Your opinions, may I have them please?

Question

Do you think that some people assume that certain actions are racist, simply because they don't expect courtesy from other ethnicities?
For example: Someone of a differnt race that you don't know looks at you, and you assume that they see something negative and not positive.
What is your opinion?

Answer 1

Your question calls to mind an incident that actually happened at a Wal-Mart store this past weekend. As my wife and I got out of our car in the parking lot, there was a young black man (about 20) wearing a "cart crew" "T" shirt. He was busy rounding up carts as though his total pleasure in life was rounding up carts. I noticed that he frequently greeted people arriving at the store and just generally had what I would call a "super attitude," which I truly admire in people. As we walked toward the entrance, I noticed that the young man had become aware that I was watching him. Once inside the store, I asked for and was able to talk with the store manager and I complimented her on the young guy on the store's cart crew. The manager told me his name was William. Later, as we left the store this same young man was still busy happily rounding up carts. I walked over and called him by name. He asked how I knew his name. I told him that I had just talked to the store manager and had complimented him on his attitude and performance. The point is that I don't know what he was thinking when he caught me watching him, but whatever it was, was probably wrong. Perceptions and assumptions can be misleading.

Answer 2

We Indians do that all the time - not just with foreigners but with other Indians. The culture of India is so varied that the moment we are introduced to someone we want to know immediately which state they're from. Even though I'm a Goan I get mistaken for a North East Indian because of my chinky look. When I say I'm a Goan eyebrows are raised and I can almost hear them saying "but you don't look Goan". It's just curiosity which is not negative at all. In fact, it's something of an ice-breaker.

Answer 3

Yes, some people do that.

If I walked around thinking that every person who turned their nose up at me did so because I am Black, I would lose my mind. When sometimes it may be true... you can't give that person the pleasure of being thought about (I hope that makes sense) unless the situation affects you greatly. For example, if it's your boss or someone you have to work with closely.

It happens...and sometimes your instincts are right, but don't dwell on that* person unless it's extremely important.

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Qwerty it happens, but if and when you are the only Black person in an all white setting, REPRESENT! :)

Answer 4

I happen to love diversity. I think people from India are beautiful and I love their accent. I tend to engage them in conversation when I see them in a public place just to hear them talk. I really never understood the problem between races. Being different makes the world interesting to me. I love to know the different ways of life, celebration of holidays and family traditions of all kinds. Sometimes I am held back from asking questions out of worry that someone may take my interest wrong, I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make someone uncomfortable.

Maybe someone has sensed my interest and have taken it in the perspective you speak of, I hope not.

Answer 5

I live in the bronx and sometimes when my husband and I get on the train we get stares, I used to assume that they were critizing us and saying negative stuff, I am very light skinned latina and my husband is black. I am also vey short 4'11, and he is 6'2, I would believe they were talking in a negative manner about this. I have since learned not to worry, our eyes were meant to see and look, as long nothing negative happens after the look, I dont let it bother me. I say live and let live.

Answer 6

I am a single parent with an adopted son.I am white and he;s mixed with black Spanish and white,He;s 10ys and when we go to any store we get followed by not 1 but 2 store detectives and no we don;t live in the hood..He refuses to go to the store anymore; as it scares him to be followed.I have even been to the store management; but they always say no; they weren;t following no one...If he was white would we be followed; no i know we wouldn;t .....

Answer 7

I'm guilty of that. I used to be the only black student in a lot of my classes back in college and I noticed that hte white students would stare at me. I always thought that they were making negative assumptions about me, perhaps "Why is she here? Didn't know black people went to college? Why is her hair like that? Why is her skin so dark?" That sort of thing.

I know it was wrong of me to make these assumptions, but I did feel self-conscious around them because I didn't look like them and I stood out.

Answer 8

I think people who assume those things about other people probably are having those feelings themselves and project that onto others.

Answer 9

very good point. a look can mean anything it's actions and words that we must stick to. you must find out the facts before you get paranoid and call out racism. black people look and stare at me and i just see it as these points:
1) i look like somebody they know
2) they are looking at me because i am looking at them
3) they have a tendency to stare at people and i happened to be the person that they are staring at right this minute
4) other

colour means nothing most people just look at others

Answer 10

many blacks feel out of place in America because they used to be slaves so they carry that garbage way of thinking about with them all the time whites have been peoples slaves also.jews have.all races at one time used to be slaves for another people..a black guy total stranger last month cussed me out because his mother worked for low wages for a white family. i was sitting in my car and a black guy was walking by my car so i waited till he walked by to get out so i wouldn't get the car door in his way and he accused me of being afraid of him and the black preacher told me that all white people fear blacks and blacks think we talk about them and i am a Southerner and my family Never talked about them at all, NEVER.thats aunts uncles grandparents parents brothers.etc.and we had black maids and were nice to them.if someone doesn't wish to work for low wages they shouldn't.i don't think people are thinking badly of me.when they look at me.blacks are paranoid and act defensive when they shouldn't.in my life i have rarely heard whites talk badly about blacks.why should we concern ourselves with them.i gave a black neighbour a ride and he looked over and commented about how his white guy in the car siting next to us at a light didn't look over and i told him why should he care about some strange ***** sitting in a car .he has better things to do then think about you. I got out of the car at a store the other day and a black guy commented to me about how i didnt look around when i got out of the car.I am not paronoid, but they sure are.we dont think about Y'all. OK?that would be weird to occupiy my time talking about are thinking about what y;all are doing .i do care about all the killings and crime y'all do to each other and to whites.