Serious question on what to do in this situation.

[Ryzee]

What would have been wrong with: "Hey you guys there's these people being really loud and obnoxious in the library right now where people are trying to study.  I want to go ask them to quiet down but I'd imagine that people who are already being loud and obnoxious in a library aren't too concerned with how what they are doing is affecting others so I doubt I'll get a lot of cooperation from them.  What should I do instead?"

Saying three long sentences vs saying "black ghetto girls"

I don't know, the OP was way longer than what I posted.

[Chino]

Saying three long sentences vs saying "black ghetto girls"

I actualy said "Two black girls, dressed hood as hell". Had I just said "Two girls, dressed hood as hell", each and every one of you would have immediately assumed black. So what is worng with just confirming your suspicions?

[theseoafs]

Saying three long sentences vs saying "black ghetto girls"

I actualy said "Two black girls, dressed hood as hell". Had I just said "Two girls, dressed hood as hell", each and every one of you would have immediately assumed black. So what is worng with just confirming your suspicions?

No matter what we assumed, their skin tone doesn't matter, so it won't make a difference to us.

[Adami]

Chino I gotta ask. Would you have acted any differently toward them if they were white?

[bosk1]

Okay, let's dispense with the debate about whether or not the description was racist.  It wasn't racist enough for me to consider it a violation of forum rules, so let's move on and not worry about it. 

[yorost]

I am in the library on campus right now. There are four floors. The bottom floor is the big "hang out area". It has a coffee bar, some TVs, big couches, etc. Floors two and three are are filled with tables and a few computers. Groups often gather on one of these two floors to do there stuff. The fourth floor, which is where I am right now, is a quiet study area. You aren't suppose to hear anything other than the elevated sounds, pages turning, keys clicking, and the toilet flushing. It is a large open floor, with a bunch of tables scattered throughout. However, the problem with this floor is that there are very few outlets. I'm talking like 18 for the whole room (it can seat about 120).

Here is my problem. I need to use an outlet for my laptop, I can't just get up and move, and I am at the last table that was available for me to do so. Two girls just sat down at the table down two from me. They are talking non stop. They are doing no work and are just making a ruckus looking at their phones. They are being unreasonably loud for this floor and I shouldn't have to put headphones in to block out other people. In the past, I have asked people to turn their music down, or even politely reminded people that the two floors below us are accepting of conversation, but not this floor. Usually people apologize and it's not an issue after that. I can tell by the conversation these girls are having, and just their body language and gestures in general, that they will 99% cause a scene if I say something to them. I'm talking a scene like the ones on Hardcore Pawn, if you've ever seen that show you know what I'm talking about. I am almost certain I am gonna get a "you disrespecting me" reaction. I don't feel like being the center of attention right now, even if it's clear I'm not in the wrong. I am not the only one being bothered right now, I can tell by the facial expression of those around me that everyone is feeling the exact same way.

What do I do DTF? Please advise.

You would have gotten the exact same responses, minus the criticism on your choice of racially describing them.

[black_biff_stadler]

I think people are blowing this way out of proportion and I'm black_.

[Cedar redaC]

I think people are blowing this way out of proportion and I'm black_.

Double "I saw what you did there"

[black_biff_stadler]

I thought I only used one marginal joke there. Did I outsmart myself through dumbness?

[Cedar redaC]

I thought I only used one marginal joke there. Did I outsmart myself through dumbness?

You're black_

But the whole argument on the last two pages is about whether the original post was racist when it mentioned that the two girls were african-american.

I don't know, maybe you did just intend one joke and I read two.

[theseoafs]

That is exactly one joke.

[Cedar redaC]

That is exactly one joke.

And that, finally, my friends, is the joke!

[Adami]

I thought I only used one marginal joke there. Did I outsmart myself through dumbness?

You know if you changed your name into Portuguese, you'd be Negro_Floyd.


Just a suggestion.

[black_biff_stadler]

Duely noted.

bosk, you know what to do

[Cedar redaC]

Blackwater_Floyd, get it?

[black_biff_stadler]

Lol, that's just clarifying that the "black" is a reference to Opeth's Blackwater Park album. I'm confused again.

[robwebster]

Saying three long sentences vs saying "black ghetto girls"

I actualy said "Two black girls, dressed hood as hell". Had I just said "Two girls, dressed hood as hell", each and every one of you would have immediately assumed black. So what is worng with just confirming your suspicions?

With respect, that's nonsense!  There are plenty of mouthy, attitude-laden white girls in my neck of the woods, first instinct would be Vicky Pollard.

But - wrong with saying black? Nothing! Valid description, leave it in. I never said to take it out, you're reading what you're expecting to read! The bits I'd have taken out would've been "About to get racial" - cos it wouldn't have if you hadn't said that - and "There are plenty of black people on campus, and I'm all for giving everyone (regardless of race) their chance, but they have already blown theirs." And like I said - best of intentions, navigating a minefield, I get that! But it's not a racial issue, it's an annoying loudmouth issue, and I'm not entirely sure why it was introduced as a racial issue, or why the black fellow a couple of tables down would be more qualified than you to deal with this kind of thing.

They're just people! It's not "white people versus black people," it's "people who are studying versus people who are being really loud." No need to make it racial. If they're being loud, that's due to their nurture rather than their nature. I don't think you're racist, I'm just not sure why so much emphasis was placed on what they are rather than who they are, like we'd think you were saying they were being mouthy because they're black.

Again, though, I get the impression that you know all of this - I more got the sense you were worried that people would think it was, and trying to pre-empt it. But sentences like "I'm all for giving everyone (regardless of race) their chance" do end up sounding less like "all races are equal" and more like "I'm going to be really nice and let the black thing slide." Especially when it's later justified with "Oh, you all know it's the stereotype!" No, I didn't!

Like I say, though. I'm sure it's more a foot-in-mouth thing than a hatred-in-thread thing.

ETA: Crikey! Missed a page. Just seen the post from Bosk - right! Sorry, leaving it at that. Crucial point to take away is that from where I'm standing, it seems clear that you were basically trying to do the right thing - and whether it worked or not (and I wouldn't say it entirely did) that is ultimately A Good Thing.

[Cedar redaC]

Another profound post from Robwebster!