Racist

[Woody76559]

Love it when they call me, A Cherokee Indian married to a Hispanic woman, a racist. How far from the truth can they be? But realize one thing about the word "racist".

A true "racist" is not one who discriminates against other cultures, but one who promote their own race. The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. proudly proclaimed himself a racist. This term has become twisted around to mean something so much more now than it did originally.

Not trying to stir up the beans burnt on the bottom of the pot, but this is just a little FYI.

[BK One Henry]

I have never be called a racist,but I've been called every racist slur you could imagine.The reason it doesn't bother me is I consider the source.Most times it's coming from an intoxicated,incarcerated,emotional disturbed person.They grab for the easiest most offensive thing to say.

I've worked with some people with racist views.That is difficult.I try not to debate these issues,but rather be an example.Be consistant with my patient care-no matter who or what they are.

Where I work and live I am the minority.

[mediccjh]

I have been called a racist before by family members who feel we are not doing all we can to help the people. This has occurs in my opinion when people who are in stable condition are passed up for a patient in worse condition.

That's how the whole thread started.

Last week, for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, I got called a racist. The first time was because I did NOT treat a black boy who was NOT having an asthma attack, and the mother (who is allegedly a nurse at a predominant hospital in NJ) said I was downgrading his symptoms. Last week, it was a lady who was thrown out of a tractor-trailer cab after being beat w/ a clipboard. She thought I stole her money and that I wouldn't take care of her. I did, and her money was in her bra.

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, my best friend was half Puerto Rican half Egyptian (I thought he was black), and just admitted to me he is bisexual.

I treat everyone as I wish I was treated.

BTW, emsgirl started the thread b/c I wouldn't

[Whelson_P._Monroe]

:roll: :roll: I'm sorry, but I do not believe anyone who says they have never been a racist or made any racist remark. I find that statement disingenious at best. All of us at one time or another have uttered phrases that you would not like to have repeated.

I know that I have and if you are honest in your assessment, you will admit the same.

I do not think that anyone wants to be regarded as having racist views expect for extremists. We would all like to think that we are above the fray, but think about the last time that you took care of a welfare patient or when you were called a name by someone that you don't even know.

That is like saying that you never lied to anybody.

It just ain't so :shock:

MLAR

WPM (Prepared to take a beating about this subject)

[akeith106]

I used to have a motto that said:

"I'm not prejudiced... I hate everyone equally!"

I'm not quite sure that that is me anymore... I don't hate anyone anymore...

Guess that's what happens when you become a victim of prejudice yourself.....

[Richard B the EMT]

Thinking back to 1974, I just remembered an "almost" incident. I stepped up to a person who tripped and fell at the mall. I was wearing my VAC jacket, and someone who saw the Star Of Life on the back, unknowingly asked my mother, seeing the design, if I was a member of the Ku Klux Clan, a hate group that is still around from after the end of the US Civil War (1865?)

[Thad aka El Lobo Loco]

Okay...this could get sticky. First, yes I am from South Alabama and we do have a fair number of bigoted people in this area. The problem, however, is not as predominate as most would think from movies and television. At my service, we have a pretty fair mix of races and sexes. for the most part, we all get along very well. Among ourselves we will joke, kid and even "attack" one another in the interest of relieving tensions. Our boss has even had meetings with us telling us that we joke around with each other too severely. But, most of us know that NOBODY on the street will mess with our partner regardless of race or gender.

As to the general public. I have noticed a great deal of prejudice from ALL races. Our saving grace is that we do treat all patients as patients without regard to any minority overtones. We are the oldest licensed ambulance service in the state and our preceding reputation serves us newbies well. If we respect it and each other.

As to the original question....yes. I have been called racist on many occasions. I have also had many minorities show me more respect than they do their own families.

The major theme of this post is.....ALL patients are patients and should (and will)...be treated as such.

[Sir Hunter~Royal Medic]

I used to have a motto that said:

"I'm not prejudiced... I hate everyone equally!"

I'm not quite sure that that is me anymore... I don't hate anyone anymore...

Guess that's what happens when you become a victim of prejudice yourself.....

amen......

[shorthairedpunk]

Pretty much anyone who works EMS for very long will be called racist, among the many other colorful terms people use for us when they discover that we are in fact not god.

Take this for example, in chicago a few years back, the club E2 fire in which a club was over capacity and a fire erupted, to top it off, fire exits were also locked. When EMS arrived on scene, they did what hey were trained to do---triage.

So the next day there were attempts to start lawsuits beacase the medics were walking around skipping over people saying that ones black (note this was a predominately african american club).

It doesnt matter whether you show respect or not, people are always going to loook for areason to call you a racist, it makes them feel better about themselves if they can hide behing that powerful word, rather than applying themselves, and this applies acroos the board, no matter the color of ones skin.

[Alcomedicism]

I think we can all agree that if you are racist and you are thinking about EMS as a career, then you are not going to make it very far because we have pts from all races and ethnic backgrounds. I would hate to think that a EMT/Medic would refusr to do pt care or give substandard care based on skin color alone.

My 02. cents.

-Alcomedicism