it's not just fandom, you guys
Mar. 4th, 2008 08:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fleaThe past 24 hours on my neighborhood list-serv have gone like this:
(Note: I don't actually know any of the people; some are regular posters and others are not. I am paraphrasing except when exact quotes appear, and leaving out a lot of chatter. The neighborhood is very racially and economically diverse (on a block-by-block basis), but the listserv seems much less so.)
Crime Victim: My house was broken into this morning via an AC unit, for the 3rd time in a year. Neighbors saw a black man in a parka. "I hate to say it this way, but if you see any minorities on or around [address], please call the police immediately."
Calm Person: "Generally, when you find yourself typing the words, 'I hate to say it this way...' this is a sign that you should stop typing."
Black Man: So, you're saying that I should not walk down your block or you'll call the police on me?
Sarcastic Woman (who is married to a black man, maybe or maybe not the above Black Man): Hey, white people! Go rob [address]! Nobody will call the cops on you!
Crime Victim: I am sorry people were offended, but I am not a racist. How do you even know I am white?
John Birch Society Dude: Black Man is such a bully!
Random New Person: I don't like Sarcastic Woman's tone!
Two Neighbors of Crime Victim: Crime Victim is not a racist. He is a nice man and you are being mean to him. He apologized!
Me: Headdesk.
(Note: I don't actually know any of the people; some are regular posters and others are not. I am paraphrasing except when exact quotes appear, and leaving out a lot of chatter. The neighborhood is very racially and economically diverse (on a block-by-block basis), but the listserv seems much less so.)
Crime Victim: My house was broken into this morning via an AC unit, for the 3rd time in a year. Neighbors saw a black man in a parka. "I hate to say it this way, but if you see any minorities on or around [address], please call the police immediately."
Calm Person: "Generally, when you find yourself typing the words, 'I hate to say it this way...' this is a sign that you should stop typing."
Black Man: So, you're saying that I should not walk down your block or you'll call the police on me?
Sarcastic Woman (who is married to a black man, maybe or maybe not the above Black Man): Hey, white people! Go rob [address]! Nobody will call the cops on you!
Crime Victim: I am sorry people were offended, but I am not a racist. How do you even know I am white?
John Birch Society Dude: Black Man is such a bully!
Random New Person: I don't like Sarcastic Woman's tone!
Two Neighbors of Crime Victim: Crime Victim is not a racist. He is a nice man and you are being mean to him. He apologized!
Me: Headdesk.
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Date: 2008-03-04 01:49 pm (UTC)This made me laugh!
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Date: 2008-03-04 02:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 03:11 pm (UTC)*sigh* Cluelessness, it abounds.
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Date: 2008-03-04 03:17 pm (UTC)This kind of ugly kerfuffle is nothing new on our listserv, sadly; if we've made it through The Incident and several ugly zoning/development things, we can hardly see worse.
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Date: 2008-03-04 03:26 pm (UTC)I do feel sorry for her kid, though.
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Date: 2008-03-04 04:32 pm (UTC)My fandom goggles are showing: I can't help thinking of Random New Person and John Birch Society Dude as Sockpuppets of Crime Victim.
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Date: 2008-03-04 06:55 pm (UTC)Aren't you glad you have LJ to train you in internet social dynamics? (And a sister with a law named after her!)