Insulting a Vet: Too Much White Trash Behavior Going On

I was having lunch today with a friend that I’ve known over 20 years who told me about strange things happening to him and his family lately. It’s something you should be aware of.

He works in sales for a company where he generates annual sales for his employer are around $1 million each year. He is also a veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force. His wife works in an administrative capacity for a school. His car is a nice, small car with no bumper stickers.

Recently, on two occasions, drivers have tried to provoke him. He was stopped at a light when a group of white kids began giving him the finger. Then in traffic they tried to cut him off. Another time he was driving in the slow lane when a young woman came up fast from behind, dogged his bumper while giving him the bright lights. Then she swung around and got in front of him, and slammed on her brakes! She then she gave him the finger and accelerated away.

My friend happens to be Hispanic. All of the people involved were white people. I remembered him telling me some months ago how he and his wife had gone to dinner in a nice restaurant. As they sat there a white guy was looking at him and started talking loud enough for him to ear: “Oh, it’s the local gangster out with his girlfriend.” My friend said nothing, but it hurt.

What the hell is wrong with my fellow white people? I’m ashamed of them. Each acted like white trash. Each one tried to start a fight with my friend -- just because of his color since in each case they didn’t know a damn thing about him – they weren’t reacting to a bumper sticker that wasn’t there.

My friend Martin has been married to the same woman for decades and has two boys in college at the University of Houston. Yet he gets the finger and verbal put downs by strangers, because of his color.

Have we lost all our common courtesy and respect?

Hank Williams, Jr.’s disrespectful comment of President Obama is another similar case when he sounded like a loudspeaker for the right wing nut fringe and calls the President a “Nazi” and “the enemy.” The President is an enemy? I wasn’t wild about George W Bush but I would never have called him “the enemy.” Williams sounded like a mindless redneck bigot.

That’s exactly what the people are who attacked my Hispanic and tried to pick a fight simply because of his color.

American courtesy has been downgraded to rudeness and hostility, and are becoming commonplace. A stewardess recently interviewed said she had to break up a fight between two men over who would be first to debark an aircraft! Is that stupid or what? As if waiting another second or two would make a difference!
What happened to being courteous and letting someone else disembark first, or letting someone pull into traffic?

I am a white guy who treats all people with respect, even before I traveled the world. When I did I discovered all people are the same. I have been with people of all colors. I know them to be good people. No one culture has a monopoly on good or bad.

America’s Constitution was built on respect and decency regardless of race, religion or national origin. It makes me angry to see alleged “patriots” abuse my friend, or anyone because they are Hispanic, or Black, or Asian, etc. It’s a small mind that does that.

White bigots are not good Americans –in fact, bigots of any nationality are not decent Americans like our forefathers who wanted fairness and justice for all Americans, not just those with connections or property or a certain color. Unfortunately, we have too many of my race who are acting without respect or courtesy to countless people like my friend Martin.

Judging people solely because of their color is about as ignorant as you can get. We will not win the 21st Century with this kind of moron behavior. Nazi prejudices against Jews and non-whites were just as wrong – and did not win Germany friends or the war. If people have to resort to a physical fist fight to get off the plane first, imagine them with a gun or in an everyday traffic jam!

If this story fits you, then the next time that you feel like acting like a jerk to a stranger, think again. You could be insulting my friend Martin, a veteran, or someone who is making his employer rich while he’s doing the best he can to educate his kids for their share of the American dream. Try a little courtesy for a change.

It’s the content of a person’s character not the color of their skin that makes the difference. The sooner everyone knows that the sooner our American greatness will be restored, and we can work together to build a better future for all of us.