Well, I never had any problems with anyone for anything other than their personality.  But it was hard to get away from racism, because it existed in my own family, even though they tried to pretend it did not.  I still see it everywhere.  It seems that it's difficult not to apply the actions of a group of individuals to the people they represent.  I even began to find that difficult relating to the recent incidents in Jenna.

But perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to draw conclusions from the actions of the cop.  Your son may have just fit the description of someone they were looking for.  That's happened to me more than once back when I was young and dressed like a hesher. 

I think the word "racism" is a very strong and powerful word. I wouldn't consider the actions of the people described in your blog (assuming they were directed toward nationality) to be "racist". I (personally) would classify that as "prejudice" or "stereotypical". To me, the word "racist" means to hate everyone of a particular race.

I think we are all guilty of some form of prejudice or stereotyping. And who can blame us? When I see a black man walking down the street wearing clothes that are 4 sizes to big with a  red bandanna on his head, my first thought will be that he is gang affiliated. Now does that mean I hate all black people? Absolutely not. This man (hypothetical) could very well be a good, honest person who just happens to like to dress like many of his peers. However, in doing so, he must accept the fact that people will judge him based on his appearance. After all, its not everyones fault that a large number of his peers wearing the same attire have set a bad name for him.

The same goes for bikers, skaters, emo-kids, white trash if you will.....the list goes on.

When I go out for a ride on my motorcycle in the middle of winter wearing all black leather, I fully expect to be labeled as "one of those bikers". However I don't blame society. I blame all the drunk idiots on motorcycles doing burn-outs in the parking lot of some local bar after "last call".

I have no doubt in my mind that you (and your son) did nothing to deserve treatment like that. It may very well be that race had nothing to do with it. The point I'm trying to make is that we all are guilty of stereotyping or having some type of prejudice against a group of people at some point in our lives. Unfortunately many of us also become victims of it as well.

As far as racism goes, I truly believe that it is either rare or non-existent.

The only thing that comes to mind is. Why did you allow your 14 year old son out walking in Bakersfield after 10pm?

and there is such thing, STILL, as racism. There are Mexicans who are, there are black people who are , there are white people who are, etc , etc, etc.... still happens. There are people that judge by income, weight, political affiliation, and career as well. Its sad but its still around.

 

Twink, I'm with you....I grew up as a 'gabacho' in Delano, a town with a primarily hispanic population.  The term minority was a direct correlation to quantity and I was definately a minority.  But I didn't think of it like that .  And maybe it was the time period.  It never seemed that there was an issue...There were nice and mean girls and guys, and as it directly related to boys, they were either 'ugly' or 'cute'....lol.

I think racism exists today....but I believe it directly rides the coat-tails of ignorance.  With that in mind, the Color Me Mine lady wasn't just necessarily racist - she was just plain fucking stupid. 

And I hardly think that it's an accurate comparison to consider being "stereotyped" for wearing biker gear the same as being racially stereotyped.  When all other factors EXCEPT for the color of your skin are the same and the term 'stereotype' is involved - it's RACISM.  And ignoring that it exists, to some extent, is the same as enabling it.

yeah, me and my girl are also hispanic (yeah, we arent completely mexican)

we were at the right aid at the marketplace and we were just looking through the isles and whatnot.

some lady, probably the manager, confronted us and told us to come with her to the front of the store.  Me being the person that I am (I can never keep my mouth shut...not for the life of me (maybe thats why i've got this shinner.....but thats a completely different story)), I told her than we would go to the front of the store as soon as we were done buying what we had come to the store for. We only went in to get a lighter because we went to watch a movie and I wanted to smoke a bowl beforehand, but had forgot my lighter, but she didnt know that.  Anyways, so the lady says, "not when you want to.....now". I looked at this lady and gave her a "who the f does this b think she is" look......but my girl said that we should just go.

We weren't goofing around. We weren't being disruptive. We weren't being loud. And we really don't look like shoplifters. This lady totally singled us out for no apparent reason. So I went up to the cashier chick and asked her for a lighter, and asked if that lady was always a bitch like that. She said that she discriminates against hispanics, and to not mind her cuz she was gonna get what was coming to her. I just let it go. The lady stood at the door until we left.

Now I dont know if thats something that they go over in the training videos for RiteAid, but that is some fcuked up stuff. I didnt go into a store to be riddiculed based on my origin.

oh well.....maybe she was upset that we were dressed nice or something...i dont know..

either way, i'm not going to give that place my buisness anymore.

and about the jenna 6. that is some fucked up stuff right there too..

racism is alive and well, my friends. all we can do is teach our children some common courtesy and hope for a better future.

Sorry about what we "whities" do to you all.  But have you looked at the reverse?  I am old, and lived in Bakersfield for 28 years, starting in 1958.  I had business to do in both Delano, and McFarland.  Yes, in those days, there were private physicians and independent pharmacies, and many white people in both towns. The pharmacy in McFarland was owned by a good friend of mine named Ben Ju.  He was Chinese.   As the times changed, Cesar Chavez became more than a Delano high school person. (Dropout or graduate I do not know).  His headquarters were west of town by the "Radio America" radio antennaes.   Now the population has changed.  Bakersfield is 52% "hispanic".  When we shop at places like Costco, we are covered up by large Mexican families, walking five abreast, and speaking Spanish.  I was pushed  (not literately but figuratively) out of the check out line by the cashier, so a person who appeared to be Mexican could be first.   The cashier thanks me in Spanish.  At my doctors' offices, the receptionist speaks to new patients who appear hispanic in Spanish before they say a word.  In Kernville, there are large numbers of "brown" people in the stores who are extemely rude, and wear their baggy pants, colors, and speak Spanish or Hindi.  Most are from LA.   And they are intimidating.  Just as I would feel at the Car show for low-riders, one feels intimidated at my age in my own little town  So, think about the feelings of both sides.  Wait until you try the age discrimination.  We don't wear $200 jeans, and we have gray hair and wrinkles.  We are invisible to young people as they push along with their I-pod or phone stuck on their ear.   As Zero says, courtesy is the key.  Smile, stand back if you need to and get along.  None of us are going away soon.  We hope.

Medic and Rob, actually that is what I was trying to explain to him... YES you don't think you were doing anything wrong. BUT you were breaking curfew and while you kids weren't up to anything bad, most kids that are walking past midnight usually aren't up to anything good. (SEE THAT<--- that's me stereotyping) Which gave the cop a justifiable to reason to stop them.

Why was my son mistreated while the other kids weren't? I don't know. I would like to think it's because he looked older and the "responsible one" of the group? Or maybe because he was the only one that was answering questions and he was easier to talk to? Maybe he was the only one looking him in the eyes so he was the easy target? I don't know. I hope it wasn't racial profiling. But I can't answer that without getting into the cops train of thought.

Everyone else, thanks also, for your responses. Racism/sterotyping/profiling is a very sensitive issue and I appreciate you all keeping your comments articulate and not attacking me or my views!

 

 

I think that racism is absolutely still existant. I know that here in Iowa it is, anyway. When I was a child, I lived in the city until I was 10 years old. My school was a mixture of blacks, hispanics, asians and whites. That was just my way of life. I was friends with many kids of different races, and I never thought twice about it. That is, until my family moved to a small town where NO ONE was anything other than white. Those kids and their parents and grandparents knew nothing about other races, and were so discriminatory when one black family moved to town that they left within a year. Now it's getting better, but as short of a time as 15 years ago, it baffled my 10-year-old mind that people could be so closed-minded.

I wonder if there was more diversity in McFarland I would have experienced racism at an earlier age? Or if it was there but I was too naive to see it? I certainly never felt it.

Then again deusex was from the same/similar community and she says she never felt it either.

One of our daughters lived in and went to school in McFarland.  Her mother, not yet my wife, lived there and worked there too.  She now lives with a black man, and is very social minded, working mostly with disadvantaged and disabled.  I don't know if this is a coincidence or not.  She is in her 50's so the times then were different.  The main employer was McFarland Farms and the McFarland family was a big influence in the town.  My sister-in-law taught 4th grade there for over 30 years, and when she retired she was really tired of the new McFarland and the attitude in the school.

The new attitude in the school? Are you talking about the same issues that N.L. Belardes wrote an article on a while back?

You can click here to read it.

I was just there yesterday and I was thinking how McFarland never changes. But of course I mean growth-wise. What the heck is up with the city council? New homes are being built left and right and the only new business there is a McDonalds.

Neekolas' article had some good info according to what the papers said, and some stories from an individual who disappeared after people began to comment.

In order to get a feel for what's really happening in McFarland, you need to spend some time there - it ain't pretty, and that's sad, because I had a great childhood there..

I agree with Lisslo. Racism is still existant in this world, sad but true. You would think that in this day and age, when every other aspect of our lives are modernized and updated, that people's train of thoughts towards this worlds diversity would change too. I also grew up in a town that was mixed diversity, so I never thought twice about it. Also, my mother taught me that all people are HUMAN BEINGS no matter what their race, gender, nationality, sexual preference,  class, age, or physical appearance. I have raised my son to look at the world the very same way and I am proud to say that he is disgusted and shocked when he sees another person being treated differently based on any of the above. That is the key here, folk, we have to teach our children tolerance. And we also need to teach them to stand up for those who are discriminated against.

 

Twinkie-You did a great writing job on this piece. Be proud.

Daydreamer, that's the kind of household I grew up in too, which is why I guess I didn't realize that racism was a common thing. I thought it only happened in the movies.

My friend Jamie sent me this message and I'm posting it here with her permission:

*(would this be more of discrimination or is it considered racism? I get so confused!)

Unfortunately I have to say that not only do I believe it exists, but I know it does. My friend , who as you know is legally blind faces racism and discrimination every day of her life, in the last month she has applied for 25+ jobs, she has not been hired yet and has only gotten three call backs and two interviews. she is more then qualified, she has her degree in Social Work, and she has been applying at department stores. Even in College her professors and some classmates believed she was lower then them and could not do the course work, but she did she showed them and some day she will show all the ignorant people in the world that the visually challenged and those with other disabilities can do any thing that any one else can do.


~Jamie