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<p>Perhaps we white people all look the same.</p>
<p>About power: how about center ring in this argument?
Maybe we cut off the attention supply?</p>
<p>A male, screen-named Evita Peron, claiming so much authority- and so many positive traits and accomplishments, so many experiences in the US (Des Moines! Richmond! Portland ME!) that he/she knows what’s what. What is the line about risperidol?</p>
<p>We’ve fed this poster too much. He or she needs to get back to work.</p>
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<p>Other people in the US have it worse. Other people in your state and
city have it worse. Do you have any concept of feeling fortunate?</p>
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<p>Having a better job is a product of character. Family, wealth and
connections can help but it does come down to character.</p>
<p>'And many native English speakers demonstrate their lack of command of English on cover letters as well."</p>
<p>You speak the truth.</p>
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<p>It’s an anti-psychotic and it’s also used to treat depression.</p>
<p>The OP already admits to episodes of distorted perception. Perhaps this topic is just part of that.</p>
<p>Oh, and BTW, the OP claims to have lived in Cape Elizabeth, not Portland. For those who don’t realize, this is akin to the difference between living in Darien, CT and NYC. Cape is an overwhelmingly white suburb, historically the wealthiest one in the state. I personally know kids of Asian descent who grew up there, and yes, they occasionally did encounter an idiot child who taunted them for being Asian. (The same idiot child probably taunted other kids for being fat or wearing glasses, but apparently the OP would not have noticed that.) At Portland High School, something like 50 languages are spoken, and the city has very visible populations of Vietnamese, Cambodian, Korean, Indian, Somalian, Sudanese…you name it…non-white immigrants and refugees. Those populations have begun to move into the American mainstream as small shopkeepers and so forth. The Vietnamese seem to dominate the nail salon business. (Now there’s a stereotype…) These people were preceded by refugees from conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. Before that there were the well-documented travails of the French Canadians. I come into contact with all of these people in a variety of ways, since I frequently shop in Asian markets (where I am usually the only white customer at any given moment) and I encounter them doing Census work.</p>
<p>Maine is one of the whitest states in the union, but the picture of Portland the OP would have you believe is false. Frankly, in some jobs here one is as likely to encounter discrimination in hiring if one is “from away” and doesn’t have a Maine accent. :)</p>
<p>BC, perhaps the kindest thing could be not to engage him in arguments. I am done. But, I want to say how nice to end on the thoughts Consolation’s post evokes- a country that welcomes and somehow attempts to support and integrate. I know all the difficult aspects, the struggles, the failures, overwhelming community burdens and culture issues, from academic and personal perspectives. Not questoning that. Regret many backwards ways that persist. But, it’s not all sour.</p>
<p>My own family were immigrants who believed hard work and education were what it took to jump on the moving train. I say “moving train” becase there was no expectation of easy assimilation or equal results in some short frame. The train didn’t wait for them or hold the door open. The expectation was hard work and smarts. And, the commitment and hope for incremental progress. I find it heartening- not disheartening- to find new generations willing to endure in hopes of bettering their futures.</p>
<p>Not now, not professionally, but in my academic years, not surprisingly, my focus was assimilation and the retention of original cultural notes.</p>
<p>OP-SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP, WE CAN’T HELP YOU ON A COLLEGE ADVICE WEBSITE. You’re trying to prove to the world, on CC, how exceptionally brilliant and intelligent you are by wasting time citing old studies on racism perceived towards you. You want people here to acknowledge your brilliance to feed your ego. </p>
<p>You’re on CC trying to disprove and discredit people who are trying to give YOU helpful suggestions from your original posted question, but whom you perceive as less intelligent. I really feel sorry for you. You’re not embracing life! You don’t understand some of the sarcasm, posted here by others, because of your need to feed off of the negative vibe you’re generating.</p>
<p>It’s obvious by your rantings that you need some serious professional Mental Health help. What you perceive as racism in ALL of society towards you, appears to be a reflection of your own paranoia and insecurities. No wonder people don’t want to hire you!!!</p>
<p>Find a friend, outside of the computer, and go have some Decaf or herbal tea. Then call a local clinic for a referral.</p>
<p>Me: Californian Mexican-american with a very long mexican name and I appear asian-looking. Born & raised in US in very poor barrio. Didn’t change my name even though my husband’s caucasian name could be assimilated. No problems in my “professional” interviews because I’ve always been told that my infectious laughter, personality and demeanor clinched the job. </p>
<p>I work daily with MFT’s, Psych’s, MSW’s in a clinical setting. I’m not an expert in the field of mental health but I know when to refer to professional allied mental health experts. Good Luck. My two cents: don’t change your name, it’s you and SMILE-its contagious and doesn’t cost a cent!</p>
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<p>All whites feel the same? That’s interesting. BTW, having never lived in Maine, how is that my “native environment”?</p>
<p>One of my co-workers is from a very rural part of Maine. You will never find a more gracious, inclusive, generous, race-blind human being in your life.</p>
<p>Meeting people as individuals, rather than as representatives of groups would be a better thing.</p>
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<p>One does not need a study from a serious social scientist to confirm the above is the case. </p>
<p>I can vouch for Evitaperon’s account that the Lexington Ave line has much better service/conditioned fleet cars than the 7 line…especially back in the mid’90s and before. I rode the Lexington ave line every weekday to commute to/from junior high/high school and rode the 7 line several times a month to visit family friends and classmates in Flushing and Corona. The former not only had better A/C…but didn’t break down nearly as often as the latter. </p>
<p>I also recalled reading that the 7 line has had the dubious distinction of being one of the worst serviced lines in the MTA system as recently as the mid’00s. Even now…there’s usually not much of a wait for a Lexington ave line even on the weekends. On the 7 line…not so much. </p>
<p>Saw this pattern also in the marked changes in the L line. Back in the '80s and early-mid '90s, the L train used to also be one of the most poorly serviced lines with an abundance of old cars in its fleet prone to frequent breakdowns. A reason why most of the more clued in Stuy freshmen learned that it was often better to walk the few blocks down from Union Sq rather than transfer to the L. Not too surprising back then considering the L ran through mostly working-class/immigrant enclave neighborhoods with little/no political clout in city/state politics. </p>
<p>Nowadays, the L is an exemplar of above-average/excellent service with state-of-the-art cars in the fleet, prioritization of station modernization, and much more frequent/reliable service. Not too surprising considering Williamsburg has been gentrified by a heavy influx of increasingly well-off upper/upper-middle class suburbanites with the wealth and political clout to get those changes introduced. </p>
<p>Moreover, you’d rarely encounter of the same type/frequency of problems I’ve seen/heard about on the 7 line on the Queens Blvd lines. No surprise as unlike the 7 line…the Queens Blvd lines run through some pretty ritzy upper/upper-middle class neighborhoods with great political clout. </p>
<p>I should also say that not all issue activists are necessarily adequately informed…especially with firsthand on the ground grass roots information…much less experts. Some of the activists I’ve met/worked with from high school onwards were some of the most self-aggrandizing, ill-informed, clueless ranters I’ve ever met. In short…activists are just as likely to be as ill-informed as the inexperienced layperson.</p>
<p>Especially if said activist lives in an area far removed from the region in question…whether it is the posh suburbs/exurbs or a borough that has far more in common with a neighboring state’s suburban population…whether its sharing of subway lines, resentful attitudes against other NYC residents*…especially non-Whites, and more than the rest of the city. </p>
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<li>Expressed attitudes of this type are remarkably similar to those expressed by my Uncle and his neighbors in a posh upper-middle class northern NJ suburb.</li>
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<p>I also know an entire family from rural Maine. </p>
<p>While they were all gracious, they also understood and admitted that a substantial portion of their ~98% White state can be quite clueless and sometimes even intolerant against those of a different race/religion.</p>
<p>Cobrat, I am a transportation expert in the entire region. That’s how it works. Transportation is interconnected. I am going to ignore how ignorant and uninformed you are because you are entitled to be whatever you want and God bless you for at least being interesting if incorrect.</p>
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And the question is not whether but why. Evita’s allegations were and are false. You are, as usual, unable to follow a thread.</p>
<p>Amnesie, the sample size was 6000 - I believe that’s a big enough sample.</p>
<p>I’ve heard enough tales from my half-Japanese sister-in-law to understand there is plenty of discrimination in this country. On the other hand, not every stare is discrimination, I think it’s important to assume the best and not make yourself miserable. All those people who assumed I was the secretary years ago? They were all suitably embarrassed by their assumptions, but I didn’t let it bother me.</p>
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<p>Yes, many people may be looking at something that they’ve never seen before.</p>
<p>I don’t assume discrimination though sometimes being stared at can be uncomfortable. It’s okay when I play tennis though.</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t be that absolute in your denunciation. Rather, the causes of such differences in allocation of public services whether they’re subways, road repairs, or other public services has to do with which neighborhoods/regions have the most political clout. </p>
<p>Whether you want to deny it or not, the ones with the most political clout don’t tend to be those with mostly working-class/poor or immigrant enclaves. </p>
<p>I saw this not only from growing up in NYC and riding the subway in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx from the time I was 6…but also from observing the same patterns while living in other cities/towns and doing research on how public services are allocated and how the degree to which they are allocated in different neighborhoods/areas for a poli-sci seminar. </p>
<p>Hint: The level of socio-economic status and/or racial makeup/immigrant status of local residents does factor into the degree of political clout a given neighborhood commands in influencing allocations of public services and prioritization of delivery.</p>
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<p>Assume the best? Has common courtesy/etiquette changed so much that no one is taught that staring at someone else is rude unless the one being stared at acted in an unbecoming or rude manner first?</p>
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Yes they do. Without question. The only issue is the why. And with regard to the specific train at issue, the answer is NOT race. If you would like to discuss this in great detail, I am happy to do so with you. I have information and access that you don’t.</p>
<p>Yeah, frankly it’s rude to stare at anyone, unless they’re an actor on-stage or something in that line.</p>
<p>It’s also possible that recent immigrants are less likely to complain about the poor service. It doesn’t have to be just about money.</p>
<p>BTW the Straphangers just issued their annual report Q was rated the best line, and C was the worst. (They didn’t specifically rate the lace of A/C though.) See their report here: <a href=“http://www.straphangers.org/statesub12/StateoftheSubways2012.pdf[/url]”>http://www.straphangers.org/statesub12/StateoftheSubways2012.pdf</a></p>
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<p>If one probes beyond that it’s just as likely that they have complained and have found it of no use after no response or worse…official harassment in various forms. </p>
<p>Both of these act as effective ways to silence those with little/no political clout. Even though the latter is far less likely nowadays…the former is still effective in relaying the futility of complaining if there’s a systemic pattern of non-responsiveness.</p>
<p>Wow. Just wow.</p>