Wasabisoft

An incident today faced during rush hour of returning home involving discrimination, and retaliation.

I was crossing the street today around 6pm in an intersection, and there was another lady who was in front of me crossing as well.  The traffic signal was “walk” for pedestrians, with red lights for cars.  The traffic guard goes, “Stop!”  I’m pretty much half way through the street, he goes, “What if you get hit, what if you get hit!” and I said, “Hey, why aren’t YOU telling that to the other lady” (who is Black, and so is the traffic guard).

I think he’s thinking, “An Asian girl, let me pick on her to make an example!”  — yes, he did send cars our way even though the lights were red, but the cars aren’t supposed to even MOVE so therefore, it’s not MY cause of it, and definitely not my offense. Then I went, “I’m already half way you want me to stand in the middle of the road?”

When it comes down to my example today, it doesn’t matter the traffic guard was Black, the point is discrimination comes down to pre-conceived notions of race and culture.  I am Asian, and in the past Asians have been quiet because they were not as educated to make a response, did not want the trouble, or did not want to cause problems.  The Asians of today, as well as other cultures and races who have become educated after being in the U.S. for several generations, are able to know enough about U.S. law and speak good enough English to have a voice.  Often, my mother tells me if she was as educated as I am, she would be able to deal with her problems at work better.  Instead, she sucks up all the people who picks on her and completes tasks that other people should be doing, and comes home being upset at me when I ask her how her day went.  I do get annoyed she doesn’t understand when I ask how she’s doing, I mean it to the best of my intentions but because of discrimination at her work place, she doesn’t realize it.