I HATE Racism

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I am SO angry at the moment. I can't even sleep.

Today a few friends and I took a trip to Banff. So we're walking up the road towards the Banff hotsprings, which has a single narrow sidewalk up the hill. As we're going up, we pass an older couple (probably in their late 60s), so we move to the right of the sidewalk to give them room, but they don't move for us. So as we walk by, the wife of the elderly couple run into my friend, an East Indian guy. So the husband turns around and gives us a dirty look. My Indian friend apologizes, but as we start moving on, the old man says:

"Watch where you're going, you're in CANADA now."

Immediately both him and I turn around and say "Uh EXCUSE me??" and we both start yelling at this guy and just giving it to him about his stupid racist comment. Then the guy's wife says to us "respect your elders!" Are you kidding me?? The f-in nerve. They want MY respect? I'm sorry but in my mind the second you make a racist comment, you are no longer worthy of my respect!

I'm Chinese. I'm Calgary born-and-raised, university-educated and a professional engineer. And yet in this day and age I'm STILL being judged by the colour of my skin?? I've experienced racism across the globe in my travels and have been able to brush it off. But having to experience it so close to home has really struck a nerve with me. Being judged on how I look feels like everything my family and I have worked so hard for has been indignated by some old fool.

I really hope this couple is merely an anomaly and not a trend in the world, and I really hope that his prejudistic values don't get passed onto their children.

[BuzzardsWife]

My Dad always said to me: Take it where it's coming from. I would have been completely angry too, especially when the woman demanded YOUR respect! That man had a big mouth, but doesn't deserve a minute of your anger or pain. You are much better than him. I don't know what else to say, except that there are alot of ignorant people in this world, but hopefully the good make up for the bad. You can bet their values are passed onto their children, lets just hope it stops at them.

[Devils'Advocate]

A friend of mine is a Muslim that escaped from Somalia during its civil war. Everywhere he goes he faces racism. The cars parked outside his mosque had their tires slashed. Walking down the street in Toronto, in Montreal, in Ottawa... same deal: routinely people yell "GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM TERRORISTS!!!" His daughters have it worse since they wear the hijab whereas my friend, being from Somalia, doesn't look middle-eastern. Even at university, our institutions of higher learning, they are routinely insulted.

Canada isn't nearly as tolerant as we would like. I agree with my friend that for every one that yells out insults there are likely 10 others that are just as racist but are not willing to risk a confrontation.

[fatso]

wow that's a lousy story Teh_Bandwagoner. Good on you guys for mouthing back... it would have been easy to just let it go.

I'm glad you shared your story here. I always think it's weird when so many people argue that racism (sexism, homophobia) doesn't really exist or isn't a problem. Sure people might not be getting lynched the way were down South 110 years ago, but there's still problems. At the end of the day, to many people, no matter what you accomplish you will not be more than your skin colour, your gender, your religion, your sexual identity, whatever.... Whatever bigots want to hate in you, they'll find it...

Don't let it ruin your week-end dude.... that's exactly what they want!

[killer_carlson]

My response to situations like this is:

Diversity makes us stronger, or

A little diversity never hurt anyone.

Also tell the oldies that:

"Just think oldie, my taxes are going to pay for your pension"

I have no tolerance for racism, but I also have very low tolerance for claims that Canada isn't a tolerant country or that we need to bend over backwards for someone who looks for oppression when they get out of bed in the morning.

Canada is one of the most tolerant countries on the planet - you aren't going to find much better.
While there are idiots out there (like the people described in this thread), not everyone in Canada is out there to screw someone because they look different.

I'm a big fan of increased immigration and especially skilled labour. I think we need to do much, much more of it.

I had a similar situation to the old people described in the first post at the Save On Foods by my house a couple of weeks ago. An older couple, in their 80s were in line behind me. The lines there are always long so you sit back and wait. There were three foreign workers at the tills being trained and they were black guys. This old guy starts talking to me and I speak back to him politely. Then suddenly - through HIS THICK ACCENT - he says really loudly "it's taking too long because there's too many BLACKS!". The entire store stops and looks over. I wanted to punch the in the face. Myself and a younger woman responded that diversity is a good thing and then literally turned our backs on him and made a big point of doing so. I'd have had no problem if the managers had asked him to leave.

The irony is that clearly this old fart was an immigrant himself.

[Table 5]

Let's face it, grandparents are racist as hell. Almost all of them grew up in a time where this kind of stuff was acceptable. Things do get better with every generation though. I bet you their grandkids would not have had those thoughts....or even if they did, not to the same extent.

Im guessing your Chinese grandparents are more racist than you are as well, no? I sure as hell know mine are.

And I definitely agree with Killer, Canada, despite some shortcomings, is probably the friendliest nation on the planet to people of all kinds. Try going to Europe or Japan and you'll see things there are countlesly worse.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

The irony is that clearly this old fart was an immigrant himself.

Because, clearly, only born Canadians can harbor racist ideas.

The day is a long, long way off, if in fact it will ever come at all, when prejudice is no longer present in the world but as far as prevalence of it goes, I'd be slow to gripe about Canada.

[MelBridgeman]

I'd be more concerned if it was someone younger making that comment...although i am sure those people exist, some grandpa who grew up in different time, isn't likely to change his ways....

[FireFly]

I've been a victim of racism myself from middle eastern immigrants (I'm a white Canadian girl). The street goes both ways. You can't let it bother you.

[peter12]

Ya know racism is a worldwide problem and it’s been since the beginning of recorded history… and it ain’t just white and black…

[Meelapo]

I was actually having a bit of a conversation at work the other about this topic. I'm a brown guy and when I tell all my co-workers about my adventures clubbing/lounging etc. when I talk about people I'll say "white girl/guy" or "brown girl/guy" or "black girl/guy". One girl said using those terms is racist but I wasn't using them in a racist context. Would one call another one racist if they were to use those terms (again, in no way was it in a racist context...they were just used to describe the person).

[fatso]

Originally Posted by peter12

Ya know racism is a worldwide problem and it’s been since the beginning of recorded history… and it ain’t just white and black…

So? What's your point?

I'm confused. Did the OP say it wasn't a world-wide problem? Or that people of all stripes don't experience discrimination?

[pope04]

My neighbor is Turkish. He was in Canadian Tire with a friend, and they were having a quiet discussion in their native tongue, and an oldtimer interrupted them and told them to speak english because they're in Canada now.

His son is my son's best friend, and he's a bit of a pariah at school. He's been accused of being a terrorist................in grade four.

[Russic]

I can't stand it when an elderly person acts in an unacceptable way and then plays the "respect your elders" card like they have a free pass in society.

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

My response to situations like this is:

Diversity makes us stronger, or

A little diversity never hurt anyone.

Also tell the oldies that:

"Just think oldie, my taxes are going to pay for your pension"

I have no tolerance for racism, but I also have very low tolerance for claims that Canada isn't a tolerant country or that we need to bend over backwards for someone who looks for oppression when they get out of bed in the morning.

Canada is one of the most tolerant countries on the planet - you aren't going to find much better.
While there are idiots out there (like the people described in this thread), not everyone in Canada is out there to screw someone because they look different.

I'm a big fan of increased immigration and especially skilled labour. I think we need to do much, much more of it.

I had a similar situation to the old people described in the first post at the Save On Foods by my house a couple of weeks ago. An older couple, in their 80s were in line behind me. The lines there are always long so you sit back and wait. There were three foreign workers at the tills being trained and they were black guys. This old guy starts talking to me and I speak back to him politely. Then suddenly - through HIS THICK ACCENT - he says really loudly "it's taking too long because there's too many BLACKS!". The entire store stops and looks over. I wanted to punch the in the face. Myself and a younger woman responded that diversity is a good thing and then literally turned our backs on him and made a big point of doing so. I'd have had no problem if the managers had asked him to leave.

The irony is that clearly this old fart was an immigrant himself.

Wow! In my opinion..as an American originally from New Jersey but living in Pantherland..all I can say is BE PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN!!!! To use a generarlity that was used (inadvertently????) in a racist context YOU PEOPLE are awesome!!! I'm ready to run away with Fatso or the Oilfan and I dont even know who they are. I meets lots of "old people" here obviously, many "snowbirds" from Canada. People like to make jokes about the heavy French Canadian men wearing thongs to the beach but in general I find the Canadian oldsters to be so much cooler..more intelligent, open -minded, caring..in general a different attitude towards humanity than the average American. Even though most people wouldnt consider South Florida "The South" due to the large amoount of transplants like myself, there was still an incredible amount of racism here compared to NJ. I used to get beaten half to death by the black girls in high school because there ,along with what I hate to stereotype as White trash, they were the majority. It broke my heart ,not because of the physical pain, but because I knew why they did it and actually felt bad for them! It was a pre-emptive strike on their part..I had tons of black friends in NJ. It was such a different world. You like to think it 's changed...what a world. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

I was actually having a bit of a conversation at work the other about this topic. I'm a brown guy and when I tell all my co-workers about my adventures clubbing/lounging etc. when I talk about people I'll say "white girl/guy" or "brown girl/guy" or "black girl/guy". One girl said using those terms is racist but I wasn't using them in a racist context. Would one call another one racist if they were to use those terms (again, in no way was it in a racist context...they were just used to describe the person).

That's how it's becoming these days. It's taboo to mention someones skin color, even if it's of absolutely no consequence and is said as just a detail the same way you'd mention the color of the flowers you saw on a hike rather than just saying you saw some flowers. It's not just that we're not supposed to judge people by their skin color, we're not even supposed to see their skin color.

[The Goon]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

I was actually having a bit of a conversation at work the other about this topic. I'm a brown guy and when I tell all my co-workers about my adventures clubbing/lounging etc. when I talk about people I'll say "white girl/guy" or "brown girl/guy" or "black girl/guy". One girl said using those terms is racist but I wasn't using them in a racist context. Would one call another one racist if they were to use those terms (again, in no way was it in a racist context...they were just used to describe the person).

I wouldn't say it's racist but it does depersonalize people when they're just referred to as a skin tone. It may be preferable to use their names instead.

[photon]

I agree with Table 5, I think this is very much an indication of the when the people grew up, changing your mind isn't as easy as when you are young, and the amount of change old people have to deal with is staggering.

"I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races-that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the 2 races living together on terms of social or political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion that I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position that the Negro should be denied everything.

". . . Notwithstanding all this, there is no reason in the world why the Negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence-the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I hold that he is as much entitled to these as the white man. I agree with Judge Douglas he is not my equal in many respects-certainly not in color, perhaps not in moral or intellectual endowment. But in the right to eat the bread, without leave of anybody else, which his own hand earns, he is my equal, and the equal of Judge Douglas, and the equal of every living man."

Anyone guess who said the above quote?

If it was uttered by a politician today it would be total suicide, political and possibly physical. Yet Lincoln said that.

I don't think it's right for people to be racist (we get a lot of scrutiny at border crossings with my spanish wife), but I do think we have to give some consideration to when they grew up, where and when my grandparents grew up racism was the norm so I don't expect them to somehow have values that are vastly different from what they were taught or what they grew up and lived in. EDIT: That said my grandma doesn't have any problem with my spanish wife, if she was black though I think there'd be an issue.

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by photon

I agree with Table 5, I think this is very much an indication of the when the people grew up, changing your mind isn't as easy as when you are young, and the amount of change old people have to deal with is staggering.

Anyone guess who said the above quote?

If it was uttered by a politician today it would be total suicide, political and possibly physical. Yet Lincoln said that.

I don't think it's right for people to be racist (we get a lot of scrutiny at border crossings with my spanish wife), but I do think we have to give some consideration to when they grew up, where and when my grandparents grew up racism was the norm so I don't expect them to somehow have values that are vastly different from what they were taught or what they grew up and lived in. EDIT: That said my grandma doesn't have any problem with my spanish wife, if she was black though I think there'd be an issue.

Good comment photon. And the pace of change is accelerating. We're all victims of our times and environment. Just think of all the YOUNG people throughout history who died or were persecuted for going up against the prevalent view of society. So most of the "old people" you know now were probably ALWAYS the way they are now.

[Vena]

It is unacceptable behavior. Sometimes I don't think people realize the effect that their comments have on others. It doesn't matter if your having a bad day or what...you should treat others as you would have them treat you.

I witnessed something similar happen outside a Flames game. One minute it is a pissing contest between a Flames and Oilers fan, the next minute someone is being called a terrorist because of the colour of their skin.

It's a shame that this still happens. A lot of people are working hard to make this country one that we can all be proud of, yet we still have people that believe country belongs to them and that they can behave however they want towards 'outsiders'.