic and sadly only to be expected from those with a vested interest in keeping the status quo.

Anyone with guts and honour would have confronted the bigot involved in this. Those who dismiss its effect as "idiotic" are as bigoted and pathetic as the individual concerned.