racist experiences

[Won Wheezy]

This is not really a problem, I just wondered if any of you have experiences with racist behaviour towards you or friends of yours? Please share your stories and ideas about racism. Maybe this should be in the Great Hall, but I wasn't too sure so I posted it at Mungy's.


I myself had an experience last year, where I sat talking with a friend of mine (and only an aquaintance, not more) who is Nigerian. An old man walked passed, gave me a disgusted look and called me a nasty name I am not mentioning here. I just can't understand people like that, why do they judge others on their appearance? It will always be a mystery to me.

I am also interested in hearing your stories about interracial relationships, because I have started dating someone recently who comes from West-Africa and I am wondering what kind of problems I will encounter if this relationship gets a more serious?

[pallas artemis]

I am Indian (Native American). I personally don't have a lot of problems, I and my father can be kind of intimidateing and most people realize quickly not to cross us, but my dad told me about a guy at the race track, we race quarter horses.

My dad had just met this guy who was a friend of a friend kinda thing. A black man walked across the track and this guy asked why they couldn't send all those damn n*&#$s back to Africa where they belonged and my dad replied that his grandma had always wondered why they couldn't send all those damn white people back to europe where they belonged.
This isn't how my dad feels, my mom being mostly German, but it shut that guy up pretty quick

No offence meant to anyone who may be offended!!

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

Yeah, this subject is kinda touchy, but I'm sure nobody in this forum means to offend anyone else.

Anyways here's my experience with that kinda stuff: I'm white and my best friend is black. Teri and I have been friends since kindergarden. We've always gone to school together and soon we'll be roommates as soon as we can find a cheap apartment. But one day in the mall, some black guys came up and started making remarks at Teri. Ya know, asking her why she hangs out with white people (me). Teri made some quick-witted comeback and they left. I live in L.A. (:lol: stands for Lower Alabama:lol:) we probably have a population ratio of 75% white 20%black and 5% Asian.

I wish people would stop seeing things in "black and white" terms. If you don't like someone because they're different from you, then you lead a very sorry life indeed. Those close-minded people will ruin the world, they are the same people that thrive in conformity, money, and big business that ruins the environment. People should just be courteous to each other and try to get along to make life better for everyone.

[TDM]

well, my hometown is predominately white. we have some Hispanics in there, and personally, i don't have a problem with them. however, a good majority of them around here are illegal immigrants, and few speak English. i know it's hard to learn English, but i feel that it'd be nice if they knew how. if i moved to Mexico, i'd learn Spanish. that's really all that bothers me. i really don't have a problem with them being here. it's just the communication barrier i dislike.

however, the guys in my class aren't that nice about it. they go around, calling them names that i shouldn't put here. and me and one of my friends asked a guy in my class why he's so racist (it's so bad, we call him Nazi, and he likes it). but he simply said "I'm not racist. I hate all of them equally." that just made me mad at him, because i never liked him to begin with, and this wasn't helping my picture of him.

yeah, that's all i've got.

[Krum]

I have no problems with other races but(and dan't get offended)there's a difference.I have both african and asian friends and I've seen how society acts about them.Some are recist and hate them and say they're gonna kill them and others are just truly very nice because of"al the years of opression"they have nothing to do with.I'm friends with them(the asian and the other guy)mainly because I threat them just like equals and would tease or congratulate them just like any other person.If somebody wants to be treated as an equal then why are there still hate crimes preformed by non-recists(falsely accused, of course)who's money is all given to"the minority man"..And there's this thing about phisical traits
which can't be ignored.

Now don't you call me racist-I've noticed that everybody "non-racist" should be always nice to peole of other races, and if you have seen "The animal" with Rob Sneider- that black guy's theory about reverse-racism is amazingly true-everybody was nice to him

[Won Wheezy]

Oh, Krum I totally get your point. And I mean racism in every way, not only in the sense of "white/european" racists. In my opinion all races have prejudices against other races to some extent. I caught myself having certain prejudice against blacks or turkish people, although only in my mind. When I lived in London, where lots of cultures and mentalities can be found in one place, I found that there are as well prejudices from blacks, indians or jews towards each other, so "racism" is not a solely "white" thing!
Noone is free of prejudice, but it's the way you think about them that makes the difference. When i moved to Vienna I would get p***d off with black guys trying to chat me up on the underground/subway, because this happens to me a lot (might be a blonde/ blue eyes thing, I dunno why, lol). And at the beginning I would just not talk to them, or tell them to leave me alone. But then I thought "would I react the same way if this guy was Austrian?" and I answered this question with "NO"! This was quite a shock for me, as I always considered myself to be very liberal and non-prejudiced. Since I realised this, I am starting to talk to people and decide then if I want to know them or not. And I have met some very nice people this way.

[Hermione Weasley]

Normally I have no problems with people of the other race but my school here in B'ham is mostly white and we have a few black kids who come to the school from downtown and when i pass them in the hall they make remarks thats are either really disgusting or are just down right rude.I think that it has made me really kind of bitter towards people in general bc i dont feel like im safe in a sense.but i have made some friends that are black and we go to the mall all the time and have a blast.Sorry if i offend anyone im not trying too I still love y'all!!

[TDM]

well, Won, no matter how hard we say that we're not predjudiced, we all gets those thoughts, and we shouldn't. it's stupid, i know. but, i hate it as much as you do, especially when i realize what i've thought.

[Won Wheezy]

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant, like I didn't even realize I had those prejudices until I thought about it and then it came as a shock for me. But the good thing is, what makes us different to others, that we think about it and realize our mistakes, which means that we can change something. We can not change other people's opinion, everybody is entitled to their own, as long as nobody is treated badly. But we can well try to change our own behaviour towards others, and that's a good thing. 8)

[pallas artemis]

The things that sometimes gets me are things like the African American Scholarship Fund. What gets me isn't neccisarily that there is such a thing, although with all the equal opportunity funding legislation hmm, anyway, but that if anyone tryed to set up a Caucasion(sp) American Scholarship Fund people would throw a fit. "You can't have a scholarship for just white kids, that's racist!" But isn't it equally racist to have a scholarship fund for only black kids.

I really shouldn't talk I guess because since I'm Native American, if I chose to prove to government officials my heritage legally, I could not only have a free education but probably never pay taxes again. I don't do this however because I don't think that I have been hurt by the government because of my heritage and that the government doesn't owe me any more than any one else. but. . . I'm venting. . .sorry

[Hermione Weasley]

i agree with you on the scholarship fund.I read in Seventeen about this girl who wanted to set up a cuacasian club at her school.Alot of people took it as being rascist but she just wanted a club for people of European decent to learn about their heritages(s/p?).She thought it was strang that her school had an African American club and other clubs for other races but none for the white students.I thought it was sad bc she had to change schools because alot of people thought she was racist and her being mean about it too.I think it will take awhile for everyone to realize that racism is something we still face today.

[Won Wheezy]

Yes, definitely but I am afraid it will always be there, because the children grow up with it. They just take over the prejudices from their parents or friends and then pass them on to their kids, and so on. You only have to see the situation in Israel and Palestine. Kids grow up believing that it is the greatest honor to die as a "martyr" by taking the lives of mostly innocent people. It makes me sick.
And I totally agree about what you said, pallas and Hermione, the equal opportunity thing sometimes turns the other way and suddenly everything someone caucasian says or does is declared as racist. As I said before, like, if I turn down a black guy who is trying to chat me up, he will most of the time think I'm racist and not even consider other reasons for my reaction. That's what I meant by saying, racism is not a "white" thing. It's multi-coloured if you ask me.

[Hermione Weasley]

Yeah I kno what you mean.It irritates me the number of times a day someone who is black goes "its because im black isn't it?".I mean if I did that being a middle class caucasian.I would be laughed at so why is it ok for people who just so happen to be black can get away with saying everyone is racist except for them because their black?I mean i get that up until a couple decades ago black people were not able to do alot of things like vote or go where ever they wanted but to be honest it seems like all anybody wants anymore is for things to be handed to them. I mean i think there are alot less people doing things like voting which affects everyone.If someone doesn't have a job alot of people get welfare and just live off of that instead of trying to make thier lives better.I mean my parents have been struggling for years with their debt and they have been working their butts off so me and my brother could have a better life.They had welfare when my brother was a baby and then they got their feet on the ground and have been fixing their debt.I guess i just don't get how people think its ok to use their race as an excuse.sorry if i rambled its just i have been trying to figure it out.

[Barry Trotter]

in my area there is a pretty even mix of races and there are a lot of differences.

at work though there are no differences. i'm a fireman and there is no reason to even mention black or white. or pakistani or chinese. ( the ethnic groups that work there)

we are just a team and are mates. its wierd noone mentions it at all. its just like having different coloured hair.

i know how reverse racism can work i once dated a black girl and was beaten up by her brothers because i was white. it didnt make me hate black people. it just made me pity this family.

anyway
this is a tricky tricky subject

lets keep hearing your thoughts

[TDM]

as for the scholarship thing, let me tell you a story about that:

well, i go to a catholic school, where there only happens to be white kids. (no, it's not a predjudiced town, where just in Nebraska, and there is hardly anyone that's another race here. it's just how it happened, so don't go thinking that my town is rascist).

anyway, what's funny is this: our guidance counselour (who is also a priest) started to put up scholarships for the seniors. however, he had about three or four scholarships that were only for students that were black, asian, or some other race that didn't exist in my school. so, some of the seniors went up, and asked if they could apply for the scholarships, and the GC said "no" of course. so, yeah, lame story, had a funny ending, but i forgot it. shows how stupid some ppl can be.