In NYC doing some business and visiting my son over the weekend. Leaving my hotel to go to dinner prior to seeing The Book of Mormon we’re crossing one of the avenues and there are hundreds of people crossing toward me and others from the side coming through the intersection, Times Square area. My whole line of thinking is “get to the other side and don’t knock anyone over.” I’m 5’ 9” and about 210 pounds. Suddenly, a hear a guy yelling a me saying (paraphrased) “Hey, hey, I’m talking to you….don’t walk away from me..” And, I turn, and see a young man approaching me from my left flank saying, as he raised his hand, “show me you’re not afraid of shaking hands with a black man.” My response? I waived my left hand back toward him windmill style and said “**** ***!!!” I was immediately pissed that he would define our relationship as Black/White (primarily) and then require me to accept his terms of engagement and agree. I don’t have to prove myself to any stranger nor do I have to prove myself to myself either. What followed was probably 30-40 seconds of (minimal communication) as he came at me harder and I started to explain I was simply trying to cross the street…to no avail. He called me a lot of names (he was within one inch of my face) and told me how he would do severe damage to me and after he was done would do the same to my son (30 year old, 6’ 170 lb male). I remember him saying you’re in NY now and we don’t play – you’re in NY now – and I said “Go Sox” as I’ve always been a Red Sox fan and hate the Yankees. I realized he was there to provoke me and I looked at him and said nothing. Once the light changed we walked away from him. A sad and unfortunate incident no doubt. Now, the clincher. After dinner, after watching the Broadway show my son and I were walking back to the hotel and a man said to a totally different person: “Show me you’re not afraid of talking to a black man.” Someone in NYC is up to some bad shit. Talk to me in good faith. Talk to me professionally I’m good. Accuse me of racism at the get go and try to muscle that to get me to acquiesce and I’ll have no part in it. Not because you’re black but because you’re an asshole and your attitude sucks. My concern and reason for posting is not an isolated incident it’s the fact that the same day I heard the same approach to someone else. Someone in NYC is up to some bad shit; and, it won’t end well.
I’m sorry you had to go through that. Thanks for sharing. LOL… I see snowflakes. They’re every where. Except NYC very few of them there.
Sounds like you met a mentally ill person ... (but think it's some conspiracy of black people who get mad when white people won't shake their hands)
Crap to have to go thru that for no reason. Is that becoming common or just bad luck? No telling ....
I I have similarly been harassed in NYC by mentally ill people ranting about Jesus but you don’t see me starting a thread about it.
Good for you. The point was that THE SAME approach was used by a different person talking to another person. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
I find mentally ill people in urban areas much less disturbing when you just walk away from them quietly.
I honestly don't believe you and think you probably misheard it the second time, hearing what you wanted to hear in someone else's conversation. I searched a couple of sites to see if "Are you afraid to shake hands with a black person" is a thing and didn't get any hits. I'll change my mind if you can find a second source that observed this.
You think this is a NYC thing? Ever been to New Orleans? These kinds of huksters are in every big city. I responded to one once when I was a college kid and they came back and swatted me on the head. Fortunately, no more than that. There is seldom a correct answer to these kinds of provocations, which typically come in the form of a question. They are trying to provoke a response. With all due respect, your mistake was responding. No matter what you say ("I'm good", "no thanks", etc.) it won't extinguish the encounter . . . unless you were able to flash a badge and say "I'm a NYC cop. Take off." Hell, even that probably wouldn't end it.
OP should probably stay out of big city crowds. The things you’ll see in Central Park would put hair on his chest…
I’m sorry this happened to you. But my advice, don’t engage. Nothing good comes from engaging. Personally, I keep walking and don’t even look at them. Just pretend you don’t hear them. They will move on.
My son looked me as we were walking by the other person and said “Did he just say that? Because that’s almost exactly what the other guy said to you”.
Are we allowed to victim blame and shame now ? Rules seem so fluid just act like a crazy white guy. Promise you he will walk away. Nobody wants to mess with that crazy wide eyed white dude
love to have kept walking but we were on an island and the light was against us. Once he was an inch from my face - and I could feel droplets on my skin - I knew he just wanted to provoke me further. That’s when I stopped engaging. Note: I would not accuse him on spitting on me - we were just that close.
