Yesterday, I was walking along the Bahnhofstrasse enjoying the nice weather when I noticed a man waving to me. Since I did not know him, I thought it was a case of mistaken identity, but he looked so happy to see me that I waved back. As he approached me he enthusiastically and with a smile greeted me "Hello Blackie!" My first, second, and third reaction was shock. I was not sure what the appropriate response should be. I collected my thoughts and kept walking. My shock quickly turned to anger. Is he just an ignoramus or was he trying to provoke me? Should I have told him that this was rude? A part of me thinks I should I have replied "Hello Whitey", but perhaps then I would have sunk to another level, but perhaps I would not still be angry.

Don't let small minded people upset you..

Most probably an ESL learner, or a colour-blind person who could not tell that you are mostly purple. Nothing to be too concerned about.

You responded just right. Keep on walking and ignore the approach. I could understand if you felt offended because it's not nice to experience something like that but the bloke was clearly not in his right mind or he was an ignoramus. Who can say, but the problem was his not yours.

Try not to be offended. For whatever reason, the weirdos of Zurich appear to gather on Bahnhofstrasse, especially on a sunny day. At least, he was friendly and smiling. I would assume his alcohol level was such that he would not remember it now. Or he may be mentally challenged. Why should you have it ruin your day? You cannot change him, anyway. Congrats on staying so calm in the first place!

Let the sunshine in
Idgie

Yes, the character in question seems to either have been smashed, or he has a kangaroo loose in the top paddock

Not a term that I have come across before, but I like it. It sounds correct for the situation

Rod

hi there, i've experienced racism before, so i know how you feel. since I wasn't there, i won't take another stab in the dark at the mental state of that person. i do think you did the right thing in not retaliating in a similar way.

in case there's any doubt as to what your rights might be, here's something FYI.

"Article 261bis of the Swiss penal code says somebody who has publicly
incited racial hatred or discrimination against a person or a group of
people based on their racial, ethnic or religious background will face a fine
or imprisonment."

First of all, you did it perfect: walk away!

The problem is that many (espacelly young) swiss guys thinks this is thay cool way to talk to each other. They don't know it better. Sorry about this!

Yes, you should, but as already mentioned, it is best not even
acknowledge such strange behavior.

I find that kind of behavior very strange.

Personally, I'd go with the racist nazi head option.

I know several people who experience (or have experienced) racism here, from crossing the border to going into the Nelson in Zurich.

Edit: OP was probably right to walk away, but it's gonna leave one hell of a nasty taste in their mouth

Don't they have nutters where you come from??

There are more loonies per meter in Zurich than anywhere else in the world...

Interesting you say that, my wife and I have commented to each other several times (after witnessing one of said people) that Zurich seems to have a very low proportion of nutters/crazies/homeless (compared to other places we've visited/lived - Brisbane, Sydney, London, Paris).

i'd like to add Berlin Bahnhof Zoo on weekends. apparently, berlin crazies have some concept of gathering on weekends to do group crazy stuff.

however, i have never been racially accosted by a crazy. in fact, only by sober sane people.

You should not get affected or let a situation ruin your day whether he’s mentally challenged or simply a racist. It’s his problem not yours.
I had a similar situation happen to me in London when a guy stopped me in the street to tell me to go home to where I belonged. It was so unexpected that like you I was shocked, instead of walking away I challenged him. In retrospect, I see it was the wrong thing to do. I shouldn’t have wasted my breath on him. Not to mention that he won regardless because he knows he got to me. I’ve thought about it lots after that and realised what went wrong; he did get to me.

Now such things don’t bother me (at least most of the time), so at the end of the day it was a good thing it happened it made me face the whole thing.

So as everyone else already mentioned don’t let it get to you.

Hi Conrad, welcome to the forum, sorry your first posts are about this unfortunate incident. I agree with most of the above replies.
As to the question you posed: should I be offended? well I would have been, you have every right to be offended. But i thought your response (ie walking away) was the right one...and not an easy thing to have done.
I myself am chinese origin but haven't experienced anything like this in Zurich. But when i was in the central cantons (Schwyz to be precise) I have heard ppl mutter things like "ching chong" or the likes...it was shocking - coming & living in very multicultural cities as Hong Kong and London....I guess i was naive to think something like this wouldn't happen to me (it hasn't happened often, the other place was Austria)
Zurich IMO is quite a tolerant place and this incident is probably not the norm.
I just wanted to say that i feel for you and I hope this incident doesn't marr your future experience in Zurich
take care!

dunno, but are you female? then i hink some/you got it all wrong.
i believe the word "blacky" for him just meant something nice like "love", "sweetie" or "beauty"...i think he is not speaking propper english and the fact that this is understood in US or other countries as being racist is not to his knowledge.

i think he is no racist but chose the wrong way and words to let you know his appreciation...

Yes, this behaviour is due to the ingrained Swiss mentality of showing one's appreciation of other people's skin colour.

well, i once saw an report on BBC where even an american guy called an american black woman blacky as term of endearment. the outrage of course was massive. but i think this is the same case here. waving, smiling...to me it doesnt fit with a racist connotation. but i wasnt around, what do i know?
i feel sorry for you if it offened you.

Geez, i would be so offended if someone who I don't know would call me a brownie, even if it's my favourite dessert of all time.

well, conrad.

if it's a guy, I would reply "I totally understand your frustration with my people. We're just better in sports and the fellas have bigger "tool" than you.

if it's a girl, "what's wrong, did you go back? Poor girl, I totally understand your frustration."

and then walk away but look behind for a second and wink after taking your fifth step.