Few days ago I take the subway to work with my bf. We have a quiet conversation about our vacations for labor weakened. We didnt touch each other, kissing or whatever. Next to us sited guy in the middle age with the bible in his hands. He was listening our conversation. After few min he stand up and start talking loud about hell, heaven, good and another thinks which I'm not into but it is not the case. In Europe you cant be so laud in the subway ..why Americans allow this kind "shit" annoying you. Anyway after few minutes his stupid speech he start talk about homosexuals guys using the very vulgar words. I want to ask this guy to shut up or leave the car or move somewhere where I dont have listing his bulshit. My bf surprise me because he doesn’t allow me to talk to him. He said everybody can said whatever want to and I suppose to don’t care... I don’t understand why Americans so sensitive about tolerance but don’t said even one word when this crazy busters make this speeches around the country.. this speeches are full of hate.. In my opinion right place for sharing loud with others religion believes suppose to be limited to they church !!! What do you think about this guys ?
Complain to the NY subway. I am sure someone isnt allowed to start preaching on the train. But if you dont complain....nothing will be done.
However, unless subway security was present when you confronted the man, it probably would have made it worse...the man would have started preaching at you....then what would you do?
Well, the problem about complaining to and confronting these people, is that you never now if they might pull out a gun or knife. These type of religious zealots/crazies are dangerous in more way than one. In the long run, it is not worth losing your life or getting hurt over this type of behavior. I think the best way to handle is to just move away from them and notify whatever authorities are nearby.
This guy was probably not just some Bible-thumping wingnut, but a crazy Bible-thumping wingnut. Who knows, he might have gotten up to shout these things whether you were there or not.
Best thing to do is just ignore those kind of nuts. I'm sure most of your fellow commuters thought less of him than of you and your boyfriend.
Yepp... I can relate to this as I take NYC mass transit on a daily basis to get to work. First of all, sorry that you felt in one way or another attacked by this moron. Trust me, it wasn't a personal attack against you, There are tons of loons that hop on the train and start preaching like crazy... best thing you can do is just ignore them. The train conductors won't do anything or pretty much anyone for that matter. I guess we are just used to dealing with crazies that we no longer give a fuck about them. I agree with Ursamajor, don't ever confront them, they could be total whackjobs for all you know. Next time you ride the train, take your ipod and tune the world out, plus you'll actually enjoy what you're listening to.
There are a lot of loud people in the subways here in Europe. People come on the metro and start playin extremely loud music. Some just yell loudly asking for change. There is a whole lot of making out going on and people all over each other. More so than I have ever seen in the states. So I don't know how fair it is to say "Americans allow it to happen" while other places don't have weird things happen as well.
But in any case, moving to another car seems like the most logical thing to do, as well as the easiest way to handle it without making a big scene.
I've had anti-gay slurs thrown at me on public transport in the following countries: France Norway (the guys who yelled it then attacked me and broke my nose). Germany Brasil Greece Turkey England (by a customs official) Netherlands (where I was also mugged)
Imagine living in one of the least violent societies on the planet (Norway) and getting fag bashed - a place where, in terms of rights, there is no line between straight and gay.
This has also happened here at home in Chicago and in NYC. A girl huffing glue on a bus in San Francisco screamed, "faggot" at me.
I don't think geography has a lot to do with it.
I think the problem is that there are a lot of fearful, nasty, ignorant fuckfaces all over the globe.
I totally agree that hate speech ought to be limited to churches - that's where most of it comes from anyway. But I also like my freedom of speech rights.
I'm a bit inclined to think that laughing at him would have been a good response. Hate-filled religious nutters are not increasing god's credibility. I doubt anyone went home and thought it was a good idea to join a cult after this guy's performance.
I love the way you write, I bet it's the way you talk. Accents, I sure love them.
As far as this guy, " Homos are bad people" is nothing, it's four words connected to produce a desired response.
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What happened to you was an asshole stood up and made some incendiary remarks; you knew it, your bf knew it, everyone on the bus knew it. Had you stood up and rebutted him: cursed him out...ruffled his feathers, it would have been two assholes butting heads on the bus. HAD people stood up and rebutted him or reacted passionately in accordance to which ever combatant they agreed with, there would have been a BUS FULL OF ASSHOLES ACTING LIKE IDIOTS....it may even had made the papers.
I just about never use public transport, so I do miss out on so much free entertainment. I think we have emergency buttons to push on our trains, and you would of had ever right to use it.
But I would of sat there, looked at him, with a big smile on my face, and enjoyed the free entertainment. I may of even held my mans hand.
But lets not forget, Ms America, is the birth place of many fundamentalist religions. It's why they have thanksgiving, to thank god, for all they have. It comes for their forefathers, who were religious fanatics.
Religion in America, still is one of the most powerful forces.
Last week on the M some Christianist proselytizer went on and on and on about Jesus this and the Bible that. She seriously was going non-stop from Essex St. to at least Lorimer where I got off. She even tried to push some flier on the passengers, and most were fairly receptive, although I gave her an icy glare just for justice's sake. For awhile she just kept quoting Bible passages until it seemed like she had the whole thing memorized, but eventually she tripped up and had to consult the text itself. I thought to myself, at least I know she's human and not the demon she appears!
If anyone's been on a college campus recently... and had the pleasure to meet brother Jed or someone like him, then you realize that yes people can say whatever they want and yell at girls in short skirts for being whores and yell at frat boys for being drunks etc etc... he's kind of awesome in his confidence and bravery to stand up for his crazy beliefs.
All insults aside, he can say what he wants. But people will say whatever they want right back! People would yell things at him... or bring weird signs or... just all sorts of crazy shit. But hey, free speech rocks.
We have to take a step back and realize something. And that is that these people will loose. They already are. Their point is so hateful and wrong that they have to dwell on subways to preach it. Whats the only other creature that lives down there?...oh yeah rats!
gabriel29 said...Anyway after few minutes his stupid speech he start talk about homosexuals guys using the very vulgar words...
Although free speech is allowed, there is a limit. Threatening physical abuse is battery, and illegal. Inciting hatred against a minority is illegal too, being discriminatory in nature and not limited to facts about individuals but open to inaccurate statements about a general group of people.
The next time you have someone saying vulgar things about homosexuals and the inaccurate statements that are always used to incite hatred, ask the religious if they have any limitations on John 3:16, and if so, why are there homeless on the street?
Going beyond this, just look at the individual, and ask them why they know so much about gays?
Accents, I sure love them.