How do you react when someone makes a racial slur in your presence?

I don’t react, because it doesn’t bother me.

I tell them not to say that in front of me. I have told several of my friends this in the past. Most of them are now ex-friends because of this. All the better for me to be shed of them.

Pretend I didn’t hear it.

The more such language falls on deaf ears the sooner it will go out of style.

@Sarcasm – Doesn’t bother me either.

I was in this situation a few weeks ago. Some young kid at a party said it a few times in a pretty negative way and he assumed I didn’t care because of the way I talked. But I ignored it mostly, I gave him a strange look and I think that told him that I was uncomfortable with it.

Edit: When I say “the way I talked”, I meant that I speak in an articulate way and very proper, so i think he assumed I was not an average black male that would get mad at that word. I don’t get mad, but I still don’t like to hear it. It sounds ugly, vile, and piercing.

I object to it immediately.

I add their name to my Hit List.

I usually make a spectacle of the person. (Unless they really seem just ignorant, then I pull them aside and tell them how inappropriate they are.)
Edit to add: My son got really upset with his cousins and told hem, “Hey, if you google our last name, 90% of the people that come up will be black. We have black in US! If you don’t believe it, just look at my schnoz!”
The cousins (Who were ubber (I mean UBBER) right wing fundamentalist Christians) were shamed into shutting up.

I do not approve of such language…. and I tend to ignor it , rather than to get into an argument over it…

However; if I’m in the right mood and frame of mind, I will speak up and let them know what i think of their dirty mouth . I try to avoid being around such people.

my normal response is to ask if they can burn their cross later.

I was making small talk with a neighbor when I first moved into the house I live in now. I remarked how nice the neighborhood was and she (who is a minority) said, “Yeah, there aren’t very many black people.”

While not a racial slur, per se, I was shocked. I could only respond, “My roommate’s black.”

@FutureMemory your avatar looks like Gary Fishers logo,you ride?

I give ‘em a real shitty glare.

If its out and out racist I let them know they are an idiot, if it is just ignorant, I will say something sarcastic. i.e when someone says something about colored people I act shocked and ask what color?

@JuJubee ROFL @ shocked and ask what color! I am really going to use that one! Excellent!!!

I definitely show signs of disapproval, by either rolling my eyes, or coming up with (if I can) a sharp witted answer. I also would say, “you don’t even know him/her!”. I was raised in an anti-racism home. I can’t stand racism.

It really depends upon my relationship with that person how blunt I get about it.

But afterward there is no doubt in their mind about my disapproval. It’s ignorant and ridiculous.

Usually people make such slurs when they’re not getting their own way or when they’re feeling insignificant and frustrated.

“There’s no call for calling someone names like that. Now what’s wrong?”

@NUNYA —Thanks NUNYA, a little laughter goes a long way—

I use proper terminology, or do not reference it at all, in my response to them. “Yes, I did notice the new Korean lady in payroll. She seems like she will fit in well.” Or, I might say, “Yes, I noticed the lady in payroll.” It depends on the person and if I feel I need to make it more obvious for them to get it.

In the case of @Poser‘s neighbor, I would say something referencing one of the black families in the neighborhood like, “Oh yes! I met the Smiths across the street. Their daughter is so cute isn’t she?”

I know some people prefer African-American. I use black because that is what my friends prefer and they are the ones I am most interested in.

@Supacase Unfortunately, my neighbor was correct—my roommate is one of only two black people in my neighborhood. It was the fact that she attributed the pleasantness of the neighborhood to the lack of brown skin that bothered me. Since she is of a culture far different than mine (and her accent made communication difficult to begin with) I decided to let it go (never mind the fact that I was at her house to speak to her about her son stealing $60 from my son).

Luckily, even though I’m in a rural area with a white majority, I don’t hear much. I did however once go to a rummage sale with my best friend and she said her son always “jews down” the seller. My mouth dropped and before I could say anything, the seller said she’d pray for the son at Temple. And then laughed. I have since taught my BF a better way to say something to that effect. Also, the least prejudiced person I’ve ever known is my Grandma. However, now that she’s elderly and not completely there, she has said some pretty racist things. I just try to politely correct her.

I respect ones protected right to express themselves as they please.

That doesn’t mean I care to hear it.

And that doesn’t mean I’m falling over myself to loudly object to it to demonstrate what a prudish, superior and so enlightened person I am either.

I whip my head toward them, let my jaw hang agape, gasp audibly, widen my eyes, then shake my head sadly and get up and walk away.

i act like i didn’t hear it. they’ll know what they said.

It depends on how it is said. I personally couldn’t care less if someone calls me a chink, i would probably laugh because it is not threatenning to me.

However, if someone makes a comment about gay people or transsexuals or muslims , I would react because comments like that hurt people who are more marginalized. Not all minority groups are affected equally so I tend to speak out against groups who are most marginalized and where people feel like they would be the least challenged for showing prejudices.

@charliecompany34 No offense, but I doubt it.

I dont react. But I really should, just being honest!

I really am shocked at how many people don’t object. How is the world going to change if so many good people do nothing?

@Judi Because there is a huge difference between words and actions. It’s not like confronting a neonazi about his usage of the N-word will make him hate black people any less. telling an extreme right-wing Christian to not use the word “Faggot” will not make them respec homosexuals any more.

@Sarcasm ; I don’t think I agree with you. Peer preasure is very powerful.

It pisses me off. Even worse when they say it in front of my kids. I’ll tell them flat out to not talk that way in front of my kids because I’m not raising them to be bigots like they are.

I feel really angry at the person’s ignorance and stupidity but try not to react if the slur is directed at me. If it is directed at someone else I will say something to them just to let them know how stupid they look.

I laugh because I’m a bigot myself. LOL.

I just ignore it ,because they want to get a reaction.

I used to speak up, but now I ignore it. Most of the time, the person is just looking for a reaction, so dignifying the slur with a response will only encourage the behavior. Furthermore, bigoted people are close-minded by definition, so no amount of discussion will motivate them to change their minds. People who make racial slurs are often proud of their bigotry.

I used to ignore racial slurs, whether directed at me or others, but I no longer do. I think my silence has implied consent, and I certainly do not consent to bigotry of any kind. These days, if the occasion arises, I say “Please don’t make bigoted statements around me.”

Good on you @lynfromnm !!! That is what I do as well!

If they are speaking near me and not to me, I ignore it. If they are speaking directly to me, I make eye contact, I let them get a gander of my disapproving eyebrow and I maintain my silence until I see their discomfort. This is usually enough to let them know I’m not a fan of racism.

If the person making the slur is attempting to offend with it, any reaction pleases them. So, at the very most, I raise a disdainful eyebrow then ignore them. I am very good at expressing my displeasure (actually it is more like disgust) without making a scene over it.

If the person uses the slur without meaning offense, such as it being a part of their speech that they are accustomed to using thoughtlessly, I tell them that they have used it, tell them what it means if they do not know. and ask them if the really want to use such language.

If it is a friend of mine, I tell them that I do not like such language in my presence and to please not use it.

I have found that quite a few people use ethnic slurs without knowing what they mean and/or not even knowing that they are doing it because it has been part of their speech for long enough that they are not even aware.

All ethnic slurs are offensive to me, some more so than others. The above is how I handle all of them, including such things as “Gyppo,” “meadow nigger,” etc. directed towards me.