During my visit to Chicago, IL when I went into stores people would look at me rudely and say stuff that indians smell bad and they are stupid. In fact my parents are from Sri Lanka, but I lived in Canada my whole life. I take a bath everyday, and I know how to speak english fluently. When the store clerk found out I was a Canadian, she started acting nice to me but before she would look at me like "who he hell are you?" This wasen't the only time it happened in other stores as well. I don't want to group all americans, so if you can please give me some awnsers to why some americans are like this? Not just Chicago, this has happened to me at a reststop in Ohio when some college students travelling in bus were passing to go inside they said comments like: I can't believe that guy is a Canadian after they saw my car plates. I'm like do you need to see my passport for proof? I don't mean to be rude, I have cousins in the US and its a good country but I feel like I was stepped on
2007-04-30 11:33:36 · 10 answers · asked by 12VDC800mA2600 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
could it be that people saw that I was brown skinned and assumed I was muslim or indian.
2007-04-30 11:34:18 · update #1
ok I understand, and thank god there are good americans like you guys out there.
2007-04-30 12:08:28 · update #2
Look - in an ideal world there would be no ignorant, racist people but it's not an ideal world - it's a real world. Don't let them spoil your day. Pity their ignorance and walk on.
2007-04-30 11:39:43 · answer #1 · answered by riz109 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it was your skin color.
I am so very sorry for this!
It happened to a friend of mine. On the phone he sounds polite and doesn't have an accent. (He is Native American, with very dark brownskin)
When he would go to a store, they would follow him around like he was going to steal, never once assuming that he was the polite customer with money they had spoken to earlier.
Some people from Middle Eastern communities don't regard body odor as "bad". This is a stereotype, yes. Maybe it is random. I've been around plenty of white people who don't seem to bathe.
And spices for Indian cooking can have a body odor smell...then you realize what it is.
But honestly, the people you met probably don't like change, don't know any better (still not an excuse), and probably don't even realize that they are pretty much racist.
as an american, please give us another chance. we are not all bad.
p.s. why does everything cool seem to come from Canada lately?
2007-04-30 11:48:27 · answer #2 · answered by frograbbitcow 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sadly you were probably treated like that because there is a lot of hatred right now towards Iraqis. They might have mistaken your heritage. Sorry you were treated so badly. I have never met an Indian that smelled bad. I don't know where they got that from. All the Indians I have ever met were extremely nice and beautifully dressed. I hope your experience doesn't put you off from visiting again.
2007-04-30 11:51:50 · answer #3 · answered by invictus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance is everywhere I've lived in the South for over 20 years & am still referred by some as a **** Yankee of course these are the ones that are still fighting the Civil War which in my opinion noone won
2007-04-30 11:45:49 · answer #4 · answered by P C 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is never an excuse for bad manners, but after 9/11 if a person even looks like a Muslim he is watched. I apologize for them because it was inexcusable.
2007-04-30 11:42:45 · answer #5 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If u were in Sri lanka such things would not happen.Tell your parents the whole scenario.Ask why they have taken you abroad? We are fine and living in Sri Lanka .
2007-05-01 16:50:03 · answer #6 · answered by supermax 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most of us distrust those who are different from us. That is probably true of you also.
Americans discriminate and distrust more openly since 9/11/01,
2007-04-30 11:42:23 · answer #7 · answered by CJohn317 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
aww you poor guy! i guess we just have to learn to deal with it ...i mean look at most of the questions in this section and you will see what im talking about....normally if we see ppl of ur ethnicity at my high school, we would assume that ur smart cause most ppl in my aps classes are your ethnicity..not everyone is like that
2007-04-30 11:43:37 · answer #8 · answered by gemini52 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's disgusting and I'm sorry you were treated that way. We are much better mannered down South.
2007-04-30 11:37:32 · answer #9 · answered by WinterBorn 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
people make assumptions based on appearances. it's what we do, you included I'm sure. it isn't personal - it's quite the opposite. you need to learn to be less sensitive to it.
2007-04-30 11:50:04 · answer #10 · answered by Gabrielle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋