Racism is rife in New Zealand

[GoldenPeriod]

Chink, gook, slit eyes, nip, jap…

Words that have cut through me, and left an indelible mark that I cannot wipe away. These words have caused me to hate my culture, reject my roots and have left me feeling abandoned and isolated.

I know that they’re only words, but they’ve come from people – children and adults – who don’t even know me, who would probably laugh if they only knew that I don’t speak any language other than English, that I can’t use chopsticks correctly, and that I have a Chinese name which I can’t even pronounce.

Yes. I fail at being Chinese.

But while I’ve always considered myself a New Zealander, others may not see me in the same way, which is why I’ll always be on the periphery.

I learnt about racism and the shame of being “different” from a young age.

“Go back to where you came from, you f...ing chink!”

The boy with red hair and large freckles proceeds to hoik in my face. I struggle to wipe away the thick, green globule of mucous as it drips down my eye and onto my cheek. I am five years old, and it’s my first day of school. I had never known that I was different, never had a clue that I didn’t belong here. Until that day.

This was the first of many racist encounters that I’ve experienced throughout my life, and all here – in New Zealand, the place of my birth.

I also recall, as a teenager, my then-boyfriend’s mother expressing her disdain whenever she’d hear Asians speaking “loudly, in their own language”, along with other passing comments – “All Asians have flat heads.”

But racism is here. It’s rife. It’s maybe not part of your everyday, but I’ve felt it, and I’m aware of it, in mine. It’s the reason I’ll never be considered a real New Zealander – and why I’ll always be on the periphery, looking from the outside in.

http://thewireless.co.nz/themes/home/a-grain-of-truth-racism-exists-in-new-zealand

She should ask Leongsam about how many incidents he has had....

 

[spotter542]

Leongsam will tell her ang moh are the best
White trash all over the globe are the same racist assholes
They are only nice to ladies because they wanna bed them :oIo:

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Here is something very important you have to know. Racism is only offensive depending on who is the perp of racism and who is the victim if racism.

In this story it shows a chinese a victim of ang moh racism and most ppl in here won't feel sorry for him.


The only way to make more ppl feel sorry is to make an ang moh guy in a chinese majority country in which if he complains some chinese girl didn't smile at him and behave like a whore to him she's racist more ppl would sympathsize with him.

To gain maximum sympathy from this episode he should have written that he isn't exactly chinese but more like a malay type of chinese or a malay steeped in chinese culture and those ppl that make those racist remarks at him in NZ aren't actually pure ang moh but more like ang moh looking chinese.

There! now you will garner maximum sympathy. Remember if you are chinese you are somehow supposed to be racially abused in ang moh countries and you will be higher up the hierachy if you cannot speak your own native tongue.

 

[laksaboy]

Contrary to the hype, Singapore is actually quite a racist country, albeit in more subtle ways. Also, if you're an ethnic Chinese, you won't feel it that much, as you're part of the majority (for now).

Racism is everywhere in this world. Deal with it. Highlighting the perceived flaws of other countries to make Singapore look comparatively good ('PAP govt did a brilliant job, we are blessed and thus must be grateful and count our blessings and not complain so much') is highly asinine.

 

[Leongsam]

She should ask Leongsam about how many incidents he has had....

As a member of a minority race growing up in Singapore, I have experienced much more racism in sinkieland than I have ever experienced in Australia or New Zealand.

It started when I was in Kindergarten and continued throughout my school years. At work, it was more covert but it was still there.

All the racist comments and taunts were invariably from the Chinese. The Malays and Indians were never a problem as they were probably on the receiving end too and knew how it felt.

When middle east terrorism started rearing its ugly head in the 70s and 80s, I was frequently taunted for being a terrorist because of my Persian roots despite the fact that Iran has nothing whatsoever to do with the Arab states where the problem originates and that none of my ancestors was a Muslim.

Racists exist in all countries but for some reason, Chinese Singaporeans think that every other country is racist but their own habit of referring to minorities as "dogs" and "devils" is perfectly acceptable.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Contrary to the hype, Singapore is actually quite a racist country, albeit in more subtle ways. Also, if you're an ethnic Chinese, you won't feel it that much, as you're part of the majority (for now).

Racism is everywhere in this world. Deal with it. Highlighting the perceived flaws of other countries to make Singapore look comparatively good ('PAP govt did a brilliant job, we are blessed and thus must be grateful and count our blessings and not complain so much') is highly asinine.

Can list some examples? I always read about that but nope never hear a single example. I understand like if a chinese auntie doesn't smile at a non chinese in a shop that's racism right?

 

[GoldenPeriod]

Racists exist in all countries but for some reason, Chinese Singaporeans think that every other country is racist but their own habit of referring to minorities as "dogs" and "devils" is perfectly acceptable.

It doesn't matter.

Even if Singapore was the most racist country in the world, it would not make a practicable difference to a native Chinese living in Singapore. Just as say Italians might discriminate against blacks from East Africa, if you mention it to an average Italian, he would simply shrug. He is an Italian living in Italy, a native living in his own country. While he personally might find racist behaviour reprehensible and does not engage in it, it does not affect him personally, he has no vested interest in the matter and would not go out campaigning on it unless he was a do gooder or crazed human rights activist. It's the same when most straight people encounter homosexual issues.

In life we have a choice. No matter how pristine the mountains and lakes or miles of undulating green countryside New Zealand or any country might appear to have, most people would not choose to be racially abused unless they are into BDSM.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Chink, gook, slit eyes, nip, jap…

Words that have cut through me, and left an indelible mark that I cannot wipe away. These words have caused me to hate my culture, reject my roots and have left me feeling abandoned and isolated.

I know that they’re only words, but they’ve come from people – children and adults – who don’t even know me, who would probably laugh if they only knew that I don’t speak any language other than English, that I can’t use chopsticks correctly, and that I have a Chinese name which I can’t even pronounce.

Yes. I fail at being Chinese.

But while I’ve always considered myself a New Zealander, others may not see me in the same way, which is why I’ll always be on the periphery.

I learnt about racism and the shame of being “different” from a young age.

“Go back to where you came from, you f...ing chink!”

The boy with red hair and large freckles proceeds to hoik in my face. I struggle to wipe away the thick, green globule of mucous as it drips down my eye and onto my cheek. I am five years old, and it’s my first day of school. I had never known that I was different, never had a clue that I didn’t belong here. Until that day.

This was the first of many racist encounters that I’ve experienced throughout my life, and all here – in New Zealand, the place of my birth.

I also recall, as a teenager, my then-boyfriend’s mother expressing her disdain whenever she’d hear Asians speaking “loudly, in their own language”, along with other passing comments – “All Asians have flat heads.”

But racism is here. It’s rife. It’s maybe not part of your everyday, but I’ve felt it, and I’m aware of it, in mine. It’s the reason I’ll never be considered a real New Zealander – and why I’ll always be on the periphery, looking from the outside in.

http://thewireless.co.nz/themes/home/a-grain-of-truth-racism-exists-in-new-zealand

She should ask Leongsam about how many incidents he has had....

Contrary to the hype, Singapore is actually quite a racist country, albeit in more subtle ways. Also, if you're an ethnic Chinese, you won't feel it that much, as you're part of the majority (for now).

Racism is everywhere in this world. Deal with it. Highlighting the perceived flaws of other countries to make Singapore look comparatively good ('PAP govt did a brilliant job, we are blessed and thus must be grateful and count our blessings and not complain so much') is highly asinine.

Guys i want you to read the 1st post and see everything i have highlighted in red. Let's count the number of specific racist incidents that is listed out. Yup it's 5 but take note he summarizes all of it and doesn't list out every single incident but we have a rough idea of what type of racism he faces. Insults, getting spat in the face, being told to go back from where he comes from etc. At least we know what type of abuse he faces.

Now look at laksaboy's post. He says singapore is quite racist which means in comparison to NZ it isn't less racist but it's in more subtle ways so it probably isn't in your face so it's underground i suppose which means there isn't a problem cos they aren't concerned about the racism that ppl have in their heads but what they actually do and say. Anyway take note of laksayboy's post he has ZERO examples. Yup he claims singapore is racist but has ZERO examples to prove it.

Yet somehow we are supposed to believe singapore is quite a racist country.

I will give a reason as to why nobody ever dares to give an example of racism in singapore. Because it's plain childish and stupid. Small stupid silly things like the chinese auntie in the shop didn't smile at the customer who obviously has to be non chinese ignoring the fact that the chinese auntie probably doesn't smile at the chinese customers either. You know absoultely harmless and stupid things like meeting a rude or unfriendly person and they will complain that it's racism ignoring the fact that chinese ppl also encounter such incidents from chinese and non chinese.

Now that you know of such incidents you will know why ppl that claim there is racism in singapore never ever give a single example. Why doesn't laksaboy say you know that chinese guy made fun of the malay by calling him m&d because it's stupid and harmless and that chinese guy probably gets called babi by the malay but it's fine.

Don't tolerate BS like this and another example is by leongsam who now claims if you think it in your head you are equally as racist as the ang mohs that do it (take note it only applies to chinese) So if a chinese person thinks of murdering that person and eating his family only in his mind he is more racist than hitler.

 

[Leongsam]

It doesn't matter.

Even if Singapore was the most racist country in the world, it would not make a practicable difference to a native Chinese living in Singapore.

That's my point exactly. The majority race does not notice the racism until they move somewhere else where they become the minority.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

That's my point exactly. The majority race does not notice the racism until they move somewhere else where they become the minority.

Can point it out to the majority since they don't notice it? Any incident? Anything? How come ppl can point it out in NZ like spitting in the face and calling them racist names but not in singapore?

 

[Leongsam]

Can point it out to the majority since they don't notice it? Any incident? Anything? How come ppl can point it out in NZ like spitting in the face and calling them racist names but not in singapore?

Racism is more than just physical confrontation.

Racism in Singapore is part of government policy. Your race determines what sort of job you get, where you can buy a flat, where you'll be posted to for NS etc.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Racism is more than just physical confrontation.

Racism in Singapore is part of government policy. Your race determines what sort of job you get, where you can buy a flat, where you'll be posted to for NS etc.

That isn't racism then and it also affects chinese. The poor chinese that cannot be sent to the police force but to the very xiong armor unit. The poor chinese that has to stay in geylang serai and cannot get the ground floor HDB unit.

Yup chinese suffer a lot. I am sure many chinese want to be in the police or CD but get sent to armor or commandos do you feel sorry for them?

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Racism is more than just physical confrontation.

Racism in Singapore is part of government policy. Your race determines what sort of job you get, where you can buy a flat, where you'll be posted to for NS etc.

One more thing stop using govt policy as and try to pass it off as racism. If that's the case all races suffer. The 1st post shows a majority race that is hostile to the minority and the rules should be the same it's different from govt policies affecting race and all races get affected. Compare apples to apples.

 

[Leongsam]

One more thing stop using govt policy as and try to pass it off as racism. If that's the case all races suffer. The 1st post shows a majority race that is hostile to the minority and the rules should be the same it's different from govt policies affecting race and all races get affected. Compare apples to apples.

If a Chinese kid in NZ is called a "slit eyed chink" on a daily basis, that is racism.

My nick name in school was "red haired dog" because my hair was a light brown when I was younger.

There was an incident at school when I was pelted with plastic bags full of water from a balcony above along with a torrent of racist taunts.

As for excluding government and company policy from your definition of racism, all I can say is that you're tying to define racism in your own terms far removed from reality. Policy is even worse than taunts.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

If a Chinese kid in NZ is called a "slit eyed chink" on a daily basis, that is racism.

My nick name in school was "red haired dog" because my hair was a light brown when I was younger.

There was an incident at school when I was pelted with plastic bags full of water from a balcony above along with a torrent of racist taunts.

As for excluding government and company policy from your definition of racism, all I can say is that you're tying to define racism in your own terms far removed from reality. Policy is even worse than taunts.

wow serious? you should have mentioned that earlier then someone would feel sorry for you. BTW what sort of racist taunts did they call you? I am sure you don't look like a typical ang moh so what sort of names can Singapore kids call you? oh yes were the kids Chinese? you do know not only Chinese have black hair but so do Malays and Indians.

look there is a big difference in govt policy that you deem racist and the racism that is written here so let's try not to deviate. If we wanted to talk about govt policy in nz that is racist why are the schools there in English and not in some other language? that sounds racist to me. Read the first post again and see his issue is on a personal level but if it was on a national or corporate level he probably wouldn't become CEO of an NZ company cos of his race or maybe become PM of NZ cos of his race. That is racist but it isn't the issue discussed here which is incidents of racist people he meets and too will find that in Singapore you won't get that as much as in western countries.

Also I believe that in the earlier years of Singapore the races went to school together so I just find it so weird ppl would target you. Were they Chinese? let's be honest not only Chinese can be racist

 

[CheeByeKiaTonyChat]

If a Chinese kid in NZ is called a "slit eyed chink" on a daily basis, that is racism.

My nick name in school was "red haired dog" because my hair was a light brown when I was younger.

There was an incident at school when I was pelted with plastic bags full of water from a balcony above along with a torrent of racist taunts.

As for excluding government and company policy from your definition of racism, all I can say is that you're tying to define racism in your own terms far removed from reality. Policy is even worse than taunts.

Kudos to your abusers.

They already know being a dog is something in your nature. Young time is AngMor Dog, now is PAP Dog. :kma:

 

[hockbeng]

Racism is more than just physical confrontation.

Racism in Singapore is part of government policy. Your race determines what sort of job you get, where you can buy a flat, where you'll be posted to for NS etc.

Racism is purely physical confrontation; esp if its a stranger.
I couldn't careless about the rest / hidden racism.

don't want to friend then don't friend lor!

 

[looneytan]

As a member of a minority race growing up in Singapore, ......

Leong is a m&d !

Leong Samaruddin bin Buang !

 

[yellowarse]

Leong is a m&d !

Leong Samaruddin bin Buang !

Boss is a Baha'i lah, tracing his ancestry to north India and prior to that, Persia.

 

[Agoraphobic]

Racism and bigotry exists everywhere, to different degrees. We can't stop or prevent people from feeling a certain way about others, whether they are the "same" kind or not. People will have different attitudes and views based on their upbringing, exposure, circumstances. That is individual attitude, how far they are allowed to take this depends on the law. Example, you can dislike somebody, but you cannot hit him. However when it is a national, federal, or state policy that forms or causes differentiation, that is racism, or bigotry. Examples of this is like disallowing certain races admission into certain fields of work, education, medical attention, etc.

As for treatment of others, I suggest to live by the golden rule, "Do unto others as you wish them do unto you." Simple.

Cheers!