Sunday, July 19, 2009

So, you're Arabic?

There are few moments in my life that have left me speechless. When I recall a speechless moment each one is preceded by a negative or undeniably ignorant act or comment made by someone to me, inevitably about my "ethnicity".

Certain memorable comments come to mind:
1. A middle aged man stopping me outside my office building in early summer a few years ago to ask me "How'd you get your skin so dark?", in quite the accusatory tone. When I stopped, turned, and said, "Excuse me?", he again repeated his inquisitive request. He then went on to ask me if the jewelry I was wearing was "Mexican jewelry", and wanted to know my dad's name, because he "...knew some Mexicans, so I probably know him."

2. I was once at a volunteer recruiting event on campus with other respectable community businesses. A professional woman had left her booth to make the rounds and scope out the competition. Upon her arrival at my booth, she noticed my name tag and asked me where I was from. When I responded with the name of my small Kansas hometown, she looked at me bewildered and shook her head a little as if I were lying to her. She then asked about the origin of my last name, and I explained Dad's family originated in Mexico. She then nodded her head with approval, obviously getting the answer she wanted, and promptly directed me to come to her booth and speak with "...a little girl I have over there from El Salvador. I'm sure you'll get along great!" I'm sorry, when did Mexico and El Salvador become the same country, and when did I ever say I spoke any form of Spanish?

3. At one point in my life I was reminded by someone I barely knew that "If it weren't for Mexicans there would be no one to clean my pool or mow my lawn." Also apparently, pool bars should only be built in the fall because "...that is when Mexicans work the cheapest."

4. Another time I was harassed by an older man at my favorite bar who argued with me that I had to be Arabic. Apparently it was not acceptable that half of my background was Mexican because I obviously was Arabic.

And finally, the comment that brought all the previous events back to the forefront of my mind...

5. "So I was working on Ft. Riley the other day and there are a bunch of roofing jobs getting done over there. I looked around and every single guy on that roof was a Mexican." (Guy turns, makes eye contact with me, nothing but a serious tone in his voice) "So Jennifer, what does your Dad do, some type of construction?"

So, lesson learned, there will never be a shortage of ignorant, mindless, or snide people that I will at some point be blessed to interact with in life. Here is what I say to them, "Bring it!"