So today on my human quest I was working as a Film And Television Extra for FATE on a French advert. It wasn't too bad we were all set up and The Grand West Beach Club essentially watching the sunrise and looking at dolphins. You don't get much more of a super chilled work ethic than that.
Anyway it was all dandy good chilled vibe nice people. Having the craic, you know how it is. Then we get pushed to shoot another scene and I get pushed into an imaginary family. I open my mouth and a Scottish accent comes out and my on-set husband instantly, like doesn't even miss a beat says "Yeah you've got a massive Muslim immigrant problem in problem and Muslim's are going to destroy Europe" I don't think it was even 8 o'clock. The worst thing is there is and 11 year old old kid standing next to me. I said "I think your referring to the refugee crisis?" He tells me "No there immigrants" Anyways it just goes backwards and forward like this for well over and hour. The up shot of the conversation is the guy opens admits to being racist has actually read the Koran. However only to prove his own dogmatic approach. He genuinely believes that Muslims should be eradicated. Then he accuses me of being a Liberal like it's a bad thing. "I respect somebody else's right to a difference of opinion, damn straight I'm a liberal"
This guy is jumping all over the place while I try to explain to him that Britain is a tolerant secular society, as is South Africa. During trying to explain what a refugee is (which he really doesn't understand) and what about the Tunisians? And what if Britain became Muslim? He'd basically went on to profess that Africa was uncivilised and still is. I have to explain the concept that colonialism and enforced Christianity is a source of inter-generational trauma. Fact. Which he disputes. You can't dispute it it's FACT.
I'm not pissed off just completely bemused while this guy proudly spurts of being right wing. Then start harking on about the good old days of Aparthied, literally. At which point another extra stepped in and pulled me away for a coffee.
I wish this was an isolated incident of my time in South Africa. It isn't. What I'm really disappointed in was that I didn't really get all my arguments lined up well and actually that I didn't just call him straight out for hate speech or even call the police. I did openly stand up to him.
Anyway it was all dandy good chilled vibe nice people. Having the craic, you know how it is. Then we get pushed to shoot another scene and I get pushed into an imaginary family. I open my mouth and a Scottish accent comes out and my on-set husband instantly, like doesn't even miss a beat says "Yeah you've got a massive Muslim immigrant problem in problem and Muslim's are going to destroy Europe" I don't think it was even 8 o'clock. The worst thing is there is and 11 year old old kid standing next to me. I said "I think your referring to the refugee crisis?" He tells me "No there immigrants" Anyways it just goes backwards and forward like this for well over and hour. The up shot of the conversation is the guy opens admits to being racist has actually read the Koran. However only to prove his own dogmatic approach. He genuinely believes that Muslims should be eradicated. Then he accuses me of being a Liberal like it's a bad thing. "I respect somebody else's right to a difference of opinion, damn straight I'm a liberal"
This guy is jumping all over the place while I try to explain to him that Britain is a tolerant secular society, as is South Africa. During trying to explain what a refugee is (which he really doesn't understand) and what about the Tunisians? And what if Britain became Muslim? He'd basically went on to profess that Africa was uncivilised and still is. I have to explain the concept that colonialism and enforced Christianity is a source of inter-generational trauma. Fact. Which he disputes. You can't dispute it it's FACT.
I'm not pissed off just completely bemused while this guy proudly spurts of being right wing. Then start harking on about the good old days of Aparthied, literally. At which point another extra stepped in and pulled me away for a coffee.
I wish this was an isolated incident of my time in South Africa. It isn't. What I'm really disappointed in was that I didn't really get all my arguments lined up well and actually that I didn't just call him straight out for hate speech or even call the police. I did openly stand up to him.
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