I feel the need to blow off a little steam. I don’t usually share my feelings about racism publicly but I feel very strongly about the need to acknowledge what happened during a most unfortunate and distasteful encounter yesterday morning. In the interest of being sensitive, I will omit certain details. But let it be known that my blood was boiling!

There were no seats in a very full holding room as I waited for my appointment to have blood drawn. A very kind African-American gentleman gave me his seat, which was between his rising third-grade daughter and another person on my right (a casually- but well-dressed white, southern, male in his mid- to late- 60s). Descriptions ARE important here.

I had already been having a pleasant conversation with the man and his daughter in the previous waiting room and we continued it into this room. I told his daughter that she was the age of the children with whom I had the pleasure of working at church and that I remembered my third grade year as one of my favorites. Then I found out that she has attended since kindergarten, a highly ranked math, science and technology magnet school just down the street from our home. I told her it was an accomplishment to be attending there and wished her the best of luck.

After they were called to the back for the girl’s appointment, the man on my right, who had been listening to my conversation with the girl and her father, leaned over and proceeded to make some pointedly racist remarks (which I am choosing to omit here), complete with his opinion about what is wrong with our society and our country. Then he continued that Obama’s presidency had been the worst thing ever for our country. His remarks were not subtle in content nor volume. Others could definitely hear what he said. Suffice it to say that it caught me totally off guard!

I took just a second and thought, “Why me? Of all the people in this room, why did you pick me to hear your racist rant?” Perhaps it was because I had been engaging in conversation with the young lady and her father? Perhaps because you had a captive audience? Perhaps because I was a nicely dressed “white lady” who fit his notion of someone who should think like him and agree? Maybe it was because God wanted me to take a stand, publicly. I don’t know.

After regaining my composure and realizing that others were listening, I surprised myself by immediately (and boldly) telling him that I disagreed with all of his remarks; that we were all created equally by God and that the problems he outlined were not confined to one particular race or ethnicity.

He tried to stop me by talking over me to tell me how wrong I was.

I told him, “This conversation is over…” that it was a free country and he was certainly entitled to his opinion but that I didn’t want to hear any more of what he had to say.

He persisted, “You’re one of those damn liberals! I’ve got five kids! Two of them are liberals! We don’t have much to do with those two!”

I said, “If being nice to and advocating for all people regardless of race makes me a liberal, then, yes that’s exactly what I am. I’m DONE talking with you and will say a prayer for you.”

I got up and moved to another seat across the room…I was fuming!

He continued calling me a liberal from across the room. THEN he said, “I hope you won’t mind if I stick out my tongue at you. Just kidding!”

Was he trying to defuse the moment? I don’t know. I just rolled my eyes, ignored him and started talking with the lady next to me. She told me she was thrilled that I stood up to him. Others around the room smiled, gave me looks of approval and some even a “thumbs up”.

Then I was called to the back for my blood draw. As I was leaving, another gentleman who had witnessed the interaction apologized to me for the man’s behavior. I told him, “Thank you but you certainly don’t owe me an apology. We need to pray for him.”

There is just so much hate in this world… in this country. Whatever happened to respect, “love thy neighbor as yourself” and “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight…“?

I’ve never publicly taken a stand like this before and I certainly don’t wish to offend anyone. Yet, I was, and am still, so disturbed by this encounter. I do believe that God has enabled me and given me the courage to speak out.