So something happened at work this week. On Friday evening a woman was invited to speak with us about the Australian Green Building Council. It was a good lecture, and I learned some things despite thinking that I knew most things having been acquainted with the American Green Building Council. At some point in the friendly and informal discussion, she made a joke about the conversations that go on between the Australians and their British counterparts. Before the joke, she looked up and asked me if I was English or Australian. Neither, I replied, and so she chuckled and proceeded.
Toward the end of the talk, a developer who had been invited to the talk asked her questions about how to contact A/C contractors who produced the units that split the cooling and humidifier units. He was replacing the American ones in his building. He kept stressing the word, American, as he ranted about not being able to find these units. She told him that she would be able to find him the information he needed. Then he went ahead and made a disparaging comment on the stupidity of Americans. This was followed by a very loud and hateful remark regarding his hope for the downfall of my country. I could feel my face growing very, very warm as the shock and outrage began to come over me.
Everyone in the room turned and stared at me. As the only white person, I tend to be noticeable. I am aware that I am noticed a lot, but not in any bad way. Mostly my coworkers are curious as to why I am here instead of in a more international firm, or even why Hong Kong. My direct supervisor was sitting next to me and I turned to see him and another architect just dumbfounded over what to do or say. The only person who said anything was the coworker who is similar in age and recently came from an American graduate school. She turned around and told me that she was sorry that I had to hear it and that she was a bit perplexed as only a few minutes ago it had been verified in the room that I was neither English nor Australian and I would have assumed that from my accent, one would have guessed that I was North American.
The thing that most sticks with me, though, was the poor man who hosted the talk. He was sitting at the table with the lecturer and he made eye contact with me for what seemed to be a long moment. He was stricken. In fact, he looked like he wanted to vomit. I actually felt so bad for him that it made me forget about my own lurching stomach and pounding heart.
The person who made the statements probably was made aware that I was American. He might not have noticed it during his rant, but his companion certainly looked over at me when she saw everyone else in the room freeze and look at me. She then whispered something to him and he got up and said something to another person in the room, probably verifying that I was indeed American. He did not apologise to me. I wasn't expecting him to, considering the hatred he expressed. I wonder if he lost big in the US stock market and has joined ranks with the other angry, irresponsible investors. After a long pause, the woman continued her lecture, and this included pointing out to the man that the US was a leader in environmental research and innovative design. I was unsure whether this was part of the lecture or if she was saying these things to try and make me feel better, especially when she started waxing poetic about the LEED system and how the US Green Building Council had helped to set up the Australian one.
I was talking about it later with SB and during our conversation I tried to think of any time in my life that I have felt so offended. It was a 9 out of 10 as far as how offended I felt. I have felt offended for far more horrible things happening in the world. I am offended at oppression, torture, irresponsibility, a number of despicable things that happen in the world. But this is the most offensive thing that I have personally experienced. There are probably many people who hate Americans, and probably also with good reason. There are a lot of people who hate Americans with no particularly logical reason. There are people who express their hatred of Americans publicly. I have heard anti-American sayings from drunk people in Wanchai, however I have never personally had to endure an attack on my culture in a situation where it was in my private domain.
And then I had to work until 2 AM, still reflecting on what had happened earlier in the evening with a dazed feeling of disbelief. What an awkward situation.
Toward the end of the talk, a developer who had been invited to the talk asked her questions about how to contact A/C contractors who produced the units that split the cooling and humidifier units. He was replacing the American ones in his building. He kept stressing the word, American, as he ranted about not being able to find these units. She told him that she would be able to find him the information he needed. Then he went ahead and made a disparaging comment on the stupidity of Americans. This was followed by a very loud and hateful remark regarding his hope for the downfall of my country. I could feel my face growing very, very warm as the shock and outrage began to come over me.
Everyone in the room turned and stared at me. As the only white person, I tend to be noticeable. I am aware that I am noticed a lot, but not in any bad way. Mostly my coworkers are curious as to why I am here instead of in a more international firm, or even why Hong Kong. My direct supervisor was sitting next to me and I turned to see him and another architect just dumbfounded over what to do or say. The only person who said anything was the coworker who is similar in age and recently came from an American graduate school. She turned around and told me that she was sorry that I had to hear it and that she was a bit perplexed as only a few minutes ago it had been verified in the room that I was neither English nor Australian and I would have assumed that from my accent, one would have guessed that I was North American.
The thing that most sticks with me, though, was the poor man who hosted the talk. He was sitting at the table with the lecturer and he made eye contact with me for what seemed to be a long moment. He was stricken. In fact, he looked like he wanted to vomit. I actually felt so bad for him that it made me forget about my own lurching stomach and pounding heart.
The person who made the statements probably was made aware that I was American. He might not have noticed it during his rant, but his companion certainly looked over at me when she saw everyone else in the room freeze and look at me. She then whispered something to him and he got up and said something to another person in the room, probably verifying that I was indeed American. He did not apologise to me. I wasn't expecting him to, considering the hatred he expressed. I wonder if he lost big in the US stock market and has joined ranks with the other angry, irresponsible investors. After a long pause, the woman continued her lecture, and this included pointing out to the man that the US was a leader in environmental research and innovative design. I was unsure whether this was part of the lecture or if she was saying these things to try and make me feel better, especially when she started waxing poetic about the LEED system and how the US Green Building Council had helped to set up the Australian one.
I was talking about it later with SB and during our conversation I tried to think of any time in my life that I have felt so offended. It was a 9 out of 10 as far as how offended I felt. I have felt offended for far more horrible things happening in the world. I am offended at oppression, torture, irresponsibility, a number of despicable things that happen in the world. But this is the most offensive thing that I have personally experienced. There are probably many people who hate Americans, and probably also with good reason. There are a lot of people who hate Americans with no particularly logical reason. There are people who express their hatred of Americans publicly. I have heard anti-American sayings from drunk people in Wanchai, however I have never personally had to endure an attack on my culture in a situation where it was in my private domain.
And then I had to work until 2 AM, still reflecting on what had happened earlier in the evening with a dazed feeling of disbelief. What an awkward situation.
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