Racists and Assorted Dumbasses

A few days ago I saw the Da Vinci Code. It's a decent flick (yes, I've read the book, too) and I love the fact that so many Christians are flipping their shit because of it. I can completely understand, though. I mean, it's not as if it's a work of fiction or anything. After leaving the movie I stopped at a gas station to pick up various things sold at gas stations. As I waited in line with five or six other people I overheard the cock-gobbling teenager at the front of the line mocking the clerk, who happened to be of Indian descent. He made fun of his accent, dropped a few stereotypical lines, and concluded his purchase with "thank you, come again" like Apu from the Simpsons. This made a few of the people in line laugh. Now, like everyone that doesn't have their nuts in a vice-grip I can appreciate the humor in some racial jokes that poke fun at commonly held stereotypes. This kid was different, though. He was trying to be cruel, so I called him out on it.

Me: "What's your problem? Do you know how ignorant you sound?"
Stupid fucking kid: "What?"
Me: "Why are you being such an ass? That guy didn't deserve that."
S.F.K: "Fuck you, man. You know you laughed."
Me: "No, I didn't, you racist little bastard."
S.F.K: "Fuck you."
Me: "Only if you give me a reach around. Fuck, I hate people like you. Get the fuck away from me."
S.F.K: "Fuck you."
Me: "Fuck you? Is that all you have to say. You are the reason abortion is legal in this country."
. . . and so on.

My biggest problem in all of this wasn't even the little bigot I called out. When I reached the front of the line and told the clerk what an ass that little bastard was being the woman behind me - one of the people who had laughed while this kid was making fun of the clerk - told me that she also thought he was acting inappropriately. SHE HAD JUST LAUGHED AT THIS KID'S ANTICS NOT EVEN THIRTY SECONDS PRIOR AND NOW SHE WANTS TO CLAIM MORAL SUPERIORITY. FUCK HER! I kindly asked her to shut the hell up because, as far as I was concerned, she was no better than that kid. The clerk agreed with me and then did one of the funniest and most appropriate things I have ever seen - he refused to let her make her purchase. She left her stash of Twinkies and licorice on the counter and stormed out of the gas station. Priceless. Absolutely brilliant.

This all raises an important question for me, though. Namely, why do people continue to be so overtly racist? Maybe I'm simplifying this too much, but as far as I'm concerned every person, black, white, purple, neon green, whatever, has an equal opportunity to piss me off. Or impress me. Or cause me to be indifferent. But the fact remains that I know enough to understand that I don't know jack shit about any single person until I've met and talked with them. Why is it so hard for people to reserve judgment about people until after getting to know said person? Look, I think black and Mexican jokes can be funny because, at the appropriate time, some stereotypes can be humorous. If someone tells me a joke highlighting a white stereotype and it's funny, you can bet your ass I will laugh. I swear to Christ this country is getting dumber with each passing day. Someday, though, people will wake up and begin to think things through. I'm sure of it. It will happen, I know it. . . Oh fuck it, who am I kidding? We'll always have dumbasses like the kid in the gas station. But then at least I'll always have idiots to call out in public. Damn.