Cello Teacher Receives Racist ‘Thank You’ E-mail From Student’s Mom, Responds By Explaining The Reason Behind ‘Ethnic Stench’
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Everyone deserves to be treated with basic human dignity. It doesn’t matter where you come from, respect should be repaid with respect, and kindness with kindness. Unfortunately, some people have a habit of making insensitive offhand comments that greatly insult others.
Take this one example where a mother wrote a letter to her son’s cello teacher in which she mentioned an “ethnic stench” coming off of his clothes every time he came back home after a lesson.
Well, the teacher was very insulted. She wasn’t afraid to write back to the mother and explain that she was, in fact, ‘ethnic’ and that what the mother said was ‘racist.’ But not only that. The cello teacher then went on to comment about how the child was neglected at home. Read on for the full story.
A story about a cello teacher getting an insulting letter from a student’s mother went viral online
Image credits: Steve Snodgrass (not the actual photo)
Image credits: sxinxm_
Image credits: sxinxm_
Here’s what the teacher’s response was
Image credits: sxinxm_
The story went viral on the internet. For example, when it was posted on the ‘Insane Parents‘ subreddit, it got more than 49,000 upvotes in less than a day. Meanwhile, the original post on Twitter made by user @sxinxm_ was retweeted over 63,400 times and got more than 281,100 likes on the social media platform.
The tweets started a fiery discussion on the internet. Not only were people talking about racism in the 21st century, but they were also analyzing the topic of child neglect. According to @sxinxm_, the cello student’s parents weren’t feeding him enough. So she reported them to social services.
However, some Twitter users said she made a mistake by mentioning the child’s malnutrition in her email to his mother. According to them, now the parents will be able to cover up their mistake before social services contacts them.
“Don’t be a bystander”
Bored Panda talked to social media influencer Zariya Grant from New Jersey about the entire story and wanted to hear her thoughts about racism in the 21st century. According to Zariya, her first reaction upon reading the mother’s email to the teacher was disgust: “I was kind of disgusted by it. She tried to “sandwich” those remarks between compliments.”
Zariya was also angry that the mother wasn’t feeding the 9-year-old boy “so he could lose weight.”
“As a person of color, I deal with racism quite a lot. Whether it be “sly” remarks or stereotypes, it’s something I and many others deal with.”
“There’s not much advice I can give on how to respond to it besides don’t be a bystander if you see it happening and be strong. Every situation is different. If there’s something that bothers you, say or do something,” Zariya said.
“Don’t be afraid of who you are. Whatever your race or ethnicity, that’s what makes you “you.” Show people how strong you are and find your voice. Little changes can help big problems” the influencer exclaimed. “Racism is an uncomfortable subject for everyone and shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you don’t see the issue with little remarks or big gestures, you’re part of the problem.”
The politics of smell
Masako Fukui from Japan, who has had experience with being made fun of for the smell of the food she eats, writes on ABC News that “it’s virtually impossible to control our immediate responses to pungent odors, and the anatomy of our brains helps to explain this.”
“Other senses are largely processed within the neocortex, the ‘higher’ brain, while the sensory recognition of odors is more thoroughly plumbed into the limbic system, a collection of ‘lower’ brain regions that are critical for emotion and memory.”
“Whatever is tickling the nose hairs has a direct line to the sub-verbal, animalistic self. It’s exactly the amorphous nature of smell that makes it so powerful, and political,” Fukui writes. “For when those odors that repel us are associated with race, the disgust we instinctively sense undermines our attempts to overcome racial prejudices.”
Some people were outraged at the mom’s letter, while others supported the teacher for helping the child
Image credits: mauryrempel
Image credits: zariyagrant
Image credits: touchmyboohole
Image credits: imanarchy_
Image credits: saffron_geena
Image credits: DLHarpz
Image credits: aneesa2604
Image credits: iknownaama
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"Ethnic stench"? Smelling Indian in public? Is there actually a human being left on earth that thinks it's okay to say that?
Yep. There's millions of them and certain politicians are normalising it again.
You are so right! This is leading to an explosion of antisemitism hate crimes in the US and Europe.
Thank you Otis, you are unaware I have read the transcript of what Trump had to say, and imo the statue reason was used as a shield by many to hide their true motivations. But thanks for assuming my ignorance, I enjoy the chance to highlight that not everyone only reads what fits their own narrative ^-^ first hand information is the best most reliable source Anaj- I do like to find my own information. I don't make knee jerk assumptions or believe "mainstream" - I have this opinion from verbatim speech, and actual actions.
Anaj- Trump for one? I can't think of a better example than his saying there were "fine people on both sides" after Charlottesville in USA, plus innumerable racial/religious/sexists/xenophobic slurs...
@Lauren Caswell - you read the transcript??? Did you read the part where he LITERALLY says he IS NOT referring to neo-nazis?
Otis-Yes he said he wasn't referring to that group but to be frank his honesty is really dubious. He would say anything to cover himself, we are seeing this come out now more than ever. Lol I love that you're still challenging me like this, I can form a contrary opinion to yours from reading the same material you know ^-^
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@Lauren Caswell - he was not referring tinned-nazis. He was referring to people that didn't want statues of General Robert E Lee removed. I dare you to read the actual transcript. But you won't, because it doesn't fit your narrative. Interesting to point out that he also calls out dishonest reporters in the same speech.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
explain to me what is racist saying indians stink if they generally do.......
Unfortunately I'm sad to say my mother would say something like this. She makes a lot of comments and generalizations about certain cultures but swears "she's not racist". It drives me absolutely nuts. I can't stand it and I try to correct her with logic every time, but still it gets no where. And this a woman living in California, San Francisco bay area of all places! One of the supposed most "opened minded" areas. Unfortunately people make a lot of cruel remarks thinking it's "just harmless talk" when it's really not. *eyeroll*
I have a friend like that...it's the one thing we really don't agree on. I have a disability, which was visible when I was young, and now is not, and I experienced being labelled as disabled, and the privilege of losing that visual label. I know the prejudice is different to racism, but prejudice is prejudice and i swore I would never ever judge anyone on something they don't choose. So when my friend says "oh this Chinese lady was so annoying today...go home etc" I always pull her up on it. Why Chinese lady? Why not just lady? How do u know this isn't her home? She got angry recently, "why can't u just respect that i dont wanna be pc" i responded with well respect that i dont want to hear racist crap
Lauren Caswell, I dumped a friend for being an obstinate bigot. It was better for my mental health.
@Lauren Caswell That is exactly what I'm taking about! That is how my mother talks on a daily basis and it drives me bonkers. I know she doesn't realize how disrespectful she is being but it really gets to me. If my brother who works in retail starts telling a story of a difficult customer she will instantly ask "Were they Asian?" or something similar. She actually got fired from a previous cashier job for making such comments to her coworker. I hope she will learn one day that it's not ok to think or talk that way.
There are millions of them and they wear red hats.
Indian food is amazing. Some good hecking food
The smell is so good anyways!!!!
Since when is smelling like good food a bad thing? If someone walks around smelling like good food I will follow them around all day until I find out who made it for them and how I can get some.
They're called Trump supporters.
All too fucking many and one of them is the POTUS of the U.S. *sigh* I hope this poor kid's mother got a good thump from one of Social Service's very useful tools called the "Wake the F up, this is Reality" stick.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
i say it because it is true...is it racist?no...why not...?well maybe because indian kids themselves recognize the stench when their cousins come to visit from india and told me about it ...so how can it be racist...when its just something that is an actual fact and that ppl from all around the world of all different races and ppl from their own so called race have noticed....?nobody says shit when the entire world say brits have fucked up teeth..why not?is it because they are majority white and it seems to become acceptable to bash on this particular group but not on others lately?maybe....but its much more likely because brits wherever they go have been noted for having horrific dental hygiene and its disgusting just like indians who dont shower and practically bath in spices then wonder why there a circle around then in a crowd
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
well yah why not :) ?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Might not be ok to say, but I get where she is coming from.it is probably from the food that is cooked and eaten.been there, done that. I mean I would never do or say anything like this, but I get it🤷♀️..it is what it is.
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We say it all the time. My sister moved into a place that was suddenly overtaken by Indian immigrants. They stink. It's just a fact, and they have stunk up the building. Unapologetic about saying it.
And to them, perhaps you stink. It's all perspective. You haven't been exposed to much culture outside of your own perhaps?
Isn't lumping all "White People" together as subtly racist is in fact racist on her part.
I kinda took issue with that too. My husband is black and loves my cooking more than his own mom's. Lumping "white people" together, is racist.
You can only be racist if you are white apparently
Yes it is very racist. I don’t understand why all White People are considered racist. I get so sick of hearing this bs...
Yes. And neither is what I would call "subtle". BTW - the account has been suspended.
YUP, my same thought also about the white people comment. Of course you do know, that if your are white, your ancestors owned slaves. I heard one older black dude tell that to a younger black dude, while looking at a white friend of mine. His "people" were from Hungry, and came to America in the early 1900s.
Exactly
This comment has been deleted.
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Oh my god I've been struggling with accepting that I'm white for so long because of the racism toward us! I'm sorry but it's true, we get hated on for being white. It hurts. It's nice to see other people speaking up about it.
Oh sorry to hear that.., my man is white and from slavic heritage and I love him deeply.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No.
It is... but only if you have a brain.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No Gerry it is not. White people need to take a sip of tea and shut their mouths.
So her comment "whites are subtly racist" is okay? Can I say "blacks are subtly criminals at heart." Of course not. Individuals can be criminal, not races. Same thing. Not all whites are racists.
Hate to break it to you, but "white" is a race and saying negative things about "white people" is, by definition, racist. I'm white and I cook more food that isn't American or western European and I've had people ask me if I'm married to an "ethnic" for bringing homemade massaman curry to work for my lunch. It's a two way street, lady.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
OMG, get over yourself and shut your mouth. Lol
I read a book one time of a little white girl that was living with her father and mother in Vietnam. She encountered a little local boy riding a water buffalo. She looked at him and said he smelled of cabbage and rice. He replied that she smelled of beef and butter. Then he offered her a ride on the water buffalo. She accepted and they became good friends. Everyone emits smells that can be a result of their ethnicity, their living situation,...etc. It doesn't make them less or more human than the next person. And after having been in a few East Indian restaurants, I'd love for my kid to smell like that. Maybe everyone will think I know how to cook...lol.
Exactly. This is what so many people fail to understand. EVERYBODY has their own certain scents. We ourselves don't notice it, due to olfactory fatigue; our nose has become so used to it that our brain automatically filters it out so that we can notice new and unusual scents. It's why people douse themselves in perfume, because they can't smell it anymore; meanwhile, everyone around them is getting headaches because the smell is so strong! Scents that we're more used to being around go unnoticed, while different and 'ethnic' scents are much more noticeable. Every living being stinks in their own unique way, haha.
Oh wow thank you. I thought those people who seam to bathe in their perfume were loosing their sense of smell or something. Its usually old people, so my explanation would have fit. But yours is way more logical. Thank god I do not use perfumes etc. I don't want to become one of those people.
Our noses have two basic jobs to do, both have to do with surviving. The one job is to warn us when there is danger close by, such as a dangerous animal or humans that do not belong to our family group (rotting flesh, human feces, vomit, etc) and the other is to tell us about ripe fruit and other edibles (that smell that comes wafting when someone is grilling meat). That is why we all now that characteristic smell of our grandmother's home but can swear that our own home does not smell at all. We are "blind" for it.
Haha!
"Ethnic stench"? Smelling Indian in public? Is there actually a human being left on earth that thinks it's okay to say that?
Yep. There's millions of them and certain politicians are normalising it again.
You are so right! This is leading to an explosion of antisemitism hate crimes in the US and Europe.
Thank you Otis, you are unaware I have read the transcript of what Trump had to say, and imo the statue reason was used as a shield by many to hide their true motivations. But thanks for assuming my ignorance, I enjoy the chance to highlight that not everyone only reads what fits their own narrative ^-^ first hand information is the best most reliable source Anaj- I do like to find my own information. I don't make knee jerk assumptions or believe "mainstream" - I have this opinion from verbatim speech, and actual actions.
Anaj- Trump for one? I can't think of a better example than his saying there were "fine people on both sides" after Charlottesville in USA, plus innumerable racial/religious/sexists/xenophobic slurs...
@Lauren Caswell - you read the transcript??? Did you read the part where he LITERALLY says he IS NOT referring to neo-nazis?
Otis-Yes he said he wasn't referring to that group but to be frank his honesty is really dubious. He would say anything to cover himself, we are seeing this come out now more than ever. Lol I love that you're still challenging me like this, I can form a contrary opinion to yours from reading the same material you know ^-^
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@Lauren Caswell - he was not referring tinned-nazis. He was referring to people that didn't want statues of General Robert E Lee removed. I dare you to read the actual transcript. But you won't, because it doesn't fit your narrative. Interesting to point out that he also calls out dishonest reporters in the same speech.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
explain to me what is racist saying indians stink if they generally do.......
Unfortunately I'm sad to say my mother would say something like this. She makes a lot of comments and generalizations about certain cultures but swears "she's not racist". It drives me absolutely nuts. I can't stand it and I try to correct her with logic every time, but still it gets no where. And this a woman living in California, San Francisco bay area of all places! One of the supposed most "opened minded" areas. Unfortunately people make a lot of cruel remarks thinking it's "just harmless talk" when it's really not. *eyeroll*
I have a friend like that...it's the one thing we really don't agree on. I have a disability, which was visible when I was young, and now is not, and I experienced being labelled as disabled, and the privilege of losing that visual label. I know the prejudice is different to racism, but prejudice is prejudice and i swore I would never ever judge anyone on something they don't choose. So when my friend says "oh this Chinese lady was so annoying today...go home etc" I always pull her up on it. Why Chinese lady? Why not just lady? How do u know this isn't her home? She got angry recently, "why can't u just respect that i dont wanna be pc" i responded with well respect that i dont want to hear racist crap
Lauren Caswell, I dumped a friend for being an obstinate bigot. It was better for my mental health.
@Lauren Caswell That is exactly what I'm taking about! That is how my mother talks on a daily basis and it drives me bonkers. I know she doesn't realize how disrespectful she is being but it really gets to me. If my brother who works in retail starts telling a story of a difficult customer she will instantly ask "Were they Asian?" or something similar. She actually got fired from a previous cashier job for making such comments to her coworker. I hope she will learn one day that it's not ok to think or talk that way.
There are millions of them and they wear red hats.
Indian food is amazing. Some good hecking food
The smell is so good anyways!!!!
Since when is smelling like good food a bad thing? If someone walks around smelling like good food I will follow them around all day until I find out who made it for them and how I can get some.
They're called Trump supporters.
All too fucking many and one of them is the POTUS of the U.S. *sigh* I hope this poor kid's mother got a good thump from one of Social Service's very useful tools called the "Wake the F up, this is Reality" stick.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
i say it because it is true...is it racist?no...why not...?well maybe because indian kids themselves recognize the stench when their cousins come to visit from india and told me about it ...so how can it be racist...when its just something that is an actual fact and that ppl from all around the world of all different races and ppl from their own so called race have noticed....?nobody says shit when the entire world say brits have fucked up teeth..why not?is it because they are majority white and it seems to become acceptable to bash on this particular group but not on others lately?maybe....but its much more likely because brits wherever they go have been noted for having horrific dental hygiene and its disgusting just like indians who dont shower and practically bath in spices then wonder why there a circle around then in a crowd
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
well yah why not :) ?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Might not be ok to say, but I get where she is coming from.it is probably from the food that is cooked and eaten.been there, done that. I mean I would never do or say anything like this, but I get it🤷♀️..it is what it is.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
We say it all the time. My sister moved into a place that was suddenly overtaken by Indian immigrants. They stink. It's just a fact, and they have stunk up the building. Unapologetic about saying it.
And to them, perhaps you stink. It's all perspective. You haven't been exposed to much culture outside of your own perhaps?
Isn't lumping all "White People" together as subtly racist is in fact racist on her part.
I kinda took issue with that too. My husband is black and loves my cooking more than his own mom's. Lumping "white people" together, is racist.
You can only be racist if you are white apparently
Yes it is very racist. I don’t understand why all White People are considered racist. I get so sick of hearing this bs...
Yes. And neither is what I would call "subtle". BTW - the account has been suspended.
YUP, my same thought also about the white people comment. Of course you do know, that if your are white, your ancestors owned slaves. I heard one older black dude tell that to a younger black dude, while looking at a white friend of mine. His "people" were from Hungry, and came to America in the early 1900s.
Exactly
This comment has been deleted.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Oh my god I've been struggling with accepting that I'm white for so long because of the racism toward us! I'm sorry but it's true, we get hated on for being white. It hurts. It's nice to see other people speaking up about it.
Oh sorry to hear that.., my man is white and from slavic heritage and I love him deeply.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No.
It is... but only if you have a brain.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No Gerry it is not. White people need to take a sip of tea and shut their mouths.
So her comment "whites are subtly racist" is okay? Can I say "blacks are subtly criminals at heart." Of course not. Individuals can be criminal, not races. Same thing. Not all whites are racists.
Hate to break it to you, but "white" is a race and saying negative things about "white people" is, by definition, racist. I'm white and I cook more food that isn't American or western European and I've had people ask me if I'm married to an "ethnic" for bringing homemade massaman curry to work for my lunch. It's a two way street, lady.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
OMG, get over yourself and shut your mouth. Lol
I read a book one time of a little white girl that was living with her father and mother in Vietnam. She encountered a little local boy riding a water buffalo. She looked at him and said he smelled of cabbage and rice. He replied that she smelled of beef and butter. Then he offered her a ride on the water buffalo. She accepted and they became good friends. Everyone emits smells that can be a result of their ethnicity, their living situation,...etc. It doesn't make them less or more human than the next person. And after having been in a few East Indian restaurants, I'd love for my kid to smell like that. Maybe everyone will think I know how to cook...lol.
Exactly. This is what so many people fail to understand. EVERYBODY has their own certain scents. We ourselves don't notice it, due to olfactory fatigue; our nose has become so used to it that our brain automatically filters it out so that we can notice new and unusual scents. It's why people douse themselves in perfume, because they can't smell it anymore; meanwhile, everyone around them is getting headaches because the smell is so strong! Scents that we're more used to being around go unnoticed, while different and 'ethnic' scents are much more noticeable. Every living being stinks in their own unique way, haha.
Oh wow thank you. I thought those people who seam to bathe in their perfume were loosing their sense of smell or something. Its usually old people, so my explanation would have fit. But yours is way more logical. Thank god I do not use perfumes etc. I don't want to become one of those people.
Our noses have two basic jobs to do, both have to do with surviving. The one job is to warn us when there is danger close by, such as a dangerous animal or humans that do not belong to our family group (rotting flesh, human feces, vomit, etc) and the other is to tell us about ripe fruit and other edibles (that smell that comes wafting when someone is grilling meat). That is why we all now that characteristic smell of our grandmother's home but can swear that our own home does not smell at all. We are "blind" for it.
Haha!