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800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
You mentioned that you were a Human Rights Activist. From what I understand, those are people who confront the injustices of society in order to change them. It looks like Seattle could use your help. Maybe you should stick around and help change some minds?
The drunk white hipster, though, I can't defend. Bitch.
i'm with you, man. Thank goodness that rapists are unable to also cross the street.
Lame I, Anon. Lame.
We've had about 5 dozen unproked attacks by lynch mobs in this city where people were mauled-sometimes to death. Some of the victims were elderly, pregnant women, blind, in wheelchairs, children. 100% of the perps have been black or Hispanic. 100% of the victims have been white or Asian. Cry me a river. 7 black guys attacked a white women in front of the Wild Rose a couple weeks ago. Didn't even make the newspaper. Ditto for a 70 year old man assaulted and mugged by a couple Hispanic guys around the same time. If the races in these crimes, or dozens of similar ones (Tuba Man, Tony Vega, James Paroline, etc, etc) were reveresed they would be called racial hate crimes. Black (and Hispanic) crime against whites and Asians is epidemic is the Northwest. And no one can be outraged, even when the victims are elderly or in wheelcharis. If it happened the other way around the shit would hit the fan. I care more about human life than your ego, anon. How about some outrage over those who attack senior citizens, pregnant woman, and paraplegics? The worse you can do is cry that someone came up to you and said "yo"? I've had several dozen instances where black and Hispanics have come up to me and said far more racist and mysogynistic things than that. The vast majority of homophobia, anti-semetism, anti-asian racism, and mysogyny I've witnesses in Seattle comes from "men o color" so cry me a river. And most white folks (and gays) living in Seattle been on the receiving end of unprovoked abuse from minorities too. Big deal.
Maybe you should be an activist for white victims of crime perpetrated by POC, because that is what makes girls cross the street to get away from your rapper-thug uniform.
What that white girl did was wrong, but it may be an indication of the growing resentment people in this city are feeling toward gangster wannabe idiots committing random acts of violence all over.
Go ahead and move, the decent people there will be scared of you too.
Also, people act racist because they are racists. There is absolutely NO excuse for being a racist including "resentment".
Your last sentence is really telling. The "decent people"? You're clearly referring to white people. You are a racist. Own up to it, and realize you're despicable.
Someone has to do it, The Police, Courts and Parents of these rodents won't do anything about it. I will... happy hunting!
http://kateharding.net/2009/10/08/guest-…’s-rapist-or-a-guy’s-guide-to-approaching-strange-women-without-being-maced/
I do the exact same thing after sundown, if I see a man coming toward me. During the day, it depends. A boy or an old man, no. A group of boisterous teenage males, definitely. Every other man; depends how they act. But at night, if it's a side street, always.
You'd be surprised how many women are wary of you simply because you're a man, not your skin color. It's the reason why my next door neighbor literally won't leave her home after dark.
You've had once instance of someone getting your face because of your race? Then consider yourself lucky you're not a woman, because then you'd be getting comments like that on a nearly daily basis from men who feel they have the right to get in your face and comment on your body, your clothes, or why you're not smiling. Even in allegedly "liberal" Seattle.
Sorry, but it becomes an instinct for a lot of women. More often than not the person is totally harmless, but if it comes down to me looking like an asshole or me being harrassed, I'd prefer to just look like the asshole.
But yes, the finger guns girl sounds ridiculous.
You say you are a Human Rights activists yet you allow these incidents to make you want to run away? That's fine but you gonna be running forever if you're looking for a place with no race issues.
Grow some thicker skin. Hang in there and stick around be a part of the change don't run away cuz some dumb young white bitch got in your face.
In the unforgettable words of our dearly departed Lindy West: "POOP POOP POOP POOP."
In fact, the letter sounds more racist than the shit he's describing.
You see racism because that's what you want to see. If you move to another city, I guarantee your experience will be worse.
You said "Fine, fuck you, Seattle. Oh, and White girl, you're lucky my White girlfriends weren't there with me that night. They would've kicked your ass right then and there."
You sound like a person I would want to avoid on the sidewalk. Lose the thug attitude and the anger and things will get better.
As far as this guy's letter goes, his experience does sound particularly gross. I don't blame him for sounding off.
Nobody gives a shit about your opinion of what's worthy of reposting on SLOG...
@44, I think you're reading into meaningless behavior. Which brings up a larger point...That you've been trained to see racism everywhere, even where it's not.
And is assuming white people are usually racist kinda racist? It think it is.
Assuming they're 'privileged'? Racist.
Assuming their behavior is directed towards you? Um, that's solipsistic, narcissistic, and paranoid.
If this is common among POC, I might just have to become racist.
P.S. To echo everyone else, seriously, take no offense to women crossing the street. We believe any man may attack (which is kind of a shitty assumption to make about them just 'cause they're male, actually). It's better to be safe than sorry, regardless of potential perp's race.
Great start on fighting for human rights by pledging to leave an area where you feel people aren't being treated with respect. Keep up the good flight.
But yeah, as to the second part, when I'm walking by myself I'm wary of men, period. I can see how men of color might mistakenly take it as an extension of the racist knee-jerk fear they encounter constantly. I'm sure sometimes it is. But most men, regardless of race, have very little idea how much women have to put up with just walking around.
Not worse than what men of color experience. Not better. Just different, and both sets of experience should be acknowledged.
Also...the ghost of the early Malcolm X is reading this out there somewhere and saying "SEE! SEE! I TOLD YOU!!"
To the author of the rant: You offer no proof of any racism. Your written assumption and interpretation of the white girl, however, is very racist. You, are the racist in the story. You call her "White", yet you call yourself a "Person of Color"! You don't see that as being racist? If you weren't racist you'd not have used a PC term to describe yourself and then a racially derogatory term to describe the woman by her associated color. I'm Mexican, and I've experienced a plethora of racism upon my person and intellect, but never once did I play the race card, rather, I take them head on and show them that they too are not of this land and that they too have stereotypical qualities because of their race (or rather, because of their culture/ region).
Yelling "YO YO YO" and making gun figures with your hands hardly equates to racism, and in fact, is typical of people all over this country, people of all races, to talk and behave like that: Have you never seen MTV?
Quit playing the race card, it's truly pathetic and a symptom of a weak minded person: regardless of the race of the person playing the card, it's cowardly and ignorant. Use your wit, your intellect, and if physically attacked, your fists. But playing this race game does absolutely nothing to further the cause of equality. And before you go insulting me, remember, I am Mexican, so no, I am not being racist against a Latino here, but I am simply holding you accountable for your racism and weak minded perspective on Seattle. Grow a spine and quit blaming others for your problems. Yeah, a woman runs up to you on the street and is obnoxious, but totally in line with her socialization, yet, you can call her by her color, call her names and make general assumptions about white people and Seattleites, and yet, she's the racist? For the record, don't ever call me a "Person of Color" or "White". I'm just Joe, and there is no need to judge me (or this person you describe) by her race.
And most aren't all "poor me, I have to cross the street," but "you gotta understand why I'm crossing the street; it's not meant to offend."
You're sexist. Not fair to judge men that way...
But what I've found is that there are some black people out there that really hate white people. It may be because of white racists they've encountered that they hate white people, but I am personally not racist and don't deserved to be labeled as a KKK member or harassed on the street or called any names.
I have encountered black people that didn't like me on the basis of my skin color and they made lots of racist comments in front of me. I don't categorize all black people as being the same. I don't make racist statements against black people. I grew up with black friends and dated a few black guys, too. The only time I ever got harassed for being in an interracial couple was from a group of black women- I didn't get called a cracker bitch or a dog fucker by rednecks..it was from black women.
I have experienced reverse racism, so I no longer assume anything or feel white guilt. Black people are no better than white people when it comes to racism- my former black best friend called her hispanic neighbors "spicks" and so did her dad. Other black friends made comments about asians and hispanics and indians, too. In my white family we never call any minorities derogatory names.
I have been mugged by a black man in broad daylight when I lived in Chicago. I saw a Hispanic woman get mugged by some hispanic street punks on bikes. But I still don't use derogatory language to describe anyone or hold a grudge against all black men b/c one black man mugged me. I don't call anyone a spick, the n-word, or any other racist terms. In spite of my many negative experiences, I don't use racist terms or discriminate against anyone b/c of their ethnicity or race. Bigots aren't always white.
I guarantee you I live in the most racist city in the country.I've been to a few places, New York, LA, Las Angels. None of those places have the racism, segregation and violence, that STL has. I feel sorry for you, but there is no where that you can go to escape that bull shit, it's everywhere. BTW That white girl would have been shot had she done that in the Lou.
The "crossing the street at night to avoid you" thing = people, particularly a member of vulnerable victim group, have a right to keep themselves safe even IF it's an incorrect perception that hurts your feelings. Live with it.
Many people seem to forget that, especially in this part of the world, we are ultimately responsible for our feelings, attitudes, and qualities of life. Claiming persecution and calling others out usually yields poor results.
And I was minding my own business when a black male passed by and shook his fist and yelled "black power" in my face. And I was minding my own business when a couple of drunk black guys started threatening me. And I witnessed a white gay couple minding their own business when a couple of Hispanic guys started calling them fags. And I know countless white women who are minding their own business when men, including "POC", make lewd and mysogynistic comments at them. In short, so what? Your encounter is no worse than many whites have with Hispanics and blacks. Boo-hoo f-ing hoo. If whites in Seattle were so racist you'd have more to bitch about then something no different than everyone else, of every race, expereinces occasionally. Get over yourself.
Ahahahah, I needed that.
You said nothing and ran home and posted about it on thestranger.com
You can cry racism all you want, you can bitch that I'm not giving you the benefit of the doubt (and why should I?) and then you can write about it in your blog where all of your online friends will jump to your defense and agree that you're in the right. Just don't expect me to care, because I am busy trying to get myself home -safely-.
And it really doesn't matter that Anon is stereotyping based on a lifetime of experience. It doesn't matter if this has happened to him once or if it happens to him every day. None of that changes that fact that he is turning around and taking part in the -exact same behaviors- that he's getting so pissy about other people taking part in.
I don't doubt that you can walk down the streets at night without fear, but you know me, so you shouldn't need to be told why I can't, Joe.
@67 and friends:
If you're going to quote stats, then you better understand probability .
80% of Washington women’s sexual assault experiences occurred prior to the age of 18 and 90% of victims knew their attacker. This means it's family and friends who should be scrutinized, not the negro walking in the hoodie (no wonder they're always so grump looking).
Per 1000 people the incidences of violent crime in Seattle are:
0.03 Murder
0.16 Rape
2.36 Robbery
3.28 Assault
In the end the chance that a woman being violently assaulted walking down the street is about equivalent to a man and that probability is pretty slim (6 people out of a 1000) or 0.006%. Keep in mind this is all violent crime, the numbers for on-the-street crime are smaller.
This doesn't mean that you are 100% safe (who is?), just that your chance of being violently attacked on the street is tiny compared to other ways of getting injured. For example 1 in 20 bicyclists are injured each year.
If 0.006% still frightens you, rabbits, then you have a responsibility to learn how to defend yourself so that you don't have to act like an asshole. Learn self-defense and (if you live/work in an extraordinarily crime-ridden area) how to use/carry a weapon effectively and safely or get a big dog to walk with (or like the anon writer have a pack of rabid white girls in tow, lol)
Empower yourselves with knowledge and ability and your irrational fears go away. When your fear goes away, you can actually walk the walk of equality and tolerance instead of waiting for prince charming to ride in and make it happen for you.
Otherwise, just be an asshole, scared of everybody else, and embrace it like the conservatives do. Bounce across the streets like a pinball even though your chances of getting hit by a car is greater than being attacked by the swarthy-looking man walking toward you.
Stats from:
http://www.wcsap.org/how-often-does-it-h…
http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/wa/seat…
http://www.bikexprt.com/research/petty/g…
I know all the stats on shark attacks, but I still get afraid and I don't swim at dusk. I know the stats on plane crashes, but I still get a little scared on flights and breathe deeply if there's a lot of turbulence--I don't calculate stats to calm myself. The most common human fears--the dark, public speaking, spiders (poisonous or not)--are no longer rational, but that's because we are not perfectly rational beings. The only one that does make sense anymore is fear of falling, which will result in death often.
Consider also the severity of getting hit by a car (it could be bad) to getting forcibly raped (highly psychologically damaging and of the most terrorizing experiences one can have in our society). And that's why plane crashes seem worse and so do shark attacks and so does rape: we perceive them to be much more terrifying and gruesome than a common car accident. We'll avoid them far more fervently.
I know the stats on rape and have taken a self-defense class, but I'm still suspicious of lone men approaching me at night. Don't care if I look like an asshole, I'm not going to risk shit or continue to feel uncomfortable/fearful to prove to a stranger I'm not sexist.
How about a list of obnoxious unprovoked comments Hispanic males make to white women with the headline "Hispanic boy... Just shut up"
Would that be okay?
I've been felt up on the bus by random men three times in the last two years, and recently had my crotch & boobs grabbed by a random drunk man on my way home from a club. But I guess I can EMPOWER myself with the KNOWLEDGE that at least STATISTICALLY speaking, he won't rape me, instead of, you know, empowering myself by using judgment and making an effort to avoid finding myself in a situation.
But thanks for accusing me of sexism! I see that you are far less sexist with your nonsensical assumptions that as a woman I must be waiting for a prince charming to protect me. Seriously, what are you talking about?
Ping-ponging is irrational (as you admit) and a pretty much useless precaution. Skinny city streets are hardly an anti-attack moat and If the street is empty enough for a predator to attack, 15 extra steps won't matter.
"Consider also the severity.."
Well, I guess if I had to pick between emotional scarring and death I'd pick the scarring but you do make a point. I'm not arguing that rape, assault, or being eaten by a shark aren't as bad as we think they are. Of course they are, that's why they're so useful for brainwashing everyone into thinking that those dangers are imminent.
Having thousands of women (and men of small stature) walking around suspicious of each other and frightened of every shadow is not the way to actually get safer streets. All it does is justify the bigotry you see in the comments above and make advertisers and the government happy. A scared populace is a cowed-consumer populace.
Do what you need to do to get out of your house of course but don't fool yourself that you're being rational and not promoting bigotry for a false sense of security.
@95 "how does that make it better?"
Don't be intellectually dishonest.
"Its all a game of probabilities until somebody gets raped."
Just go pull the lever for Santorum already. They love your brand of fear-mongering.
You tell me, I'm not claiming to be a woman or speak for them.
Just my own opinion. Can you handle that?
"I've been felt up on the bus by random men three times in the last two years, and recently had my crotch & boobs grabbed by a random drunk man on my way home from a club."
That sucks and you don't need me to tell you that you have a right to be angry. I'd want to gut someone if they did that to my wife or daughter.
"empowering myself by using judgment and making an effort to avoid finding myself in a situation"
Apparently this tactic isn't really working is it?
Why do you think these sleazy men felt (quite literally) they had the right to do this and not expect any repercussions? This is not a blame-the-victim question but a how do we change this question?
I have my ideas but I'd rather hear yours to avoid the accusation of telling women what to do and think.
"waiting for a prince charming"
Oh come on, you don't recognize a bit of flame-bait when you read it it? It's to spark a reaction but also to say that the government and police (prince charming stand-ins if you will) aren't going to fix the situation. Police are only minutely preventative, they're mostly only useful for reacting to crimes.
God, you're fucking condescending and ridiculous.
@92
It's good to point these statistics to put these things into perspective, but I think your statistics fail to recognize the systemic nature of sexual harassment of women in public places, and the dual effect of occasional sexual assault/ rape and constant threat of it, which occurs whenever a man speaks or behaves in a way toward a woman on the street that lets her know that he sees her as a sexual thing and not a person to be respected and left alone.
That lack of boundaries that is demonstrated when a man makes misogynistic comments towards a woman on the street lets her know that he doesn't recognize boundaries. That is a threat that it could get worse if she hangs around. This is a campaign of terrorism on women, to make us live in fear. The men who shout misogynistic comments towards men rely on the occasional real rapist for their comments to make us jump.
I