Racist outburst on LRT (video)

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Yeah, I agree with that. I think the issue is that one situation is based on a person being overtly racist and threatening, and the other is your basic uncomfortable interaction downtown (that granted, obviously scared the poster).

We've all experienced something like the latter. Stories of awkward interactions aren't quite the same as someone being overtly racist. It's worth complaining about, but for different reasons.

More people should ask themselves, "Do I need to identify the race of these people to make the story clear?" If no, it's probably bad to do so. It just promotes a negative stereotype. People are people.

You don't have to identify the race to tell your story, and I found it kind of funny that in a thread about a racist outburst, people had to come in and tell a few negative stories about minorities (that could've just been negative LRT stories in general). I think that's why the story got dismissed.

We didn't do it for the guy on the video, did we? "White man has racist outburst on LRT"
Was the story changed by this?

What the man did is technically assault as it was an unwanted physical interaction, not some basic uncomfortable interaction. Now I will tell you what a uncomfortable interactions is...when an drunk aboriginal man pulls out his penis, pisses in to a Tim Horton's cup and puts it down on the ground beside him in the train shelter then proceeds to kick it over.

That is pretty uncomfortable, the other is quite physically intimidating.

[PepsiFree]

Point confirmed, I guess.

[Weitz]

I think I recognize the guy yelling the racist things. Looks like one of the homeless guys I see on the train regularly. He is always dressed like that.

Might be wrong though.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

So it's alright for that to happen to a white person, but it's an outrage if it's the other way around?

Stories like Jets4Life's are pretty common here in Calgary, but they get swept under the rug, and that's not right. I'd say just as common as the one being reported on here. They really need to start making exampled out of people, on both sides of the coin.

C-Train is in desperate need of a cleanup. I don't take it very often, but I'd wager 50% of the time I do I see some sort of harassing or illegal activity going down on it.

Actually c train crime and complaints are down year over year for the past bunch of years. They have done a good job and usually are quick to deal with the groups of drunks intimidating people on the train.

[TSXCman]

Originally Posted by skudr248

Just another day on the train...

This...

That video wasn't even that bad. There are so many disabled or drunk people that do worse daily. Just this month there was a guy talking about how all the women on the bus need to be beaten with a stick. I few of us just stood by him to be careful , but he was just blabbing off in his own world.

[CliffFletcher]

It'll never happen, but just think what could be accomplished if we spent a third as much on mental health as we do on policing.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by GGG

Actually c train crime and complaints are down year over year for the past bunch of years. They have done a good job and usually are quick to deal with the groups of drunks intimidating people on the train.

The C-Train is an absolute cesspool in my opinion. If I had kids, there's zero Chance I would allow them on it. My wife and the majority of her friends refuse to take it at night because they view the chance of them getting harassed as exceptionally high and they just don't feel safe on it. On the off Friday or Satruday I use the train, it's full of belligerent drunks. I'm not just taking drunk either, I'm talking 10 out of 10 wasted, yelling and shouting obsanties, often predrinking in plain view as they make their way downtown. I'm Not sure I agree with you that they do a good job of controlling that.

[GirlySports]

geez what line are you guys on... maybe i'm on the posh 69 Train and there are no problems.

seriously though, i find more and more peace officers on the 69 Train. I get pass checked at least 5 times a month. I take the train at 8am and 5pm. And if I go for drinks after work i can take it as late as 9pm and i find it safe. The platforms usually have at least a few people, I always stand near them.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

The C-Train is an absolute cesspool in my opinion. If I had kids, there's zero Chance I would allow them on it. My wife and the majority of her friends refuse to take it at night because they view the chance of them getting harassed as exceptionally high and they just don't feel safe on it. On the off Friday or Satruday I use the train, it's full of belligerent drunks. I'm not just taking drunk either, I'm talking 10 out of 10 wasted, yelling and shouting obsanties, often predrinking in plain view as they make their way downtown. I'm Not sure I agree with you that they do a good job of controlling that.

Public transit? How very pedestrian!




Pepsifree once again makes the most relevant point. Not a shocker.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

geez what line are you guys on... maybe i'm on the posh 69 Train and there are no problems.

seriously though, i find more and more peace officers on the 69 Train. I get pass checked at least 5 times a month. I take the train at 8am and 5pm. And if I go for drinks after work i can take it as late as 9pm and i find it safe. The platforms usually have at least a few people, I always stand near them.

For the most part, the problems I see are on the actual train and not the platforms. I find it's acceptable 9-5 like you said, but after that it becomes a cheap taxi for hordes of beligerent drunks. Better they take the train than drive, but C-train police needs to start doing a hell of a lot better job monitoring it. One driver to monitor the whole train is not enough. Usually the incidents you see posted are between two groups of vagrants just hanging out on the train. I think this whole "Honour System" of ticketing contributes greatly to it, but i'm not sure how you would fix that as it's not an underground system where you can put gates up that require payment.

[Huntingwhale]

So I glad I don't take that stink tank LRT anymore. The day I stopped taking the train was the day literally all of my stress suddenly disappeared.

Suck for the people who had to hear that crap. But as others have said, just another day on the train.

[RougeUnderoos]

My heavens, this so called "C-Train" sounds positively nightmare-inducing! Hordes of belligerent drunks? HORDES!?!? Groups of vagrants!?! Probably not even white! Certainly our hypothetical children can't be safe!

I can't believe Calgary has become such a dangerous cesspool. And of course the lamestream media ignores the constant violence.

I don't even call it the C-Train anymore. I call it the H-Train. H is for HELL!

Where is Bernard Goetz when you really need him?

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I'm guessing this was in the NE. A couple months back the GF and I decided to go to Marlborough Mall for lulz because it was her high school stomping grounds. She was so excited, but then at the entrance, some dude who looked like Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys greeted us with "F***ing chinks taking our f***ing jobs." I thought this guy was hilarious. Straight out of like the 50s. Yeah buddy I'm sure my immigrant ass (born, raised, educated in Calgary/U of C as a professional) took away from your job. I even told this guy while laughing that "Dude, you're HILARIOUS.", in which he kindly responded with "F*** you".

Some lady walking behind us was pretty disgusted by his comments and got into a bit of a shouting match with him before apologizing to us on his behalf. For me, I was in a "been there done that" mode (which is kinda sad I guess) so it rolled off my back. GF said her day was a little ruined after that though.

[Hot_Flatus]

There's no doubt this is an awful situation but the problem I have with many of these "video shamings" is that you usually do not have any context. I find it hard to believe a guy would just go full on racist in a public place for that matter, on someone without any degree of provocation - maybe I've just been away from public transit for too long. Either way this does not excuse the actions of the other party.....I guess I'm spinning in circles on this one.

What happened to having a good old argument without without resorting to race? There's plenty of off color (no pun intended) language to be used in these type of instances should it be called for.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It'll never happen, but just think what could be accomplished if we spent a third as much on mental health as we do on policing.

Tell that to our neighbors to the south.....it would certainly put a significant dent in the violent / gun crime statistics.

[Locke]

This is the sign of a big city, dont most of you claim to be experienced urbanites? Public Transit in most major urban areas is borderline anarchy, this kind of stuff is to be expected. We are a Major Metropolitan area of 1.1M people located in a normally cold climate, some of that population are going to be crazy or homeless or both and riding public transit is cheap and warm.

Just remember, if you cant instantly spot the crazy person on the train, you are the crazy person on the train.

So some guy went on a racist tirade, he can be ignored. Turn up the volume on your headphones or ruffle your newspaper or whatever.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Easy now...

Did you watch the video? The two situations are clearly not similar.

The Aboriginal dude put his hand on his shoulder and asked if he was scared of Natives, which, judging by his reaction and his post he clearly is.

What a ridiculous thing to say. You insinuate that I am afraid of Aboriginal people because one Native individual, who has 3 inches on me, outweighs me by minimum 40 pounds, and has 5 friends nearby, was clearly intoxicated, came face to face with me while I was on my cell, put his hands on me twice, and asked if I was afraid of him.

I'm a fairly big guy 210 pounds above 6"1. I'm not afraid to admit I was intimidated. I would be intimidated by anyone, regardless of cultural identity, in that situation. So I guess it makes me racist to provide an accurate description to the individual.

Give your head a shake. People are people. There are a**holes in every ethnic group.

[corporatejay]

Holy #### I'm one the biggest elitists out there but you guys sound ridiculous.

[Domoic]

There are racists in Canada?

Can't be...

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

So I guess it makes me racist to provide an accurate description to the individual.

Give your head a shake. People are people. There are a**holes in every ethnic group.

In a way, yes, since him being native is literally not relevant to the intent of your story. Unless your story is about natives, which would then make it irrelevant to include in an LRT thread. Your story was about feeling threatened on public transit.

Notice how the prime details you give are ones intended to make him sound more threatening?

"Has 3 inches on me"
"40 pounds heavier"
"Drunk"
"Surrounded by 5 of his friends"

Oh, and "Native"

One of these things is not like the other. Is it a coincidence? No. It's not unique to you though, lots of people do it (there are multiple posts here). It's just something to be mindful of and stop doing. Just ask yourself how many times you tell a story about someone white and specifically make sure to include that detail.