New Pet Peeve

[Bedreviter]

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in case it wasn't clear because i get the impression from some of the posts that it isn't, the mexican guy behind the counter obviously spoke english well. the white kid knows this, yet decides to speak spanish to him anyways as if to say "hey i speak a little bit of spanish. you are mexican. even though i know you can speak english perfectly fine i am going to make a big scene out of your ethnicity and my acknowledgment of your ethnicity by talking to you in 3rd grade level spanish. you are different than me (read: white american) and i will demonstrate this point by insulting/belittling your ability to speak english."

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Hmm...Im from Norway but for the last 3 years I have been going to school in North Dakota, where there are a substantial number of Norwegian-Americans. A lot of people point out that I have an accent, and ask me where Im from. When they hear Im from Norway they start saying the 3-4 phrases they know in Norwegian, and sometimes ask me to teach them a few more.

Until now I have found this funny and as a nice thing, its cool that people try to show that they are familiar with my country or know something about my culture. But now I understand that I have been the victim of racism, those white Americans point out that I am diferent then them, Im just a white European. Oh how terrible, imagine that they dare speaking to me in my native language when my english is way way better than their Norwegian.

So thanks for clarifying that what I thought of as funny and showing an interest in my culture rather is a way to belittle me. Should I contact Al Sharpton?