And yet, people in a position of privilege generally aren't asked to be polite. For example, it's considered completely reasonable for able bodied people to cut ahead of people like me in line because the time of abled bodied people is considered more valuable and by extension, they as human beings are considered more valuable. Similarly, they routinely step on me, push me, kick my crutch out from under me without apology because being able bodied, they aren't expected to be polite to people like me. Yet I'm supposed to be polite and apologetic when calling them on it, because i'm meant top be sorry for taking up space.
For the most part I am polite about it, but I think the folks pushing ahead in line, endangering me and causing me actual physical pain are the ones needing way more serious lessons in manners than I am, and frankly, when it's the third time some entitled able bodied person in an after noon pushed a head of me in line, I think I'm pretty justified in being seriously pissed off.
The tone argument is nearly always about policing the manners of the person with less power and privilege in our society instead of policing the manners of the person with the most power and privilege.
Again, I'm not saying mephron wasn't justified in being miffed in the specific episode above, just that given how often those with less power have to suck it up and be nice in the face of carelessness or callousness, shouldn't the benefit of the doubt go the other way?
For the most part I am polite about it, but I think the folks pushing ahead in line, endangering me and causing me actual physical pain are the ones needing way more serious lessons in manners than I am, and frankly, when it's the third time some entitled able bodied person in an after noon pushed a head of me in line, I think I'm pretty justified in being seriously pissed off.
The tone argument is nearly always about policing the manners of the person with less power and privilege in our society instead of policing the manners of the person with the most power and privilege.
Again, I'm not saying mephron wasn't justified in being miffed in the specific episode above, just that given how often those with less power have to suck it up and be nice in the face of carelessness or callousness, shouldn't the benefit of the doubt go the other way?
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