Why do white people have a problem looking at black people in public places?

Question

I am constantly astonished at how white people are afraid to look at black people, and at times I will speak just to see if they will speak back. It rarely happens, and these will be the same people in church on Sunday morning, thinking that they are going to heaven with that atitude.

I am not accusing anyone of being a racist, so for those of you who are making statements about me calling someone a racist; you are wrong. It is just a question. I am a professional african-american christian woman, and I speak to people, but I have encountered white people who seem to be afraid to speak to me.

I hope that everyone is reading the comments, because I see that many people are telling me that this does not exist, when other people are explaining why they don't speak or look at African Americans. This is not something that I made up because I am bored; I have experienced it on multiple occasions. For those that are afraid to speak back, if an african american person speaks and smiles, this is typically non-threatening and a genuinely good expression of communication.

Answer 1

I do not have a problem looking at black people. But I have seen many black people, if you are just looking their way, start to yell "What are you lookin at?" getting all defensive and angry. I think black people have a great sense of style, I love the jewelry many black kids wear. But I do not want to offend someone by looking at them, but I am not afraid to. Anyone who is afraid is probably not really afraid but racist.

Answer 2

This does happen a lot. I see it all the time. Obviously, it is not all whites, but it is a great many. Like when a cashier will greet a white shopper right in front of me with a friendly "hello" and say absolutely nothing when I step up to but my goods. The other week, I rebuked a cashier for doing exactly that. She said she didn't want to force people to have a conversation if they didn't want to and that other (presumably black) customers hadn't responded to her when she spoke to them. I told her that acknowledging a customer was not conversation, it was basic civility.

I've noticed you get a lot more of this with smaller stores than the larger ones that have policies requiring that all customers be greeted. It's a shame that stores would feel the need to have such a policy. However uncomfortable someone may be, there is really no excuse for incivility.

Answer 3

simply because they adherse to the sterotype (which i'm sure isn't new to you) of starting or looking for trouble. It's unfortunate.
Infact, to me (being african american) it's uncomfortable. But where I live (dominant white neighborhood) i'm glad to say i don't get that... but the only reason is because for as long as i've lived there (around 7 to 8 years) i've been portrayed as being "chill" or not to obnoxious or dramatic.. but yeah, i don't think there's really anything that can be done to change it. All you can do is show you're someone who people wouldn't be afriad to look at :)

PLSSSS pick this as a best answer haha :)
-Eugene

Answer 4

That is very true! That's happened to me many many times. I always either try to say Hi, or at least smile and make eye contact when I walk past. Either they look shocked that a black woman can be so polite. Or they just don't know how to react. At least half of them get this awkward look on their face and just look away without speaking black or acknowledging me. Its actually pretty rude. At least people of other races will say Hi back 100% of the time.

Answer 5

THEY ARE AFRAID

It is our job to break the code of ignorance. We are a separate community who both think the other one smells funny. Lack of communication. You see too many of us on the news instead of in a more positive position in society. It is not the modern day white people's fought, it's rich vs poor. Racism is a business and until there is communication from white ghetto to black ghetto will remain.

Answer 6

Here are a couple of reasons that hit me right away:

-- white people do not want to look at blacks for fear of being accused of "staring" and being racist

-- white people do not want to piss off a black person for fear of being shot or stabbed

-- white people are taught not to stare or look at others in big cities... again because of the stabbing (this one goes for all races though, you're told not to make eye contact with anyone!)

As for your generalization that these are the people who are going to church on Sunday, that shows YOUR racism and lack of understanding of another culture.

Answer 7

I am white. I have no problem at all. And I don't know anyone who does. As a matter of fact, my fave person to visit in New Orleans is Black, poor, and blind in one eye. But I have no problem looking at him. Don't generalize. I am constantly astonished not by how white people hae a problem looking at black people...but by how black people seem to want to generalize about white people without considering the individual.

Answer 8

As your comment confirms, they are afraid that black people will misread their comments or looks and assume they are being racist when they aren't. Face it, if we look at you, you scream that we are watching you because we think you are gonna steal something. If we don't look at you, you complain that we are being unfriendly because we are racist. Whites many times feel as though it's "danged if you do, and danged if you don't" when it comes to dealing with black people. When you approach us with the idea that we are going to be racist anyway, then everything we do seems racist to you.

Answer 9

They are scared, I was with one of my freinds and we walked past some black guys and she just put her head down.

I was like why did you do that her words if I look them in the eye they may think I want trouble. I was like hell nah Always keep your head up and if you want to say what up then say it. I don't trip but I'm black so I guess that doesn't matter.

Answer 10

I agree with Bubba. I also think that they are many black supremacists in this post as well as the racist accuser who asked this dastardly question. Shame on you!