Have you been affected by racism?

as a white person not much - but in elementary school I was beaten up for having "black friends" - to me they were just friends - I didn't know there was supposed to be a difference - I like or dis-like people based on who they are not what they look like.

I know what you mean...

Also as a white person no...as a WOMAN, definately. Great post by the way!

I have experienced racism a lot in my life time. Growing up as a black teenager with an accent made it even worst. I experienced it within the black and Hispanic communities. The blacks because of my accent, the Hispanics because their skin was lighter. The whites, well we ignore each other or pretend to. This is a touchy subject folks.

Actually yes. I went with a girlfriend of mine to a 'black bar' back in the early 80's. I was the only white person in there. Other than my friend, none of the women would speak to me.

actually yes, I know alot of people think it does not happen to whites, but it does. It has happen to me alot at work. I am a very nice person, I don't look at color, I look the inside.

I've been a victim of sexism, but never racism.

I grew up in Detroit and have been one of the only (or the few) white people there. I would get called all kinds of nasty racial things and was beat upon daily, sometimes I was told because it was that they hated white people.

Racism hasn't personally affected me, but I've seen prejudice against all sorts of different people. When I was in high school there were these two obese sisters that everyone used to make fun of and pick on. I always went out of my way to be friendly to these young girls. On top of their looks, they were very poor and that just added fuel to the fire. I have friends from all walks of life, fat, skinny, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, straight, gay, white, black, Catholic, Jewish, etc., etc., etc. and to me they are all equal in my eyes! There's just not enough love in the world and in some peoples hearts!

I have ran into one experience but I didn't really take it as racism.
When I was a little younger and i started working at a group home, I had to work with this guy of a different color(no biggie to me, who cares about color or race), he looked at me and asked me"You scared to work with me?" I asked him"no, why, should I be?" he responded by saying "well, your a little blond white girl and I am black" I just said"so, do you have a problem with blond white girls?" he shut up really quick and started working.
I really don't care what race or shape you are, if you are nice to me, I am nice back.

Hi Shadie! To answer your question, yes.. Further, up close, personal and within an extended period of time and place..... You see, I was married to a black man for nearly 17 years.... I also have two beautiful, mixed daughters from that marriage that had to struggle with rasism and predjucie while growing up..... Some of it was an in your face, so to speak reality while the others were more subtle and more dangerous.. We lived down south AND up north..... Rasism is alive and well no matter where one lives..... Certain hot spot areas though are DEFINANTLY wise to avoid.....

However, I must include that how most folks believe as the way to combat or overcome it, is actually the same mentality which causes it to thrive..... So sad indeed.......

Most definately in schools, work environment as well as business efforts. If I had an inclination I am sure I could write a book about some of it.

I have experienced it when I have stood up for others. My son became a victim when he said something about a college roomate posting a confederate flag in his room (he was from New Jersey) He said he didn't care what the kid put in his room as long as he didn't use it to insult or harm others for their color. It took us several months to get him moved, in which he was teased, humiliated, hit, and left with illegal substances in his room when they tried to pin it on him. He was also burned with cigarettes in his sleep. It is the ultimate in ugly in my opinion. I am sure those who are not white have had to undergo far worse then we have, which is why I will continue to stand up to it.

Once, when I was 18. I was in Lexington Kentucky and had gone across the street to a gas station to get a soda. there was a little black girl there, very friendly who wanted to talk to me so I was talking to her. I always liked kids :) Suddenly a teenage black girl came running out of the station, grabbed her and yelled at the little girl "Get away from him before he rapes you!" As they walked further away I heard the teenager telling her sister to stay away from white guys! I was horrified! Growing up mostly in California I had never thought that this could happen to me.

I have in my job, One person whom I had working under me wanted to be moved from the warehouse to the dock (loading and unloading semi trailers). I was a supervisor of both areas. I knew this person well and knew he wasn't fast enough to do the job. My dock guys have to be faster then my warehouse guys due to the semi's have to be done in a certain amount of time, usually 15-30 mins.

There was no pay raise or benefits just he wanted to move to the dock. When I informed him that he was not getting the position he went to Human resources and told them I was racist. The H.R. department started a investigation into me and to the way I was running the warehouse. Thankfully I had many many friends of different races who informed the H.R. people of what was happening and spoke of my character. The charges were dismissed but the person kept his grudge and whenever he could cause hassles in my department he would.

Actually in an airport restroom in Miami I was the only white. The other women were Hispanic. They spoke spanish and gave me looks that made me feel uncomfortable, definitely sending, "this is our bathroom," signals. It was very weird. I do believe it cuts both ways and I think it may be getting better. I know if I were the adult with the white children calling names I would have told them that it was inappropriate and they needed to stop it because they were only advertising how stupid they were.

i love cloud but im not drolling over your pic.....in case you hadn't noticed im lying about the drooling part anyway

I have a great grandoughter who is 1/2 black. She is 11 years old. She is lucky we live in such a little town. She is accepted just like all the other kids . But two years ago a family moved here fom the south . and the boy was in Keila's class. He made a nasty remark to Keila. and the school Superintendent called the parents and the boy in to his office. And told them we do not have those kind of nasty name calling here at this school. So if we have any more trouble from this child. You will have to find another school for him to go to. Keila has not had any more trouble.

When I was younger, I introduced my friend Wanda to my other friends saying this is my Spanish friend. Wanda was upset, I didn’t understand what I had done to offend her. She told me, she isn’t Spanish, that she is Porto Rican. I asked her what was the difference, she explained that Spanish people are from Mexico and Porto Rican’s are from Porto Rico. I learned a very important lesson that day. Not to identify someone by their nationality and the world is full of different people that look a like and I shouldn’t assume someone is a certain nationality by their physical features.

More recently I had to get a lawyer due to discrimination, I was told when looking for an apartment in a certain area in Virginia. That I should remain with my own kind in one city.

Thanks everyone! This has been so insightful. that's why Gather is such a cool place.

I never experience racism, I grew up in a small town. But I still dealt with the don't fit in for some unknown reason. I grew up on the wrong side of town. When I got older, I experiences discrimination at a job for being female. It was crazy, I couldn't believe it in this day n age. Did not expect that. It caught me so off quard all I could do was laugh about it.

When I was in college on my way to class, I passed by a male dorm and some guy yelled out the n-word (I'm Bi-racial). This happened in the early '70's-we've come a long way, baby, but still have a ways to go...

I grew up in California, I did not experience any. Where I lived it would have been out of place. It may have been because of the time. (70's)
After moving to another state, I have. It came as quite a shock to me.
I figure all I can do is teach my children how NOT to be. I would like to hope all parents do the same.

I am also teaching my little ones about it.

I believe everyone experiences racism at some point in their life, all races. I am a white female and I have had experiences of racism, sexism, and discrimination for my disability. I grew up in a somewhat balanced community so I rarely had such incidences in school growing up. I dealt with the teasing and taunts for whatever reason from that group of kids that 'just don't like you' - probably as much as anyone else does. But, when I got older I had become friends with a few people that lived in a primarily Puerto Rican and Mexican neighborhood...it took quite awhile for me to feel comfortable there because I was NOT liked at first by most of the people I met at my friend's parties - usually it was the girls who didn't like me just because I was a white girl and I was dating a Mexican. When I lived in Virginia I quickly learned that I was the minority there and was treated horribly on a daily basis - store clerks, restaurants - anywhere I went I seemed to leered at and spoken to like I was not wanted. One grocery store clerk (a black woman) even turned her back to me when I came through her line! I'll admit, after 4 years living there, it became increasingly more difficult for me to not start stereotyping myself and that bothered me a great deal because I had always been proud of the fact that I wasn't prejudiced in any way - and now I was starting to be.

It didn't help that I was on the other end of it just as often as well. It is a horrible feeling when you are accused of being racist when you aren't. For example, a young black lady came to our door selling magazines or something. My husband and I listened to her offer but then very politely told her that we couldn't buy anything right now. In fact, I even made a joke that we were living on PBJ and macaroni at the moment (which was actually true), and then I said "but thank you anyway". To be honest, it's the most polite I have ever been to any door salesperson, but I happened to be in a good mood that day. She then said to my husband, "You're not buying anything just because I'm black aren't you?" - and she was not nice about it. That wasn't the only incident either. I've had several similar incidences like that and I get a little perturbed when I see specials on Oprah talking about this very thing and all the so-called "experts" try to find some way of twisting it to make you think your being racist without realizing it.

I realize that as a white woman I may not ever experience the type of racisim that other cultures do - but I do know what it feels like to be the victim of assumptions - whether it be because I am a woman (don't even get me started on the amount of sexism I've dealt with all my life), because I'm white, because I'm poor, because I'm fat, or because I have a disability. The one thing I have learned through all of it...I don't dwell on it. Those people don't matter to me and their comments do not define me.

yes, people have called me chink & a gook. i'm not even chinese or viet