BRING IT

by Sisi Huang

As soon as the video of the San Francisco bus fight reached the Internet, it immediately scored millions of views from people all across the country. Now for you hermits out there who have no idea what I’m referring to, I shall briefly recount the basics of the incident that has apparently captured the attention of millions.

It was a typical Thursday morning on a San Francisco public transit bus. Or so it seemed, until a small quarrel between a Chinese woman and an African-American woman boiled over into a physical battle of the fittest. According to the press, the Chinese woman had requested for the seat next to the African American woman but the latter adamantly refused. Consequently, the two began a shouting match that quickly escalated into threats of bodily harm. Meanwhile, a fascinated passenger recorded the entire scene for posterity with his cellphone camera. (Kudos to the man!)

Profanity was ever so prominent in this squabble. Unable to fully insult the other woman in English, the Chinese lady resorted to Chinese curses and exclamations while repeating the phrase: “You’re stupid!” The African American woman, on the other hand, fluently spewed strings of vulgar words at her target. As the mutual anger and detest accumulated, the latter woman suddenly punched the other in the face, thus beginning a physical struggle that shocked the rest of the passengers.

Before even attempting to somehow relate this incident to the issue of inter-racial relationships, I would first like to point out that it is basic human decency to move oneself out of the way when someone else is trying to sit, particularly since it is on a public bus that everyone has paid for to ride. Every individual is as rightfully entitled to a seat as the person standing next to him. The African American woman had no right to deprive the Chinese woman of the seat and definitely no justifiable reason for punching her in the face. Fist throws are trademarks of childish quarrels, of conflicts that seem too daunting to be solved properly by immature minds. It was utterly ridiculous for the woman to start a fight in public, especially since she was the one at fault.

On the other hand, many viewers would also argue that this incident was more the result of racial tensions than of a lack of etiquettes. Chinese Americans have long been looked down upon as crude people who spit on the sidewalks, who talk to each other from across the streets, who conversely loudly over the phone in public. However, many Chinese Americans have also felt that these stereotypes have unfairly justified the indifferent treatment of Chinese immigrants by American citizens. Since many of them are not able to speak English properly, some Americans have felt that it would be acceptable to hold themselves above the Chinese people. While reading the countless Youtube responses to the video, I have found one common theme among the words of the viewers: ethnic pride. Many Chinese viewers claimed that it served the African American woman right for trying to take advantage of the Chinese woman. They commended the latter for not only attempting to stand up for herself, but also for successfully humiliating the other woman in the process. Their words seemed to echo those of other Chinese passengers who were present on the bus, particularly those of one elderly man who continuously cried, “Beat her! Beat her till she’s dead!”

But whatever the implications of this incident may be, please be considerate of others’ needs the next time you take the bus. It will save you a lot of breath and unnecessary humiliation.