STYLE & RACISM

[Ed Harris]

The CB talk along Hwy.401 near Toronto yesterday May 2 was directed at drivers who talked in their native language briefly to direct their buddy to another channel. Immediately some idiot blurted out..." Go Back To Your Own Country Blah Blah Blah..." I had to wonder if these guys ancestors spoke perfect english when they first arrived in this country. Their own crude words were certainly not perfect english and unacceptable in this day & age. Poor comments to somebody who has an accent and probably knows more about our history and culture since they are likely New Canadians trying to make their own way and not depending on welfare. Thankfully, there are far more drivers with STYLE than there are uninformed mouths who forget to put their brains in gear before they put their tongues in gear. Until you've sat down and had dinner at the table with somebody from another culture and language, you do not know or understand where they are coming from and what are their goals. Our countries are built on immigrants from other lands...even yours. And, most have what I call STYLE and respect. I understand English, French & Hungarian and have to smile at how every culture mixes English in with their native language. Ya gotta love it!

[dan bestfelt]

In my 32 years out there I also heard this kinda crap.Especially towards black drivers.They would always calling them N*gger or somethig else that was very inapprobiate.As for accent talking I used to love to hear a different accent other than mine.Made me want to take up a different language so I could speak with them over the CB.I also remember to use a CB you had to have a ID# so as to keep this crap off the CB.Thanks Ed for this post

[Johnson Mary]

Hello how are you doing ?

[Ed Harris]

Nice to hear from Pat Hasler...My wife, who came from Hungary 28 years ago, still has an accent and since she is constantly reading, is very adept at using proper words and has excellent descriptive powers...but her accent is still fairly strong and she is treated in a different way at times. From time to time, when I do not comprehend something she is trying to tell me, and I ask her to repeat, she will blurt out..." Whats a matter...are you deaf?"
We both end up laughing. But, if some other person tried to make her feel stupid, I am going to tell you, she can put you in your place very quickly and in no uncertain terms and in truckers language too, if it is called for...LOL

[Pat Hasler]

I get abuse constantly and I'm English, I am often told to go back to wherever I came from, Called Australian or some other nationality.