This is what...the sixth time this year now?

[badstar]

Okay, all my friends in Baltimore, has this ever happened to you, or am I just a crazy magnet?

Yet again, I am a racist because I committed the crime against humanity that is asking someone not to scream into their cell phone less than a foot from my fucking ear. Am I doing something wrong? Are there some bigoted connotations to "Excuse me but could you please lower your voice, you're right next to my ear?" that I'm not aware of? If so, someone do, please, fill me in on all the details so that I can avoid being so insensitive in the future.

For serious people, I am fucking sick of getting my head bitten off when I ask someone not to scream when they're less than an arm's length from my eardrums. Why in the fucking hell is this so unreasonable??? Seriously, just lower your fucking voice a little, that's all I'm asking. I'm not talking about people being a little enthusiastic about their conversation, I'm talking full-out yelling.

But no, we can't do that in this city, we continue to make a spectacle and a headache of ourselves and accuse those who would rather not spend the day with ringing ears of hating black people. Dammit, do you really think I'd just sit there and smile if you were white???

Comments

[ursus-of-unrv.livejournal.com]

I remember visiting Baltimore last summer for a business trip. I was walking down one of the streets - can't remember which, not too far from the inner harbor. These older African-American fellows were sitting in front of a broken down house, and the one gentlemen sees me and says very loudly to his confederates: "Man, these white tourists need to hang out on Charles Street and get out of our neighborhood." Now, mind you, I was maybe only three or four streets away from Charles street anyway.

[vees.livejournal.com]

Air horns are your friend.

[brcmapgirl.livejournal.com]

Black people in Baltimore seem to be crazy interested in calling everyone a racist.

Don't worry about it. Know that it's not being racist to expect people to have some manners and decorum in public.

[kuanyin00.livejournal.com]

did this person SAY you were racist? Seriously? wow. Yea, so i take public transportation right out of d.c., and it's been interesting. One woman say "HMPH!" when she asked if she could open the window, and because i didn't reply, not because i was being the stupid white girl, but because i had my earphones on. She reached over to open the window anyway, and for about 6 months would walk by me on the bus every day thereafter, avoiding my eyes once she'd realized i was an actual commuter.

just yesterday, some guy was playing a rather loud rap song, and i'm no connoisseur, but occasionally, those songs can be a little irritating, and it was on his little i-phone for him, his lady, and the entire bus, to hear. At least he said "thank you" to the bus driver on his way out. Still, I don't need to hear his shit. Would he like for me to blast a little Haujobb ditty, or perhaps some very good angry-white-girl folk? I think not.

Another time, a woman (politely) asked a teenage kid smelling of weed to pull up the back of his pants because his underwear was showing. Since she was black, im assuming it was allowed. Most of us laughed at that one. I wish someone would take the reigns in the D.C. metro.

oi, vei. You are not racist. I really think people should be a little more courteous. Also, i think there should be signs on buses about lowering or turning off speakers, etc, but because it isn't yet something that can be fined, they probably can't do it.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

Also, i think there should be signs on buses about lowering or turning off speakers, etc, but because it isn't yet something that can be fined, they probably can't do it.

Hahahahahahaahahahaahahahaahahahahahahahaahahahhahahaahahahahahahahaahaa *falls over laughing*

Oh wait...you were serious.

Um...sorry. There are signs all over the buses and trains in Baltimore. (I forget, do you take public transportation in Baltimore, or just DC?) It doesn't do ANYTHING. Passengers ignore them, drivers and fare checkers don't enforce them. The few times I've ever bothered to say anythign to anyone, I've either been accused of being racist (Yes, this has happened multiple times- I didn't exaggerate when I said that this may have been the sixth time this year) or have been otherwise yelled at- one time by practically a whole bus when I asked a mother to have her child stop blowing a toy whistle- once again, right next to my ear, and the bus was beyond packed so there wasn't anywhere I could have moved to, and another time completely ignored after multiple attempts to ask someone who was walking back and forth on the bus, loudly preaching to all and sundry about you know, how you have to accept Jesus and all that. Finally after about ten minutes of trying, the bus driver oh-so-apologetically asked him to pretty please stop because someone was complaining, and the rest of the pasengers were all "Don't worry, I liked it" and "Be blessed in your persecution my brother!".

*bangs head on wall*

[fuego.livejournal.com]

Ah well, been nice knowin' ya I guess....