Racistvember

So I have officially decided that this has been the most racist November in my life and hopefully it is one that will not be repeated. I have therefore decided that this month will be officially christened, Racistvember. A horrible name for a dispicable month.

Why? You ask. What has happened to dull your child-like innocence? I'll tell you.

It all started about three weeks ago. I was going apartment hunting and I brought my friend with me. She's probably reading this blog and will be offended if I call her a white person, so I'll call her Caucasin-ish.

Anyhoo, we go to these apartments that I'd found online. And I'd made an appointment. So I go in and my friend is with me and there's a woman sitting behind the desk talking to whom I assume is another client. Now, at this time, I had no idea that she was Racist Bitch so I stand there, waiting to be acknowledged. My friend is admiring the walls, I don't remember. So I'm waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Finally, the woman looks up, sees me, sees my friend, and proceeds to deny my existence. She's asking my friend if she's looking for an apartment. My friend ignores her. She asks again. My friend ignores her. Finally, she deigns to look at me.

"Hi, yeah, I'm looking for an apartment."

"Well, we don't have any available."

"I'm not looking to move until January."

"We require 60 days' notice and we haven't received any yet."

"I saw three apartment vacant on your website."

"Those have been rented."

Yeah, that's basically how it went. There's only a bit of artistic license that's been taken.

Needless to say that bitch can bite my ass. I wrote a letter to everyone and their mama at that company and I'm considering filing a complaint with the Fair Housing Commission.

Now, that was bad enough. At least I thought so until Monday. I was at a bookstore cafe, working on my NaNoWriMo. There's an old white couple at a table. I sit behind them. The man promptly tells his wife to get up, that they're moving to another table. Now, this isn't an easy move, seeing as how thay had like about a million things that needed to be relocated. (That's a bit of hyperbole.) All the while, he's muttering under his voice. The only word I can make out is 'she.' I ignore him. They move to a new table. He then says to his wife in a loud voice "If she tries anything, you just call out really loud and I'll take care of it." Then he glares at me. At me. And not an angry glare. A hateful glare. Like just my presence in the world was an abomination.

Now. Being a Black American, I know that racism exists. I've experienced it. Just look at the 'Jena 6.' But this has been the first time I've ever had it be so blatant. Nowadays, racists and racism are a bit more subversive They're happier with universally keeping us down. 'The Man' kind of thing.

And to top it off, at church, we had an Ode to the Pilgrims. That, I drew the line with. It was ridiculous. The Pilgrims were a buch of murdering religious freaks. 'Salem Witch Trials' anyone? After the Native befriended them, they repaid their kindness by killing them. God's work, apparently.

I have to say that I am glad that I live here in the U.S. despite my recent tribulations. Better here than Africa, IMHO. But I am not about to build a shrine to the slavers. I'm not going to thank them. I prefer to think of it as bitter seed bearing sweet fruit.

So, that's it. My Racistvember. Fuck it.