Opinion: Today I was spat on because I looked different

‘And you’re a fucking chink!’

That’s how I was greeted today while hovering outside a hotel in Dublin City Centre while I waited for a friend. The group went by laughing, I exclaimed an exasperated ‘oh fuck off…’, one of the young boys then grabbed my face and shook it, I was spat on.

This was the first time I had received a physical racial assault –   I was shook. I’m 21 and had become slightly desensitized to all the racial slurs I was thrown on a regular basis, but this was frightening. I felt humiliated taking the spit out of my hair and sadly no one came to my aid, even on this bustling street.

I met with my friend and contemplated what had actually happened. The more I thought about it the more I got the courage to act. This was the time to do something, anything, to tackle the closemindedness of a nation who prided themselves on being ‘welcoming.’ There and then it truly was a lie.

I gathered my thoughts and posted my outrage and I reported it to the Gardaí. It was horrible and terrifying but I am not a coward.

These kids were in their teens. What these boys did was unacceptable and foolish.

I shouldn’t need to hide or feel scared in my own country. Racism. Hate. How dare anyone think that this disgusting behaviour is ok?

Do I hate them? Absolutely not. I pity them and I pity their parents who have no idea of richness a multicultural society can bring. I feel sorry for them. Oh and by the way, I’m Irish.

Originally published on unakavanagh.com.

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The support I’ve gotten from Twitter, Facebook and friends has been astounding. A special thank you to Graham Lenihan for passing along the message through his Twitter that this crap cannot and should not be tolerated. #fightracism