Discrimination

[VeraMaria]

[quote name='VeraMaria' date='Aug 14 2004, 12:55 PM'] I am used to it, lol.

Every country I've lived in (Chile, Germany, Mexico, here), I've been a foreigner. But, I'm sad to say, it's never been as vicious as here in the US. Kind of ironic, considering how America is basically a nation of foreigners. But yeah. Not saying the Pledge of Allegiance (I mean hello, I'm not going to say it if I'm not American), not having an American flag on our car, preferring to speak Spanish (Especially in Miami it's idiotic to discriminate against someone for that..."they should speak English if they live in the US" Sheesh) is enough for dirty looks, being called "filth", and being told to go back to where I came from.

Although I don't know whether to call it discrimination, I have been treated differently for being Catholic at my school.

*rambles on and on...*

OK, I'm going to stop now. I'll spare you, lol. I am talkative today.

Oh, last but not least, I've been discriminated against for being a blonde [/quote]
Oh, and I forgot I wanted to add about where you live

Stupid as it is, in my school, where you live is a big deal. So if you don't happen to live in a huge house on Miami Beach, you're automatically not worth talking to.

:angry: :angry: -_-

[theculturewarrior]

It was like that in Oklahoma too Vera, only it was between who owned the most livestock. All we had was one unbroken horse, so I was like nobody.

LOL I should take my own advice re: humor! JK

I know how class discrimination works too, Vera, and I can sympathize. When I was in HS, I don't know if it is still the same way, but if you didn't have name-brand clothing, you were nobody. I therefore refused to wear anything cool.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I get made fun of for being a Nebraskan by someone on this site. It's very offensive.

Stupid Southerner.








Actually, I've received anti-semitic racism, anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, and anti-religion discrimination.

[M.SIGGA]

Way too many times to count. Every school I attended from PreK - 12th grade was like 99% white and I'm mixed and live in the deep south. You all can use your imagination.

[Ash Wednesday]

I don't know if I've actually been blatantly discriminated against -- though I've gotten some odd looks and treatment as a Catholic.

A couple years ago my taekwondo and hapkido instructor asked me why I was in Toronto and I told him I was Catholic and I went to see the pope. He gave me this really sour and funny look like "what kind of freak are you?" -- I don't know if he thought I was joking, and was expecting me to deliver a punch line, or what. This was during all the molestation being in the news. But his reaction really made me feel stupid, and my feelings were hurt.

I had some friends in high school that treated me "differently" and I often wondered if it was because I was a Catholic and did not attend the same church as they did. They were nice enough, but they never really let me "bond" with them as they were bonded as strong friends themselves. This has happened a couple of times with friends -- and I remember at one point asking a friend if so-and-so was mad at me, and she said "no, she just feels that she can't talk about faith with you." My religion was never attacked blatantly but sometimes I wonder if there was this silent understanding among them that "Catholics believe some weird things, and Susan's kind of weird anyway."

Maybe I was just plain weird, and it didn't have much of anything to do with me being Catholic. Just that I was weird to begin with.

I did have a Baptist friend in college who was pretty straightforward that she disagreed with my religion, but I guess with her I felt she was being more honest and direct about it, which I would have rather have seen, as opposed to the quiet cold shoulder and arm's length treatment I got from others. Despite our differences we were still pretty good friends and had a lot of fun times. I have spoken with some other Christians and I got some strange reactions when I told them I was Catholic. It wasn't a reaction like "I don't agree with what Catholics believe," which I don't mind because of its honesty, it was more of this uncomfortable look on their face, staring down at their shoes or away somewhere else and muttering "I know the organist at your church." and then the subject is changed.

I think Catholics faithful to the magisterium get a lot of flack from their fellow Catholics, actually. "Old fashioned", "narrow minded", "holier-than-thou", "too strict," et cetera.

[MichaelFilo]

The worst discrimination is hardly ever oral.

God bless,

Mikey

[M.SIGGA]

agreed. the worst is physical, like being profiled by state troopers and pulled over on the interstate numerous times and asked stupid questions because your parents happen to drive nice cars. :angry:

[picchick]

Here is some discrimination that is not orally said.

My mom got really cruel stares and grimaces when she was going to have her 6th child. How mean is that?

[VeraMaria]

[quote name='picchick' date='Aug 14 2004, 04:48 PM'] Here is some discrimination that is not orally said.

My mom got really cruel stares and grimaces when she was going to have her 6th child. How mean is that? [/quote]
That just makes me plain angry :angry:

[picchick]

Imagine how mad I was when I saw it! By the way, what is your avatar?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='picchick' date='Aug 14 2004, 03:48 PM'] Here is some discrimination that is not orally said.

My mom got really cruel stares and grimaces when she was going to have her 6th child. How mean is that? [/quote]
Argh!

What is it with people?!

[picchick]

I don't know.

I like Mother Theresa's comment.
"having too many children is like saying there are too many flowers"

Edit: Or something along those lines.

Edited August 14, 2004 by picchick

[Colleen]

[quote name='picchick' date='Aug 14 2004, 02:48 PM'] Here is some discrimination that is not orally said.

My mom got really cruel stares and grimaces when she was going to have her 6th child.  How mean is that? [/quote]


I really, really despise that. I also can't stand the stares and weird looks my family gets when we're all together (nine of us). It even happens at Mass, sometimes. People can be so ignorant and discriminatory.

[theculturewarrior]

[quote]Way too many times to count. Every school I attended from PreK - 12th grade was like 99% white and I'm mixed and live in the deep south. You all can use your imagination. [/quote]

I remember that kind of stuff, M. I grew up in a small town in OK, and I remember what some of the black kids went through...even what [i]I[/i] put them through...God is just though...now were here discussing it, and I know that I have been dealt with as I have dealt with others. Go figure.

When I was in school, racism wasn't as offensive to me, and I didn't have any passionately held racist beliefs, but would use racism to be rebellious and offensive. MEA MAXIMA CULPA! As I left school, I realized how ugly racism is, and I refused to say that one ugly word, especially when all the good ole boys were saying it. Eventually, I ended up living in a ghetto, and they would say, "There goes Justin, he lives with all the N-----'s."

And now, I'm a minority! God is good.

[drewmeister2]

I think discrimination is bad. I think we need to be open to other cultures, and incorporate our culture with theirs, and accept them for who they are.

The only problem I have right now with the many cultures in America is that the white man/woman is usually the one who gets the least. What I mean is that, although I think this has been abolished (thank God), is that before, for example, a Hispanic or an African-American could get into college over a white man, who may have been smarter than them, and had better qualifications, but because they were from another culture, they got to be accepted, and got to receive money for schooling, whereas a white man, who was smarter and should have received a scholarship didn't, just because he was white. So America, in some ways, was discriminating against its own white people. And thats not right. I feel that if you are from another culture, then you should have just as much opportunity getting into a college as a white man. If you are smarter than a white, then you should get in, regardless of color. And if you aren't as qualified as a white, then you don't get in. I think in some ways (and, as I said before, I don't think this is allowed to happen anymore, but only as of recently), the white man was discriminated in his own country of origin.

Also, another problem I have with America sometimes is that (living in Arizona, I can speak from experience) so many street signs, etc. of downtown/south Phoenix is in Spanish. I don't think it is right that Americans should have to pay for the conversions of signs from English to English/Spanish. I have had jobs before, so its possible some of the taxes taken out of my paycheck went to making new signs. And its not right that the a majority of immigrants don't have to pay for this themselves, because they aren't citizens and aren't on official pay roll. I think we should try to help them learn English so that we don't have to change signs, rather than making English a SECOND language, not a first, in some schools. I also feel that there is another corruption. These are true stories. There was an accident of 16 immigrants in a vehicle, and some of them needed to be airlifted to the hospital. Guess who has to pay? Not them, but us. Im fine with helping a fellow brother/sister in need, but here's the rest of the story that makes me angry. One time, on the news (I dont remember the exact story), a poor man, who made little money, was in a vehicle, and the vehicle got into an accident. He needed to be airlifted. And guess who has to pay for him to get a helicopter? Himself. He will have to pay for it, no matter how long it takes him to pay it, whereas an immigrant who needs a helicopter gets a free ride, just because he is an immigrant, even though it would be very financially hurtful to the poor US citizen who got in an accident. If you are going to airlift an immigrant for free, do it for a citizen! These kinds of things make me angry. They are both poor, but just because the one man is a citizen, he has to pay. I think they should both get free service.

So, the white man has been discriminated in its own country, too. I think America has much work to do, to help accomodate our immigrants, but also not to be unfair to the American citizens.

[picchick]

Here is something that irks me.

I was reading an article about integration in a public school. They quoted facts that most of the students in the honor classes are white people. O.k. how are you going to fix that? If anyone wants to get into honor classes then you have to work at it people!

Another one, they said in the article that in the cafeteria you could still see seperation of color by students. We have been taught to be accepting and all. What more are you going to do? Force kids to sit other races? I guarentee that is not going to work.

[RandomProddy]

[quote name='drewmeister2' date='Aug 14 2004, 10:23 PM'] Also, another problem I have with America sometimes is that (living in Arizona, I can speak from experience) so many street signs, etc. of downtown/south Phoenix is in Spanish. I don't think it is right that Americans should have to pay for the conversions of signs from English to English/Spanish. I have had jobs before, so its possible some of the taxes taken out of my paycheck went to making new signs. And its not right that the a majority of immigrants don't have to pay for this themselves, because they aren't citizens and aren't on official pay roll. I think we should try to help them learn English so that we don't have to change signs, rather than making English a SECOND language, not a first, in some schools. [/quote]
So? Even in England English is not the official language, and it's not like you invented it now, is it?

[homeschoolmom]

I think Al Gore invented English.

[curtins]

Ive been descriminated for wearing a yankees hat in massachusetts

ok lets see

[quote]Stupid as it is, in my school, where you live is a big deal. So if you don't happen to live in a huge house on Miami Beach, you're automatically not worth talking to.[/quote]

thats funny vera cuz I go to a Catholic school and its just the opposite- See im the "rich" "white" boy cuz my house is bigger than anyones in the class- and i dont live in no mansion. I live in a 4 bedroom 2.5 bath 2 car garage traditional colonial house. it aint no mansion but im still a rich white boy. I havnt been descriminated yet on being indian but its my fault that im irish and irish= white and white AUTOMATICALY = bad ppl cuz sum were horrible to colored ppl in the past- like its my fault. well now ppl who derogatorilly call me white aint doing anything better- so whats the point. but basically i get called white from all the non white ppl and rich from everybody. am i proud of what some white ppl did 150 years ago??? of course not. but i am deffinatly proud to be irish. and im sure that when ppl start learning that im taking my faith seriously ill be riticuled- by ppl in my class mostly- and thats in a Catholic school cuz when i say " sex b4 marriage is rong" wow what a looser- hes gay, what a retart- beaver dam man ur screwed up u aint gonna get no chicks i feel sorry for ur prude a**

prolly stuff like that


kinda ironic that theyare helping me more than hurting me- its like in the beatitudes- if ur persecuted for the sake of rightousness- idk the rest but i know its sumthin good



and of course if i went to public school this would be to the 4th power probably- not to mention adding the fact that imma punk/rocker and not someone who conforms with everyone else. and that would/does tick ppl off.

so im sure that this year ill hear it about taking my faith seriously too- so this is basically the most bigoted thing to me that someone could say-

you rich white prude punk a** Catholic boy


prolly sumthing like that

well keep praying

[Sanvean]

When I first met my stepsisters and stepbrother, I and my father had travelled up to the reservation where they were living at the time. It was Easter, and the finally of Survivor for that year was on. We were sitting together watching it, when my stepmother turned to her son, and said "Who do you think will win... the white girl, or the black girl?". Her son turned, stared at me and said: "The white girl. White girls *ALWAYS* win."

It was one of the more disconcerting situations of my life.

Now, I do field work in fisheries. In my particular branch, there are actually no permanent female employees(that is, non summer students) outside of the women in the office. I have never in my life been made to feel so utterly inferior simply because of my sex. There are constant comments about where women belong, and they aren't made as jokes. Senior technicians have stated that they would *never* hire a female tech. Up until a few years ago, even female students were never, ever hired. However, this is the federal government, and complaints were filed... equity laws were enforced, and here I am. As it is, the general implication is that if you are female, you will never be able to do your job competently. Essentially, to get any sort of acceptance, you have to be twice as tough as the male students, and never, EVER complain.

At school, I'm reminded by my classmates that one cannot possibly believe in God and have any sort of intelligence. And... well, I'm sure you can imagine the comments that Catholicism gets.

-Veronica