Unfiltered Story #270913

(I finally got to use the old Internet meme!)
I work with an older white woman who, because I’m legally and visibly white, assumes I share her politics and world view. We work in the same area, but I work on the docks and she works picking orders. One day, I’m wrapping a skid at the wrapper and she walks over.

Her: Those Mexicans are so rude, not speaking English like they should! They came here, they need to learn the language, right?
Me: Um, they’re Puerto Rican, and I’ve enjoyed our Spanish conversations. (I’m passably bilingual.)
Her: Stop enabling them! You’re in America, speak English!
Me: Oh, so everybody who comes here should speak the local language?
Her: Of course!
Me: Great! If you’d like to learn Algonquin, there’s a lovely class in (large city an hour away) that is great for beginners. I’ve learned a lot from them.
Her: Huh? I was talking about English!
Me: Yeah…see, my people were here first, and since the tribes around here spoke Algonquin, you’d better get on learning that.
Her: Your people? You’re white!
Me: Lady, my grandfather was half Chahta. What the whites call Choctaw. Don’t assume somebody’s like you just because they look like you.