3280: Etcetera w/ Subhah Agarwal

[Lanfear]

Wie viel „latenten Rassismus“ gibt es bei der Polizei?

This is exactly the same wording that US police use in denying they have a racism problem. Our police just kills them less? That's not something to brag about.

[Lanfear]

Originally Posted by Apia resurrected

And still it's true.
But of course we have problems here too and racism is a big problem.
It's a little bit different than in America, we dont have such a big black community here, but other groups who face racism every day.
I know in my family I have maybe 2 or 3 problematic people I call out on the regular.

Oh and its complicated.
Being born in Poland I faced lots of xenophobia in my early days here AND my polish family side is problematic because Poland is very white and catholic and they never had to deal with other cultures.

I said that before - racism is not just about black people why do you keep bringing that up?

And 'oh they just never saw other cultures' is such a garbage excuse

[Apia resurrected]

It's not an excuse just a fact.

[Apia resurrected]

I'm not a big fan of the polish society and it causes me a little bit of an identity problem.
I know I'm not born in Germany and maybe I'm not remembered every day but still on a regular basis.
It's gotten better with my new name after marriage.
I had so many stupid things said to me in the past. And still my culture of origin, Poland is worse.
Worse for p.o.c, worse for the LGBT community.
So turning to them when I feel not German enough is not a help at all.

I dont want to belong there.

[Lanfear]

Originally Posted by Apia resurrected

It's not an excuse just a fact.

The fact is it's racist - call it that.

[Lanfear]

Originally Posted by Apia resurrected

I'm not a big fan of the polish society and it causes me a little bit of an identity problem.
I know I'm not born in Germany and maybe I'm not remembered every day but still on a regular basis.
It's gotten better with my new name after marriage.
I had so many stupid things said to me in the past. And still my culture of origin, Poland is worse.
Worse for p.o.c, worse for the LGBT community.
So turning to them when I feel not German enough is not a help at all.

I dont want to belong there.

My dear I hate that you have to look like I'm targeting you but the forums are dead and there are not a lot of other people to talk to and even fewer non Americans.

But do you not see how insane that sounds?
I was abused for growing up in a different country but I now have a different last name so I'm ok blending in here and anyway other places are worse?

That's not how to make things better that's how things stay exactly the same and probably go back to worse things.
"Democracy dies in darkness"

[Apia resurrected]

Originally Posted by Lanfear

The fact is it's racist - call it that.

Of course it is. I said it’s very racist.
As I said, it’s worse there than in Germany, and it’s the Culture I both am ashamed of AND the culture I’m from and I’m often seen as a part of it, and was often discriminated because of it.

That’s why it’s complicated for me.

I was often on the receiving end of racism. Or is it xenophobia when it’s two white people?

That’s why I said it’s different in Germany. I don’t know if racism or xenophobia against polish people is a thing in America.

[Apia resurrected]

Originally Posted by Lanfear

My dear I hate that you have to look like I'm targeting you but the forums are dead and there are not a lot of other people to talk to and even fewer non Americans.

But do you not see how insane that sounds?
I was abused for growing up in a different country but I now have a different last name so I'm ok blending in here and anyway other places are worse?

That's not how to make things better that's how things stay exactly the same and probably go back to worse things.
"Democracy dies in darkness"

Im not blending in completely but it’s easier now. And of course it’s easier for me than for people who look more different.
But I’ve heard soooo often that I don’t look German.

And still I feel safe from violence, but not save from stupid things I have to hear from time to time.

A few days ago I met a father of a child on a playground. Our kids were playing.
The man seemed multi racial and was very nice so far.
I talked with him about the kids and other normal stuff. Than he asked me where I was really from because I didn’t look really German. I don’t like those questions and I would never have asked why he didn’t look typically German because who cares.

It makes me feel insecure and like I have to explain myself why I’m there. After I told him I was born in Poland he started saying some generic polish words like the word for beer.

Im sure he tried to be nice or something, or relate to me but I didn’t feel good afterwards. I never know what to say to this kind of remark. Can’t I just exist somewhere without having to explain my heritage to people?

And still I wouldn’t even dare to compare my experience to the experience of others who really suffer.

[Scorpion]

Originally Posted by Apia resurrected

I also sometimes feel guilty because I’m mostly good.
Work ist harder now, but it’s possible and it’s going fine, I’m getting fully paid, so I just don’t complain and am grateful.
Normally I travel a lot and see plenty of people. I have my favorite lunch places and I often go for a swim after work. I enjoy my job.
Now it’s very different.
Everytime I want to complain because I’m on the phone all day sitting at my dining room table staring at the wall, I remember that this is a quite good situation compared to what other people have to go through.

I feel the same that is when I cry for all the people going through some bad times right now. This is not a great time for me but I’m not suffering and thinking of the people who lost there livelihood and how Trump couldn’t give a shot and instead thinks they should literally die to improve the economy... 😢🤬😢

[DeathInGrasp]

Originally Posted by Apia resurrected

Being born in Poland I faced lots of xenophobia in my early days here AND my polish family side is problematic because Poland is very white and catholic and they never had to deal with other cultures.

This is so true. I was born in Poland too, though I’ve lived in the Chicago area since I was 6.

The Chicago Polish Facebook marketplace groups I’m in have been a shitshow of pro cop, openly racist diatribes ever since this all began. The racism runs so deep among many in the polish community. I remember in Poland growing up watching cartoons like Bolek i Lolek where the only POC representation was literally a disgusting caricature of an African person and they were presented as a tribal, foolish, primitive character...

The first time I saw a POC of any kind was at O Hare airport coming into Chicago when my parents immigrated here. An Asian man approached us to ask for directions I think, none of us spoke English, but I just remember staring at him because I’ve never ever seen anyone different from me. In Poland, diversity just meant blonde versus brown hair, lol.