Ignorance & Prejudice Pisses me Off

Yes, ignorance and prejudice piss me off. You heard me right. I was sitting in a waiting room for my yearly boob squash when an older gentleman, I use that term lightly, initiated a conversation with me. He had previously been chatting with another woman who was sitting with her husband. That woman had been very agreeable with his opinions and seemed curious to know more about what he thought about this and that. Finally her husband's name was called and she got up and said "nice chatting with you" and he said the same to her. That was when he turned his eye to me.

Now the television was on and they were talking about the idiot governor of Illinois and how he had just been arrested etc. I was trying to listen to it because I had not heard much of what was going on but this man insisted I look at him and talk. I was raised to not be rude to my elders so I decided I could hear what I needed to later on at home and looked at him.

He was of the opinion that we didn't have much of a choice for President this year. The economy was so bad and that most of the public just didn't know how bad it was. He said that he admitted that he was very prejudice and had been a school teacher and principal for many many years in Southern Illinois. He said the job of president was going to be a hard one and he just didn't know what our country was headed for. He said that he didn't trust anyone from Chicago. Naturally, being the person I am I let him finish his one sided conversation and when he paused I decided it was my turn.

I told him that I thought our President-elect was a fine man. A very well educated and intelligent man with a giant job ahead of him. That I had every confidence in the world in him and that many people finally see some hope for our leadership. That in my opinion the Lord made everyone equal and that I don't see the color of a person's skin in order to judge them. I went on to tell him that my very best friend in the world is a black woman and is my daughter's Godmother. I also told him that I had lived in Chicago.

The entire time I was talking to him I did so in a soft spoken voice and not one filled with hate and prejudice. He looked at me and suddenly he changed everything he had just said. It was like he felt that he had to justify to me that he was a good person and wasn't what he had admitted he was when he started the conversation......prejudice. He started rambling about one of the best first grade teachers to work for him was a black woman and how she had become the principal in that district thanks to his recommendation. That she was a fine teacher and so on an so on.

Then he changed the subject and said that he and his wife lived in a rather large house and that it was not that expensive when they bought it. He said "I don't know what kind of house you live in but do you know the best kind of house to live in now?" I said that I didn't know. It was at that time that my name was called, I stood up and he said "the best house to live in is a ranch." I turned to walk out of the waiting room, paused and looked back at him and said "I live on a ranch" and I walked away leaving him and his narrow minded opinions to himself in a now empty waiting room.

I don't know about you folks but it is that type of narrow mindedness that makes this world a much worse place. I believe in treating everyone equal and not imposing my beliefs on another person. Kind of like I used to hear growing up, If you don't have anything nice to say just don't say anything.