Cinnamon Zone

World from a different angle

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Racist inner child

So I was walking in the neighborhood today, enjoying the sun and tranquility of the place, when then stranger appeared around the corner and I was a bit intimidated... Now, why should I be intimidated? I see strangers in the hood the whole time, he didn't look like a bad guy in any way, he wore normal clothes, was carrying what appeared to be his lunch and to top it all, he wasn't even looking at me, he seemed to be drifted in his own thoughts, minding his own business. Now, I should be ashamed to say that what made me feel uneasy was that he had a dark complexion, a very dark one. He was black.

 

Since I felt ashamed with myself, I tried to justify this feeling by thinking: Well, maybe it's because he is a stranger not because he's black. If I saw an Albino for example, or someone extraordinarily blonde I would wonder..." Then I stopped here, I knew it wouldn't be the same, I would probably not feel threatened...

 

It's funny how we defy social stereotypes, cry out against racism, get bugged when someone makes a racist remark; nonetheless, racism still find sits way into our subconscious. You can't help it, because you can't detach from the society you live in, from all the media pitched at you... depicting black people as pimps, hitmen, highwaymen, serial killers, drug dealers, you name it.
 
I don't really know why I'm writing this, maybe out of frustration with myself, maybe I'm looking for the reasons behind my awkward reaction, I don't know, but I know something is wrong... seriously!

 

 
posted by Ola Eliwat, in On life @ 2:38 PM, ,
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(11) comments


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The Mo from United Arab Emirates
February, 21, 2007 5:17 PM
I don't know whether you watch movies or not, but for me to think that way, it is because I might have taken such "images" from movies and thus created a steroetype of such people, although it is wrong.
Qwaider قويدر from United States
February, 21, 2007 8:28 PM
Serial killers are usually little white men, wears glasses
If I see one, I would be afraid :)

Take it easy, to err is only human, as long as you stopped yourself right there and then and thought to your self. Yeah, I should be judging based on the color of the skin .... You already improved yourself. And at the end of the day, that's the bottom line anyway
Abed Hamdan from Jordan
February, 21, 2007 8:46 PM
wallah ya ola i don't think it's because you're racist, maybe you're not used to deal with "black" people...

I can never feel this way, because I had many black friends, in kuwait, so perhaps when you have some good friends you won't even notice the color difference...I have some good friends from Bangladish! !
sharifo from Palestinian Territory, Occupied
February, 21, 2007 11:02 PM
Masa,
fish mashakel, it's racisim inek 7aseete unsecure..3adi !!
Racisim iza u admited this,
Plus of that..bede ashoof iza el Gravatar bta3i shaghal wela la2 :D
Qabbani
February, 22, 2007 7:20 AM
racist!
were a Black so u going to say
"what made me feel uneasy was that he had a white complexion, a very LIGHT one. He was WHITE "

it's cuz ur not used to , plus it's that much in our environment..

bs if u Go to Al shoback or Goor , you will fee 3adi ..

always ppl get strange feel against non familiar stuff
andrew from Japan
February, 22, 2007 8:53 AM
it`s funny being white and caucasian to hear this. I became incredibly afraid of black people awhile back and can`t shake it. It`s really dumb and doesn`t work, but it is funny how close racism is, how despite how comfortable we might be in our minds, in reality the sight and experience can so unsettling. anyway, I hope you get better. Sorry to hear that xenophobia is a worldwide thing. I remember once reading an Indonesian blog about experiencing xenophobia in England.
oeliwat
February, 22, 2007 4:38 PM
Ahaaa! Xenophobia! that's the word I've been lookign for for the past 3 years :D I've been sufferrign a major case of xenophobia, but it had nothing to do with black people
Weddo .. from Jordan
February, 22, 2007 6:49 PM
I actually like black people, a lot!

I won't start explaining why YOU felt that way! o a7ki 7aki coz I already agree with what they said earlier :D

Chill out
z3tr from Canada
February, 24, 2007 1:33 AM
What if it were some one with mohawk hair, facial piercings, and a large tattoo? should we still associate them to danger?

What about, bearded men and veiled women? we (Arabs & Muslims) might feel comfortable around them, but some Westerners don't.

I think it has a lot to do with what we get used to as we are growing up. I think it's just a basic human tendency to profile others based on looks. Animals do it too. But being human, we can at least try to control our prejudices.
ola from Jordan
February, 24, 2007 10:28 PM
I think it's mostly about stereotypes, about the mental image, everything contributes to this: our own perceptions, experiences, the media, out own paradigms...etc. but as z3tr said, it's controllable!
andrew from Thailand
July, 18, 2007 11:12 AM
also, it's possible that your reaction was due to OCD or another neurological disorder, is irrational, and has no connection with your actual views on the subject. i.e. you might not have a racist inner child, just a compulsion that caught u at the wrong time.

was crusing through old blog comments and came upon this again.