Before I tell this, it bears on the story that I was raised in a household where heavy emphasis was placed on social manners and personal politeness.  As a result, I tend to call men older than myself 'sir' or 'mister'.  Ok, that's enough to go on with.

I do most of the marketing at our house (only fair, as I do most of the cooking as well) and I was queued up at the local farmer's mart this morning, and started a conversation with the man behind me.  He was clearly senior to me, so - as noted above - I called him 'sir' a few times.  Very nice fella, we chatted about food and the weather, nothing heavy.

On a sudden, I heard someone from further back in the queue (almost) shout, 'I wish you'd stop that!'  I picked out the speaker and said, 'Stop what, exactly?'  And this piece of filth says, 'It makes me sick to hear a nigger called "sir".'

There was a collective gasp from everyone in earshot, and my new friend next to me  looked gut-punched.  Now, I want it clear that I had no intention of fighting this moron (aside from a fleeting vision of how he'd look with his features shuffled about), but I did suggest that he go elsewhere while he was still able to do so under his own power.  So - naturally - fuckface starts ranting about how society is crumbling, and 'mud people' and how the rights of white people are being eroded and on and on.

And then it happened:  everyone, and I mean everyone who heard the exchange started saying things like, 'Pay him no mind, SIR' and 'He's a fool, SIR' and 'Move to the front of the queue, SIR'.  Microbrain dropped his shopping on the floor and stomped out. I can't remember a time when I've been so disgusted and so elated in so short a time.  I hung about and walked my new mate to his car, just to be sure he'd be safe.

So, have any of you been witness to anything like this blatant, unapologetic racism?  I never even encountered behaviour like this in NI, where the national pastime is despising other people.

Boru

addendum: My new friend's name is George. He's 63, a retired house painter, a widower, and is coming to the house for supper at the weekend.

Nope, not like that, not in person.

Yhuuuuuuup.

I've personally been harassed out of a gas station because "WE DON'T SERVE NO RAGHEADS HERE."

I've had a service weapon unholstered when reaching into my glovebox to get my Audi's registration when asked to do so during a traffic stop for a burnt out tail light.

I get called "boy" on a regular basis.

#Murrica

Is he burly?

Masculine ?

I've heard worse, but not in a public setting like that.

I've noticed an undercurrent of racism within NZ, nearly as much as there is in Oz, but I've not encountered anything as blatant as that.

Racism is one of the things I truly despise.

Sad that there are such people still around in the 21st century, but it's great to see the reaction of the crowd.

And good for you for not only standing up for George, but also getting to know him.

anyone hear about the 'Slants' ruling today ?

I have never been witness to racism like that, but I am glad that the people around him did not stand for it.

Some months ago I was getting an earful about all kinds of hot button issues from one of the locals, and despite his negative attitude, I was thunderstruck when he got to harping about gay marriage and referred to it as "gay marriage".

Figured I was going to hear homo this or fag that. So even in this rural backwater the vocabulary of oppression is evolving.

Not like that.

I did have one of my union members ask me how I could "defend some towel head," one time.  I told him "because he's a union member, just like you."