Reply #20: White outside America [View All]

I'm caucasion and lived in Japan for two years, and I was able to experience racism first-hand. There were many times that no one would sit next to me on a train, even if the train was crowded and the seat next to me was the only one available. I was regarded with suspicion. I think every white American should go to foreign country so they know what minorities in America experience. I had a similar experience in Hawaii. Many of the locals did not like the white military members stationed in Pearl Harbor. I heard the phrase "stupid haole" a lot. "Haole" is the Hawaiian word for white person, but it's meaning has evolved over the years to become a derogatory epithet. So, if you're in Hawaii, and someone calls you a "haole," they're not being nice to you.