Why don't we ever talk about racism
Why is it always brushed under the carpet we talk about everything else here but never anything about different cultures or racism and when I try to start the conversation nobody cares
Being made to feel like a criminal in the supermarket when you did nothing just because of your skin colour and stuff like actually is importsnt and hurts too you know
Comments
I'm sorry you went through an experience like that @j95, but this post is so important and I'm really glad you've brought this up.
I'm of mixed race and luckily I've never really faced racism but I've always been a bit wary or 'scared' of it happening. I'm half Japanese so I've especially been scared to go to Darwin or places like that because of history with the war…I know it's a stereotype of Australia it's just I've heard so many stories 
I was very interested in finding out my actual heritage because as I am not of indigenous descent, I was curious as to what actually made up who 'I am'. Just asking my relatives I understand that my mums side is Austrian and my dads is Irish...however, I took a DNA to determine exactly what was going on and it opened up my eyes.
I am -
29% Eastern European
27% Irish
14% Western Europe
11% Great Britain
8% Scandinavian
5% Iberian Penisula
3% Caucasus
That is my DNA! I feel if everyone was to do a test similar to this...they would realise how connected we all are and effect racism,
Anyway,
today I was getting onto my tram home and from one of the other doors a guy started yelling and being racist towards an older asian man. I don't know what, if anything, started the racist attack (and really wouldn't be surprised if nothing started it). The man handled it with grace as he walked away to the other end of the tram without saying anything, and as he went by he smiled at me and probably made sure to have a smile on his face the whole time.
I didn't know what to do in that moment, but I thought of you @j95 immediately after it had happened. This stuff shouldn't happen.
Jokes are such a hard thing, people can say things so casually nowadays that people can find really offensive. I really don't like it when people make jokes that are 'subtly racist'. To me it makes me feel really uncomfortable. If someone says jokes like that all the time @Birdeye it might be worth mentioning to them that it makes you feel uncomfortable so that they may stop saying jokes like that.
I agree @Birdeye, the tram situation, that stuff shouldn't happen. It sounds like the older asian man showed a lot of grace but it must have been really hard for him. That's so heartbreaking.
Yeah, racist-not-racist jokes are hard @missep - some of them are fine and blatantly poke fun at the idea of being racist, but it's a very fine line and sometimes it's difficult to tell whether they're just told poorly or represent the speaker's actual views. I've heard the thing to do is to not laugh and then ask why the joke is funny so that they have to confront the logic behind it, but I've yet to have the opportunity since learning that technique...
Mostly I just hear those little comments from people you'd never peg as racist, or who'd never actually talk down to someone about race, but have those linguistic quirks or political views - like saying 'Chinamen' or getting upset about too many immigrants in whichever country they're from - both which are difficult to confront because even with the more overt racism in the former, people don't always respond well to criticism or will ignore anything without good evidence, but also aren't likely to stick around while you google facts or sputter incoherently (I have experience with this, at least).
Still, even if you can't 'awaken' someone to being more aware of how hurtful their views are - and it's hard to deal with the fact that that's just not always going to be possible - it's worth trying to stand up for your principles even when you don't belong to the race in question, and I have respect for people who do. Not responding in a way which could possibly escalate the situation is its own way of fighting back, and I'm glad to hear that the man was obviously aware of the people around him @Birdeye - with all this talk I just did on confrontation: safety first, people.
I'm sorry you've had such negative racial experiences @j95 - it sounds like you're a victim of racial profiling considering you just walk into a supermarket innocently yet are still judged. It's never going to be fair, and stereotyping negatively seems so ingrained in human nature... I believe that even when we try talk about it, it always erupts into conflict and assumptions, based on what different people have experienced (or the lucky few who have not).
As @Gumi Gumi mentioned, the whole 'political correctness' also comes into account, so yes, maybe people are too afraid to start the conversation because they don't want to offend. But I think we all need to take the jump and start talking about it, and educate each other on when we say or think in a prejudiced manner, even if we don't mean to. So thank you for starting this thread @j95, it's really important.
I have an uncommon name and have South Asian descent... let's just say I have been 'randomly checked' at airports many, many times. But personally, I find the best way to beat off racists is not by getting angry at them, or frustrated, rather disprove what their mind automatically thinks. To those that look at me with narrowed eyes, I smile at and say 'have a nice day', and it's always a victory to see their eyes widen with surprise. Small lesson, maybe will be forgotten, but it's a start. And sometimes it's not easy, I'll be honest.
How does everyone deal with racism? How do you deal with your own feelings that arise from the frustration of how unfair it is?
@j95 It's weird because as soon as I saw this topic (thanks to @Ben-RO's 'stuff that's happening), I thought, "Man, I have so much to say on this!" and then immediately had to reconsider how to phrase everything perfectly so it's all inoffensive. Maybe that's the bad part of being 'politically correct' - being afraid to talk about the topics that really matter?
Every now and then I like to tell people, "aren't you glad that (stressful job or event) is over now? Just take a minute to appreciate that." I guess that's the same kind of thing for white privilege; it's hard to appreciate for the people who don't experience horrible things like you have. Whoever's reading this - maybe take a minute out of your day and think about all the times you've interacted with someone today and they haven't treated you like garbage just because of your race.
Personally, I don't think I really experience racism (Asian/European), but then the times I have been discriminated against I think it was much more likely to be because of gender or disability. Hooray?
I have so much more to say! But the whole point of this topic is to hear from everyone, I think - what are your opinions? I know you have them!
Edit: just noticed my reply went to the front rather than the back - is this how certain parts of the forum work?
Hmm @Gumi Gumi nope, i might have a look at that, maybe we flicked the wrong switch somewhere!
Edit: let me know if that looks better now. Sorry to interrupt this very important conversation!
It looks better now to me - not sure what happened; I think as a result I read the entire conversation in reverse, lol. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!
Yeah i feel like the topic of racism is quite hard to talk about. Most people don't really see it as a huge problem because they have never experienced it themselves. Being accused of something you never done because of how you look is quite dejecting, especially since it was done in front everyone. Did anyone stood up for you?
@roseisnotaplant sometimes people don't realise what they are saying or doing is racist and hurts
@Bree-RO hey I'm in a better space tonight to talk about this if you're still interested
Yeah definitely interested. @j95 What are some things people of different ethnicity's go through you think that some of us may not be aware of? You mentioned the shops 😞 That's not cool.
Also once when I was picking my brother up from work I was talking to a security guard who said they have a big problem with aboriginal kids and that the "ferals" keep stealing now everytime he sees anyone aboriginal he calls the police, that's probably why he was standing so close to me. @Bree-RO
People look at you up and down like you did something wrong.
Or there was an incident on a tram last year where these kids asked me "what language I was" and I said I was Australian and they said "no you aren't go back to your country" and they spat on me and put orange peel down my top and stole my iPad
Wow @j95 that sounds so incredibly traumatising. How hurtful. What are you most proud of about your heritage?
Oh so amazing mate @j95 And some exceptional artist's. I did a talk once on this woman 🙂 She is cool & very intelligent. Do you have any favourite indigenous artists?
