How do you deal with racism on an individual level?

[controversial_man]

Hello Guys,

I have been dealing with racist incidents a lot in Germany. I usually do not react because in the end I am just a foreigner and a guest. I am not sure if this is the right way to go about it. How do you deal with it if you are living in western countries?

If you guys are living in the western countries, you must come across them one way or the other.

so what is your best way to deal with it?

Thanks

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Be cautious with your language to avoid unintentionally perpetuating stereotypes or microaggressions.

Try to expand your social circles to include people from diverse backgrounds. This can broaden your perspective and challenge stereotypes.

 

[daytrader]

I spent a little bit of time in Germany and I find that Germans are true to their stereotypes. They're straight forward talkers, disciplined, punctual and very law abiding. Even Pakistanis in Germany have seemed to picked up on these traits.

Maybe what you experienced as racism could be an incident of something else i.e. the other person getting offended due to some silly rule?

 

[MenInG]

Every experience is different - I have never encountered racism in UK but MANY others have.

 

[topspin]

A good friend of mine lives in Switzerland. When I went to visit him last summer he did tell me that the Swiss and Germans are quite racist and Islamophobic. This is coming from a Non-Muslim, White British guy.

 

[Stewie]

Just laugh it off. Nothing burns them more than the intended victimg laughing in their face.

If its more serious, fight back. Do not accept the standard "keep your head down" type of cowardly advice here. The best way to fight serious racist abuse (physical harm or invasion of personal space) is to bare your teeth and let them have it.

 

[controversial_man]

I spent a little bit of time in Germany and I find that Germans are true to their stereotypes. They're straight forward talkers, disciplined, punctual and very law abiding. Even Pakistanis in Germany have seemed to picked up on these traits.

Maybe what you experienced as racism could be an incident of something else i.e. the other person getting offended due to some silly rule?

Just to give you an example.

I was entering at dusseldorf airport after completing my trip from mexico. Usually there are lines for local Germans and the other line is meant for international/foreign citizens. At that time there was so much rush for the line that was meant for foreign citizens. One of the airport staff was asking if someone had a local resident card so they could stand in other lines meant for German citizens. I showed my resident card and he told me to stand in the line meant for local Germans.

There were two lines/two counters meant for Germans. One line had a lot of Germans and there was another line only myself and there was a german girl. Only two people in total. That girl went to the counter and when my number came that German immigration officer told me to STAY BACK and then He CLOSED OFF his counter and went away. I felt ashamed and looked at other Germans who were standing in the other line. They pretended like nothign happened.

Then I stood up in another line meant for Germans. When my number came and reached to the counter. There was a Turkish guy standing near to teh country and was out of line. That German immigration officer pushed me back and handled that Turkish guy first.

Again I looked at the Germans who stood up in the line. No reaction came from not one person.

I still did not change my line because of their behavior. I went to the counter again this time he could not close off his counter because behind me there were quite a few Gemans left. So I passed by the counter.

When I visit local shopping mall when I pay by my debit card they ask for my identity card and literally match my name written on the debit card with that of my name written on the identiity card. However German customers are not asked for that sort of thing.

One day at my german university medics with ambulance comes for blood donation. Out of courtesy I went to them for donating my blood. However they showed me the list of countries citizens from these countries could not donate blood. for example, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and some african countries.

when i go to local REWE grocery store when i have put stuff on the belt when my number comes, the germany lady asks me in German " Did I buy all of these stuff by myself?"

I was at the post office and need to attach my documents with a stapler. It was on a nearby table. The postman was busy handling other customers so I went to the table and come to my table for attaching my documents. Their was a German lady nearby said to the postman guy that I stole teh stapler and that postman came running towards me. What happened to him. Well, If steal a staple by comign to Germany shame on me, like western politicians I have high standards, I will at least go for OIL if not OIL definitely huge amount of money.

deep down all I want to say "read your bloody black history then JUDGE other CITIZENS from underdeveloped countries."

I do not see any rule whatsoever in such incidents. It is a myth that there is no corruption in German society. Minister of Education in Germany had a FAKE PHD. Just imagine for a second minister of education.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Ignore. All negativity towards you must bounce off like a ball bounces off a mountain.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Given your examples, dont ignore. Your incidents are customer service related, you have a right as others do. If I was in your situation , I would have confronted these poor staff and demanded an explanation. You could also film the conversation and threaten to report them to their superiours and possibly take this to the media. If you're going to accept this, dont complain about it.

If you are walking the streets, a bunch of neo-nazis are hurling abuse, sure the ignore it. If the neo-nazis attack you, dont ignore and defend yourself.

Remember racists are cowards hiding under some tribal mindset.

We have had many racist groups in the UK over the years, from the BNP to EDL. The main reason for them being wiped out is people standing up for themselves, from debates, reporting crimes but mostly self defence, giving them a good hiding if they threaten violence against you, your family or neighborhood. Now in the UK, you will rarely face outright racism. Also as ethnicity have mixed over the decades, racism is only present in some areas of the UK.

 

[amax]

Try to get in shape and improve grooming, if you are not, as someone who was very sloppy and grossly overweight and now in good shape. There is remarkable difference in how people treat you in customer service type scenarios , I have witness it firsthand.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Try to get in shape and improve grooming, if you are not, as someone who was very sloppy and grossly overweight and now in good shape. There is remarkable difference in how people treat you in customer service type scenarios , I have witness it firsthand.

How do you know he isnt? Sure people will treat you differently if you looked confident and speak confidently but everyone should be treated equally as a paying customer.

 

[controversial_man]

Try to get in shape and improve grooming, if you are not, as someone who was very sloppy and grossly overweight and now in good shape. There is remarkable difference in how people treat you in customer service type scenarios , I have witness it firsthand.

the same treatment is also meted out to african origins in customer service, being racist to them(they are by genes are very atheletic) and have seen it . It is not only meant for south asians but also towards black africans. Different pay scales for a black skin south african lecturer and a white skin south african lecturer in the same german university even though the former one is more educated by qualifications. He told me that in person when I shared my incidents with him.

Ignore them thats what he advised me. There is some mental dissoance going on this is what he told me. In my class, the other europeans try to be racists as well.

I am seriously thinking about there might be a DNA problem. They plundered India over 100 years, waged wars in defenseless countries, dropped atom bombs and what not. I have financial means so I definitely have access to better grooming(definitely have more money than what these customer srvice people earn in a month.)

My lecturers reasoning seems reasonable. Look at the african origin american who was killed by a white american cop.

 

[ElRaja]

dont think ive been at the receiving end of much racism, but if i was in your position anywhere other than an airport, id stand my ground if i thought someone was taking the mick, however at an airport theres no point antagonising anyone, esp given the plane wont leave without you, no matter how far back in the line they put you.

 

[KingKhanWC]

dont think ive been at the receiving end of much racism, but if i was in your position anywhere other than an airport, id stand my ground if i thought someone was taking the mick, however at an airport theres no point antagonising anyone, esp given the plane wont leave without you, no matter how far back in the line they put you.

Yes, it can have an impact on you if you allow regular racism against you.

UK has many issues, esp with its foreign policy which demonises certain groups to further interests but overall its the least racist nation in Europe.

The odd time you have faced racism, what was it and how did you respond?

 

[ElRaja]

Yes, it can have an impact on you if you allow regular racism against you.

UK has many issues, esp with its foreign policy which demonises certain groups to further interests but overall its the least racist nation in Europe.

The odd time you have faced racism, what was it and how did you respond?

i didnt wanna go into it because it would be derailing, and it was all fairly minor but if ur interested

at lahore airport some brits tried to take the p in a queue cos they assumed i was just gonna let em through cos they seemed to be getting VIP treatment from all the locals, when i got a bit east London on em they just got a bit gobby, a little effin and jeffin in the heat, nothing to hardcore.

got stopped in new york airport, had to sit for a two hour interrogation, obs cos im Pakistani, just went along with it, the women who interviewed me was friendly, and we spent the last 45 minutes or so just talking about life, which i assume is a part of the process to see if u are uncomfortable, just went along with it even if the whole experience was inconvinient.

got reverse racism once, in lisbon got rushed in front of a whole queue of black people to get into a club, which was like super weird, i didnt even clock until i looked back at the whole line.

in London only racism ive had is from afghans, who dont really try to hide their dislike of pakistanis, just a combo of snide remarks and and obvious feeling of not wanting you around, so i minimised my interactions with said individuals.

 

[controversial_man]

i didnt wanna go into it because it would be derailing, and it was all fairly minor but if ur interested

at lahore airport some brits tried to take the p in a queue cos they assumed i was just gonna let em through cos they seemed to be getting VIP treatment from all the locals, when i got a bit east London on em they just got a bit gobby, a little effin and jeffin in the heat, nothing to hardcore.

got stopped in new york airport, had to sit for a two hour interrogation, obs cos im Pakistani, just went along with it, the women who interviewed me was friendly, and we spent the last 45 minutes or so just talking about life, which i assume is a part of the process to see if u are uncomfortable, just went along with it even if the whole experience was inconvinient.

got reverse racism once, in lisbon got rushed in front of a whole queue of black people to get into a club, which was like super weird, i didnt even clock until i looked back at the whole line.

in London only racism ive had is from afghans, who dont really try to hide their dislike of pakistanis, just a combo of snide remarks and and obvious feeling of not wanting you around, so i minimised my interactions with said individuals.

I suppose we are now living in a difffrent world. I was going nyc through london route on american airlines. All passenegers with muslim names were asked to show their laptops on london heathrow airport; they were checked before they boarded the plane. Also, I was going to Dallas from jfk airport. when i reached home and opened my luggage the whole sequence of clothes was mixed up for a few seconds i was like what was going on when i took out clothes i saw a security tag that said due to security reasons we opened your luggagee without your permission sorry for inconvnience.

i guess i should ignore it simply and also i guess when you compare how Pakistanis are being treated within Pakistan by a Pakistani regime my problems are not serious; I still have my privacy in Germany and if someone is treathened by someone the police is one call away.

It says more about them than it says about myself. A lack of religion or lack of family system might be problem. I do not know but yeah foreigners face racism in Germany, no doubt about that.

 

[ElRaja]

I suppose we are now living in a difffrent world. I was going nyc through london route on american airlines. All passenegers with muslim names were asked to show their laptops on london heathrow airport; they were checked before they boarded the plane. Also, I was going to Dallas from jfk airport. when i reached home and opened my luggage the whole sequence of clothes was mixed up for a few seconds i was like what was going on when i took out clothes i saw a security tag that said due to security reasons we opened your luggagee without your permission sorry for inconvnience.

i guess i should ignore it simply and also i guess when you compare how Pakistanis are being treated within Pakistan by a Pakistani regime my problems are not serious; I still have my privacy in Germany and if someone is treathened by someone the police is one call away.

It says more about them than it says about myself. A lack of religion or lack of family system might be problem. I do not know but yeah foreigners face racism in Germany, no doubt about that.

its been a few years since ive had my bags rummaged tbh. altho it did happen to me once, again, i didnt really care too much.

obviously i have never lived in germany, but have been there a few times, and been to Austria too and in my opinion the ppl were some of the friendliest ive met, never had a problem apart from an old lady who told me to stop jaywalking, but i didnt speak german, so i stood in the middle of the road asking her what she was on about on exacerbating the situation, lol.

they seem to be sticklers for rules, so if ur more lax towards rules (as i can be) im guessing that could rile them up.

 

[controversial_man]

its been a few years since ive had my bags rummaged tbh. altho it did happen to me once, again, i didnt really care too much.

obviously i have never lived in germany, but have been there a few times, and been to Austria too and in my opinion the ppl were some of the friendliest ive met, never had a problem apart from an old lady who told me to stop jaywalking, but i didnt speak german, so i stood in the middle of the road asking her what she was on about on exacerbating the situation, lol.

they seem to be sticklers for rules, so if ur more lax towards rules (as i can be) im guessing that could rile them up.

Through a tourist eyes everything seems pleasant when you have been living there and interact with locals more you start witnessing what kind of hidden thoughts they hide in their hearts. When old german lady says even jokingly he is brown he is not white des not seem like friendly language. I have never thought about people in colors only when I am here in Germany and I get to witness that sort of language. Germans can easily write a book "101 ways of being racists to foreigners". I can imagine how tough would have been for a jew person to be in Germany under Hitler Rule.

In comparision, how pleasant Pakistanis try to be to white europeans/americans and get out of their way to help and talk to them. More like servants.