Once a week, I take my laundry, an elderly neighbor's laundry and drive down to pickup my son's laundry (works f/t + college student) and go to a local laundry mat owned by Mexican Family. The family lets it be known they only want Latinos using their business and are very rude to all non-Latinos. I thanked them in Spanish while leaving once and the next week they questioned me to see if I could really speak Spanish. So I spoke a little Spanish, apologized and explained in French Canadian that I spoke only French. Now they are not mean to me anymore because they perceive me as a non-American. When I finally told my son, he was upset and said that either I should have stood up to them or found another laundry. That my inauthenticity was part of the problem, not part of the solution. He asked that I use another laundry mat or not do his laundry anymore. I tried to explain that I simply found away to keep from being discriminated against. Is he right?
2007-01-19 13:25:32 · 5 answers · asked by ... 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Ps. I forgot to mention that I am a USA citizen and speak English as a first language.
2007-01-19 13:27:11 · update #1
I am not French Canadian. I speak French and ocassionally visit Canada.
2007-01-19 13:28:37 · update #2
Everyone deals with Ethnicity issues. I am sure they deal with their own on a daily basis. They probably don't want any trouble, and by allowing non latinos to start coming to their store, it opens the door for them to experience racism. I wouldn't worry about it. They have thier own reasons for how they opperate their business. Don't take your sons laundry anymore. Yes, in a perfect world, we would all get along. Your son has probably not experienced the racism they see, and cannot understand their point of view.
2007-01-19 13:37:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously there is prejudice everywhere and is not limited to just white people. However, I think more of the problem is your son. You are doing him a huge favour and he should not be critical of your choices. If he doesn't want his laundry done there, then he can do it himself. They're not mean to you any more and you have certainly taken the high road on this and people would get along a whole lot better in this world if they acted like you. It sounds like you can end up being friends with these people.
Your son, in my opinion, is wrong and you are absolutely right. Well done!
2007-01-19 13:36:10 · answer #2 · answered by aquiellez 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you were to tailor your natural behavior to accommodate your son's views, that would be you not living your life as authetically as could be, either.
How you want to present yourself to people is your call to make, not his.
I notice this post is in English, so this means that you don't just strictly only speak French?
That would not be telling the truth to those folks, if that's the case. We don't want to teach our young ones to go around volunteering things that aren't true.
Anyhow, he can do his own laundry. Builds more of that character he seems to be so concerned with!
2007-01-19 13:38:54 · answer #3 · answered by Cynthia D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One I think that by showing that you are trying to at least understand their culture you are not inauthentic.I work with many latinos they are a very proud race.They do tend to be clannish, but it is not just americans it is all races even their own.Secondly tell your son to do his own laundry if he doesn't like it.
2007-01-19 13:36:19 · answer #4 · answered by unbelievable 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why didn't you just pick up your laundry and leave it at that?
2007-01-19 14:44:06 · answer #5 · answered by lavendergirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋