That reminds me of this paragraph from Robert Harris’s novel Fatherland, set in a victorious Nazi Germany.
…the swampy frontiers of the German race were patrolled by those less confident of their blood-worthiness. Insecurity breeds good border guards. The knock-kneed Franconian schoolmaster, ridiculous in his Lederhosen, the Bavarian shopkeeper with his pebble glasses, the red-haired Thuringian accountant with a nervous tic and a predilection for the younger members of the Hitler Youth; the lame and the ugly, the runts of the national litter – these were the loudest defenders of the Volk.
I have a bias when it comes to medical pros. It’s a positive stereotype of Asians and South Asians and a negative stereotype of middle aged white men. I know where it comes from; my first positive experiences after years of physical and medical trauma were with an older Asian doctor and her South Asian nurse. I don’t pretend that this woman has a history (other than racism) that is influencing her bias, but my bias is just as blatant and could prevent me from getting the “best” care. But, as a mental health provider, I also know that patients must trust and feel affinity for their care providers in order for care to be effective (numerous studies about relationship & “bedside manner” support this). So, while her racism is abhorrent to me, I also understand her desire to be with a care provider she feels can relate to her better (though I doubt that’s really the motivation or that she could articulate it that way). Ugh. Such a bummer.
It’s interesting. While there’s obviously still a white majority as a group in the GTA, they are now less than half of the population here as a whole. Because of this, I think they’ve missed their chance to protest the growing multicultural tapestry that our area is increasingly woven from - there’s no going back now.
Which is in stark contrast to most of northern Ontario, which is very much white-only. I have no doubt this has lead to (and will continue to lead to) “community” issues in government of the GTA versus the rest of the province that are really just thinly-disguised racial issues, thinly veiled. But when 50% of the province’s population (and a sixth of the overall population of Canada) lives in the GTA, you’re going to have a hard time making your case that your community should stay “white”.
I suppose this is the London-vs-the-UK issue as well, very likely for many of the same reasons.
Agreed, though I think that’s a matter of perspective, since to many, especially those who aren’t white, it’s more of a pain in the ass, at best, and at other times, a signficant danger.
Which is not say that the rest of your comment isn’t informative, and er, interesting.
Again, I know plenty of deeply unhappy people and they still manage to not be so blatantly racists. I think these are two separate issues. Does her apparently unhappiness excuse shitty behavior, even if it explains it? And there are plenty of happy and satisfied people who are also racist. Racism is not a response to terrible conditions, it’s a pervasive ideology that seeks to divide human being from each other based on superficial criteria.
Yes, what possible reason could African Americans have for not trusting white people? I mean, they’re clearly delusional and strange, because clearly, they’ve never been discriminated against like ever. /s
Yeah, a woman requesting a female doctor is exactly the same as a white bigot loudly demanding a white doctor with clean teeth and perfect Canadian English.
A quick search on doctors and sexual assault brings up cases of doctors commiting sexual assault mostly against women patients. A quick search on doctors and racist abuse brings up cases where patients have commited violence and/or racist abuse towards doctors.
@Mindysan33 I didn’t call anyone delusional. I just thought it was rude but by just continuing to be myself, which is polite and friendly, things changed eventually. Please don’t assign anger to my post that wasn’t there to begin with.
