The Racist Across the Street

There are a great many things in this world that upset me. Few however have the effect on me that intolerance does. Intolerance to people because of their religion and most especially their race makes me sick.

That being said, here is what happened...

I went to pick up B from school today and when we got home and I got out of the car with my 11 year old and 2 year old I hear the neighbor across the street yelling. I look over to see his son (who is an adult probably in his 20s I'd guess) up on the roof of their house.

These two idiots often fight and yell profanities at each other over yard work or cars or whatever. Apparently today the issue was a repair on the roof. The son, who speaks to his dad in a manner that leads me to believe there has been gross neglect in the upbringing of this guy, is yelling and dropping the "F" bomb and I am trying to usher the kids in house to avoid them having to hear to much of this when I hear "it".

The "N" word. That idiot yells it so loud that I stop dead in my tracks. I don't know what the fight was about but that man yells something to the tune of "Just like those f&@king n!##ers next door".

I stood in shock for a few seconds trying to wrap my head around this. This racist a-hole was screaming not just profanities but also saying one of the most offensive words I know. He saw my kids and I come home, he obviously doesn't care that people know he is a bigot. I got the kids inside and then fought the urge to go outside and start screaming and cursing myself. Now the question is how do I handle this?

I am sure the correct thing to do is to ignore it, but is that the right thing? He didn't break any laws (I wish being a moron was illegal but it's not). He was on his property being a jerk. I just don't feel right about letting it go. It feels like if I let it go and don't say or do anything then it makes it ok. Like watching someone being attacked and walking away. Sure you didn't do anything but isn't doing nothing just as bad? And, ok, his words weren't a physical attack but even to me it was mental abuse. That word was used to opress and enslave an entire culture an it disgusts me.

Now a funny part of this also is the neighbors dad who he was fighting with is a realtor and has been trying to get me to let him list my house. Obviously that won't be happening. I can't wait to actually find a realtor and have him approach me about why we didn't use him once a "For Sale" sign is in my yard. I will tell him that I don't condone racism in any capacity and I wouldn't let him in my house let alone try to sell it.

This is just driving me crazy. What can I do? What should I do? I don't know if I have it in me to say and do nothing. But I guess that's a good thing. It's the people who can't walk away that will stand up when things aren't right and do something to fix them. The question now is what to do?