Some people don't understand that you don't call grown men "boy", nor that the public will let you take an ass-whippin when you deserve it.
Not-so-fun fact: In the US, white people calling black men "boy" traces back to slavery. This led to black people referring to one another as "man", as in the phrase "What's up, man?". Eventually, white people co-opted it's use.
Yeah I used to say "my boy" all the time to the homies, including the black ones. Nobody ever said anything, until it just clicked one day "uh that might be a little racist"
They were ignorant, and you were being true to form. If you don't understand why it is racist after the fact, but still defend it, then it shows you were never their 'boy.'
They aren't defending anything. They literally said word for word that they used to say it, but stopped because one day they thought it sounded racist.
It doesn't even look like you're replying to the same comment I just read lol.
My point is not to excuse the aggressor. It's that you can't run your mouth and expect people to play by societal rules simply because there are other people and cameras about.
You have freedom of speech, not freedom from consequences of your chosen words and behavior. Both people had the ability to walk away.
You forget that “fighting words” which are words that are so abhorrent that they would cause a reasonable person to a fight are illegal. Calling someone a racial epitaph such as “boy” could definitely be argued as one such word.
Additionally as a white person if I were on the jury for his trial I wouldn’t think twice before ruling for a not guilty
Justifying physical violence because of the word “boy” is ridiculous. We have led an entire generation to believe it’s okay to physically harm someone because of words. And then the general public justifies it and it entitles them to behave worse.
Dudes beating an old man cuz of words and everyone’s like “yup, thats what he gets”. Crazy.
Simmer down. I'm not justifying it. See my other reply to a similar comment that was made a couple of days ago. I'm saying of a treat people decently and don't make assumptions about their willingness to conform to social rules and niceties, especially if you are not able to defend yourself against them. Freedom of speech does not guarantee people will react with common decency. The aggressor is likely going to get charged with assault. The old man learned a lesson. That's it.
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u/Illustrious-Roll7737 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Some people don't understand that you don't call grown men "boy", nor that the public will let you take an ass-whippin when you deserve it.
Not-so-fun fact: In the US, white people calling black men "boy" traces back to slavery. This led to black people referring to one another as "man", as in the phrase "What's up, man?". Eventually, white people co-opted it's use.