As I was going to the bus stop today, a guy started loudly complaining about... some minority. (And That's Terrible; I assume I don't have to say that on Tumbler) He wasn't specific, but he was loud enough. I didn't want to get into a fight and didn't have a Snappy One-Liner That Makes Everyone Clap to shut him up so I did my best to ignore him. He went in the same direction as me but I paid it no mind, this is a public space and he wouldn't attack me in front of witnesses, right?
I got to the stop, and the guy stayed near me and continued ranting about some non-specific bastards that are taking over the country and forcing other people out and how his uncle works at Nintendo is a millionaire in Switzerland. And because I didn't get the subtle clues from earlier, he said something about "throwing y'all out", and it finally hits me that he wasn't just ranting for ranting's sake, he was trying to harass me.
I got confused. I was white, native to the country, dressed plainly, minding my own business, (not that he'd be less of a dick if I wasn't any of those things) and the guy's continued rambles didn't offer any clue about my supposed identity. Was I a Ukrainian? A Muslim? A gay? A cyclist?
So I did what seemed reasonable and asked him. "...what group do you think I belong to?"
He mulled it over for a moment, then replied "I'm not gonna speak with you" and walked away.
I shrugged and went back to waiting for a bus, and after a moment I heard him proclaiming in the distance:
"For me, you might as well be a pigeon."