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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

[besen @ besen] "I'm a black man in my mid-20s, and by all accounts, I'm a relatively normal p..."

"


I'm a black man in my mid-20s, and by all accounts, I'm a relatively normal person. I wear a suit-and-tie to work, I follow basic decorum and etiquette, and I do my best to look non-threatening.


And yet, not a week goes by without an Austrian making an insensitive or outright racist remark. In the subway, on the street, in clubs and bars.


Example #1: I had two police men harass and insult me for 30 minutes for jaywalking (while other people jaywalked in plain sight). When I told them to simply ticket me, as I was late for work, they chided: "Yeah, another Schwarze late for his janitor job." After I showed them my Legitimationkarte, which indicates my employer, they shut up and apologized profusely.


Example #2: Two weeks ago, I was on the U6 Ubahn headed for Floridsdorf. As I sat across from an old woman, I couldn't help but notice her staring. She stared at me--without breaking eye contact--for five stations! Eventually, I pull my earbuds out and ask if I can help her with something. Her response: "Ich habe noch nie einen Affen in einem Anzug gesehen"


"

How to handle racism in Vienna


[Reposted from elpollodiablo via darksideofthemoon ]




by besen via MyTFMRSS

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