[Jacqeline-C]

I totally agree with you that people need to admit and confront their own prejudices. Right now it is really popular for people to talk about striving for a color-blind society. Personally, I don't think that this is the answer. By pretending that there aren't any cultural differences in this country we are lying to ourselves and risking the lose our identities. Color-blindness is just a politically correct way of getting around dealing with our prejudices. As for the woman who was reluctant to open the door, she was more than likely more suspicious of you than she would have been if you where white. With all of the school and workplace shootings that have been on the news lately, a lot of people are nervous these days. And when people are afraid, their basic prejudices come to the surface a lot more quickly.

User Detail :  

Name : Jacqeline-C, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[annonymous]

Can anyone relate to this? This morning at my job I was left wondering just how deep and unconsciously we hold prejudices against those different from ourselves. I come in early every morning, between 7:30 and 8:00. This morning in the Monday rush to get my daughter to daycare, I grabbed my coat without getting my ID from my other jacket. When I arrived at work, I realized I didn't have my pass. I usually see a few folks regularly arriving the same time I do, so I decided to wait until someone would let me in. Within five minutes I saw a woman approaching the entrance. Once she was close to me, I commented about how glad I was that someone showed up. I laughed, saying I was beginning to think I'd freeze standing there. She didn't delight in my early humor. Instead, she asked if I worked here. I said yes. Now mind you, I'm standing here with a backpack and my company bag slung over my shoulder. She then asked, 'And you don't have your keys?' I answered no (and I'm thinking to myself why would I be standing here and making the comment about being glad someone came to this door?). She opened the door and then asked rather dryly, 'What department do you work in?' I returned quite flatly, 'sales.' Now I believe I'm one to be pretty careful not to pull the race card (you run the risk of being accused of crying victim and viewed as overly sensitive about racial issues), but in this instance I would be lying if I said I didn't feel slighted by this woman because I am black. My gut said that had I been white, she wouldn't have questioned me. Oprah said once on her show how the real sticky prejudicial issues are the ideas and feelings that we harbor unconsciously. Until we are honest with ourselves that we might hold unfavorable views in our subconscious, then we can never address them; choose to change them. I don't know anything about that woman I encountered this morning so I won't deliberate whether her actions were unconscious or not. What I do know is how it made me feel. There is a phrase common in the African-american culture: 'If you're white, you don't think about it. When you're black, you never forget it.' I felt reminded that I am black, and that being black is enough to be suspect.

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Name : annonymous, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 34, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, 

[Samuel]

Forgive the appropriate contemporary colloquialism: 'I feel ya.' To wit: In my years of working at high-end blue collar union jobs (first a local natural gas utility, now a major municipal fire department), I've noticed that white men, when describing an anonymous non-present third party white person, refer to that person as 'that guy,' or 'that lady.' However, when refering to an African-American, they unfailingly refer to the individual as 'that black guy,' or 'that black lady.' Now, I am fully aware that in the context of these identifications, absolutely no slight, or anything else negative, is intended. In the most harmless, subconscious way, these white men regularly prove the common phrase to which you referred. For those of you who might think this is griping about nothing, try to imagine living in a society that identifies you, and usually makes on-the-spot judgments about you, first and foremost by the color of your skin. Imagine being greatly outnumbered in this society, and having every aspect of your life played out against the current of this raging torrent of misperception. Imagine adding this to the daily burden that most of us must bear, regardless of our skin color, and ask yourself how you might react.

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Name : Samuel, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 31, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Firefighter, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Steve B.]

I had a similar experience just last week at work. It was about 8:30 PM and I was the only person in the break room. An unknown white face appeared at the glass doors that lead outside. He knoocked wanting me to let him in. I did open the door but questioned him on if he worked there and where in the building he worked. It turned out he's a foreman in one of the departments. Working nights, I don't know all of the supervisors. If I were in charge of a company, I would expect someone to 'challenge' any unfamiliar person wanting to gain entrance, regardless of race. I can't help but think if the guy wanting entrance had been black, he may have thought the same way you did. It's just a sign of the times that regretably, in my opinion, will only get worse as race relations continue to deteriorate.

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Name : Steve B., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 42, City : Warrensburg, State : MO Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ashley-M23493]

THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT

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Name : Ashley-M23493, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Presbyterian, Age : 18, City : Charlotte, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : student, Social class : Upper middle class, 

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