While we tend to think that we live in a world that considers itself to be evolved and "inclusive,” but in reality, there is still a lot of prejudging and discrimination that takes place. This is especially true when there are differences in how we see each other based on outward appearances. Luc Perreault has some experience with being prejudged based on his looks.
Although Luc is a loving father, he is also a biker with lots of tattoos, and he enjoys drinking beer. And while he can be a big teddy bear (especially with his daughter), he’s no pushover either. He freely admits that he’s the type of guy who would ‘eat your soul if you stare at me wrong.’
In July 2013, Luc was giving his mother’s motorcycle a test drive when he decided a break was in order. So, he stopped at Tim Horton’s restaurant in Canada.
And when he pulled into the parking lot, he caught the attention of a little girl. She was standing there with her mother, and she didn’t seem to be intimidated or frightened by the large man in the least. All she wanted to do was say hello, so she smiled and said hi.
Being a friendly guy, he said hello back, but the girl’s mother didn’t seem to appreciate it. The woman grabbed the girl by the hand, and Luc could hear her say: "We don’t talk to dirty bikers.”
Luc was really bothered by what she told her daughter and the fact that he had been prejudged without any justification. So he decided to go on Facebook to write an open letter, and it has gone viral.
Luc Perreault is a father and a biker who wrote the following open letter on Facebook.
"To the family in the red SUV at Tim Horton’s today…”
"Yes I am a big 280 lbs. guy with motorcycles and full of tattoos. I am a welder, I am loud, I drink beer, I swear, and I look like I would eat your soul if you stare at me wrong.”
"What you don’t know is that I have been happily married for 11 years, my kids call me daddy, I am a college graduate…
"My mother is proud of me and tells everyone how lucky she is to have such a wonderful son, my nieces and nephews are always happy to see there m’noncl Luc…
"When my daughter broke her arm, I cried more than she did.”
"I read books, I help people, I go out of my way to thank war veterans and I even cried at Armageddon…”
"So next time I smile and say hi to your little girl and you grab her and tell her, ‘No no dear, we don’t talk to dirty bikers…’”
"Remember that even tho you hurt my feelings, this ‘dirty biker’ would be the first person to run into your burning house to save your little girls goldfish so she wouldn’t be sad!
"- L.P.”
