Dear guy in Puerto Madero

[legilber]

OK,

Typically I don't like to get involved with matters of this type, but I absolutely can't not make a remark about what I saw today. While reading my book in Puerto Madero today during my lunch break, I was SHOCKED when I heard an American guy screaming at a woman who was trying to peddle her Boca/River stickers. The profanities that were coming out of his mouth made even me blush. "F you, I'm not a stupid american that you can take money from. Leave me alone you fat blah blah blah---fill in the blanks yourself."

Everyone turned to look at him in disgust, myself included. Lets face it, one ugly american really does make all of us look awful. You wouldn't scream at a group of kids sleeping on the sidewalk in Mumbai, so please don't scream at a woman who clearly doesn't have the same opportunities as us.

I felt like walking over to him to give him a piece of my mind at how much of an ass he looked like, but then I just figured it wouldn't matter. He'd still be an asshole, and I'd look just as bad as him.

So please, we've all made the choice to live here. Lets respect the place and try to change the american image.

And to the guy in black leather pants, black jacket, shaved head, and bad personality---piss off.

Ok thanks!!

 

[orwellian]

...guy in black leather pants, black jacket...

Ok I think we've found the problem.

 

[esllou]

sorry dude, was having a bad day. Won't happen again. Promise.

 

[evan]

personally i can't count the number of times people thought it was an American behaving badly, but it was actually a European.

 

[LAtoBA]

OK,

Typically I don't like to get involved with matters of this type, but I absolutely can't not make a remark about what I saw today. While reading my book in Puerto Madero today during my lunch break, I was SHOCKED when I heard an American guy screaming at a woman who was trying to peddle her Boca/River stickers. The profanities that were coming out of his mouth made even me blush. "F you, I'm not a stupid american that you can take money from. Leave me alone you fat blah blah blah---fill in the blanks yourself."

Everyone turned to look at him in disgust, myself included. Lets face it, one ugly american really does make all of us look awful. You wouldn't scream at a group of kids sleeping on the sidewalk in Mumbai, so please don't scream at a woman who clearly doesn't have the same opportunities as us.

I felt like walking over to him to give him a piece of my mind at how much of an ass he looked like, but then I just figured it wouldn't matter. He'd still be an asshole, and I'd look just as bad as him.

So please, we've all made the choice to live here. Lets respect the place and try to change the american image.

And to the guy in black leather pants, black jacket, shaved head, and bad personality---piss off.

Ok thanks!!

I will probably get flack for this but............

First, maybe the guy was having a bad day. That doesn't make him an asshole, just that maybe he was having a day and the women caught him at the wrong time and place. Maybe he just got news a family member died or maybe this was the 1000th time that he's been accosted by someone peddling something on the street and he just got fed up. Or maybe he's traumatized because he's been robbed 3 or 4 times while in Buenos Aires (happened to a blond blued eyed friend of mine here....that will really get you paranoid). The woman happened to catch him at the wrong moment and voila. That has absolutely nothing to do with respecting or not respecting the culture. You can't assume he's an asshole....you don't know his back story or the whole convo between him and the lady......or do you?

And thirdly, lets not act like Argentines don't cuss out those same peddlers every now and then--do you know how many times I've heard "la reconcha de tu madre........" from a local when some of the peddlers keep insisting??

Lastly, wheres the same disgust from Portenos (sorry keyboard not equipped for spanish) when they pass a dirty, dishelved child on Santa Fe or a mother asking for change in the subte with her two dirty children???! Last time I checked they seem to do well at ignoring them. Please, lets not try and act like Argentines are somehow morally superior in that respect, especially Argentines living and working in Puerto Madero!

Now some of those drunk, obnoxious, American exchange students in Palermo on a Friday night...that's a different story. Though it's kind of hard for them to look bad or out of place when you've got a group of drunk, obnoxious, Argentine boludos right across the street from them!

 

[orwellian]

Never judge people until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

 

[jp]

First, maybe the guy was having a bad day. That doesn't make him an asshole, just that maybe he was having a day and the women caught him at the wrong time and place.

Nah, he's an asshole. If you're having a bad day, you don't take it out on other people, least of all people who are just trying to scrape a living. Thats what assholes do. Its pretty much what defines them - their tendency to treat people like dirt.

Everyone has to deal with shit. Everyone has a bad day, gets bad news or gets upset about something sooner or later. Its no excuse to go beat up some street kids or abuse a cartonero.

 

[LAtoBA]

Nah, he's an asshole. If you're having a bad day, you don't take it out on other people, least of all people who are just trying to scrape a living. Thats what assholes do. Its pretty much what defines them - their tendency to treat people like dirt.

Everyone has to deal with shit. Everyone has a bad day, gets bad news or gets upset about something sooner or later. Its no excuse to go beat up some street kids or abuse a cartonero.

Cussing someone out is one thing. Beating up somebody is something completely different.

You're telling me you've never had a bad day before or gotten some bad news and then blown up on somebody, only to regret it later? My hat is off to you. But I don't think that's a reality for most people.

I'm just playing devil's advocate. The guy very well could be an asshole. I'm just saying people are always so quick to make an assumption about somebody. His actions were definitely asshole ish. But that doesn't mean he's an asshole. Only Jesus (if you believe) could be a saint 24/7!

 

[jp]

You're telling me you've never had a bad day before or gotten some bad news and then blown up on somebody, only to regret it later?

Never at strangers, least of all strangers in a strange land. You just don't take out your aggression on people you don't know. Thats what nutters do.

 

[Napoleon]

And to the guy in black leather pants, black jacket, shaved head, and bad personality---piss off.

OK, I'm in the States right now, so I'm positive that I wasn't that guy. I just want everyone on the board to know that so that they don't give me any "[gruff]" when they see me in the future.

Plus, if she had a meaty ass, I'd probably be more likely to take a picture of her ass than even consider yelling at her. And if she were wearing boots with that meaty ass...

I've sen a bumper sticker many times that is quite appropriate for this thread-

"Mean People Suck"