Why didn't I speak up?

[Bathsheba]

Just back from a visit to a busy high st opticians. There were two ladies seated on the table next to me, probably in their late 60s, discussing the cost of specs. One of them said "if my face were black I would get them for free", and her friend agreed wholeheartedly with her.
Now here's my dilemma- I really wanted to speak up and tell them they were out of order, but as strictly speaking, I was eavesdropping, I didn't. But I so wish I had!
Any thoughts?

[eyebrows]

they were probly right.....poor ladies

[CAJ1]

I tend to keep out of things like that unless I'm directly involved, it only starts arguments which you will never win against narrow-minded people such as these two.

[squarebear]

Their point is that immigrants tend to get handouts for these sort of things and the ladies are quite correct. Such is the feeling of general animosity towards these people.

[LAW_DROP-OUT]

the nigerian development agency,,,,, would like , to know more ,,,,,, he nigerian development agency , would also like to deposit �50 , ooo in to ur bank account ......could you give "me" / "them 2 , your bank details ,.......

[eyebrows]

eh eh....dont be a racist pig...

char

[LAW_DROP-OUT]

there is limit i , think to what "nhs concessions 2 , you are allowed on glasses ......... means testing etc ....... -------- the nigerian development agency may be able to help you....

[LAW_DROP-OUT]

bathsheba ,,,,,,why didnt u speak up , u ask ur self .........??? "mr powell 2 in 1968 ...... "spoke up " ........ words that arestill echoing around this island foerty years on .........

[LAW_DROP-OUT]

mr eyebows i can be a "pig " , without , additional , ......... agenda / undercurrent .......

[eyebrows]

pig, po, ppa, no info for the.....

[R1Geezer]

The old girl is spot on! Why was she out of order? I mean I was behind some jibjab wearing muzzie woman the other day in the chemist she just grunted and got the prescription free. Kin muggins here pays over 7 sovs a time bacause I have the temerity to have a job!

[eyebrows]

and you get taked to pay for teh nhs....lest not forget

[LAW_DROP-OUT]

you pepals ......have problem always with us , "dedicated follwers of bin laden " ....... non beleivers like you , problems and bad karma , always to u will come ....(this means also bad karma , says u will have to pay for nhs ) ......... ------- banglatown ..... we are hoping sir , to rename shoreditch high street , "banglatown " ......... you pepals , must desist from being non beleivers ,,,,,,,, to door i must go ,...... poppadoms i have just had delivered to my door ........

[jake-the-peg]

Because you don't change attitudes like that by pointing it out to people.

They were hardly going to turn around and say "Oh gosh you know what? you're right!" were they?

You might have embaressed them or gotten into a stand up row,


You can't fight prejudice face on. You have to do it by getting people to actually spend time with each other, or you can do it with humour, lampooning it.

But you always want to and I'm always getting drawn into it on here although that's more to do with speaking up and showing all the little BNP knuckle-draggers that the fact that most people don't say anything doesn't mean everybody agrees with their prejudice.

[youngmafbog]

Yeah jake and thats why the lefty Government are getting a hammering.

Alot of people do think like these two ladies, they aer just bullied out of it by a gestapo government. As pointed out they have nothing agains t 'black' people as such it is the cavlaier attitude of this Government to immigration that has caused the issue.

I once was speaking to an Asian gentleman in Nottingham who openly boasted of how if he got nowehere at the councel scream rcisit until he got his own way. He thought it was funny but that is what these ladies were on about.

[Octavius]

Maybe you could have turned to her and said, �my dear, if your mother had had change of a 5 bob note you might have been�.

[fagidill]

The 2 old ladies in my opinion ,were spot on !

If you are British white , you are 2nd in line.

Thumbs up to the BNP.

[ruby27]

What Jake-the-peg says is true about changing people's attitude and speaking out not to change just to demonstrate the views are not always shared.

During some training I spoke of the need to challenge racist/sexist etc comments and my tutor asked me what was I hoping to acheive and for whom. Made me realise sometimes I did it because I felt I had to, rather than acheiving any change with the person who made the comments.

Challenging racism etc often involves a lot of emotional energy and it seems worth saving that for where it will count rather than just getting into a ruck with passers by.

[heathfield]

I had a colleague who, in such a situation, would have said, 'Excuse me, but is that what you really think?. To a reply in the affirmative, he would just say, 'Hmmm.... Interesting...' in a non-commital tone, and move away as though deep in thought.
He called it 'Passive Criticism'.

[figure]

What's wrong with having an opinion? If that's the way the women felt then so be it. They were not sounding an alarm but only discussing it amongst themselves. They are entitled to express how they feel.