Excedrin RT
I think that this is the funniest faux commercial ever made! Especially from when she says "Oh no you didn't". Why? Because it points out things that black people go through everyday.
I had to let a caucasian co-worker have it yesterday because he called me racist! I had to explain to him that i'm not racist, i'm conditioned to react to white people.
Here's what happened.
He said that he had to go to the bathroom. When he came back, I asked him if he had washed his hands. I asked that because he has a bad habit of touching people when he talks to them. He asked why I asked him and I told him *and yes I was wrong* that I noticed that white people don't wash their hands when they use the bathroom. He called me racist and that's when I had to let him have it.
First I explained to him that racism is a hatred or intolerance of people of other races. It's also a belief that inherent differences among the various human races is what determines cultural or individual achievement. I don't subcribe to that belief nor do I hate any person because of their race. So I told him that the next time he decides to call someone out of their name, to please know what he is calling him.
I then went on to explain to him that he would never know what it feels like to experience the prejudice in the same form that a Black person does each and every day. He doesn't get the stares when he goes shopping. He doesn't experience white women getting off of an elevator when he gets on. He doesn't have to worry about being thought of as less than because of his skin color. He doesn't have to experience any of the racial bullshit that other minorities, especially Black people, have to experience. One of my Latino co-workers even joined in the conversation to get him straight.
But after all of that talking, he didn't understand and I told him that he never will. I knew that he didn't understand when he said "ya'll need to just get over it". At that point I was done with him. I haven't spoken to him since and don't think that I will.
posted by That Dude Right There at
6/21/2008 11:46:00 PM
30 Comments:
@CBW-Again, it may have been said with prejudice, but it wasn't racism. Learn the difference.
Maybe is was more so stereotyping. I get what you are saying though, about the differences between prejudice and racism. I think you may have a point there.
However I have kinda developed the notion that all races are or can be prejudice at times. Even the most left wing liberal, and understanding person, I think at a point can possible be prejudice. I feel its just a natural thing.
I grew up in a majority white neighborhood, and for most of my elementary years. I have run into my share of whites, who just don't get it, and will never get it. Let me tell you there have been many of the times I need the Ecedrin Racial Tension...I have heard the why don't they just get over it...slavery was like over a hundred years ago, and the civil rights was like over 40 years, but they just don't get that, that doesn't matter. There is still racist and prejudice motivated minds and action today. I mean take the Gena 6 deal, the Genarldo Wilson case, the Michael Bell, the Lady from West Virginia, there is so many cases of this still being prevalent.
Lastly, I'm not sure I would have said that exactly to that man, but white folks can be nasty like that at times. I mean not saying all blacks wash their hands, but I have seen my share of white not washing their hands in the bathroom, even when leaving a stall.
Let me tell you something...I have been getting this weird rash lately all over me. I couldn't understand it, until one evening I was at the gym...I have been going a lot more lately, and I was on this cross trainer thing, and it hit me. This particular night I noticed, it seemed, like every nasty sweaty white person, not all, but quite a few, were getting off different machines, and just moving on to the next. However there are signs all over the place about wiping and disinfecting your machine when you are done. Now I always disinfect when I get off, but I never think about disinfecting before I get on. My doctor, told me, that that is how germs spread, through the gym, especially through those white folks.
I know that is stereotyping, like a white guy saying all blacks like chicken, but all I have to say is, lets be real, don't most us like chicken?
So, you don't think you were wrong or offensive and inappropriate to say that? Racist/ Prejudice or not?
isnt this a new job for you? you sure are making friends.
The hen eats stones, eats pebbles yet omplains of having no teeth. If she has teeth, will she eat gold? Let her go and ask the cow that has teeth and eats only grass...
You guys have a great society yet you Americans are so stuck up on pin-pointing racism at every turn. If you see racism, what next will you fight over? Why don't you ask us Nigerians who have no racism but are killing ourselves just because we speak different dialects of the same language.
Damn! You guys should grow up
@YB&DL-I totally agree that all races can be and are and can be prejudice.
@GTP-Read the notation in red. I said that I was wrong for saying it.
@ColinNYC-My comment wasn't racist. I was a stereotype. Please pay attention.
@Anonymous-No, this is not a new job. I have been on this job for 2 years. And the people that I work with are co-workers and nothing more.
@Kritzmoritz-I haven't experienced the kind of prejudice that you have experienced because I do not live in Nigeria. And you have not experienced what I have experienced because you do not live in America. When you have walked a mile in my shoes, then you can tell me to grow up.
First, his comment was prejudiced and stereotypical. By definition, this was NOT racism. There needs to be an assumption of one's own race being superior to the other in order for this to qualify as such.
Once we get past the semantics game we'll see that what TDRT said was in really poor taste. Particularly at the workplace.
This is yet another example of knowing when to pick your battles. If you suspected he doesn't wash his hands and likes to get touchy feely, the appropriate thing to do, in my mind, would have been to advise him that his touchiness makes you feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes transparency can get you in trouble.
Hey, my comment was not directed at you personally. Its unfortunate it turned out so
My brotha you had every right to inquire if your co- worker had washed his filthy hands, I have a couple of co-worker that perform the same nasty stunt and no both are not white one is black and he is my current boss. Dude, I don't think that you displayed racism, but simply prejudice and there isn't anything wrong with that being that every one of us is prejudice, you just happen to be prejudice to ignorance and people that have unsanitary habits. Pleased that you pointed that out to his ass especially if touches folks while conversating with them, that would certainly make me cringe.
Wow. That's all I can really say. Whether or not your remarks were racist depends on how you frame the conservation on race. But that is really not the issue, it is a smokescreen.
Although you admit that your question was inappropriate, you tried to diminish the horrific nature of your question by adding a stereotypical response.
As a result you appeared to rude and crude and boorish which is congruent with the way you view those with whom you work.
I believe that we have remedies when we don't think someone has washed his or her hands you can find it in all shapes, sizes, colors and fragrances. It's called hand sanitizer. You can protect yourself and you can protect the rest of us from being seen as insensitive jerks when we ask horribly offensive questions which can only harm and not help.
this is sooo hilarious! I can't help but say that over and over! I love it! ::goes back and replays clip::
rotf lmao
Love that commercial, had it on my MP3 player for a while, and definitely sums up what we go thru daily at the "office plantation"
And how the heck did this go from washing hands to elements of racism and prejudiceness?!?!
I don't think it was a racist but a racial sterotype. (Like all black people love fried chicken) As the only black professional in a small office I hear racist comments all the time. And I've long since learn that they will never get it.
But you could have pulled back just a little, and personalize it to how he touch people and things and you notice he doesn't wash his hands.
I do like the fact that you try to education the dude but he just didn't want to understand.
Racial sterotyping is not being racist. It may be offensive but he will not be mentallity or physically effected (he might wash his hand more often now) nor will his kids or grandkids be refused anything because a blackman said "some white people don't wash there hands"
If you found that to be racist I would love for you all to come to work with me.
Great message, bad delivery...
~Damnit!
I think everyone else has said all that would need to be said about your comment. But I will say this - yes, that commercial is sooooo hilarious. You're right - it touches on what we face in the workplace so often. There are 3 blacks here in my corporate office...yes, only 3 blacks...and i'm the only black male.
So......did the guy ever answer the question??? Did he wash his hands?
That's all I wanna know.
Whether I agree or disagree with what was said or how it was said, there is nothing more that I could say that hasn't been said here already. Your responses or comments covered the whole spectrum from A to Z, from Mork to Mindy and everything in between.
All I want to know is where can I get some Exedrin RT from cause I know some people who blow my mind and make me want to...
LMAO!! I need to get about three bottles of those.
The problem is that you didn't address what you wanted to say in an effective manner. I always preface my comments with "Statistics have shown..":
"Statistics have shown that white males lead the demographics for not washing their hands post bathroom visits followed closely by white females. The effect of this shows the spread of germs are increasing amongst the population at large at an alarming rate."
If they ask where you got that, tell them, "the New England Journal of Medicine". Be a cold day in hell before they go searching for that information.
Can't we all just get along?!
ROTFF @ "the New England Journal of Medicine."
The statement made was more prejudiced than racist.
I wonder how your co-worker would've taken the comment had it been said in a jokingly manner.
"I had to explain to him that i'm not racist, i'm conditioned to react to white people."
To fuckn hialrious N you just keep it coming lol. Please educate these people..
I had a convo with my white co- worker and he said the new term for them is Non-caucasian. I bust the hell out laughing lol
I need you to text me. I got a new phone and it couldnt transfer my number Hoffa
X
I'm late as hell but that was funny and they don't wash they fucking hands and always want to touch on you...or be around food taste test it and then ask is it ok if i have some! OMFG I stay in Hr about going off on they clueless asses. Just wait until I win the lottery!
I had this convo with some White people I used to work with and they were like "why do black people still care about shit that happened 400 years ago"...i just was quiet and was thinking about creative ways to murder them without them knowing about it... and whatever, white people DONT was their hands....
"Yall need to get over it" Wow. He was really feeling it wasn't he. HUMPF!
That video was too funny lol!
I hope you both took your Excedrin RT! That video is hilarious. Racism and predjudice however are not. I think we are all guilty of exercising prejudice on some level. There mere fact that one is "conditioned to react to white people" automatically makes a negative sweeping generalization about white people. Its up to each of us as individuals to recognize those things that put us on the defense and communicate that. We must learn to love and respect our differences as well as our similarities...not merely react to others. True healing comes when you stand in your own light and live your absolute best life. Others will witness and ignorance will begin to fade.
Love the blog man!
www.lonnellwilliams.blogspot.com
now that was some funny sh*t!
oh and you were right. but wrong too. oh well, he'll just have to get over it. they tell us to all the time.
:-O
Love that commercial...
I'm black and I think that you are were wrong to say something like this to anyone. I would have been offended if I were sitting nearby.
He'd be justified in stopping you and searching on sight if he were a policeman, but of course you'd then think he was being racist.
The fact is you acted based on your prejudices, that is racism. Note that racism is a form of prejudice, they are not two entirely different things.
BTW your colleague will surely gain a very small idea of what it's like to be part of a racial minority if he works with you and friend long enough. How much of a positive impact this will have is uncertain since you've got him on the defensive from the off.
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