Casual Racism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just let me vent.
I live in NW DC. Most of our neighbors are white and we are one of a few Asian families. Most of the time we are happy here. But sometimes we encounter casual racists. They are not malicious, but ignorant at best.
A few days ago, my child helped a guy who lives nearby to pick up the things he dropped. He said "Xiexie" to my child and went away. I know it means "thank you" in Chinese, but we are NOT Chinese. My child only speaks English and doesn't know a single Chinese word. I wasn't very happy, but tried to forget about it.
Today I took an elevator in a nearby shop. It smelled awful as if someone spilled something nasty on the floor. A few minutes later, a white woman and her partner got in. And as they noticed the smell, I saw them exchange this look. I could feel that they thought it was me smelling nasty. Perhaps it wasn't a completely racist thing. But I can't help thinking that they might have looked elsewhere if I were white.
I don't know what I should have done. Perhaps I should have said something in both occasions. Or not. Perhaps we should move to Hawaii or somewhere else with major Asian population. Anyway, thank you for letting me vent.

I’m sure you have done the same or even had “racist” thoughts against Latinos like me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The man basically said "All Asians look alike" and look at the all the fine white folks in here excusing it and blaming the recipient for being offended.

Bingo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The man basically said "All Asians look alike" and look at the all the fine white folks in here excusing it and blaming the recipient for being offended.

Well just remember that when you say a Spanish phrase to a Brazilian or a Middle Easterner and they just laugh. Had no idea people should be treading carefully around Asians in the DMV but this thread is very enlightening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The man basically said "All Asians look alike" and look at the all the fine white folks in here excusing it and blaming the recipient for being offended.

Well just remember that when you say a Spanish phrase to a Brazilian or a Middle Easterner and they just laugh. Had no idea people should be treading carefully around Asians in the DMV but this thread is very enlightening.

Except I would never do that because I don't go around making assumptions about what language people speak based solely on how they look. It's not that difficult and you're an idiot if you do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So a white person attempted to pay respect to your heritage and culture by using your ancestral language so as to make you feel recognized and valued, and you see that as casual racism.


AYFKM? SMDH.

You are the problem here. You seek out and twist things to be offended by, rather than see them as the respect and flattery that they were.

You are a deeply flawed person. Sad.

OP is not Chinese. That person made an assumption, which is an annoying and stupid thing to do. You did not read the OP carefully before attacking. Another annoying and stupid thing to do.

DP

The PP said “ancestral” language - which clearly implied to anyone with cognition that that didn’t convey any assumption of being of Chinese nationality. Reread your last two sentences and think about the irony here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Person of color here. Yes, it is relentless and exhausting. It's just part of life. Also agree with op than many on this board have the luxury of telling you you are the problem.

If this passes for a problem we have conquered actual racism.

So true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The man basically said "All Asians look alike" and look at the all the fine white folks in here excusing it and blaming the recipient for being offended.

Well just remember that when you say a Spanish phrase to a Brazilian or a Middle Easterner and they just laugh. Had no idea people should be treading carefully around Asians in the DMV but this thread is very enlightening.

Except I would never do that because I don't go around making assumptions about what language people speak based solely on how they look. It's not that difficult and you're an idiot if you do

And you’re probably not fluent in other languages, which does make a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m South Asian and Muslim. I get tons of micro aggression too. From “you speak English so well” to “you’re so exotic” it doesn’t matter that I was born and raised in the Midwest, people just see other when they see Asians. It’s sad that now my kids are experiencing it.

I’m a ordinary white American and no one has ever told me “you speak Spanish so well!” , despite considerable effort on my part to do so….If anyone ever did, I’d feel really complimented by that. I certainly wouldn’t think of it as a microaggression.


This crap is what’s wrong with this country now. Everyone is looking to win the most-offended-victim sweepstakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP maybe you shouldn't live around white people if their minor mistakes bother you so much. I'm also not sure what to make of your "mind reading" incident with the smell in the elevator. Do you have major anxiety or boredom maybe?

OMG, so much THIS. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Person of color here. Yes, it is relentless and exhausting. It's just part of life. Also agree with op than many on this board have the luxury of telling you you are the problem.

By "person of color" you probably mean not African American and not white, so yes, many people will assume you or your immediate ancestors came from another country. It's ok to acknowledge that some people groups have been here longer than others.

I'm Black, but thanks Karen.

You are sexist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The man basically said "All Asians look alike" and look at the all the fine white folks in here excusing it and blaming the recipient for being offended.

Well just remember that when you say a Spanish phrase to a Brazilian or a Middle Easterner and they just laugh. Had no idea people should be treading carefully around Asians in the DMV but this thread is very enlightening.

Except I would never do that because I don't go around making assumptions about what language people speak based solely on how they look. It's not that difficult and you're an idiot if you do

People often attempt to speak French to me because I have an accent they can't place. It must be karma- I spent years trying to learn French but can only say merci in response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m South Asian and Muslim. I get tons of micro aggression too. From “you speak English so well” to “you’re so exotic” it doesn’t matter that I was born and raised in the Midwest, people just see other when they see Asians. It’s sad that now my kids are experiencing it.

I’m a ordinary white American and no one has ever told me “you speak Spanish so well!” , despite considerable effort on my part to do so….If anyone ever did, I’d feel really complimented by that. I certainly wouldn’t think of it as a microaggression.


This crap is what’s wrong with this country now. Everyone is looking to win the most-offended-victim sweepstakes.

You weren't born and raised in a Spanish speaking country! There is no correlation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m South Asian and Muslim. I get tons of micro aggression too. From “you speak English so well” to “you’re so exotic” it doesn’t matter that I was born and raised in the Midwest, people just see other when they see Asians. It’s sad that now my kids are experiencing it.

I’m a ordinary white American and no one has ever told me “you speak Spanish so well!” , despite considerable effort on my part to do so….If anyone ever did, I’d feel really complimented by that. I certainly wouldn’t think of it as a microaggression.


This crap is what’s wrong with this country now. Everyone is looking to win the most-offended-victim sweepstakes.

You weren't born and raised in a Spanish speaking country! There is no correlation

I work almost exclusively with Central Americans - hence my need to speak coherent Spanish. For all intents and purposes I DO live in a Spanish speaking country. That was the point of my post.

I’m sorry, I should’ve taken you into account when I posted earlier, and explained the things that would’ve otherwise seemed obvious because of context.

My bad

[Anonymous]

Op and anyone else who ever considers it, posting about racism brings racist posters on like ants to sugar. They love making idiotic correlations and throwing in stupid metaphors about hammers to invalidate your lived experience. It can be depressing to read all their shi#y thoughts but remember they are racists and not worth a second of your consideration or feelings.

[Anonymous]

I can see why OP is upset about the guy speaking Chinese, but his intent was likely good and he’s just clueless. Was he an older man?