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Racist people

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I hate that question, because I don't know where it's coming from. I mostly get it from freshie Asians, who kind of ask it in that sleezy, flirty way- "Vhere do you come phrom?"

I usually just answer and say 'here', and carry on. It's not something you should be concerned about. It's not racist, essentially. I've asked to people who sound like they have a different accent.

Reply 41

Possession

I always get asked where I come from; they still persist in asking the same question anyway if I don't say what they're expecting.
They just looked so stumped when my answer doesn't logically match up with my appearance.

Reply 42

gbduo

Well i get asked where i come from all the time, i have an Irish accent sometimes, is it not obvious? I don't mind, i quite like the fact that i am different from everyone else and people are taking an interest in my heritage/traditions/cultures.

If i ask someone where they are from, its not meant to be insulting its because i am interested, as a Human Geographer it is what i am interested in, where people come from in the world and their traditions and cultures and so forth. If i ask you where do you come from, i want to know more about your country and how it compares to Ireland/Britain.

I am not being racist, i am curious! If i were being racist i would say..."where are you from...so why are you in my country? Bugger off, get out of my country or i'll shoot you" Thats racism, not "where are you from" [you have different culture to me, i want to learn about it] in other words

Graham

Reply 43

Anonymous #3

tritogeneia1

It's a bit of a weird q though, and I hate it when people ask me, because I'm white and English but my parents live in Italy - only for a couple of years though and I don't really speak Italian, so I don't really feel I can say I 'come from' Italy even though technically I live there, so i have to explain the whole thing and then put up with people saying 'Oh, you're so lucky etc etc (umm hello, no, the Italian countryside is only nice for holidays IMO). It's a normal enough question but it can get complicated and annoying, especially if you look as though you might not be from England (but then, having said 'I come from Somerset, or up North', or wherever, people should definitely just leave it at that, as clearly that says you're from England.)

yeah that question could be annoying if you never lived in your own country. I dont even have the same nationality (passport wise) as my parents cos they travelled ages ago so i was born somewhere else. Then ever since then they keep travelling to differnt countries, so "where r u from" is not always as simple as it seems... My origin is like my parents but not my nationality - and i lived in neither countries! :rolleyes:

I dont enjoy explaining that, its too much! :cool:

I come from yo mama.

Sithius

However, if I went "You pakistani! LOL" then yes that is racist.

I can't say I'd take offence if someone shouted "You English! Ha Ha Ha Ha".

Reply 46

tom5

i'm am mix of german, irish and scottish and i'm proud of it when people ask me. why can't you be proud of your origin?

it's all about perspective - i see these people as being friendly and wanting to know more about me. but if you have a chip on your shoulder, i can see why you would find it offensive.

Reply 47

dogtanian

I tend to ask where people's families are from, whether they're white or, as you put it 'of colour'. I mean, I've had it asked of me before. I might have been born here, my parents were born here, but my grandparents weren't. Some people are suprised at that, me being white and all, but most take it as normal. Same with the fact that a lot of our generation within ethnic minorities were born in the UK.

Heck, I ask because it's interesting to know. I never assume that someone's not British because of the colour of thei skin. But I like knowing :shrug:

Reply 48

Scheherazade

I hate that question, just because I never know what it means!

Invariably, if I say London, people say 'No, originally', and if I say Somalia, it's 'No, where do you live?'

Reply 49

Phonicsdude

dogtanian

Where are your grandparents from?

:biggrin:

Reply 50

Scheherazade

Ireland. (Hayley's, not mine)

Reply 51

Sithius

hitmanuk2k

I can't say I'd take offence if someone shouted "You English! Ha Ha Ha Ha".

So if some foreigner when you were abroad mockingly laughed in your face about your nationality you wouldn't take offence?

Strange... I would.

Reply 52

LOCneverstop

Yeah me too....I'd probably end up causing a riot by smacking the ignorant (insert nasty word) in the face.

Reply 53

Phonicsdude

Am Ithe only one who feels no alligeance to my country?
I am an individual first.
I have no patriotism in me.

Reply 54

LOCneverstop

i am not patriotic whatsoever, most of the offence would come from being branded by my nationality in the first place! I don't feel i have anything to be proud of England for...

Reply 55

Inclination

Sithius

So if some foreigner when you were abroad mockingly laughed in your face about your nationality you wouldn't take offence?

Strange... I would.

I wouldn't mind to be honest. I'm American and if they made fat jokes, I'd join along. Tell them I got my stomach stapled. Then add a few insults in myself. Good times.

Reply 56

Anonymous #1

little_red_sox

Being a mixed race girl myself, I do think you are over-reacting just a tad.

How is asking where you're from being racist?? Thats pathetic.

Now, if someone said "where you from, you fcking n*gger", yes, that would offend me.

Christ.

I have had that before, and I don't even have dark skin (I'm about medium, say tanned).

Reply 57

lazza

but this thread isn't about someone calling you a "*****ing n*gger" because that's obviously racist

this thread is cause you think that people asking about your heritage is racist.... isn't it?

could someone clear this up for me....?

Reply 58

Anonymous #1

lazza

Yea it is, sorry. But you see, that's the THING. Because people have been so nasty and racist to me in the past (especially when I was a little girl, and in college too), I'm SO used to people being racist that I don't trust people if they ask where I'm from.

I've been, you could say, emotionally traumatised from past experiences.

Reply 59

*Katie*

I think it does make you feel a little more like an outsider when you're in a group, and you hear someone say to one individual 'where are you from?'
and then 10 minutes later they ask you 'what country are you from?'