Sticks and stones

What possesses people to say what they say?

This past week in Chicago, Filipino-American Frannie Richards is suing H&M – a clothing chain – because she said she was harassed because of her ethnicity. According to the CBS affiliate in Chicago, she said that an employee called her a “mail-order bride” and made fun of her ability to understand English. She said when she went to the manager, he didn't seem to care about her complaint.

And if this is because Richards has an accent, it's because she does – it's American.

Sadly, there was an incident like that here in our state not too long ago.

Last month, my niece and her sorority sisters were at a party in Boulder when one tried to introduce herself to some guys. The guys turned their backs.

“These girls don't belong here,” one said.

“At the party?” the other one asked.

“No, in America,” he answered.

I don't know what my reaction would have been, but it may have involved my fist connecting with the the base of his skull. However, I doubt he would've said it to my face – or most any other guy for that matter. Instead, he decided to pick on some “defenseless” girls.

Well, perhaps defenseless is a poor word choice.

“Are they still there?” the first guy asked.

Not to take this lightly, my niece answered: “Yeah, to be a pain is your ... ” Well, let's say the last word rhymes with “mass.” The women and the guy shouted back at one another before they all decided to leave.

I'm dang proud of my Asian sisters for standing up to the harassment. The easy route would have been to walk away and pretend not to hear it, but they took the fight right back to him.

Stealing a line from Laila Ali's Adidas commercial, “Rumble young girl, rumble.”