Halloween mask at Knoxville's Boo At The ZooI was browsing the stacks at Barnes & Noble the other day while wearing a Scottish hat known as a ‘balmoral’, sort of a dark blue beret with a pewter cap badge attached to one side. As I was walking around a thirty-something African American man approached me and very nicely asked what the “medal was on the side of my hat”. I explained to him that it was my clan badge. At that point the man’s attitude changed dramatically and with an irritated look on his face he turned and abruptly walked away.
I was standing there dumbfounded, wondering why the sudden change of tone. I then realized that I had said, ‘clan’ but he had heard was ‘Klan’. Feeling badly and embarrassed I wanted to find him and explain the misunderstanding, but he was already gone.
I realized that I’m not very sensitive to race, if I even think of it at all. I find it all very archaic and boorish, which I’m quite happy with.
2 comments:
Eric,
His ignorance and focus solely on race is not your problem. I am tired of people being "offended" because they are too ignorant to understand what others are talking about.
It would have totally blown by me, too, Eric. IT just shows where you mind is and obviously it's a good place.
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