RACISM

03_I am an Asian

Today, just like any other day, I was walking on the street, just like anyone else around there. Nothing out of ordinary, nothing unusually outstanding. Yet someone just had to pull himself and say it.

'Nihao'

I didn't know him. He didn't know me. I was just walking by, I hadn't even bothered to look at him when I walked past him. I'm not Chinese. I have nothing against China or Chinese people or their language. But I genuinely do not understand why. Why?

Why do I need to be called by something I' not?

Why did that person have to speak up to a complete stranger to tell me something I'm not? Why did he?
Even if I really was a Chinese. What reason does he have to call a random person walking by, by that? Why?

Why do I have to be in such a vulnerable position? Why do I have to go over the stressful feeling of being denominated by something, someone or some quality I'm not, by someone I barely know?

Why do immigrants have to suffer this just because they are not in their home country? Where are we supposed to feel safe? Why do some people hate us so much? Why?

I have heard this kind of things (calling me chinese, japanese, etc) a lot in my life. I can even say I'm used to it. But whenever I get treated this way, I protest. I complain. I get angry. Maybe not always at that person who told me it (for my own safety), but at least to the people who think it's obvious for people like us to get treated in such manners. For people who, also being a stranger, takes it as something normal, casual, a part of their lives. I try to tell them that it's not right, it's not okay, it's not normal. Not for me, not for them. But for all the other people who also fight against it. For all the other people who suffer more terrible things than me. So as not to make their fights not worth it. To not justify their actions as something casual, or a normal reaction towards strangers. What's wrong, it's wrong. And we are waiting for a change here.

Maybe this "change" might sound so far to reach. But I know this change is in progress; I'm glad to also be part of this progess.

I'm so sure about this "change" that I believe it's happening, because I've seen it. I've seen it happen- a couple of weeks ago, a tuesday afternoon. I was returning home via public transport, with a friend of mine, also Asian. We were two stations away from our destination, and we were standing near the doorway- there were no free seats. When the train was arriving to the station, a man got up and stood in front of the door; my friend got away from the doorways as to not desturb, leaving the man situated there in between us, in front of the door. Then came a man. I could tell he was a bit drunk- he was something like walking, trying to pass by. I didn't look at him, until he came by and stood close to us. He took both of his hands to his face, and looking at both of us (me and my friend), he stretched his eyes to the sides, saying "Chinas, chinas" (in Spanish). He laughed to himself while I looked at him with disgust and quite annoyed and then walked away. I then looked at my friend, who didn't seem to mind it that much. Then look at the man who had been standing there the whole time, who was slowly shooking his head, looking slightly frustrated as well. When he caught my eye, he kept shooking his head, and said, "Don't worry. He doesn't know what he's doing".

I wasn't really 'worrying' or being depressed for having been treated in a racist manner. Yet his words really got me. I couldn't forget his words even after getting home. The fact that someone, a not-stranger had in a way defended me, my feelings, and felt the furry with me meant a lot to me. And that he had managed to express it and tell me it. I appreciated it really, a lot, and felt so thankful for him, who had the courage to console and empathize.

I wanted to talk about the little things, yet it seems like there are still some basic things that people aren't still conscious of. In case you didn't know, calling random people by some prejudicial words is a very disrespectful and unthoghtful thing to do. Everyone deserves to be respected. Everyone deserves to walk on the street without receiving a mean commentary.
Please remember this, the smallest of your actions can be a huge consolidation to somebody.
Anyone can help make the world be a better place with a little bit of courage and small actions. Anyone can leave a great motivation and influence people with their wise actions.

We can all help make the world a better place, and not just leave it as a dream, a utopia, an idealist's fantasy.

For all the people who have, are looking for or had the couragr to make the step for the world to become an ideal place, I give thanks to all of your actions and hope you can keep it up.