Feeling of being the "other"

[The Watcher]

Asalamu Aleikum everyone.

First: Anyone ever came across a "red-neck" american?

Well, few days ago, I did. I heard allot about them being racist and intolerant of "other" people from different societies, but today everything seemed so true. You see me and my friend were in car and we stoped a red light and this "red-neck" American stopes on the left side in the left lane. I looked at him once, not purposely just gave him a glimps. Then, again I kinda looked out side and he was still looking at us, I looked at him as well with some serious "eyes," he was like what the F*** you looking at. Some offensive words were exchanged, by that time light was green, so i steped on the accelerator. He came again right next to our car and said: "F****ing foreigners, get the hell out of here, sick people" <those were his words.

Well, I was driving couldn't do much, my friend sitting in the back seat, lowered the window down and gave him a taste of his saliva. [Yup, you guessed it right, he spit at him, which was approved by all of us.] http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/hehe.gif

Turns out the racism does exist in America and feeling of being considered "other" is just too hard to bear. One can say allots of things about such behavior of a human towards others, but later, after knowing your thoughts.

Anyone of you ever experienced such open show of hate/racism and sickness towards you?



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*V~V~V*He came, He saw, He conquered*V~V~V*
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-_-_-_-Priest_-OF- _Painful Truth-_-_-_-

[waqas72]

Actually strangely enough I've faced more harassment and bigotry from amongst my own people that 'others'. It sucks either way. People will find reasons to hate no matter where or what you are. But when it's 'your own people' that hurts the most.



[This message has been edited by waqas72 (edited November 26, 2000).]

[Malik73]

Watcher when I was in the states I never actually suffered any racism myself but I was shocked by the levels of racism towards the Blacks and natives. If you look at some of the black neighbourhoods in NYC, LA etc and the Indian reservations you will think you are in the third world.

The redneck mentality you talk about I saw more of in the interior of the USA in places like Louisians and Georgia.

[*~kHaLiSh~*]

For me i have witnessed some racism towards so -called foreigners. But where i live (toronto) things are a bit different compared to in states or most of the states since toronto is a multi-cultural city and for most people (on a professional or a personal ladder) being racists would hurt them the most. This is because it is a cosmopolitan region. But none the less people (CANADIAN BORN OR OTHERWISE) still hold racial grudges in their minds and hearts everywhere. They are just too bound to say anything... I guess mostly because they cant gain anything out of it.
For a short account i have a gal-friend of mine who is a business graduate and when she was applying for jobs, it took her forever to even hear back from the employers but then one day an idea struck her, she changed her name on her resume from lets say ( for privacy sake ) from SADIA to SARA ( presumably a christian name ) and the ratio of replies to her resume then was much greater then ever before....
What i am trying to say is that even though many times people dont show it (racism) they still have it in the back of their minds..
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/dixsi.gif

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To Dream is Happiness.... to Wait is Life.....

[piaz]

Walikumsalaam Watcher, Like malik said, I think the south is more of a redneck hotbed and I have tooooooooo many experiences to list, but I also have a bunch of black prejudice and I think waqas72 hit it on the head with our people being the most closed minded..., I guess its simply ignorance without boundaries...

Khalish, thats intereshing about the name change would make such a difference...

My father knows an agent in the American INS, biggest bigot in the world, i'm surprised he talks to my father and then he tells him stories of 'all them damn foreigners'(note:must be said with a hick accent)

[The Watcher]

Waqas, you are right to some extent. Most desis will hate or show prejudice towards you because, maybe you are better educated or have some money. In this case, its different, no matter what you have, they still hate ya.

Yes red necks mostly exist in the southern US. I use to hear allots of things about them, now I have experienced. They are so prejudice and biased that if you buy some store in their neighborhood, they would never buy a thing from you. Many Pakistanis I know did that and well they were out of bussiness in few months, pretty sad!!! I don't know why these people see others as others. I don't know being the other is feeling different, it is awareness of being distinct, it is consciousness of being dissimilar. When someone behaves with prejudice and hate towards you it results in feeling excluded, closed out, precluded, even sometimes disdained and scorned. Its one of the reason that people hate and conflicts erupt in our societies. As a "other" one is seen stereotypically, may often be defined and limited by mental sets that may not bear much relation to existing relalities.

As I have experienced it few days ago and many times before!!! There is sometimes darker side to otherness as well. The "other" disturbs, disquiets, discomforts . It provokes, distrust, hate and suspicion. Moreover, the "other" frightens, scares.

For many of us being the "other" is only annoying; for others it is debilitating; for still others it is damning!!! For the majority otherness is permanently sealed by physical appearences. For the rest otherness is betrayed by ways of being, speaking, or of doing!!!!!!!

Some say hate and prejudice is because of ignorences, yes sometimes. Is there way to wipe the earth of of this disease?



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*V~V~V*He came, He saw, He conquered*V~V~V*
______________
-_-_-_-Priest_-OF- _Painful Truth-_-_-_-

[Mimi]

Hmmmm, this is interesting.

I was in Arkansas last summer, visiting friends, and while we didnt experience any hostility, it was kind of amazing to b the only "brown" ppl there. I mean, EVERYONE was staring at us. Mind u, they were all very polite and friendly, and went out of their way to welcome us.

Still, i was uneasy, being the only asians there. I guess maybe coz i live in Toronto, where we interact with basically every race in the world, it was kinda shocking to be surrounded by only "white" ppl.

[~Amber~]

i have had my share of racism especially in the early eighties... and i think canada/usa being more tolerant now is true but it was not always like that.... it was a little hard going to school as the only brown person in say in middle skool.. and having ppl call you names or i once had my hand cut by a boy with a knife when i was walking to skool.... but i'm not complaining cuz you know i still think this is a great place to live... attitudes are changing... and ppl you think are the biggest hicks.. are the ones who are intrigued by you, will talk to you or will come to help you out , especailly in snow storms.. ok enuff blabbering from me.... there is good with bad, bad with good.... and you can choose to react however you want with change right... some takes a while, some never, and some embrace right away...