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How do you deal with racism?
- Thread starter Psyclone
- Start date
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EscoBlades
Ubisoft Marketing
I call it out. I have a responsibility to do so.
Well from my past encounters with it such as being called the n word by a incoherent hospital patient. I let it roll off of my thick skin, keep it moving, and live for another day. Why pop blood vessels over ignorant and hateful people, when you're the main attraction and they are the port a potties.
MarkMclovin
Member
I deal with it by just not caring or ignoring it.
victreeb3l
Member
I have sex with their women
Racist remarks really suck. I try to man up but sometimes that shit really gets to you. I just try to focus my energy on working harder and making more money.
Racist remarks really suck. I try to man up but sometimes that shit really gets to you. I just try to focus my energy on working harder and making more money.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
I ignore it, it will only hurt me if I accept what they say as wortwhile paying attention to.
I called it out once, but then the person made themselves seem victimized when I stopped talking to them, which in turn annoyed some friends. I was convinced by a friend to "mend bridges" and I did, but it sucks because I feel that person wont ever get beyond that veil of what their perception of racism is because white experiences with racism are > tenfold to blacks.
So I kind of just ignore it.
Whenever someone sings a rap song and says nigga. I ignore it even though it makes me cringe.
Whenever someone implies that minority students get more money, even though the person complaining is stinking rich and has enough money to pay for school when I survive off handouts and loans, I ignore it.
whenever someone says that my laugh reminds them of how their father says niggers laugh, I ignored that and walked away.
When two grown adults locked us in the store when I was 11 because the store owner though me and my brother were stealing, I ignored that.
I think i'll just keep on ignoring it.
So I kind of just ignore it.
Whenever someone sings a rap song and says nigga. I ignore it even though it makes me cringe.
Whenever someone implies that minority students get more money, even though the person complaining is stinking rich and has enough money to pay for school when I survive off handouts and loans, I ignore it.
whenever someone says that my laugh reminds them of how their father says niggers laugh, I ignored that and walked away.
When two grown adults locked us in the store when I was 11 because the store owner though me and my brother were stealing, I ignored that.
I think i'll just keep on ignoring it.
YesNOnoNOYes
Member
.... lol, wow. yeeeeep.
that's one really oblivious coworker lady, haha. yeah, sometimes you just got to laugh at these things, doncha. it's too absurd to do anything else
I know exactly what you mean, but I don't think I have the gumption for it, haha.... I'm sort of the type that will Ned-Flanders at swear words in real, well... not as bad as Ned, but yeah, say... I say "Sugar" or "Shoot" instead of "Shit" in real, and "Fudge" or "fffffff" instead of the F-bomb.
:x
Yeah. This sounds familiar. Though you're much stronger than me, to have been able to cut your former bestie out.
Yea that shit just sticks to you like flies on a trashcan, but it get's to the point where it becomes a everyday routine that what's the use of fighting stupidity when they have the handicap.
It reminds me of the part on The Huey P Netwon Story where Roger Guenveur Smith gave a comparison to the freaks and the geek.
methane47
Member
I feel particularly proud of a recent thing I did.
Its election time now for my country and historically the only people who have ever been in power are black and white and mixed black/white people. This election there are 3 chinese people and 2 indians running for parliment.
I walked into a gas station and some gentleman was shouting angrily, talking about how the chinese ppl only want to come and take over and they want to make the place a scrapheap (stereotype here) etc etc. Talking about how "these foreigners" dont want to do anything for the local man etc etc etc... basically Fox News.
I immediately turned around and asked the man where he was from. He responded that he lived here for 20 years but hes from somewhere else. I asked some other people in the group where they were from. None of them were from here. So I asked them how can they, who are foreigners be complaining about the chinese guy (who was Born here). Started giving statistics about population and how the chinese and the indians NEED representation since they make up about 30-40% of the population.
He asked where I was from, (hoping to call me out), little did he know i was born right around the corner and I started rattling off family names and stuff.
The guy smiled and said, "I like what you are saying... You are right"
With that I took my leave.
Its election time now for my country and historically the only people who have ever been in power are black and white and mixed black/white people. This election there are 3 chinese people and 2 indians running for parliment.
I walked into a gas station and some gentleman was shouting angrily, talking about how the chinese ppl only want to come and take over and they want to make the place a scrapheap (stereotype here) etc etc. Talking about how "these foreigners" dont want to do anything for the local man etc etc etc... basically Fox News.
I immediately turned around and asked the man where he was from. He responded that he lived here for 20 years but hes from somewhere else. I asked some other people in the group where they were from. None of them were from here. So I asked them how can they, who are foreigners be complaining about the chinese guy (who was Born here). Started giving statistics about population and how the chinese and the indians NEED representation since they make up about 30-40% of the population.
He asked where I was from, (hoping to call me out), little did he know i was born right around the corner and I started rattling off family names and stuff.
The guy smiled and said, "I like what you are saying... You are right"
With that I took my leave.
Earthpainting
Member
I learned to pick my battles. At work, there's pretty much a zero-tolerance policy for obvious reasons. People are going to get called out on it and lectured, regardless of whether it was "just a joke" or not. It doesn't really make you very popular, but it's how it needs to go. In my spare time, I do admit things get a little more flexible around family and friends. It's important to distinguish whether or not there's any malicious intent behind it. My mother's side of the family can use some... "colourful language" at times. We'd politely correct them, they'll be embarrassed and quickly correct themselves too, but they have trouble getting it right from the first time. They've been using the terms for more than half a decade, so I understand that habits are hard to break.
One of the things people do seem to have the most trouble with though, are ignorant statements that are somehow presented as if they were progressive. Stuff like "he is Turkish, but he is one of the good ones" is depressingly common. They are so proud of themselves to stick up for the guy, but don't understand the implications of their statement.
On the whole I feel like people are a lot more likely to recognise and concede their racism when politely called out on, than their sexism and homophobia. All in due time, I guess.
One of the things people do seem to have the most trouble with though, are ignorant statements that are somehow presented as if they were progressive. Stuff like "he is Turkish, but he is one of the good ones" is depressingly common. They are so proud of themselves to stick up for the guy, but don't understand the implications of their statement.
On the whole I feel like people are a lot more likely to recognise and concede their racism when politely called out on, than their sexism and homophobia. All in due time, I guess.
This is a good example of what I meant earlier.
MWS Natural
Member
Always be twice as good while making less mistakes and then hope you live long to actually see the fruits of your labor.
At a wedding, father toasts daughter and shares a "trying time" for when she studied abroad and had to room with (gasp) a Korean... and not even Korean-American, but a Korean Korean, which so was weird and the person didn't even speak English.
Table all looked at my wife, who tried to be calm and said "well I'm not that offended, he's old", to which we collectively said "no don't worry, we've got that covered for you" and proceeded to discuss/joke about how awful that was, to lighten the mood but convey that it was fucked up.
Just went about our bidness tho, because confronting an ignorant guy at his daughter's wedding about some casual racist BS felt disproportionate as a response.
Table all looked at my wife, who tried to be calm and said "well I'm not that offended, he's old", to which we collectively said "no don't worry, we've got that covered for you" and proceeded to discuss/joke about how awful that was, to lighten the mood but convey that it was fucked up.
Just went about our bidness tho, because confronting an ignorant guy at his daughter's wedding about some casual racist BS felt disproportionate as a response.
SniperHunter
Banned
I walk away.
I have been called a terrorist, paki, nigger and even got spat on, I walked away every time. No point in dealing with such people IMO
I have been called a terrorist, paki, nigger and even got spat on, I walked away every time. No point in dealing with such people IMO
lifa-cobex
Member
Situation that never resolves.
Just smile and walk away.
Just smile and walk away.
D
Deleted member 47027
Unconfirmed Member
Speak up. Do shit about it. Don't ignore it and hope it goes away.
Schattenjäger
Gabriel Knight
Try to educate the ignorant in a nice way
If it's minor and I can walk away- I walk away. If there's value in calling out, particularly if there's an audience, and the offender is someone I know who will take my censure to heart- I will. In any case, I try not to escalate the situation because like most contexts involving people, things can get out of hand very quickly. I have had my life threatened- and I've been angry enough to want to defend myself.
hipbabboom
Huh? What did I say? Did I screw up again? :(
I was driving a good friend home who think ignorant stupidity is acceptable. I love the guy so I spend the energy to call him out on this sorts of things when they happen and its typically well received because he values our friendship.
I don't bother calling racists out in a non-discussion forum because its difficult to switch context to address the issue and also because I can never effect change in a group where that's the order of the day. At some point, I've become apathetic to the whole thing in Orange County, CA.
I once tried to call out people coming up to me with "slang that black people say" at work and I was seen as the one with that attitude problem. I mean sure they stopped approaching me but I doubt I change any minds that day... I probably strengthened their resolve. I almost feel like I create super-racists when I'm unable to properly deal with them. Their like ticks that release poison (their resoluteness) into society if you improperly try to remove their racism.
Honestly, I feel like I end of making excuses because I feel so powerless to change other's perspective where I'm at.
I don't bother calling racists out in a non-discussion forum because its difficult to switch context to address the issue and also because I can never effect change in a group where that's the order of the day. At some point, I've become apathetic to the whole thing in Orange County, CA.
I once tried to call out people coming up to me with "slang that black people say" at work and I was seen as the one with that attitude problem. I mean sure they stopped approaching me but I doubt I change any minds that day... I probably strengthened their resolve. I almost feel like I create super-racists when I'm unable to properly deal with them. Their like ticks that release poison (their resoluteness) into society if you improperly try to remove their racism.
Honestly, I feel like I end of making excuses because I feel so powerless to change other's perspective where I'm at.
Yeah there was this super racist real estate agent. She came into the shop where I work and was talking about apartments or homes and which areas to stay away from because of all the hurricane Katrina evacuees. Of course I don't want to make a scene over something like that. If she was sitting there calling people racist terms I would tell her to get out though.
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