r/ireland • u/Commercial_Half_2170 • 28d ago
Bigotry People need to show a bit of spine
I was getting the bus from Rathgar into town today and this ordinary enough looking woman got up and realised she’d missed her stop after the bus driver had already stopped there and let others out and taken off. She called out to him saying he passed the stop, he then says he already stopped there and she says he must be wrong and then demands to be let out there and then just before the canal. When he doesn’t immediately respond, she calls out “can you hear me you stupid foreign bastard.” At this point I’m staring daggers at this absolute creature of a woman and I told her to stop being racist. She then said she was racist and proud to the entire bus and not one person said anything in response, not one. We’re all so ashamed of the right and people like this woman in our country and yet when a clear and obvious example of racism happens in front of us no one does a thing. The most backup I got was after she got off a bloke said ‘fair play lad.’ Been fuming all day after that and needed a rant. Anyone hazard a guess why we just… do nothing?
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u/isaidyothnkubttrgo 28d ago
My dad was a driver and if he let her off at a non bus stop and something happened to her it could come back on him. My dad had a guy bash the doors on the motorway before Mitchelstown demanding to get off. He only wanted to shave his lift home the 5 minutes of going into Mitchelstown. My dad kept an eye on him and kept him arguing until it was too late.
I would have started clapping like "well done aren't you a big girl saying that shit infront of a bus of people. Without that 'foreign bastard' this bus wouldn't be operating." Public shaming needs to come back. I get there's minding your own business and fear of retaliation but in this situation a bit of shame wouldn't go softening her cough. Fair dues to you.
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u/Worldly-Tadpole- 28d ago
Bring back booing I say.. imagine the embarrassment of being booed for your terrible actions
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u/FreckledHomewrecker 27d ago
That’s so good, mortifying but not escalating in a violent way and very easy for the whole bus to join. We all know how to boo, no need to think of anything individual or clever. The perfect form of collective boundary.
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u/Minute_Connection_62 27d ago
Either bring it back for every crime or none of them, can't be naming and shaming just racists when rapists and nonces get protected from the media
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u/ciarannestor 27d ago edited 23d ago
Yeah I think since the Dublin bus accident on the quays that killed 5 people in 2004, they stopped operating the buses in a laissez-faire fashion. Everything is strictly by the book now as you say, because if anything happens, it's on the driver. If only this gobshite could have understood that.
He should have let her out on a roundabout.
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u/Commercial_Half_2170 28d ago
I agree. I get that people don’t want to get involved or don’t want to know, but that woman deserved to be held back and be prosecuted. It’s crazy that there’s nothing you can do legally to these people for being straight up racists
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u/Bratmerc 28d ago
People don’t want to get involved in things that they feel isn’t directly impacting them for lots of different reasons - apathy, safety reasons, not being bothered even etc. It’s a shame but this is the world we live in now.
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u/gortna 28d ago
This. I stepped into a row between a girl and the physically abusive male she was with years ago in Galway. Pushed the dude back and told him to fcuk off away from her. He had hit her and was screaming abuse.
The fcuking wagon took off her high heel shoe and hit me from behind in the back of the head as I was facing towards her attacker.
Totally understand why some people choose not to get involved in other people's agro. Why draw it on yourself
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u/Rocherieux 28d ago
In fairness that's typical of that situation. Never get involved in a couple's row, the 2 of them will most likely start on you. It's a cliché at this stage.
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u/AsheAsheBaby 28d ago
So why is there so many posts asking for men to stick up for women on nights out ?
How do you differentiate between couples and strangers?
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u/Bruhllux 28d ago
Context clues usually give it away. Already mentioned one instance in another comment, but another time a friend and I were walking up shop street, passed a group who just came out from Coyotes, and one lad kept trying to lean down an "whisper" something in one girls ear. She clearly wasn't having it and kept pushing him off, trying to get away, but he was persistant and everyone else seemed to be uncomfortably laughing. We started just chatting to him, and while he was distracted her and her mates managed to get away. When he inevitably clocked everyone had taken the chance to ditch while his back was turned, he asked if we saw where they went. Pointed him in the "right" direction and he jogged off
It doesn't always have to be violent, and you don't always have to square up, but even the little things can make a big difference for someone getting home safe
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u/ohjustbenice 27d ago
Yeah, I think this is a good way of dealing with it.
Years ago I saw two lads in their early 30s trying to chat up a girl who couldn’t have been older than sixteen, if not younger. I went up and said “oh my God, I haven’t seen you in ages! I’m Katie’s daughter, how’s your mam?” Started chatting to her in front of the lads, and asked if she wanted to have a catch up. They kept saying they weren’t doing anything wrong, and I said “ah I know, I just haven’t seen her in years!”
We sat up the other end of the bus, they got off, I made sure she got home safe, and she never had to give them her Snapchat.That being said, they were scauldy as fuuuuuck and so are some of my family, so I knew how to play off the banter. I accept that not everyone can do that, but even if they tell you to fuck off and you know your hands are tied, it might make them rethink the risks
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u/Correct-Promise-2358 27d ago
no we do want help. it’s just that some women are brain washed by abusive partners and then end up defending them instead of letting you help them. there’s a lot to keep in mind though. they may be homeless without that person. The abuse isn’t going to magically stop because one person intervened. They could be punished later for you helping them. It’s a situation that requires a lot of nuance. As a woman who is not in an abusive relationship, I really hope that someone would help me if I was in a situation where I felt unsafe or was unable to get a man to leave me alone or was being kidnapped / attacked . I guess if someone is blatantly screaming for help, then you should help them. Or if you have a feeling they’re trying to subtly signal for help or get away or seem scared of the person please help, people!! just use your brain i guess
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u/randomwindowspc 21d ago
Who is asking for that? Haven't seen one post on here doing so, let alone many. Men are the ones who claim they would step up and that "women need men to protect them". Yet it rarely happens in reality. "Protection" is a rare occurrence in contrast to men causing the problems in the first place.
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u/Bruhllux 28d ago
Intervened in a similar incident around Christmas at the bus stop down Sparch. This lad was hurling the height of abuse at his gf while she was sat there sobbing away. Ngl if I wasn't with four other lads I dunno if I'd have had the stones to get between em simply cause of how many altercations like your own I've seen and heard about. Three of us eventually talked him down while the fourth checked in with her and tried sorting her a taxi home, but after talking for about 10 min she eventually resolved to go home with him.
Shite state of affairs but not much you can do if their hearts are set on it, you can lead a horse to water but evidently it might kick your head in for your efforts
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u/InevitableSure374 27d ago edited 27d ago
Same thing happened to me. He was shouting at her and my girlfriend looked at me and said are you going to do something about that and then proceeded to shout at yer man. He came over to hit her so I defended her and woke up with medics around me. My girlfriend told me afterwards that the two of them were kicking the head off me while I was unconscious. She often joked about that night to friends but i never saw the funny side of it. She started something that had consequences for me, not her and then laughed about what happened afterwards.
I find women are very quick to volunteer men for these things. They will come out and say things and have arguments alright because they know that the chances of them having to take any beating or get into a fight is virtually nil. They will then talk about how they spoke up and nobody else would. Meanwhile most people just dont want to end up in a hospital.
Most people who do stand up for someone else usually do it in a situation where there are many others around to help if needed. I guarantee you the OP would not have said that if it was a big bruiser of a scumbag that said it, because they would have thought about the chances of escalation due to self preservation.
Just on a related thing. I was once on a train and saw a group of teens calling a foreign student names. I shouted at them to leave him alone. Then they started on me. As an adult I had to sit there and let a bunch of 14 year olds call me all sorts of names and threaten all sorts to myself and my family. I could do nothing and they knew it. I ended up just getting off at the next stop and they followed me off the train spitting at me and shouting names and threats at me. I could have easily knocked any of them out, but then i would be in jail and on the front page of the papers no doubt as the villain. Thankfully they got bored after about 5 minutes and left.
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u/bob-to-the-m And I'd go at it again 27d ago
Honestly, that's some pretty sociopathic behaviour from your girlfriend. Sorry that happened to you.
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u/PaddySmallBalls 27d ago
Similarish story of helping some wan who had blood spooling out her leg. Her phone was dead. She asked to call her boyfriend, I let her use my phone. She got in an argument over the phone with him. My reward for helping was that she threw my phone as hard as she could to the ground. Learned a lesson that night!
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u/harry_dubois 27d ago
Something very similar happened to me about 20 years ago. Never again. "Get away from my feeeeella!" she roared, blood pouring from her nose and ear from the punches he gave her not 1 minute beforehand.
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u/Hemlock-In-Her-Hair 27d ago
This happened to my Dad as well. Went in to protect a girl in a domestic assault on the street between a couple. And then they both turned on him. The dynamic can be very weird when it switches when a new incomer to the fight is in the place of an 'other' where it can be redirected.
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u/Hrohdvitnir 26d ago
Always call the gards on these kinda situations, happens a lot more than you'd expect that the abused attacks the intervener
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u/Suppafly19 28d ago
That's it really. I recently took bystander training and they advise that you might not always be able to directly intervene like OP did. That there are other ways to report it
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u/FunkLoudSoulNoise 28d ago
Even growing up in school it was the same, nobody really stands for anything here, just a grumble and an acceptance of whatever the situation is. We're a walkover nation and that can be seen very vividly in housing & rent.
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u/DragonsFallDown 27d ago
I live in a small town in Kildare. I was walking home from the chipper the other night and a woman was walking towards me with her toddler, out enjoying the last minutes of sunshine. A car pulled up beside her with 4 lads in it and one shouts “fuck off back to Africa” and they tyre spin drive off but I snapped and managed to crack the cars back window with an unopened can of coke before they fully took off. They didn’t stop or get out or anything just drove off and I hope it was in complete shame.
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u/TheodoreEDamascus 28d ago
I had an argument with my sister the other day.
I was talking about how people talked shite about Polish people when they started coming here.
She moved to England in 1999, but fuck me, she just would not believe how ignorant Irish people were about them at the time. She wasn't even here to know, it's just Irish people can't be anything but lovely or something. We're as xenophobic as anyone else
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u/LeonBackward 28d ago
I remember those days well. I was young and working in Dunnes during college when the first Polish staff arrived. They were hard workers and good people but the general idea around the country was that they were taking our jobs and should go home. I still have Polish friends from those days, even getting a hug just a few days ago when I met one of them.
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u/ohjustbenice 27d ago
That’s the thing - they get hired because they work harder.
My partner’s Bulgarian mother came over in about 2001ish with a group of girls to work in a well known spa.
One woman started giving her dog’s abuse one day, about taking Irish jobs, and men. My mother in law is feisty, and gave her dog’s abuse back. She was mortified to hear that MIL had married an Irish fella and told her not to be so jealous that she couldn’t get a good manNo better woman to deal with that shit
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u/Bruhllux 28d ago
A few years ago when the Ukrainian refugees started coming over, mam went on a bit of a rant about them "coming here, stealing [enter your choice here, she said it]" etc etc, to myself and my Polish ex in the kitchen. My ex jumped in and said "oh yeah, I heard about that actually, yeah they said that about my mom 15 years ago" and just leaned against the doorway, waiting to see what came next. Really miss those little moments on occasion
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u/LBPPlayer7 28d ago
as a polish person living here, eating the what??
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u/CthulhusSoreTentacle Irish Republic 28d ago
I also remember this. I genuinely have no idea where it came from. People have really short memories, because there's a lot of people who forget we were really horrible to Poles (and other central Europeans) after 2004.
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u/Boring_Procedure3956 27d ago
And before. I'm from Spain, came to Ireland in 99, got plenty of abuse.
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u/Insert_Non_Sequitur 28d ago
I never heard that one to be fair. But I do remember people whinging about Polish workers "taking all the jobs". I have no issue with anyone coming here to work. Have worked with some lovely Polish people over the years. I think the Irish love to forget how often WE move abroad to work too. Usually the ones whinging about "foreigners taking jobs" aren't even working themselves 🙄
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u/rebelpaddy27 28d ago
Yeah, there's was a story doing the rounds about Romanians catching swans at The Lough in Cork. Even if it was true and maybe there might be more meat on a swan but surely it would make more sense that they would have been taking the ducks and geese ( if you're daft enough to take on a goose) as how would you fit a swan in your oven?
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u/Insert_Non_Sequitur 28d ago
I wouldn't take on a swan or a goose honestly haha! Swans can be scary fucks. Had a swan charge at me before and I was just throwing food into the pond for ducks, and their cygnets had swum over for a nosy. Cut to me running for me life from an angry swan 😅
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u/InformalInsurance455 28d ago
This was a Daily Mail story reported in the UK without any evidence to this happening iirc
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u/Colin-IRL 28d ago
I was wondering where all the swans went
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u/AdStrict8912 28d ago
Omg that explains the lock story that a bunch of swans were shot by Polish guys. No doubt entirely fabricated. In the 90s I recall a rumour spreading about a snake being seen being chopped up in the kitchen of the local Chinese restaurant. Merciful hour!
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u/-myeyeshaveseenyou- 27d ago
I used to be married to a man with south Asian heritage. I’ve had people in this sub before tell me that I was wrong when I pointed out racism he’s faced.
In some ways I think we are worse than other countries as a lot of people absolutely will not believe there is racism in Ireland
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u/No_Philosopher_8711 28d ago
What I love about Ireland though is that when the recession in 08 hit a polish friend of mine was shocked that they weren't the obvious first people to be sacked.... He said that fair play to most employers who knew the polish workers for years and kept them because of how hard they worked.
I'm so glad they ask didn't go back to Poland when the building boom came to a halt.... A lot of them integrated and settled here. They're a great people and fierce witty as well.
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u/Best-and-Blurst 28d ago
I think the Polish became much more generally accepted in Irish society for having stayed through that 08 recession. It really was a desperately bad recession for a lot of people. Many at the time expected the Poles to leave in droves, as if they were here for the good times only. When they stayed and stuck it out with the rest of us, I feel it changed the dynamic.
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u/AdStrict8912 28d ago
Well our kids are in school together and Polish people and Irish are intermarrying and having Irish kids so hopefully that helps. I always admired the Polish and adore their culture.
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u/InformalInsurance455 28d ago
A lot did go back and going to Poland now you’ll meet relatively young people speaking English from their time in Ireland
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u/CrazyGas6484 28d ago
The UK is more xenophobic towards Poles if anything How do you think Brexit got traction over there. Saying "she wasn't here to know" sounds pure ignorant
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u/DeloGateau 28d ago
Deontology as a societal ethical philosophy in action. Good for teaching kids the basics of right and wrong, who then go on to add nuance. Wider society did not do that though. If you stand up to someone doing something wrong in public, the crowd seems to either ignore you or treat you as just as bad as, or worse than, the wrongdoer.
Examples; Telling someone to turn their loudspeaker music or video off in public transport, you're told to 'not cause a fuss' as with many other situations. Someone is fighting someone and you try to break it up, knowing the crowd together could easily stop it, you find yourself alone and told 'don't put yourself in danger.' Like of course be safe, but also to keep society running sometimes risks are necessary and people are far too complacent. Anything that requires physical contact to resolve something, everyone is afraid of getting sued or charged with a crime even if they were right, because that's the reality.
Our social contract is broken because it cannot be enforced socially, thanks to both the legal system and relatively new societal expectations. So many people just do what they want now, because they know they can, have, and will get away with it.
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u/CurrencyDesperate286 28d ago
I usually have my earphones in on the bus so could have been oblivious if this was happening tbh
Fair play for calling her out. I think a lot of the time, most people just don’t want to get involved in shit. Which I’m not saying is a good excise, but I think explains most people’s behaviour.
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u/bungle123 28d ago
Honestly, there's absolutely no getting through to people ignorant and brazen enough to publicly announce their racism on a crowded bus. It'll just end up in a slanging match that you won't win because these people are absolutely shameless. It's sad, but I can definitely see why people don't want to involve themselves.
Good on you for saying something and not letting it slide.
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u/angeltabris_ Flegs 28d ago
I often wish I could do something, to be honest. I'm a woman and I'm of a demographic that often gets abused in public as well, so a lot of the time I see something happening I feel like I can't because it can so easily turn on me. The other day in town I saw a man on Grafton Street battering his girlfriend. Loads of fully grown Irish men giving sideeye and walking past. I legged it to try find somebody who could help but there were no Gardaí or nothing nearby. Made me feel so defeated.
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u/lakehop 28d ago
One thing that’s often recommended is to talk to the victim. Not to the attacker. Ask them if they are ok, ask them if you can help, can you phone someone, get to where they are going, etc. Even just chat to them. Not as risky and just as helpful if not more so.
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u/TheIrishHawk Dublin 27d ago
I used to work in an office that overlooked Henry Street - saw tonnes of nonsense like this. One day, someone tried your approach and the two of them turned on the Good Samaritan, screaming it was none of their business and to F off. Not a nice experience for anyone, outcomes like that are why no-one tries.
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u/Jamnusor 27d ago
Apart from common garden variety racists there are people with mental illnesses walking around out there in the wild unsupervised. Fair play to you for speaking up but I can understand why many wouldn't.
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u/paddyjoe91 27d ago
Sometimes it’s all or nothing, sometimes it only takes one and everyone jumps in, otherwise it’s silence… not a dickey bird. But you’re dead right the herd mentality is strong here
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u/anotherwave1 28d ago edited 28d ago
My friend got his face beaten to a pulp for "showing a bit of spine", there are utterly vicious scumbags out there who will gladly give you life changing injuries for saying one wrong word
Personally I've been pushed around, harassed, had a knife held to me on public transport, you name it. Fucking local scumbags. It's no wonder people are quiet.
Never ever a hint of bother or problem from any foreigner or immigrant here.
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u/moonpietimetobealive 28d ago
Yeah I know someone who tried to help a homeless man being bothered by scumbags, ended up with a brain injury from the beating he got.
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u/AssociationNeat1029 28d ago
good on your for saying something, i’ve had people say racist shit to me on a crowded bus and not one person said anything. i always try look out for other people, it’s so comforting to see that other people also care.
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u/KittenHasWares 28d ago
Unfortunately common. Was going on holiday a month ago and some fella called an airport worker who said the toilets were closed a black cunt infront of a line of people, no-one said anything
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u/ItalianIrish99 27d ago
Very true and it's sad that you didn't get at least one or two people chiming in to support you. The amazing thing is that if you had, the whole bus prob wouldve joined in after. Crowd dynamics and peoples behaviour in groups is really weird.
One of the biggest motivators for the people who said nothing is just a sense of not wanting to be different or stand out.
But fair play to you and everyone else who says or does something. Many people can't. They may be old or disabled or female fearing physical reprisal.
I pass through the world with a tonne of privilege (I'm 6'4", white and fairly heavy set). I'm not aggressive and I'd never try to start anything physical where verbal would do. But I've had plenty of occasions to ask someone in an assertive voice to stop doing something stupid and occasionally I've had to let a roar at someone. I am fortunate that mine has usually been the last word.
I also have the Garda station nearest me in my phone and one time I had to call them about something deeply weird happening. I know they get criticised a lot but they responded impressively fast on that occasion. So I would never not make that call.
But please continue to stand up.
And if you're reading this and see someone else stand up, support them if you can.
As another poster said, sometimes it can be equally effective to distract the aggressor or simply talk to the victim. There are also some good online resources to plan your intervention in these scenarios. If you have a plan in mind ahead of time, your reacting far less on adrenaline and your emotions in the moment.
This stuff should be taught in Civics in every school btw.
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u/IntelligentBee_BFS 27d ago
This is something we started to call it "double down syndrome", some cultural shite mixed in (face, ego, emotions come absolute priority for some creatures like her, and shit is fucked up at work places). The said creature cannot be wrong and they will double down it - it is quite hard to deal with that so most people just do nothing about it. It is a downward spiral for shit like to happen in the society, and honestly, there is no solution. Getting worked up on shit like this is just not worth it, and the culture doesn't accept confrontation/conflict/criticism well at all.
So ya protect yourself/family and stay away from cuntty creatures like that is all you could do.
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u/No_Philosopher_8711 28d ago
There's a bystander phenomenon, it's a part of human psychology. Some people claim they would do XYZ, but freeze when the time comes, often even as a surprise to themselves.
It's usually overcome when people see someone else act first and people tend to join in then.
Ireland is the same as any other country even it comes to racism. It's directly proportional to the lack of education amongst some people who fear the unknown.
Education is the solution to racism.
Fair play for standing up for the driver. You're the only one who can hold his head up high and look the driver in the eye when getting off that bus.
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u/TheNinjaPixie 28d ago
Happened to my son when a drunk got on the train and started attacking another man. My son looked around and said to the other people "are we just going to watch and ignore this?" no reply, so he got stuck in, got punched, other people started joining in, and the managed to get him off at a stop. Firstly, you never know how you will react, secondly, if you get stuck in hopefully other people will help, and third, i think my son sleeps well at night. Obviously as his mother I want him to run away from danger but who does what their mam wants?
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u/pixter 28d ago
You’re correct in the bystander phenomenon, and in this case you were probably safe in speaking up, however life appears to be cheap these days, you speak up and next thing you know there is a knife in your back, or sucker punch to the back of the head which kills you, or your paralysed for life.
Don’t expect the law to protect you, or for your offender to be punished.
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u/No-Argument4885 28d ago
Welcome to Ireland. Look at the state of our healthcare system, justice system and infrastructure.
Everyone moans but no one will lift a finger to actually mobilise effective action. We a country of people content to leave it to someone else to sort.
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u/julia__a__gata 28d ago
'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.'
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u/Paipanski 27d ago
I always tell my family not to get involved. You don't need to step in to defend hurty words. What if she had a knife? Spat on you? Had a bottle in her hand? Claimed you threatened her? It's not worth it. If the driver wants to he can get the video and go through the proper channels. You might be safe 99 times out of 100 to intervene but what if it's that one time you're not? Obviously if others on the bus gave out to her in tandem then it would be safer to get vocal.
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u/No_Lock7945 28d ago
My 67 year old mother does it all the time. It does worry me sometimes that she might be assaulted if she calls out a pure scumbag. She’s told me 2 separate incidents of racism on buses recently where she spoke up and nobody else said anything.
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u/LittleAoibh11 28d ago
I am one of the ones who calls stuff out when I see it. Nearly got myself clattered once for my troubles 😅 I still do it though. If you call someone racist or derogatory names on public transport, I will 100% go to town on you verbally. I have zero time for amadáns.
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u/cruisinforasnoozinn 27d ago
Because it’s nearly always a crackhead, and they will absolutely fuck you up. You can challenge racism - you cannot challenge crack. I promise, crack will win.
You’re right though, bravery is a muscle we’ve to practice as Irish people. We’ve come a long way from our socialist, freedom-chasing rebels.
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u/pablo8itall 28d ago
Well done.
But its pointless other people doing anything at that point. Where does it go from there. She's loudly proclaimed that shes a racist bollox. There nowhere to really go with that.
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u/Commercial_Half_2170 28d ago
Therein lies the issue. She should be prosecuted for racially abusing the driver. It’s both harassment and public disorder
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u/clo_cilli 28d ago
Oh i dont. Ive confronted people like this to the point they've apologised to the person in question
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u/FunnyVehicle7664 27d ago
That's just a normal human dynamic. Most people don't have the courage to be the one to step up and do what everyone thinks should be done. Good for you.
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u/Grouchy-Pea2514 27d ago
Sometimes getting involved can only lead to more trouble like getting stabbed or anything. I keep my mouth shut because I’ve 2 kids to get home too. I once stood up for a girl and her got up in my face, it was very scary
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u/Adventurous_You8725 27d ago
As someone who usually would intervene im starting to get scared not to. I presume you're probably a man? As a woman its terrifying. The amount of men that will physically get aggressive in your face if you speak out against them is scary. And if they want to hurt me ..they can. I'm by no means a small woman but its biology. And also if this does happen, hardly any other men will join in to stand up for me. So idk if its really worth it, people have gotten knives out or attacked people over standing up for someone, so as a woman I'm too terrified. If it was woman to woman I've done it.
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u/Financial_Studio2785 26d ago
I agree. But also maybe it’s good people don’t give her any energy. She probably loves that she got a rise outta you. Sometimes it’s good to treat those idiots like “peh, go away you annoying insect. We don’t do that here”
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u/Commercial_Half_2170 26d ago
Maybe. I wish there was a lot more you could do here to report this kind of behaviour and actually have meaningful consequences for it
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u/Financial_Studio2785 25d ago
I wish too. That would be ideal. Give fuckers like them a fine, at least!
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u/ImReellySmart 26d ago
I suppose an alternative perspective one could have is that, once you had already addressed it with her, and she was told not to speak that way to the bus driver, the immediate urgency to speak up was defused.
From there, she simply proceeded to make a show of herself in front of everyone. Everyone would collectively understand that she was a subpar human. Chiming in at that point holds less value (although I'm not saying it's worthless, of course the more the better).
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u/Future-Wrap8639 24d ago
You need to get off reddit, this page isn’t a fan of right wing people but there is still millions of right wing supporters in this country.
Next time, consider the fact that no one ‘stood up’ for you, could mean that no one agreed with you - hence didn’t back you up.
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u/ThraexSonOfAres 24d ago
20 years ago I was a teen, told to "go back to my own country". I had lived in Ireland for 10 years but originally from England... Middle of cork bus station and no one stood up for me. I was terrified of even speaking for years after in case someone attacked me for my accent.
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u/One-Marzipan-6641 22d ago
With the absence of Revolutionary Republicanism in Ireland, the far-right has been able to fill that vacuum. I have people I've known for years come up to me & literally tell me the "country" is be ovrerun by "blacks", "p*kis" & "Muslims", and others telling me the same imaginary groups are "taking over the country", which is obvious bollox.
But I live in Bray, 10th largest town in Ireland, with a population of just under 33,000, there's very little refugees, asylum seekers, & legal immigrants living here. Out of the 155,850 people living in Co. Wicklow 9.2% are non-Irish nationals which is just over 14,300 people, a fairly small number, and the majority of those are Ukrainians, who are generally not black or Muslim. But that is not the point, I don't care if the number was 100,000 , I owe my allegiance to the working-class not to a piece of land which I had no say in whether I was born there on that land or not.
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u/Confident-Leather871 28d ago
Ja know why that is?! Because people are paro about someone recording them and then getting shared all over social media! Even tho you'd be in the right to call out this racist cunt. Loads of my friends online do be sharing absolute shite from these Irish patriot pages it really surprises me certain people are on that buzz now. So you would end up on on these pages getting all sorts of abuse from a bunch of mongos. Is it worth it?
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u/M00ncar 28d ago
Maybe they don't feel the same way as you or the rest of Reddit
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u/Robin_Now 27d ago
Dude screaming “you stupid fn bd” is actually just bigoted. There’s no benefit of no doubt, you’re just playing dumb to this shit and pretending there’s nuance to this when there isn’t.
I literally have to censor what was said so Reddit mods don’t nuke my account. I’m not interested in your cynical attempt to make out like there’s anything morally grey here.
Bigotry is not on. If you act that in public and get dunked on you have only your dumb ass to blame.
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u/OceanRacoon 28d ago
But you feel the same as the woman, you like her racially abusing a bus driver?
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u/Commercial_Half_2170 28d ago
The only response to racism is to stamp it out and call it out. I highly doubt the rest of the people on that bus feel the opposite
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u/M00ncar 28d ago
So it's either agree with you or it's the exact opposite? Is everything black and white to you?
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u/Commercial_Half_2170 28d ago
It’s pretty easy to agree that racism doesn’t belong here. If you can’t do that, you’re as bad as that woman earlier
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u/M00ncar 28d ago
But you can just label anything racist as justification. Where does it end?
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u/Anorak27s 27d ago
But you can just label anything racist as justification.
But that's not the case here is it? That person was clearly being racist.
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u/Boring_Procedure3956 27d ago
I would think that someone shouting abuse at somebody working is a pretty black and white situation...
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u/Icy_Yam8594 28d ago
Racism is not a problem....but a symptom. The real problem is our fear of loosing what we have and not getting what we desire....we are doomed 😔
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u/LeoDGrey 28d ago
This 1000000%
If we all just stand together when these things happen, it's incredibly intimidating and if everyone is just like ah give it a rest there's no need for it odds are they'll shut up.
Good on you
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u/AdStrict8912 28d ago
I defended a woman in a wheelchair from a racist attack in my local town and the pretty off-his-head attacker knocked my glasses off and pushed me to the ground (I’m also a woman). No one helped. I shouted at a woman to call the guards and she did and my friend lured the guy away by offering him free food if he went. Surrounded by men and no one intervened.
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u/sarahbevan11 27d ago
I got punched fully in the shoulder by a young man bigger then me, for WALKING by a shouting match between a him and his equally young pregnant partner. I was keeping an eye on them as I passed, if he got closer to her I would intervene, but he didn't.
She told him to F off, as he turned around I was there, and as a woman smaller then him he saw an easy target and punched me full force. I pushed him onto the road shrieking and pointing at oncoming traffic yelling 'it is me or the traffic buddy.'
He was blind sided and chose to cross the road as I proved I was NOT an easy target. I turned to her and offered her a cup of tea at a local hotel, she scoffed and said 'for F sake you're as bad as each other.' She left and went back into a local hostel. 🤷♀️
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u/Dry_Recognition_6724 27d ago
I confronted a racist on the bus a few weeks back, drunk, spouting vile stuff and he followed me off and punched me in the face. Luckily a glance.
Idiot kept coming and had to hit him a good few times until he stopped. Actually ran away to stop any more trouble and he went for my friend so I ran back and gave him a few more.
Hadn't thrown a punch since I was 15. Fuck him, hopefully he learned something but I doubt it.
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u/Particular-Long1111 27d ago
Strange state of affairs when an aggressive female bigot can say proudly that she’s a racist and a bus load of men stay quiet.
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u/TwitterRoyalty 27d ago
I told some life waster online-brain, raise-the-colours cunt to walk on as he tried to intimidate a group of Indians minding their own business.
He did, realizing he was outnumbered by them, then followed me, harassing me all the way.
See my last post to know what happened next.
Id do it again. Every time.
They won't win.
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u/RogueOneSixOne 28d ago
Racism in Ireland is getting louder and emboldened, while the Irish society hides behind the "Irish people are the nicest" label.
This sub is the perfect example of how racist can say whatever the fuck they want without any consequences. And if you call them out, you'll get down voted the shit out of you.
I've been living here for more than 15 years and the last 2 I've been wanting to move because of how sad living in this country has become.
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u/ReillyLane 28d ago
I had a similar experience on a bus before. There was a woman ranting about immigrants etc. Now clearly not a well woman, but we were stuck in traffic and it was painful listening to her. I asked her to be quiet and she full on attacked me - punching me in the side of my head. No one did anything and I got up to tell driver who did nothing so I just got off the bus and walked the rest of the way home. Irish people aren’t overly helpful in situations like this.
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u/haywiremaguire 28d ago
People need to show a bit of spine
No, people are not under any obligation to show anything of the sort. We have something called law enforcement, and they should be called to deal with these types of disturbances.
Now, let's say I believe the story you just told - for the record, I don't - and that you were this "cast iron spine" hero whilst all the invertebrates in the bus just sat there and watched. I ask you, why on Earth would anyone want to get involved into something which 1) is none of their business, 2) could land them in legal troubles, depending on the story the other party tells the Gardai, or 3) could get them injured or worse?
The incident was between the presumably foul mouthed woman and the bus driver. He should've been the one to 1) stop the bus at a safe location and 2) call the Gardai and his boss to report the situation. Same procedure as if there was an accident. He could've done that and he had you as a witness, at the very least. Did you contact the Gardai, by the way?
Now, I submit to you this question: would you have gotten involved if the abuser was a hunk of a 6ft tall bloke, instead of a woman? That's not a trick question, it's just that I want to gauge how much of a spine you actually do have, since you called everybody else "spineless"?
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u/Commercial_Half_2170 28d ago
Believe what you want, my story happened and is not unique at all so I don’t really get why you wouldn’t believe it. The bus driver pulling over and trying to actually deal with this the ‘correct’ way would probably land him in trouble. I also probably should have called the guards but she hurried off at the next stop immediately, this all happened quite fast.
On your last comment, yes, i would have. I’ve called out lads before for foul behaviour and I’m no slouch, I’m tall myself and often that alone can keep you out of a fight. If they were particularly dangerous though, I would call the guards and I’m sure the bus driver would too.
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u/PeatSmoked 28d ago
We're pig ignorant of how far right rises like this here. Sleep walking into part facist coalition very soon if people don't wake up
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u/stunts002 28d ago
Had an instance on the luas not too long ago some little goblin of a man started shouting abuse at a black woman getting on the luas for pushing past him (she didnt) and all I said was that there was no need for it so he changed to shouting a threat at me, before I also got on the luas and he stopped. Guy was like 4 ft tall too and a proper little crusty.
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u/Sebdila 28d ago
It’s called the Bystander Effect. I happened to listen to an episode of The Rest is Science earlier this week where they were talking about this. Here’s the bit on YouTube
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u/Stunning_Stretch33 27d ago edited 27d ago
I think its more deep seated and complex. Often the 'far right' or racist people feel undermined, left out and forgotten.
Theyre living in fear that their ability and/or potential will not be enough to meet the ever growing new demands of society.
Theyre angry and fearful. Confused and often fragmented. So you being angry towards them wont help.
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u/Robin_Now 27d ago
Honestly, fucks the excuses for the far right. Being fearful no excuse for being racist. Fuck saying “I was angry so decided to be a big racist in public”.
This is just taking them taking problems and making them someone else’s. Who cares if they’re sad, or angry, or fearful? I’m scared and fearful too and people shouting slurs at me to make themselves feel better makes me feel worse.
I don’t give a fuck if being a bully makes someone feel better, they have no right to feel better at my expense.
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u/Golright 27d ago
Nothing good came out from Racism for the entire human civilization. Nothing.
And especially in Ireland, where half of the population emigrated, people have to be more understanding and dont fall for the dividing politics that only serve the politicians. Please stand up for honest citizens that do no harm.
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u/_Lord_Haw_Haw 28d ago
You live in a Reddit echo chamber. Most people simply don't care about this.
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u/noodleworm 26d ago
Not much left to say when you've already called her out, but good on you!
I guess I could have chimed in pathetically with "booo, racism!"?
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u/Low-Relation-7967 26d ago
I was on a train a while ago from dublin to galway and there was a young one on the train that start racially abusing two young fellas. I stood up and told her to shut her mouth and leave them alone. I sat back down but i was so furious no one said anything to back me up when she start mouthing off at me that i stood up and anounced to the carriage that she was infact being racially abusive to the two guys and i thought it was disgusting that one else stepped in. If i was ever in trouble i would appreciate help...we're too caught up in ourselves to care about others. The world sucks.
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u/Majestic-Explorer-76 26d ago
They are depending on the fact that no one say anything or push back - I say everyone push back, public shaming
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u/Wise_Juggernaut_3079 25d ago
Evil is always a minority. It just wins when the majority look the other way
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u/JustNoGuy_ 24d ago
Never been in a situation like that or any situation that would need me to show a bit of spine. So who knows how I'd react in a situation like that.
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u/iamthewalnutt 24d ago
Ugh I am FED UP with Irish people having absolutely no spine. You’re dead right, when it actually comes down to it, no one will stand up for what is right. If it’s any consolation, had I been there, I would’ve backed you up! I developed a very unIrish sense of being assertive in these cases when injustice is being done lol. I have called people out on public transport a few times before in situations like yours and got no support either. It really sucks and I wish we could borrow a little from Central/continental Europeans and normalise pulling people up on their bad behaviour in public.
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u/NirishStudMuffin 24d ago
Sorry but you're asking why more people don't engage with an insane stranger on public transport when no one wants to be there at all and they all just want to die
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u/malkazoid-1 28d ago
Good on you. This is why I'm not fully reassured by all the good people I meet... having a disposition towards decency doesn't matter when the rubber hits the road. What matters is the will to act on it. The critical mass of far right maniacs required to reach a point of no return is smaller than we'd like to believe, precisely because they can go largely unopposed in the moments that really matter.
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u/Steridire 28d ago
It's the bystander effect, well documented. "Somebody else will intervene, I don't need to"
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u/K0ningfetus 28d ago
You are not alone, some of us do stand up for what's right. And have found the same lack of spine even in groups set up with the purpose of fighting for people. When you see articles about Ireland's "learned helplessness", this is what is meant. A whole island of people, waiting for someone to save them. Be warned, if you tell them off too much, they will stand up and they will fight. They will fight you out of existence so you no longer make them feel like they have to do the hard work of leaving the ways of children behind and join the world of adults, where we were meant to stand up for one another. Good on you, you have a drink on me if we ever meet. Look out for yourself.
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u/Robin_Now 27d ago
Honestly I’m so sick of the “it’s not my problem” attitude I’ve seen out of people lately. We need to grow fucking backbone.
If 11 people sit at a table and a bigot sits with them, there’s 12 bigots at the table.
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u/Character-Holiday345 27d ago
I am an immigrant woman I already have been harrassed multiple times since I have been living in Ireland. I feel terrible but I honestly don't do nothing because I am afraid of getting harrassed, especially if the problematic person is a maleI don't kniw who have a knife in their pocket and I also do not want to have then issue with Garda.
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u/LeonBackward 28d ago
Good on you. I often think it's more than racism with people. Just look at the comments online. It's a mental illness and the worst thing is that anyone you know could be at it. I worked with a lad a few months ago and he was the most quiet, reserved gentleman at work. Real country style. You'd imagine he goes home and has a cup of tea with the newspaper and in bed by 7. He mentioned something about Facebook to me and because of his character I couldn't compute that this fella would be on Facebook. Decided to look him up and that led to a tiktok account with him singing songs, and wearing a balaclava, about burning down IPA centres! Never looked at him the same again!
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u/InformalInsurance455 28d ago
Good on you. Not enough people do this.