one eyed jack wrote:
>
> People should remember here that no black man even wants to be
> told by any white man about cleaning shoes. Thats a racist
> comment in itself alluding to their glory days when the
> profesional white man would have his shoes cleaned is
> definitely offensive and suggests racism.
>
For the white man to remark that the black man should shine his shoes is indeed racist and would obviously cause confrontation.
By asking for a shoe-shine, he is basically casting the black man in the role as a servant; obviously inciting conflict.
However the situation actually that took place is slightly different.
The African-American man protested that Thomas Bruno's feet were too close to his rolling suitcase by saying "Why a f*ckin brother got to spit shine your shoes?"
The African-American man instigated talk of shoe shining.
The correct situation would have been for Thomas Bruno to apologise and to walk to the front of the bus. He should not of said "Im 67 years old you ain't scarin me! You ain't scarin me! You ain't scarin me! You ain't scarin this white boy!"
When Bruno was told that he would have "a foot stuck up his ass" he made the mistake of saying "Oh no you wont! No you wont!"
But the video is a hot topic because of the fact that Bruno did not do the correct thing. He made the mistake of showing no fear. He made the mistake of striking the person that struck him.
CBS News reported the incident as "Racially Tinged Provocation".
The following video was removed from the CBS website following a public backlash. Many have questioned the reporters impartiality since he did not question Iyanna Washington about the "theft" of the bag, or
her screaming of racial slurs and incitements to violence. No mention was made of Ms Washington saying "Say it again pinky. Beat his white ass!Whoop his ass!"
The removed video can now be seen here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSe3jABIyC4
There are comments remaining on the CBS site criticising the reporting of the incident, although the original interview has been replaced
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/ ... 7265.shtml
Here is a video by Ms Washington made the following day, addressing her criticism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbsX5j-8T3Y