Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation becausing someone called you a racial slur?

Question

I saw with my own eyes, this girl get beat horribly because of calling someone a racial slur. This was at a Food Lion of all places. I only heard the slur and saw the fight. A white girl called the black girl a nappy headed, n**ger, b**ch. The white girl really got beaten terrible. She had chunks of hair yanked from her scalp, her lip was busted and she was bleeding badly from the face. Both of them got arrested. I know that the white lady had to get medical attention. It was pretty much a fair fight, both of them were tiny ladies. At one point, I almost said something, but changed my mind. A small part of me felt sort of sorry for the white girl. When all was said and done, the crowd of all colors were saying that the white girl got what she deserved. What do you think?

This happened less than 10 minutes ago.

Answer 1

It has never happend to me. I've been called all types of names. I don't feel sorry for her, nor do I condone what happend. to her. I guess I won't be stopping at Food Lion after all.

Answer 2

Yes, I have. I have been in altercations with both blacks and whites. Both blacks and whites have said racial slurs to me and physically assaulted me. But, admittedly, when I was in junior high school (and fairly early in high school), I was sometimes the physical instigator (meaning that there were times in which I would physically react to verbal assaults). This was immature and wrong, and I am ashamed that I behaved in such a manner. Likewise, I am appalled that answerers are responding to your question by saying that the beating you discribed was deserved.

As I grew intellectually and emotionally, I decided to never deal with negative situations via physical confrontation unless I am physically assaulted. I have a question for those who think the beating that you discribed was deserved: If a black woman (or anyone else) called me a "horse hair w*gger b*tch", for example, would I be justified in giving her a beat down? If your answer is no then apparently you are racist. If your answer is yes then apparently you have anger management issues.

Was the white girl right? Not at all. But how can anyone argue that what she said was deserving of physical assault? I would say the same if the roles were reversed.

And, as someone else said, this isn't the full story. I am definitely not saying that the white girl was right. As I've already stated, she was NOT. But how are we to know that racial slurs were not first said to HER? I'm certainly not arguing that, if such were the case, she was any less wrong- Because, if such were the case, she is guilty of feeding racism with racism. My point is simply that, perhaps, she felt just as provoked as the black girl. Either way, they were both wrong. The black girl did NOT deserve such verbal assault. And the white girl did NOT deserve physical retaliation. I hope I'm making sense.... Please excuse me if I am not- I am feeling a bit ''under the weather'' at this moment.

To respond physically to racial provocation is to be no better than the provocateur(s) unless your response is in self defense. This doesn't mean that we can't take a stand and share our feelings with others. But there is a "healthy" way of doing so. One need not resort to the same as those who choose to be ignorant and behave so shamefully.

Just to be clear- My motivation for saying the above is in no way based upon race. I have met many people of various races who I believe to be shining examples of probity, including both whites and blacks. Actually, since I spent most of my childhood (and beyond) around black people, most of the people who I think are absolutely phenomenal are black.

We have to rise above racism to make a difference.

Answer 3

HA as i've always said "folks should always be free to say what they want but should also be ready to pay for it too" as for myself nahh there aren't any names out there that would bother me (aside from caucasian which to me just sound like something you'd name a string of mountains, i just hate the sound of it is all) my girls on the other hand are another story my ex got called a few things once by a white power goon and he and i "discussed" the matter, pauline on the other hand nobody has said anything about but to say the least i'd be using his hollow skull to decorate my living-room, ya know a vase to keep flowers and such

Answer 4

I've gotten in plenty of bad verbal ones especially with my cousin since she's so rude and obnoxious but the only physical fight I had was in 6th grade.

Answer 5

Yes I have. I have been in more altercations when another man has either been verbally or physically abusive to women. My dad taught me and told me to protect women at al costs regardless of whether they are hot or not or fat or skinny or black or white or yellow or green. He said that is someones daughter and deserves the upmost respect. He said to particularly fight for my sisters but that he would gladly bail me out of jail if I were defending a woman. Proud to admit he had to twice!


I do feel that when you return bad for bad you don't establish yourself as anything but bad. The girl had a chance to rise above the slur she received. I don't think that words alone justify that kind of response. I do hope the white girl learned a valuable lesson though. The real question that needs answering is how can we rid this world of racism and disrespect like that? I hope I would have the courage to return good for bad in a situation like that though.

Answer 6

I'm sorry, call me a hippie, but I don't believe in violence. Sure the white girl was in the wrong, but it's just words. She made herself look like a low-class person by calling her that, so the fighting was not justified. That just gives racist whites the opportunity to say us blacks are violent and will jump on anyone who insults us. When will some people learn that you can't solve anything through violence.

Answer 7

I think it was taking it overboard...don't get me wrong, she was basically asking for an altercation by calling someone a name like that, but still the african american girl should have kept her composure because she made a fool of herself also and ended up getting arrested because she allowed someone to make her angry.

Once when I was in 3rd grade, a little boy on my school bus called me the *N* word and I kicked him in the groin and shoved him down and punched him in the face and ended up getting kicked off the bus for the remainder of the school year and as far as I know he was able to ride the bus for the rest of the year. When my mother found out, I didn't get into trouble, but she did have a long talk with me and she explained to me that I ALLOWED that little boy to make me act a fool, and it shouldnt have been that way. She told me that people who like to say things like that are no good, and I was stooping to his level by hitting him. Of course when I was little I didn't understand but as I got older I kept that advice she gave me close to my heart and as the years went by it made more sense.

Answer 8

she made a huge mistake.

never confront anyone in the street. you don't know that person's mental state, whether or not they are carrying a gun, their background, whether or not they have an "agenda".

if the Black lady had done something that was illegal to her personally or to her property she should have called 911.

if the Black lady was JUST being rude then the white lady should have walked away.

she could have cursed the woman in her car, in her diary, on the phone with her friends. she could have saved herself a trip to the hospital and jail.

the Black woman should have called the cops on the white lady if she felt threatened or harassed.

she should not have used violence.

now words do HURT..... but is it worth a trip to jail and a police record?

Victory Over Violence.

folks have to learn to meditate

chanting nam myoho renge kyo

allows one to calm down and place things in perspective..."what is the best course to take in this situation" "how can I create value from this situation"?

ultimately,I feel sorry for both actually

"an eye for a eye leaves everyone blind"

Answer 9

No, I haven't. What do I think? I think the white girl shouldn't have called her that, she pretty much forced the black girl into having to fight her. Hopefully she learning something about bumping lips. If the black girl had called the white girl "cr*cker" or "H*nkey" or whatever, I'd feel the same way about the white girl kicking the black girls azz.

Answer 10

Damn,that's pretty bad.I feel sorry for people that feel the need to become violent.It is obvious the other girl was out of line to say such things,But why lower yourself?