USA and it's disgusting problem with racism
What year are you lot living in?
shareI've never had a problem with racism down there.
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MovieChat Forums > The Suspect (2014) Discussion > USA and it's disgusting problem with rac...
What are you basing your presumption on--this movie? Otherwise expand why you believe there is rampant racism in the US and what your basis for that belief is.
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As an educated African-American male; traveled to more than 25 countries and lived abroad in Egypt for 3 years and possess an M.A. in Political Science in International Relations specialization in the Middle East Politics from one of the most rigorous and prestigious programs in the world. The US is by far the most racist country I've been.
I served four years in the miIitary, graduated nMagna Cum Laude (High Honors) with a 3.87GPA for my B.A. and received a number of academic accolades-while working a full-time job that I held for 11 years working for the State of Illinois, married and four children. Racism is as American as football.
Unlike 99% of Americans who "learn" about the Middle East in some American classroom without stepping foot in the region and can't speak a word of the Arabic language. We sold our home and relocated to Egypt and I attended an American Ivy League university with a 2% global applicant acceptance rate, taught at an American private high school, was awarded the prestigious, University Fellowship, TA Graduate Award, and was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for a former UN Chief Negotiator for the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, UN Ambassador, and Chief Civilian Advisor for the (now former) Egyptian Foreign Minister. Unlike most Americans who study the Middle East in the US-I relocated to the prestigious American international program.
An interesting dynamic is that Americans hear about the prevalent torture Egyptian police conduct, (whi yet I felt far more comfortable with Egyptian police than Americans police officers. Hell, whenever I see an American policeman I just anticipate to be pulled over for some bogus reason Incidentally, other African-Americans repeated the same claims. In one section of Cairo only, called Medina Nasr (Nasr City) with more than 20,000 African-American immigrants. They've found wealth, success, and opportunity unafforded to them in the States, and have not only acculturated into Egyptian society, with incred, but have actually fully assimilated into Egyptian society; speaking Arabic fluently and their children speak Arabic as their native language-most don't speak English, anecdotally when we moved to Egypt our youngest child was 3 months old and Arabic was her native language and didn't learn English until we returned to the US when she was three.
I returned to the US expecting to receive employment from the US State Department or any other agency related to the Middle East and they hire these kids with B.A.'s who have never been there. I thought I would help join thevfight against terrorism, and being an American Muslim, we're in high demand.To add insult to injury, my graduate colleagues with half the experience which I possess and didn't even bother to grasp the language received jobs in which I applied, they even admitted that there's absolutely no logical explanation for their hiring above mine. Many of them were White women so they qualified for Affirmative Action hiring. I'm not inserting race into the discourse, but a little known fact is that White women are considered minorities and are the primary beneficiaries of the program.
My son is approaching university and he's adamant to attend university and live abroad. He said, "after living in Egypt without racism, and returning to the US where racism appears to be everywhere, there's no way that I'm remaining here. I'm leaving for either Canada, Egypt, or Western Europe. But, I can't deal with Americans." He has my full blessing.
I'm as white as they come. And with that I suppose I have a certain amount of naivete and blindness to racism that just comes with the territory. I'm also racist. I know I am. I try not to be, but I am constantly race-aware in my dealings and cannot help but think in racist ways. Hell, reading your post, there's this thought going through my head that says "good for you, black man with a solid education! Way to go!" I don;t have these thoughts for white men with the same educational background. I may still be awed by their great education, but never does it get paired with their being Caucasian.
I help a black customer and always, in the back of my head is that voice that says, "I am helping a black customer. I am being friendly and cheerful to a black man. I am treating this black man like I would any other white customer" And though superficially this may be true, I can't help but recognize that these thoughts are running through my head. So am I treating him the same as a white customer? No. I am recognizing this customer by his race. I don;t do that to white customers. But I do so with blacks, Hispanics, Middle Eastern folks, etc.
It's not that I choose to think or behave this way. But something in this American culture keeps the separation alive. I WANT to live in a world where the color of skin makes no difference to my thinking. I WANT to be able to approach and be approached by any person of any color, to behave and think the same for all. But what is going on in American culture that keeps this division between our races such a powerful influence to the point that I cannot just see the human being but identify the skin color as part of the person?
Is it that we continuously have our attention called to the racial differences? The racial plights? As a Libertarian, I applaud the fight and the struggles people have made and are making in their attempt to bring about equality and fairness.
But why do we still have the level of racism we now have in this country while others have moved on? Is it the youth (young-ness) of the USA itself? The youth of racial struggle for equality?
I don't have the answer and I'm not sure any of us do. It's not for the lack of trying to defeat racism on its many fronts. And I know that the outwardly racist groups and communities are a minority. But it's not these idiots that keep the problem persisting. I know it's people like me who, though we may not be outwardly racist, harbor a sense of racism that is like a plastic bubble to protect us. Whether it is customer service, sharing a sidewalk, conducting a job interview or just talking at the bar, we find ourselves traveling in that protective shield and going through the expected motions that we are told we must adhere to, but never actually feeling that sense of equality or simple human interaction.
I do know that losing valuable, educated citizens is not good for our country. ANd to lose valuable, educated minority citizens is not good for the minorities in our country. Like I tell the gay people I know, coming out of the closet is not enough. You will never find equal standing among the heterosexuals if you do not conduct yourselves in the same fashion that heterosexuals do. You must kiss in public. You must hold hands. You must become part of society's "landscape" in order to not be special.
And so it is with everyone else. You may be treated equally. But the only true way to overcome will be to "not be special".
Remember when I said earlier, "Hell, reading your post, there's this thought going through my head that says "good for you, black man with a solid education! Way to go!"
We need to find a way to make that NOT special. How can we make headway to the point where a highly educated black man is so mainstream its presence is no more surprising than salt on the table?
Is that even possible?
Did i mention that I have some friends who are black?
**WARNING: MY POSTS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**
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Mustafa,
Thank you so much for the information on Nasir City! You and I have a striking amount in common, and I have been thinking about leaving the US once I have finished my schooling. It is nice to know that there are places that intelligent and well educated African Americans can go to find a place like home. My only draw back would be about religion.
I understand that Muslim culture is a really big part of life in Egypt. Is it so much so that it would be exclusionary? I am agnostic and quite happy with my sense of not really knowing what everything is about. I don't care if other people follow religions, but it isn't really for me. Being a resident, do you think that my lack of faith would make me an outsider, or is it a fairly open minded area?
If the faith would be a roadblock, can you suggest some other nice areas for me to look into? Thanks alot and I hope you reply to this post.