is racism common in Toronto?

[Minato ku]

You can always try these automatic bias tests. They tend to reveal most people do have automatic preferences for one group over another. That obviously doesn't mean you will go around committing hate crimes, or even purposefully avoid making friends with a particular group, just that almost all of us still do to a large extent associate people based on skin tone and other factors.

According this test I strongly prefer north african people over white european people and I sighly prefer lighter over darker people.

Honestly I didn't knew that I have strong preference of north african people, I have more white than north african friends.
About lighter over darker, I don't know, maybe. Anwyay I always lived in a multiracial environement, so I don't really care of the race.

...and this is why I get so angry with my community (the Black community) because we label everything as racism.

This is often due at misunderstanding, if someone is rude with a black guy it doesn't mind that he is racist.

It remind me in a video of naturely seven 7 (an american group with black singer) singing in a crowded Paris metro train, a man ignorex them
We see in many of the comments "what a racist", but who know if he is racist or if he ignores them for a others reasons.

There is often misunderstanding but it doesn't mind that racism doesn't exist unfortunely.

 

[prosperegal]

How on earth do you grow up in Toronto with those kind of images? Heck, half the time I feel like the minority (I'm white) on the subway! Perhaps that's what happens when you live off-shore when your young ... I got to a few places where whites were such a rare site that the kids would run up to you and want to touch you, because they'd never seen such a thing before (which to be honest, isn't that different than what happens in rural Quebec ... I have family in rural Quebec, and there are still villages where many people haven't even travelled much to a big (Quebec) city, or seen many of not their own culture ... but I've always found very friendly ... but I expect any reaction of theirs is nothing but ignorance ... not racism.

You can definitely grow up in Toronto and not see many people of different cultures. Before going to Catholic school in Grade 1, I went to a public school where most of the kids were Jewish. My street was mostly Jewish as well. I didn't come across any white Christians until...you've guessed it, Catholic school (my family did (and still doesn't) not really go to church).

 

[Jays753]

Hate to break it to you, blacks are the most hated group out there.

I disagree. After 9/11, Arabs are the most hated.

 

[TrickyRicky]

Preference is different than racism and should not be confused with it. However, preference implies non-preference. People and groups can be marginalized through non-preference even when no racism is intended.

When we approach issues like this I think it is helpful to not be judgemental and approach comparisons with the question why? What I mean is instead of looking elsewhere and thinking we are better people because we have a more tolerant society, ask how is it possible for us to afford to be tolerant or at least give people enough space to avoid a hostile level of tension?

I think some of the main factors are that: The middle-class are fairly dominant in this country, minority groups come from a diverse range of places globally, we do not share a border with a developing nation or undeveloped region, the history of the average person or family in Canada does not go back many generations, etc.

 

[jenny_zhang]

Preference is different than racism and should not be confused with it.

Preference based on racial traits is racism. Treating one person different from another based on their inherited race is racism. I don't like these "soft definitions".

 

[Tewder]

I disagree. After 9/11, Arabs are the most hated.

Given the time and opportunity most people will come to judge others on an individual basis. It takes a lot of persistent energy and effort to refuse to accept somebody on an individual basis and dismiss them according to some predetermined criteria like skin colour or religion or sexuality etc., which is why racism is easier from a dehumanizing distance (one group to another) and breeds in ignorance. The claim about 'arabs' is again probably less about race and more to do with the fact that as a group they are relative newcomers to Canada with differing cultural norms that may not yet be understood by many Canadians.

 

[Redroom Studios]

one of the best ever commentaries on the stupidity of racism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi7QQ5pO7_A&feature=related

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

Nothing is worse when people think Black on Black crime is racism.

 

[EnviroTO]

I don't think the skin colour bias test is very accurate. White means the light is on, dark means the light is off. Light is the day, dark is the night. Every horror show out there has evil come out in the darkness. I have a hard time believing that black people walk into a light alley and feel scared and go into a dark alley and feel safe. I think most people are more likely to think in a many > few, light > dark, good > bad, big > small, hot > cold way. Thinking hot is greater than cold doesn't mean I prefer a hot beer. Thinking light is greater than dark doesn't mean I want a white car. They could do the same test with small people and big people with positive and negative words and it would likely show I have a preference to tall despite the majority of the people I know being short.

 

[Redroom Studios]

ya, I agree that surveys in general are very flawed. Either the rationality is distorted or you can easily skew the results to make yourself look the way you want to by deciphering the "leading" questions.

 

[doady]

What the fuddle-duddle does that mean? Why would anyone hate anybody based on anything but skin colour? What kind of thinking is that?

Or you just kidding, or are you really this ignorant? Yes, blacks are more a victim of racism and prejudice than any other group in Canada. Why does this surprise everyone? No offense, but you people must be living under a rock.

 

[lordmandeep]

All I would say is this...

If you look at the "successful" immigrate groups, they don't claim society is against them. They do their best to get a good life for themselves and to advance themselves in our society. The value education and put a full effort in raising their kids, as they hope they will become even more successful.

If you look at the less "successful" immigrant groups, you usually hear them complaining that the world is against them and then many especially the young do not even try. They don't value education and you see a clear problem with parenting.

Canada with differing cultural norms that may not yet be understood by many Canadians.

True major reason why many are "hating on Muslims" is because a certain few radicals are giving them a terrible image.

Like how much damage the Sikh Radicals had on my community in the 80's and really it still pops up here and there. Due to those men, the whole Canadian society had a negative view on us.

 

[Tewder]

True, if you look hard enough you can find racism anywhere you choose to find it. You can find anything you want to find anywhere really, or it will probably find you more to the point. If you believe yourself a victim you will become one.

 

[nfitz]

Or you just kidding, or are you really this ignorant? Yes, blacks are more a victim of racism and prejudice than any other group in Canada. Why does this surprise everyone? No offense, but you people must be living under a rock.

II will take offence! Why the personal attack? I don't see much racism and prejudice against blacks ... what I see more of is prejudice against non-English speakers and natives more than anything else.

However my question is, why WOULD anyone have prejudice simply based on the colour of skin; I have no idea what that has to do with anything. I'm asking why would it occur ... your answering it would occur, and therefore not actually answering the question.

 

[jenny_zhang]

What kind of question is that? Because it's different. Everything that is different will eventually become a cause for discrimination. If it's not skin color then it's religion. If it's not religion then it's the sect of your religion (Ireland, Iraq).