On Oct. 10, 2010, I went to see the Blue Angels and they were great, even Web for Geico was very good too. Love the red plane! I had a wonderful time and enjoyed dancing as I watched and sometimes waited for the next act. I had my own music and enjoyed my songs that I like a lot. Everything went very well, until the dreaded white drama queen and her boyfriend!
Everyone was boarding the Fillmore bus after the Blue Angels finished and the bus was filling up with everyone packed in it. Then a white man asked the driver if she could open the back so more could squeeze into the back. Well, there were three of us: the white guy, another white person and myself(I am black). No one said anything about the two whites getting on but as I tried to get pass this white guy and his girlfriend, he blocked my way with his arm. I stood there a few minutes asking him to move his arm so I could squeeze pass him and go to the very back where I saw a space I could stand. But he and his loud girlfriend were trying to keep me off the bus of white folks. I declare the bus was packed with white, that is all you could see in there.
The guy finally let me pass and the girl when beserk, pushing my large pocketbook past him and calling me a bitch for trying to get on with them!!! Well, as shocked and taken aback as I was, I managed to say to her “it takes a bitch to know one”. Then I took out my music and tried to forget her and the scene she caused for no reason. Why did she not tell the white people boarding at the same time as me there was no room? Why did she single me out to be rude too? I do not know her, so I am guessing it could not be jealously? So, what is left to my mind is racial prejudice. She really did not want me on there in the back with mostly white guys standing up(as I saw after I finally got on).
I had heard many stories about how prejudice white people are in San Francisco, but I decided not to judge whole race of people by another race of people’s comments. But if they had a Rosa Parks moment like I experienced yesterday on that bus, then I can see how they could feel that way about these people. I know that what that white women did was WRONG! And it does not take a genius to figure that one out. Her actions were totally inappropriate and WAY out of line! But I am afraid that I have witness that white people stick together, even when one of theirs is wrong: they still take their side!! Perhaps it is their upbringing that someone has instill in them to stick together no matter if one of them is wrong in their behavior? Maybe it is different if it is the Police who must enforce the law, but dealing with regular person that is the way I have experienced it. I desire it not to be so and maybe one day, it will not matter what your race is!!! Will I still be around when that day comes because I truly believe for this planet to survive we must become as one in our interactions with each other.
I mean for example, even the man who saw what transpired, said jokingly to me after a seat became vacant: “I guess you want to seat down to stay out of trouble”. Well, I was not the one calling someone a “bitch” for no good reason. I was not the one who started saying rude things in the first place. So, How dare he overlook how this whole thing got started in the first place, but he put on his blinders and he did overlook what she said to me FIRST as I tried to enter the back of the bus. Funny, the back of the bus. Rosa Parks would probably laugh at that, in the 21 Century, even the back of the bus is off limits to blacks in San Francisco, when it has all whites on it!!!!
??
Well, I am not going to stand for someone pushing me around and acting prejudice against me because of the color of my skin! And I will defend myself with words if necessary and provoked. I do try to ignore as much as I can but there are sometimes when ignoring is not an option for me and the lady calling me a bitch simply because I dared get on the bus with all those white folks is not tolerable!!!!
Well, I am getting this off my chest real good. There is noone to talk to. No other adult. And I do not want to tell my son as he is already concern about riding the buses and it would not help him to know. I do not want him to be concern about me when I leave home and with his Autism, he probably would considering the last time I told him something about this drunk man on the bus who was yelling at this young girl for no reason.
I do not like negativism and I do not like drama or racism!
I miss my car which I sold before coming to San Francisco. Having been here awhile now I realize having a car in San Franicsco is only convenient to avoid riding the bus, grocery shopping, a lot of general shopping and of course, getting out to an area that requires a car. Other than these, one can manage on the bus. Plus, I do not think I would like having to sit in traffic for long periods in my car using up all my gas just sitting there. I would not be very patient in a car and would probably try to find alternative routes…. On a bus, well you must let the driver do the driving. So, it is a trade off of sorts.! Plus spare the air and all that good stuff!
I know San Francisco wants to protray itself as liberal and all races lovely duvey, but it really is a negative atmosphere going around and I hope the leaders wake up to that fact. There is subltel prejudice that should not be tolerated in this City of all cities. Only because that is what they want the world to see: a liberal, welcoming to all races City, so be one!!
For myself, I do not desire to lump/group everyone in any particular race with any label. I must for my own Karma and sanity evaluate each person as individuals. I have white lady friends here in San Fran that I do not think for a moment would act the way that young woman acted on the bus Sunday. She obviously had not been taught, if you have nothing nice to say, do not say anything at all! Or it is simply her nature to be drama Queen….
WoW, I feel better already! Should have gotten this off my chest last night but I was too tired and only wanted to relax.