Breedism: Racism Among Cats
May 28th 2009 21:00
Photo by Radosiewka. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
It began like any other day. I was at the supermarket, minding my own business. The problem with my local supermarket is that it is small so if there is a particular checkout person you don’t like, chances are you will keep running into them.
So there I was, paying for my groceries when this Asian checkout chick asked me if I was Korean.
My hackles immediately rose at her attempt to pigeonhole me and I said, “No’ in the iciest voice I could manage.
She gave me my change and I stomped out of the supermarket, muttering “Racist” as I left.
If you wonder why I hate people, one of the many reasons is that some of them are so provincial and ask such stupid questions. What’s it to her what species I am (as we used to say in school)? Does it really matter whether or not I am Korean? How does it affect her? Maybe she is Korean and wants to befriend another Korean. But if so, why should she just stick with her own species? She’s in a multicultural city after all. You can’t avoid non-Korean people.
Or maybe she doesn’t like Koreans. Again, why should it matter? I’m only a customer, not someone in her inner social circle. So who gives a f*** what I am? All that really matters is that I am a human being and I want to be treated like one, thank you very much.
And before you say you think I’m overreacting, all my friends from non-English speaking backgrounds say they react the same way. It’s only some of my Anglo-Saxon descent friends who say stuff like, “They’re trying to get to know you/strike a conversation/meet someone from their own background. You’re over-reacting etc.” As if a white person living in a predominantly white society can actually relate to what it feels like to be part of the minority and to be called Ching Chong every day at school.
Can you imagine cats or any other animal behaving like this? Picture this: a Siamese cat meets an ordinary tabby.
Siamese cat: Are you Siamese?
Tabby: No.
Or this:
Tabby: Where did you come from?
Siamese cat: I was born here.
Tabby: Where did your parents come from?
Siamese cat: They were also born here. We’re Australian.
Tabby: Where did your grandparents come from?
Siamese cat: They were also born here.
Tabby: Then what about your great-grandparents?
Can you see where this is heading? The implication is that a person of non-Anglo Saxon background doesn’t belong here, which is offensive. After all, can you imagine someone with blonde hair and blue eyes being interrogated in the same way?
By behaving in such a way, the questioner is only revealing their own inadequacies and how provincial they are. I think animals are above this kind of nonsense.
Can you imagine cats behaving like this?
Case in point:
Tabby: You don’t belong here. Go back to where you came from, you smelly, slanty-eyed Siamese cat.
To the pigeon-holing checkout chick: get over it.
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Comment by Nevar
Is Why
BTW my Siberian is having problems with an Egyptian mau, should I be worried?
I am part Cree and Dutch, I fought the native boys on the reservation and the whites off the reservation. My wife is Thai, and most folks assume that she is Filipino or native and try to pigeon hole her: for example, a local started fussing at her because the didn't understand what my wife was saying in response to a question. And got very snotty with her about her English ~ my sweet wife smiled and replied that she was sorry for her poor English, it was her 5th language and it still gave her problems. The person making the remarks left in hurry.
She my hero lady.
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Good on your wife for standing up for herself. People can be so ignorant.
Comment by Nevar
Is Why
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
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Movie Train
regarding people, it must be almost redundant now in the global village, asking about ethnic heritage from more than two generations ago, we all nearly all tabbys with bloodlines criss-crossing through multiple nations
i was asked if i was Lebanese once, and i have been asked if i am part Islander/Maori . . . short answer: not that i know of, im white but im not blue eyes, blonde hair . . . i dont mind people asking, but unless you were both raised in the same overseas nation, or speak the same non-English language, it is probably not going to be a fact that brings you any closer together
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Spot on! Thanks for contributing.