I have a roomate who attacks mexicans in front of other white roomates just to jab at me facetiously because I'm mexican. He pretty much uses every racist joke in the book. The thing is, he envelopes it in a tone of jest so as to avoid being labeled a racist. He assumes it won't offend me but is it that unreasonable to presume a mexican friend might not find mexican jokes very funny, especially when they're at his expense? Am I being too sensitive? I've been told by a few people that I am.
2007-01-13 19:23:11 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
He obviously knows what he's doing even if he acts like he doesn't think you would be offended. The fact that he does it in front of other white roommates and not just jokingly when he's alone with you shows: a. he's not joking, and b. he's insecure.
I don't think you're being too sensitive. It's not like you get mad for a few jokes he tells once in a while, it just gets annoying when someone constantly puts down your heritage like that.
I don't know what you should do, but when that happened to me at work, I just let them know that it wasn't funny and I wasn't going to laugh along with them. I just looked at them annoyed, like 'are you kidding me?' You know I'm Mexican, right? Then? It's not funny. There's probably no reasoning with him, just don't put up with it.
There are a lot of jokes you could say about white people or anyone else too, but you don't (excessively). It's just common decency.
2007-01-13 20:37:27 · answer #1 · answered by what up buttercup! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that you are being too sensitive. Take a joke man. Minorities in this country try to make a big deal out of everything.
2007-01-13 19:43:29 · answer #2 · answered by fred 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the real intent. I can't read his mind.
There are environments where people openly tell racist jokes between each other and not really mean it. Happens in some interacial environments. Often there are no whites in these environments.
For myself, I never was much into racial jokes.
Are you too sensitve?I dont know. I suppose you can do what my asian friends do. tease him back about his race. Or
2007-01-13 19:30:02 · answer #3 · answered by rostov 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm so sorry. i really am. no, you're not being too sensitive, but there's very little you can do in this case. you might just have to let it go, even if it sucks and is offensive. but make it very clear to him that he is offending you before you stop talking to him or together or something like that.
2007-01-13 19:30:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd find another roommate, hopefully one with a brain next time!
2007-01-13 19:53:57 · answer #5 · answered by Dixie Deb 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Racism shows prejudice. Prejudice is to judge before you know. It always sounds stupid no matter how you slice it. If he is trying to berate himself he is succeeding.
2007-01-13 19:29:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its not funny and he means it and hes just dressing it up as something funny, switch roomies. hes a looser.
2007-01-13 19:28:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋