I don't think you overreacted.. I wouldnt know if he was joking with his friends or talking to someone else, but if he was directing it to (the back of your head more specifically), then he was obviously saying it in a condescending, possibly racist way. Like you said.. its the same thing as saying "Whatup Homeboy" or "Whatup Blood" to a black guy, when he's obviously speaking to you.. Or speaking broken spanish like someone mentioned "Que Paso Amigo", Or using a terrible Indian 7-11 accent: "How are You my Friend??" Personally, if someone tried to pull this infront of my girl/wife, I probably would have laid one on him.. If the guy was genuinely greeting you: then he would have said it in english. OR He would have made an obvious point that he's speaking to you directly, or engaging in friendly smalltalk by saying Ni Hao Ma etc etc.. But he denied saying it all together. It's all in the context, and from what you're telling me, the kid was making a joke at the expense of your race.
The funny thing is . . if a black guy exploded cause someone said that to them People would DEFINATELY say he over reacted and then ask why can another black guy can say that to you and I cannot Rocket River
Yeah, and Chinese people say Ni Hao Ma to eachother all the time. I think people know when they are being greeted or mocked at.
It's not really about who says it.. I think Black people can handle "What up" and Chinese can handle "Ni Hao Ma" if a person is being genuinely friendly or just initiating small talk in a joking matter.. I believe hotballa had reason to believe he was being mocked at, or he wouldn't have reacted that way or started this thread. Also, do you think the kid would have denied saying Ni Hao Ma, if he was just greeting him?
Is it really that offensive? Honest question. If someone mistook me for a Canadian or a Brit, I don't know, I don't think I would be offended. I'd probably just laugh to myself and move on with my life.
One thing I cant stand is someone mocking my accent during an argument.. it is the worst on basketball court. You may have overreacted but i understand where your anger came from. This issue, in my opnion, can only be symphasized by asian americans. How many times have we experienced racial remark growing up? How many times have someone said ching chang chong even when you speak perfect or better English? Your overreaction came from the anger and the hatress you've been holding for long time I believe. You should have spoken to him in Chinese after u heard him saying Ni Hao Ma.. If he says that he doesnt understand anything you say... then u should tell him to stop trying.
exactly, I have been mistaken for a Englishman (since i'm really white, and i do not tan at all). and German. I really do not care.
well with the recent gun totting asians, i dont think ppl want to mess with you anymore lol. anyways, you seem mature, this particular incident seems a bit overreaction, but others nah.
You should have whipped out your calculator and typed 07734 and flipped it upside down and everything would have been cool.
Nothing really rises to the point of serious offense. But is slightly annoying to have someone assume that only people from the orient can tell the difference between the different Asian nationalities. Like hotballa said nobody is perfect at it since Chinese think he is Korean. But there are plenty of people who aren't from Asia who generally know the difference. As for the various caucasian cultures there can obviously be mix ups as well. But I wouldn't think that people who aren't white couldn't tell the difference between an Irish person, and a Scandanavian.
I think you overreacted...but you showed a lot of maturity by admitting to they guy that maybe you were mistaken. I think the fact that he got back on the train and confronted you makes it very likely that he didn't say it...as it seems you felt as well.
You do know that amigo has been considered an English word for sometime now, right? It's as English as canyon or rodeo.
Do you think the kid would have denied saying it. . . IF HE DIDN'T SAY IT? I mean seriously. . . HE CAME BACK TO DENY IT AGAIN [unless I miss read the story] Which to me says . . . the ideal of having The Hotballa thinking he did something like that . . .was riding on his heart and he had to make sure he clear made it Extra Clear. . . . but that could me my misinterpretation Rocket River
