I remember being told I was racist for noticing how prevalent and obvious the “loud obnoxious minority” stereotype was decades ago. It was everywhere. It was obviously true. But no, me noticing was the problem, not the undeniable pattern itself.

Now, it’s out in the open. Being loud and obnoxious is part of their culture, and expecting any kind of limits on that culture is oppressive. I’m not racist for noticing anymore, I’m racist for not celebrating loud obnoxious bullshit when I’m trying to do anything requiring even a modicum of concentration. My expectation of silence when I’m trying to sleep in the middle of the night? That must be white supremacy.

Fine. I’ll continue to insist on silence, and if you don’t like it, create your own segregated spaces. Breed mediocrity and failure in the constant jubilant din of your spaces, and I’ll breed success and productivity in the contemplative silence of mine. Just stop assuming all of my spaces must be mixed, while all of yours are exclusively segregated for your use. Segregation only works when it goes both ways.

There’s a time and place for being loud and obnoxious. But it’s not everywhere at all times, and I refuse to accept that it should be.

Sometimes you just have to yell “Hey! This is library.”