Unfortunately, racism is a part of everyone's life. If we reflect, we can think of times in our lives when racism has touched each one of us. For this blog post, I would like you to first, watch this video by Avenue Q. After watching the video, answer these two blog prompts (each at least 4 sentences for each prompt, 8 total sentences).
1) Think of a time when someone was racist towards you? What were they judging about you? Describe the situation. Then, tell me how it made you feel in that moment.
2) Think of a time when you were racist towards someone else? Why were you judging that person/those people? What was your reason for judging that person/those people in that moment.
I firmly believe that everyone is a little bit racist, and that everyone has been unjust or unfair in his or her own life. Please write honestly about your experience. The only way that we learn and grow from our mistakes and misconceptions is by acknowledging them, sharing them, and then changing what we do to become better people. I will not accept, "I have never been a racist" as a legitimate response.
Your blog post is due tonight, Wednesday, March 16 at midnight.
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ReplyDelete1) One day, in France, I was in a station with my family. Some French women was looking at us in a different way as if we were a different humans being. They kept talking aloud, and criticizing us. I think because we look Muslims Arabs. That made me upset. And i believe that French people are more racist than we are.
ReplyDelete2) In a sunny day, I was walking in a French street with my cousin, talking and laughing until we saw a group of black band. I scared and panicked, because I used to have bad image about black people, they are bums. I through down my bag, and all my stuffs was dispersed. Suddenly, one of the black men came to us and helped us to pick up our staff. I had tears in my eyes because I felt that I’m racist.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Delete1- One of the most unforgettable moments that i had in my life, was when the members of a political party was racist towards me. Because, I have some leftist views. While they were talking about democracy, I told them that I no longer believe in it, because it means the majority rules, and the majority in my country are uneducated.So, they don't deserve it. They started treating me as a stranger, but I hasn't changed my point of view till this moment.
ReplyDelete2- When I was thinking of a time when I was racist, I found myself that I am all the time racist towards those who have black skin. I hate them, because from my experience with them, I found them dim-witted and not academically gifted. We can see them everywhere in our country. Perhaps, one day they will tyrannize us in our country. If I had the power, I wouldn't let any black to reside in Morocco.
Thank you, Amine, for sharing you experience. It is brave to admit that we have prejudices.
Delete1) I remember the day someone was racist toward me. It was in Paris last break. I was walking with my best friend in the “Champs Elysees”, and we were talking in Arabic. Then an old woman heard us talking in a different language, so she said something like: “I hate Arabic people”. I wanted to answer her, but my friend didn’t let me. I felt angry because I don’t like when people judge the others just because they are different. In the end, I just walked and didn’t pay attention to this woman.
ReplyDelete2) When I was young, I was a little bit racist. In fact, my uncle had a friend who was black, and I was afraid of him. I thought that his skin was black because he drinks a lot of coffee or eat chocolate. Also, when he wanted to hug me, I didn’t let him because I was too afraid of being “dirty” after his touch. Now that I think about that, I think that it’s wasn’t really racism, because I was just young and unconscious.
I am sorry for the way you were treated. Racism is always just being acting from not being conscious, so even children can be racist.
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ReplyDeleteEveryone is a little bit racist; this is what I concluded after many experiences. On the one hand, I was a victim of racism many time in my life. For instance, I was rejected by some persons because of the color of my skin. Also, I remember a day when I was in the train and a football team supporters came and asked me what is my favorite team and I told them that I support the same team just to avoid problems between us.Moreover, I have assisted to many racism situations about the freedom of beliving. On the other hand, I was the one who practice racism against others in some cases. Firstly, I have been very strict when it comes to what I believe. Since my childhood, I haven’t accepted any advice without proof. Furthermore, I tried to convince others with my point of view. In conclusion, racism is normal among us as human beings and anyone can be racist.
ReplyDeleteI agree, everyone has the capacity for racism.
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ReplyDeleteIt was one of those day, when you get super exited to travel somewhere far from your home, in a foreign country. The whole airplane airport thing was fun. At least, that was what I thought at first. Then when we finally landed after seven exhausting hours, my family and I were more like zombies. I was trying to walk but my body could barely fallow my brain’s instructions. I was literally in a lethargic state. After that long marathon we arrive at what I called the finish line, and then I have to admit we faced a terrible tragedy. As a fundamental piece of information, I come from a place where the first name of the eldest male is “Mohammed”. My dad’s name is ‘Mohammed Samir” and my older brother’s name is “Mohammed Reda”. Montreal Airport ‘s security guard said that they were facing some identifications issues, we had to wait two hours for them to tell us that our access to the Canadian territory was denied. I felt like a huge weight crushing right into me. I think that it was the first time that I felt, deep down inside of me a wounding feeling. It was a mixture of both helplessness and injustice. Why should your birth name be a deciding element in your way through life? We showed them numerous of times the formality forms that we filled in Morocco, but that lead us to no result. They actually refused to have any kind of communication, as if we were diesis illness. At the end my dad called someone in the Moroccan ministry to sort us out.
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My high school was known to be the meeting of cultures. People from diverse regions came to study in my school. I was also a new student, and truth be told I wasn’t used to be with other student being from other towns. Came the first day of class, in my inner spirit I was mocking other students, because of their skin color. I told myself:” We have all the world’s flags reunited in one class”. That was really mean, yet I didn’t realize that at the moment. I love black humor and irony, therefore those poor students didn’t harm me. As I was joking around in the classroom, paying attention only to their accent, they did great academically, while I was barely passing the class. I that was I wake up call. Was I better than them? In which aspect was I? As a matter of fact I wasn’t, and that the hurtful statement made me realize that mocking people wouldn’t make me go any further. A fter that tragic episode I never laughed over someone’s origin or accent.
I am so sorry that happened to you in Canada. I think's always good when life put's us in our place. Sometimes learning that we are not the best is the real life lesson.
DeleteThe first year when i came to ifrane, I was feeling my self a little bit different from people who are original from here. I was very young and I used to talk like Marrakech people. Otherwise, Ifrane people are amazigh, and there was a few defference in the way we speak, but it wasn't that bad. I just feel myself strange when I see girls talking berber and I was the only girl that don't understand, and sometimes I feel like they're laughing at me, eventhough some girls hated me. After all that, I begen studying in a private school where I knew other freinds, most of them where not original from ifrane just like me. From that time I used to live and study in Ifrane, also I couldn't leave my freinds.
ReplyDeleteWe are humains, and all humains mis. I don't regret that I was rasict in some situations. I remember one time I was talking with some freinds in a group of whatsapp, I knew most of the members of that group, all of us Moroccans eccept a girl that was from Mali, she doesn't know Arabic, but she talks to us in French. We all start introducing our selves and each one send a picture. When she sent her picture, they start laughing at her because she is black, I didn't really laughed at her, but we were just kidding, like we talk to her in French in a good way, and sometimes we start speaking Arabic so she can't understand us. She doesn't know thaat they were laughing at her, then she was very kind with us. Moreover, she wasn't that good in french and I couldn't help myself, I start laughing at her as well, while she send an audio, because her frech was really terrible. In the end, one of my freinds insults her and she left the group, but me I felt that what we all did was not fair, and I talked to her alone in a good way to appologize for what that guy told her. In fact, she was kind, and I tell her that we are freinds and she could ask me if she needs my help.
Being different is always hard. It's hard to admit our own racism at times. Thank you for sharing. It was very brave.
Delete1)Think of a time when someone was racist towards you? What were they judging about you? Describe the situation. Then, tell me how it made you feel in that moment.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall correctly, I’ve never been a victim of racism until this summer; that’s why it took me a long time to realize what it really means. After a long ride from Marrakesh, we decided me and my buddy to make a stop in a village near Ouarzazate to get some rest and something to eat. Since we were starving; we just ordered a tajine ignoring the price. Sitting in a table near the counter, I heard the manager whispering, in Amazigh, to the cook to serve us some meat that was left from the day before. Feeling disgusted, I explained the situation to my friend; consequently we decide to leave right after we are served.
2) Think of a time when you were racist towards someone else? Why were you judging that person/those people? What was your reason for judging that person/those people in that moment.
Laying on my couch, in a Thursday afternoon, reading about some political issues; I got an extreme desire to taste a Square-Shaped Moroccan Pancake or what we call, in Morocco, msemen. So, I took my jacket and got to the marcher in a taxi; hoping that I’ll find a vacant place. When I arrived there, I noticed that all the co-workers were Berber women wearing traditional clothes. Therefore, I had a sympathetic feeling towards them; supposing that there is no chance they could be literate. However, a foreign girl, with a British accent, has proven me the opposite. One of those women understood every word the girl articulated.
These are great, everyday examples of how small, daily thoughts can be a little racist. Thank you for sharing.
Delete1-It was in France, exactly in Paris. I remember that I was with my cousin Hicham. We were walking in the big and famous avenue "champs elysee".
ReplyDeleteand we met our friend from our hometown fes. she was wearing hijab , and the strange thing is that all French people around us were looking in a different way .then, a old man looks at us in a very racist way and he said :" quiet our country, you are polluting us ,go,go .
I didn't answer him , I let him talking with himself and I enjoyed my day with my cousin and my cousin.
2- When I had exactly 12 years old . i was so afraid of black people , I used to watch american movies where always black men kills each other. and, that was my phobie . I was really scared of them.
One day my cousin had a friend from Angola , he was studied with him. I went to his house .then, I saw him and I began to cry, I was so scared .I think that is the only time that I was a little be racist .
I am so sorry that happened to you in Paris. I am glad you shared your childhood phobia with me. Many children to the same thing, but hopefully, as you did, they grow and change.
DeleteTwo years ago, I was with a group of friends and we were discussing about ethnicity. I was with some exchange students and at the time we spoke about Arabs .I realized that they were not very happy to talk about it ,so I asked them what were their thoughts about Arabs and then they started criticizing Arabs and describing them as terrorists and inhumans and also they criticized Islam and I was very offended about their thoughts , I stopped them in a polite way ,and asked them what do you know about Islam or Arabs in general? They did not say a word and were staring at me and one of them said nothing but we are saying what we saw in the news and then I explained to them that media do not always say the truth they are very subjective and that they should seek for information about Arabs and Islam then criticize and then I left I was very sad that some people have the wrong idea about Islam I felt really sad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Abdelmajid, but you did not do the second part. You only did the first part.
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ReplyDeleteBecause I'm chamali (North Moroccans), when i leave my city some people make fun of my accent the thing that i hate.One day a guy in AUI said that chamali mens are not mens the thing that i didn't understand .Then he started making fun of my accent and my roots.The only thing I did is ignoring him.
ReplyDeleteOne day, I was walking in the street and a bearded man started following me.I saw him I started walking fast and then he started running after me. I ran as fast as i could then he started shouting and told men you forgot your wallet in the cafeteria I felt ashamed and apologized to him.
Thank you for sharing your stories Ziad.
Delete1- When i changed my high school everything changed . I went from a private school to a public one . There was an arabic teacher who treated me differently of the others because i was the only student who came from a private school . He never gave me the right to answer and ignored me everytime i raised my hand . That was an act of racsim towards me .
ReplyDelete2- One summer we went to mekkah. While shopping with my sister a Pakistani men came running to us . We were scared and start running away from him . Then we realized that he was just trying to give us our plastic bag that we forgot in a store . That was mean and unforgottable .
Zineb, than you very much for sharing your stories.
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