My beloved wife of 26 years, Suthida, encouraged me to vote in the BC Elections. I was very reluctant, but because of my opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline, I went to vote.
After we had voted, I thanked my wife aloud to the voting officials I had met, for encouraging me to vote. A woman who had just come to vote, with a mean stare at Suthida, said very loudly, "Oh yeah, you and your Philipino mail order bride!'
Well my relatives that did not go over well with me. I got angry, and even at 72, I discovered I can still get pretty mad with a thunderous voice. After five apologizes later, and Suthida's repeated encouragement for me to cool down the woman ran out of the Polling Center, apologizing again as she left. Then she sped away in her car.
Then voting started again after a several minute silence and lack of any movement as I let my thoughts and feelings go about racism, primarily the behavior and words being directed at my wife!
I realize that loudly blowing your stack in Public is not the best way to behave, but I can not tolerate someone attacking my beloved ones in public, or otherwise, with racist remarks, for any reason.
I had to laugh, after cooling down, I admitted more work is need on my spiritual love and acceptance. At the same time, I have to admit, as well, that letting my anger explode at this racist and demeaning behavior felt pretty good, too!
By the way, my wife is Thai, and we met in 1989 working together on an Evaluation of a UNICEF and a Royal Thai Government Primary Health Project in Northern Thailand. Suthida was our Project Consultant and Translator in Thai, Laotian, and Cambodian. She also speaks German, French and of course, English.