How To Beat The Racists

Man, what is up with Oregon? First the standoff at a wildlife refuge, and now this. If this keeps going the state motto might need to be changed from “She Flies With Her Own Wings” to “A Number Of Us Fly Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Earlier this week a man in Oregon was filmed driving alongside a car driven by a woman of Jordanian descent. The guy, who is a plumber, was caught on camera with his window rolled down, shouting “wetback!” over and over. I know what you’re thinking, but no, the guy wasn’t relating how he’d just slipped in a flooded bathroom. But just like his adversaries in a troubled restroom, his job disappeared down the drain when his company fired him.

Reading about this incident brought to mind a story from college about my buddy Shay. Shay was of Indian descent (ie from India) and had to put up with occasional harassment in Nashville, where we attended school. One year Shay was required to teach part of an introductory engineering class as a teaching assistant. So he decided to go full-metal stereotype. On the first day of class he dressed in traditional Indian garb and even put a red dot on his forehead. He walked into the class, faced the students, and in a heavy accent said, “Allo, my name ees…” The students stared back dejectedly. Then Shay ripped away his robe, revealing ripped jeans and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, before saying “Just kidding.”

Those freshmen adored him.

Another time a group of us were hanging out in some dingy bar. A guy walked up to Shay and called him a “n*gger” The room went silent. Shay got an angry look on his face and puffed his chest out. Everyone thought a fight was imminent. Then Shay looked at the guy and said “I’m not a n*gger, I’m a sand n*gger!”

The room erupted in a roar of laughter. People at random tables started high-fiving. I don’t remember much else from that night, but everyone was smiling as the racist dude slunk out of the room.

Ignorance always loses in the long run. And humor is magical.