Article June 18, 2001 Issue

The taunts just went right by them

Two friends talk about their response to a racial incident.

with contributions from Dave Hohle, Jim Brown

On A Warm summer evening in Waltham, Massachusetts, Jim Brown and Dave Hohle walked out of a table tennis club toward their parked cars. A car full of kids squealed past and shouted racist statements at them. The men proceeded to their cars without further incident, shook hands, and said goodnight. Now, almost ten years later, the two men discuss the incident.

Dave Hohle: Thinking back on that evening, I just remember that all of a sudden we had these tires squealing and these people yelling at us. I was trying to figure out what it was about. And then, as I remember it, I realized they were actually yelling at you. I looked at you, and it was almost like—there was almost no reaction, no fear, no hate. No response, no negative response.

Jim Brown:

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