Okay, so we live in an apartment and there is a big communal garden out the front. And this morning it was covered in snow, and of course all of the kids in the area seemed to have gathered there. Snowball fights and snowmen etc, harmless fun.
Anyway, I was on my way out when I noticed a few of the young boys chucking snowballs up at the apartment windows. From where I was I couldn't tell which window they were hitting. I asked them to stop it in case the window broke (because of rocks, stones etc) and one of the little lads said 'The Polish live there! We're not chucking 'em at your window.'
I said I didn't know what difference this made, and that if they didn't stop it then I would tell his parents, I am aware of who his parents are and where they live, but never really spoken to them. And he said back to me, this 8 year old boy 'f* off, why are you sticking up for the polish? mind your own business you cow!'
The polish family who live in that apartment are absolutely lovely, and their children are adorable, and unfortunately since they have moved in they have had quite a lot of trouble from some locals, middle class people from nice homes who are well liked, respectable people.
Anyway, obviously then this little brat decided to attack my windows instead and it was only when DH went down and asked him to stop it that he finally went home.
So an hour ago this boys mum knocks on my door, and said that her little boy was upset because I'd said he was being racist. I told her what he had done, and she said to me these exact words.
'I find it very upsetting that you would upset a child for the sake of foreigners, do you know that my husband was made redundant last week? Who do you think it is taking all of our jobs? My little boy is not racist, but they simply have no right taking our houses and jobs. We cannot afford to have these people here, and I find it dissapointing that you have no loyalty to your community.'
She threw around a load of other brainless generalisations and then sauntered off. Somehow I don't think I will be invited to her coffee mornings anymore!
I am so disgusted, honestly. What is happening to the world, and why on earth do seemingly well educated people deem it ok to be hateful towards people of different backgrounds, just through bitterness about their own situations? I am pretty sure I am not being unreasonable to find how that boy was acting very disturbing!