Racism revisited

I had talked about discrimination in an earlier post, but I would have to say that over the last few days, non-white contract workers recieve the lion-share of racist behaviors of the people who work here. Students use "nigger" when talking to their teachers. A student said that in my class at the beginning of the year, to the chuckles of students. They quickly stopped when they saw my face. "That is not funny at all. That is a word that hurts people, and is very bad. You should not say that word." "Oh, I didn't know. They use it in rap songs." Well, I believed that it was their ignorance. Not anymore.
 

We had no idea that such images could be viewed as racist!

A colleague of mine, a black Muslim man in his 60's from a country to the south, who I respect very highly and who I enjoy talking to, told me of two incidents that happened in recent months. One was when students (plural) told him to go and learn English. He said "where should I go?" and they said "a coconut tree." Another time, he entered the elevator and a student greeted him by hooting like a monkey. How can this be merely "ignorance"? That the comparison between black teachers and simians is made not just once, but many times, to black teachers throughout the school? Some of these teachers are easily identifiable as Muslims, but that does not provide any safeguard.

The racist language use extends to behavior towards migrant workers in general. Migrant workers, those from the near Middle East like Egypt, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, are routinely talked to in informal, ordering tones. It is awkward for me, to say the least, when this behavior is shown by children toward adults 5 and 10 times older than they are. The most demeaning attitudes are shown to those of Philippino and especially Indonesian descent. Somehow, some people here are raised with an attitude of extreme entitlement. That their needs are of immediate primacy and urgency, and that if you are of non-Saudi descent, you should simply step aside and let your "better" have his place.

Yesterday, I had a conflict with a Saudi student. I was in line, and was ordering my food at the cafeteria counter. A Saudi (maybe 18 years old), steps up beside me out of nowhere, and starts banging the glass and the top of the counter, demanding an extra piece of chicken. I looked at him, and said "What are you doing? I am ordering, please wait." He looked at me, and then continued to demand his chicken. The counter staff, having been trained to give Saudis whatever they want when they want it, handed him his chicken. Then I raised my voice another notch and said his behavior was rude and that he should have waited. The student made a gesture with his hand and some comment in Arabic, and with a smirk on his face, ambled off. Others in the line, who were from Northern African / Levantine I guess, looked at me with something like pity mixed with astonishment. I was fuming. Yet, I have seen this in banks, where Saudis walk right up to the window bypassing 20 people in line, because they are better than some mere "migrant." You see it every day with the driving: I am entitled to this lane, I am entitled to get ahead of you, your safety or welfare is of no concern to me.

These attitudes need to change. Mark my words: the oil will run out one day. The Americans will not be here forever. Making enemies of those around you because of your riches is not a sustainable strategy. Modesty, kindness, tolerance, generosity - those are the virtues of the belief system which finds its origin in this country. Remember your heritage. Think about who you are supposed to be.