Is racism quite prevalent in the USA??

[bellaconnie80]

Racism is everywhere but look how far we've come

When you think about it, it has not been that long since this Country(USA) went through its major change.. our grandparents lived those days and are still alive today!! Racism will never go away completely in my opinion, but I think human kind are basically good, and most of us can see past a person's race

 

[valabdalnabi]

racism is a disease that stems in every region of the world...this goes far beyond the black/white issue...but here in the states...it really depends where you are...but myself being a minority...I simply know that its only ignorance..

 

[Miss Lore]

its everywhere, sadly.

im from london and have experienced racism. my ex was white, i got negativity from both sides

 

[shootout]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1127 Shootout Are you dating my son he lives in Cleveland

Haha no, he's from Pittsburgh

 

[*KT*]

I think the thing that makes America so different is that there is and has been so much immigration that there is a representation of every race and religion. Unfortunately, there are going to be people who view that diversity as a threat. I'm certainly not against immigration, just saying that it has developed a much more diverse populace than many other countries. Hell, my dad would have been born in England or Ireland and my mom would have been born in Germany had it not been for immigration. I wouldn't even exist.

I don't understand enough about every religion or racial heritage to fully understand everyone who lives around me. Unless one is a scholar of religions and cultures, it would be difficult to completely understand everyone living in this country.

I love talking with people from different cultures because I find it fascinating to learn the customs. I recently met a guy who is marrying into a VERY traditional Jewish family and has converted. We were talking about food and he ended up telling me all about the kosher diet. It was cute because he said that he wished she knew how delicious bacon and pork is because he has given it up for her.

As others have said, ignorance is a big part of the problem. Beyond that, I think the issue is whether a person lets diversity propogate fear and hatred or if diversity is looked at as making the city/state/country a more beautiful place.

Life is much too short to spend it offended, hating, or pointing fingers.

 

[ClaireAvril]

Racism is everywhere.
and if it isn't racism.. then its sexism, ageism etc. There are a lot of people out there that really need to be educated!!

 

[lesliexyang]

I'm asian and i'm married to an asian man.

I see both sides and all around I could say. I've lived in a town full of just white people, a city full of minorities, and now i'm living in a good mixture because it's a military town.

If you live in a military town I find that interracial dating and marriages are very very very common. You see a lot of men with asian women lol...but then again you see a lot of mixed marriages too.

Racism throughout the US is still very common. I've been to places where people stare at me like they have never seen an asian person before. My husband and I were driving through a small town one day and they had a billboard with a black kid on there asking if anyone knows who "Hung" him and God sees everything.

I was really sad and shaken really. It's very sad that this stuff still goes on when there are more important things out there in the world going on. *sigh* Maybe with the world going crazy it will make us appreciate each other better.

 

[Simply Elegant]

Not from the US but I think it's become more covert. Still exists, but through less obvious ways.

 

[Nox]

Well, after reading all of the responses, only a couple made me scratch my head, but for the most part many were dead on, and not sugar-coated.

It might make an outsider think it's all doom and gloom here, but even with all the horrible things folks had to endure...people are resilient.

They have built up a rich legacy and culture, and have made countless contributions for society... we are definitely an improved country because of that.

The unexpected problems that I've encountered, and it does worry me, is when I travel abroad. It seems that the USA has "educated" the global masses on how to treat certain minorities when their movies and television shows go abroad.

 

[ragdolly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nox The unexpected problems that I've encountered, and it does worry me, is when I travel abroad. It seems that the USA has "educated" the global masses on how to treat certain minorities when their movies and television shows go abroad.

I'm just curious exactly what you mean by this sentence...not in a defensive way, i just don't get it.

 

[Nox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragdolly I'm just curious exactly what you mean by this sentence...not in a defensive way, i just don't get it.

In my experience, a PoC traveling abroad is not necessarily recognized as "American" right off the bat. Once you're pegged as an American, then there is a whole bunch of stereotypes that a select few people in some countries hang onto (a few folks, not the majority). And then there is another aspect of some folks not believing you are American just because you aren't white... many folks in different countries use "American" or "Foreigner" with "white" interchangeably, so where does that leave the 45% percent of us? And then there are some few folks who do treat PoC differently as a result of skin color. I remember traveling to an East Asian country with my husband (who is white) not too long ago. At one restaurant, he was waited on, hand and foot, and I was pretty much ignored and even denied entry into the premesis initially. Another American couple who are family friends, reported a similar isolated incident in this same country. He is black, his wife is white. Therefore that confirmed my initial suspicions on what type of discrimination it was.

When I asked some of the local folks about why this happened, they were pretty blunt about it. They told me they thought I was a prostitute, or some street thugette, like they see in American movies. They assumed that I was not with my American husband at first because the only "American-ness" they've encountered was white.

That doesn't mean I'm going to stop traveling. I love to see different places, and I've met some awesome people who I still keep in touch with today. But in dealing with overt and cover racism at home, I was better equipped to handle such occurrences abroad without letting it ruin my experience overall. Yes, there are racists everywhere, but that doesn't mean you can't find kindness as well.

 

[Lapis]

For me living in the US south coming from the Caribbean has been a learning experience as it comes to racism being so totally out in the open, nothing surprises me these days

 

[K_ashanti]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nursee81 There are many times when you think that racism doesn't really exist anymore but then it comes back and bites you in the a$$.

ITA, when some thing happens you like "what" it takes a moment to process peoplein the USA are to concerned with race and ethnicity

 

[xxManBeaterxx]

Lol i live in the USA, asian american and my husband is spanish.. And i dont normally deal with racism with my day to day life, but there are the times where when i do experience it, its out of line. Like i was at ihop in chicago, and the waitress refused to serve me because im asian, but she had no problem serving my husband who is hispanic looking. I've had other ethnicies just random strangers call me some nasty stuff and im just like whoa calm down man.. just small things..

My dad is chinese/thai and his co worker thought he was vietnamese, and one day my dad's co worker sliced him open with a piece shattered mirror into his arm and some of his back (they work in interior construction so you work with teams of different ppl) so my dad took a 2x4 and bashed his head with it because he thought the guy was going to kill him or something if he didnt knock him out. (the guy lived, but was put into jail).. i havent experienced much, but it doesnt mean it doesnt exsist everyday

OH p.s. my dads co worker has a hate-thing for vietnamese people, because his brother was killed in the war of vietnam

 

[Nox]

^ That is so sad about your father!

I hate to read about innocent by-standers of hate crimes. I don't understand why people take their anger and frustrations out on people who had nothing to do with their problems.

 

[ClaireAvril]

I find some americans too concerned with race...
Some people say they don't think America is ready for a black president.. LOOK PAST THE COLOUR its not about that. Its about someone who can lead the country with competence.
That comment is so annoying. Get over it!

 

[reesesilverstar]

Just this morning I was listening to a broadcast about ppl in England who were "concerned" about the West Indian population that resides there...

I'm from a Caribbean island (Trinidad), and we have our share of intolerance...

I've witnessed ppl try to forge friendships with ppl from other nations to no avail on my campus...

And I've seen ppl attempt to "not see" me in the halls at work here in Texas.

So I think it occurs everywhere... Not just America...

 

[*Stargazer*]

I think that there is racism here. I think that what makes today different than yesterday is that there is also a much larger vocal group of peoples who are totally opposed to racism.

I also don't think that racism is much "more" in the US than it is in any other country around the world. I think it's just a matter of different targets.

 

[Shadowy Lady]

My personal experience: I live in Canada but have travelled to the US many times. I must say I did experience racism depending on where I went. It was fine in NYC and Seattle but in Nashville I saw things I didn't like. But really, I've also experienced racism in Europre (mainly France) so i say it probably exists everywhere

.

The only country that I've lived in so far where I felt completely at home and haven't experienced any kind of racism is Canada

it's weird too coz Canada is also very multicultural....maybe even more so than the US.

 

[chenilecee]

Oh yes! Don't be naive to think that racism is not prevelent! The reason it may "seem" discreet now is because it is basically illegal to be an outright racist. There is still some serious racism going on in Corporate America. Has anyone seen the 20/20 episode where they exposed how companies discriminate against you if you have an ethnic name like Jose, Shaquanda, Dejuan, Bhavin...?