Throughout my life I have usually been on the receiving end of racist comments. In eighth grade I had to go to a public school because of moving reasons, and that is where the comments started.
I could honestly say that it was the worst experience in my life. Their were only two oriental kids in my class, I was one of them. The other kid was also Korean, but the catch there was that he was a well known football player. I also played football, but I wasn’t the all-pro quarter back.
Since he was so good and so well know no one ever said a word to him. The first day at Richland(the name of the school which I went to) everyone was nice to me. The first couple days were great ; Everyone was so friendly and willing to accept me. Going into the second week I met this girl Amber, she was beautiful. I was sitting at the lunch table one day and she walked by and I commented on how hot she was.
One kid, who I thought was my friend, said, “Since you are new here, I will let that go.” I responded, “What do you mean?” Chad said, “I like Amber also, and whoever I like no one tries stepping in, do you understand?” “Whatever dude..”, I said. Chad said, “Now Page 2 listen, I like you and it is better off that way.” So naturally I did what I wanted to do, I asked Amber for her number. That weekend Amber and I went out on a date. I sure did have a good time. That following Monday, Chad heard about the date and flipped out. Just after second period I heard someone yell, “HEY CHINK, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!!!!” I sort of had an idea who said it, but I just ignored it and kept walking.
A second later someone pushes me to the floor. I turned around and Chad was standing there. Chad said, “I warned you, you slanted eye piece of shit.” I naturally backed off because it wasn’t worth fighting about. From that point on everyone considered me the “Wimp who can’t stand up for himself.” For the rest of the year my life was a living hell.
The only time anyone talked to me is when someone would make a racist comment. Half way through football season I quit because I was treated like crap from my fellow football members and coach. Later on that year a kid named Matt Flynn made a racial comment. I was in such a bad mood so I punched him in the face. The fight was broken up right away, and we were both sent to the principal’s office. When we got there, I was the one that was punished and Matt was left off with no punishment.
I found out later that week that the principal was racist against Asian people. I had no idea what to do, so I just left it go and Page 3 told no one. Both my parents and the school guidance counselor noticed that I was having some problems. I refused to tell anyone what was a matter, and I told everyone just to leave me alone. That was the first time that I ever contemplated suicide. I felt like I was the most worthless thing in the world.
I didn’t know what to do. I was not only having problems in school, I was also having family problems. I heard my parents say things about me that I thought I would never hear in my life. Later that night I sat in my room with my dad’s 357 pistol. The gun was loaded and I contemplated why should I not kill myself, I had every reason to. Then I started thinking about who in my life really cared.
Memories of my father and I going hunting, the good times my cousin Greg and I had together, and the things that my two brothers, Ben and Dave, have done for me. About a month later, I looked at everyone that pick on me. I noticed that the kids, I went to school with at Richland, were totally ignorant about racism. The kids at Richland were never taught what discrimination could do to someone, mentally and physically. In the world today, their are a variety of stereotypes put on all races. Ignorance is the origin of these stereotypes.
Kids today should be educated on what racial discrimination could do to someone. Page 4 In Ronald Takaki’s article A Different Mirror he says “‘..white Americans will become a minority group'”(p. 334). “By 2056, most Americans will trace their descent to ‘Africa, Asia, the Hispanic world, the Pacific Islands, Arabia-almost anywhere but white Europe.’ This dramatic change in our nation’s ethnic composition is altering the way we think about ourselves”(p.334). People today are scared of what they don’t know ; they are scared of what might happen to them and of change. “‘ The deeper significance of America’s becoming a majority nonwhite society is what it means to the national psyche, to individuals’ sense of themselves and their nation – their idea of what it is to be American'”(p. 334).
“Certainly one crucial way is for our society’s various ethnic groups to develop a greater understanding of each other”(p. 337). Majority of the people today do have some sort of discrimination. Some are against homosexuals, African Americans, Jews, Asians, and other races that are different from oneself. Just because someone looks different than someone else, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are different.
I am half Korean myself, and I dated a white American girl who didn’t even know that I was Korean, until she met my mom. People should be educated so that they understand that other races are actually very much alike.
