To think racism is everywhere?

[roxfox]

I just watched this mini film thing and it's really gotten me quite upset.

I'm black and no one has ever been really openly racist to me but I've had loads of times where stuff has happened and I know it's because I'm black. No one ever talks about the little things and how much anxiety it causes!

These guys did nothing to anyone but have been treated unfairly anyway. One guy was even told he wasn't a human being.

Am I unreasonable for feeling I'm not welcome in the western world even though I was born here and so was my mum.

Oh yeah this is what I watched btw

I've been the victim of absolutely disgusting racism over the years. I'm a gypsy and sadly it seems that racism towards my people is perfectly acceptable, even amongst those who claim to be against racism.

Gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that @Pinkyyy
It's horrible that people just think it's okay to treat human beings like shit because they think they are different!

YANBU, obviously.

I haven't watched the film, but I have trained myself to look out for subtle racist stuff and see it all the time. I probably appear white to most people, but I am mixed-race.

E.g. bus drivers inspecting the tickets of black people more closely, and if they find an issue (even if it's a child without proof of age, when they are clearly young enough to go half fare) they are more likely to kick them off the bus when they would still let a white passenger on.

Yes, my friends and I used to get given trouble of bus drivers when we were at school. Before Oyster cards the drivers would often call us back to check out tickets!

And I still get double checked by conductors on trains. Bloody bullocks isn't it!

Definitely agree, OP. It's the way it's embedded into the experience of everyday life that I find really wears me down. People think of racism as only name-calling and slurs, but it's the subtle differences in the way you're treated that you notice - sitting on public transport, the way shop assistants speak to you, GP receptionists, people at work. The way you're constantly expected to be on your best behaviour because if you slip up, it's deemed to be representative of your entire ethnicity/religious grouping. The staring. But worst of all, it's the denial that any of this is real, or that if you mention any of it you're imagining things or 'playing the race card'.

It's tiring. I hear you, and I know that as someone who's BAME but not black, I have it relatively easy.

@Pinkyyy did you really need to make the FIRST response about #AllLivesMatter

What is your point @SharonasCorona

The thread is about racism, pinky responded with their experience of racism. Who put you in charge of which victims of racism can be mentioned?

My point is that it's disappointing that the first response to a thread where a black person is talking about their experience of racism is about the racism experienced by a white person. So typically MN.

[quote SharonasCorona]@Pinkyyy did you really need to make the FIRST response about #AllLivesMatter[/quote]
How the hell have you come to that conclusion? I didn't anything about "#alllivesmatter". I don't believe in silly hashtags.

I think you'll find that the OP asked if racism was everywhere, I answered the question and used my own personal experience to support my views.

@SharonasCorona so only black people experience racism then? Ridiculous.

@66redballons the video in the OP is about black men recounting their experiences but yes, let the thread be hijacked with white experiences.

Unfortunately you are right, I am white but in a mixed marriage (Asian/White). I have lost count of the times I have heard racist comments before people know about my circumstances. I feel so sad/worried for my children.

What’s disappointing @SharonasCorona that you have so little understanding of racism. How do you know pinky is white? You have assumed, which is the exact problem with racism.

I know that as someone who's BAME but not black, I have it relatively easy.

Agreed.

The thread title @SharonasCorona is about “racism” you don’t get to pick which racism is discussed. Even though you want to.

@66redballons from other threads, @Pinkyyy is a prolific poster on racism threads.

[quote SharonasCorona]**@66redballons* from other threads, @Pinkyyy* is a prolific poster on racism threads.[/quote]
I notice you haven't responded to my post, only posted about me. You say I'm a "prolific poster" on threads about racism, what exactly do you mean by that?

Maybe because I'm subject to racism and discrimination on at least a weekly basis. But it seems you've put yourself in charge of what type of racism is to be discussed on this thread. Perhaps make your own thread? The OP had no issue with my post.

Hardly prolific anyway. I post very little these days.

Pinkyy has a very valid point. I worked for a local authority a couple of years ago and the racism/prejudice against gypsy/travellers was unbelievable. It was acceptable and overt amongst the sort of people that would be horrified if there was any obvious racism against black and Asian people. I always hoping that gypsy/travellers would win their appeals against The council in terms of housing/planning permissions.

@Pinkyyy was agreeing that racism is everywhere
You can’t mention being a gypsy without getting jumped on

Good grief.. stop bickering and whining.

Racism is alive and well everywhere except other countries call it patriotism.

@SharonasCorona

My point is that it's disappointing that the first response to a thread where a black person is talking about their experience of racism is about the racism experienced by a white person. So typically MN.

Why disappointed? It’s just a result of mathematical probability and not due to any bias or racism. It’s a post on a majority white website, so the odds are that the first person to read and respond to any thread is most probably going to be a white person. If you want a website where the odds are that a black person will most probably be first to respond, you need to go to a majority black website.

It’s like throwing dice and expecting the first roll to be snake eyes.

I would phrase it slightly differently OP in that I don’t think racism is everywhere, but it can be anywhere at any time. So, one bus ride you can experience no racism, but the next day on the same bus, you do.

And not all unfair treatment is due to race, which some people try and use to deny subtle racism even exists. I usually tell them, yes not all unfair treatment is due to my race, but similarly you cannot prove that all the unfair treatment I have experienced is not due to race. Some of it is, and some of it isn’t. That’s just basic logic.