What a weird stigma

DX'd - Other
1

Well, our city had a campus shooting. The gunman was subdued alive. It’s come to light that he’s been involuntarily committed and has been pushed around the mental health system in 2010 and 2011.

As I was out and about yesterday, no one was really ranting about the fact that he was mentally ill. They were ranting about the fact that he was an immigrant. (according to the seattle times)

Please… note to forum… our Seattle Times is just as news worthy as the Onion. They love to try and tell a great story, not report the news. We have the P.I. for news.

So, there are people who know me and I’m pretty open about my mental illness. But I’m not that open about being part Mexican. On this forum I am… But not in my day to day.

So another story comes out about children and the boarder crossing… and all the kids being detained. As a “joke” the one guy in my group who knows I have some Mexican heritage had to ask… “Is your family trying to sneak in more kids? Isn’t it large enough?” I even got asked if I was an anchor baby. (again)

I have to admit, I also get a little bummed when I as say I’m a gardner and a few people who know me say… “Of course you are… you’re people make great landscapers”

I’ve also been asked for my green card. I once dated a girl who asked if I was dating her in order to get citizenship. My Dad was born here. I was born here.

It SO weird to me that being part Mexican seems to have more stigma attached to it then being SZ. I DO tell a lot of people I am SZ. I find I DON’T tell a lot of people half my family is Mexican.

Entristecido con un corazón pesado. :disappointed:

1 Like
2

A similar thing is happening here, the politicians and newspapers are targeting immigrants through no better word of propaganda. There’s this horrible page on Facebook called ‘Britain first’ that is definitely fascist yet so many people are sharing and liking their page posts, it scares the living day lights out of me, it’s exactly how the fascists get in, there is little truth in what they’re saying yet people are soaking it up. My mum works in the health and social care field, she says there are scrounges but rarely are they immigrants. Most are British born and bred. But they’re targeting people on benefits too. It’s scary and very sad, not one part am I racist and I believe people have the right to change their location if they wish to.

It looks like it’s happening with you too, don’t be ashamed of who you are due to gossip. I think it’s so narrow minded for judging someone because of their race or ethnicity, it’s saddening.

Take care,
Meg.

1 Like
3

i’m part Irish but i keep it quiet (dont want anyone thinking i see leprechauns) haha also part English but it doesn’t show. i’d like to get one of those tests that can tell you where you came from originally (i’m thinking i must have been a viking at some point) maybe Denmark, Norway or Sweden.

1 Like
4

Stigma exists against certain cultural - ethnic groups, even religious groups. I honestly believe that certain ultra conservative groups/media perpetuates or keeps the hatred and stigma against these minority groups alive.
I do not like the political terms - democrat or republican because these terms tend to divide and intensifies the stereotypes.
I prefer the terms liberal - moderate and conservative. I tend to lean towards a middle of the road more moderate view and belief system, in some areas I consider myself more liberal, I never consider myself conservative.
Conservative institutions and politicians do not believe in true equality and equity among minority groups. They want to do away with the social security system and disability programs including less money for research for severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar. They also feel, many of them that social security benefits are part of a welfare system - they want to eradicate welfare systems including medicaid. I really consider myself to be a humanist.
As a humanist I believe in a fair and just system - equality for women, different religious groups, minorities, the disabled etc… We are all part of the human race

2 Likes
5

Thank you all for this. It just so odd to me. Due to a lot of history, there is a little bit of every culture on earth in my family. I’m sure it’s like that with everyone.

Oliver Cromwell sent thousands of Irish to Jamaica as prisoners… to work in the tobacco fields. As a result, on my Mom’s side, there is Irish and Jamaican heritage in our family… up to our Rastafarian great grandfather.

Due to Family being stationed in the Pacific during WW2, there is some Japanese heritage in our family. I am sure I’m not the only one. My Grandfather was not the ONLY person stationed in the pacific.

We are a multi-cultural, multi- religion, society. Due to history, I keep thinking everyone has a little bit of everything in them.

The more I grow and see and ponder… I am starting to embrace the humanist philosophy. It’s not a hard philosophy and it’s more inclusive.

It’s just been sort of surprising that in my little realm of the world… fighting a mental illness has less stigma then being part Mexican.

6

That just seems so weird to me. In southern California, whites are almost minorities. I’m mostly white with a small drop of native American a few generations ago but nothing significant.

When I used to work, everyone used to poke fun at everyone about their race. It actually wasn’t really a mean thing since there was no dominant race at the store I worked at, everyone was and felt equal. So the jokes didn’t bother anyone, they actually brought us all closer together. Was weird but cool.

I hope the feeling of equality spreads, though I don’t think you can really have equality if you have a majority and a minority. Some people are always going to feel superior because of their race, kinda sucks.

1 Like
7

I don’t know what to say to you, except I’m sorry you have to go through that. I’m part Polish, so I have to occassionally deal with Polish jokes, but it’s still nothing like what you have to go through. Over time, I believe things will get better, as it has for Polish immigrants. Like you say, [quote=“SurprisedJ, post:5, topic:6898”]
We are a multi-cultural, multi- religion, society. Due to history, I keep thinking everyone has a little bit of everything in them
[/quote]
I am definitely mixed ethnicity. I also have some Czechoslovakian in me. I am mixed religion too. One of my grandmothers was a proud Presbyterian all of her life, but my other grandmother was a Catholic. I was raised Episcopalian, but I converted to Catholicism eventually. Now, my mother is an agnostic, and my dad is a Christian, but he doesn’t go to church anymore.

1 Like
8

Awwe… they are still telling those horrible jokes up there? My uncle was full blood polish, so my cousins were half…My uncle could even speak the language. He was a really cool guy…he died when I was 7 and i missed him…so even though I’m not Polish some of my family was, so I always hated those stupid polish jokes…In fact in the north east back then you heard more Polish jokes than any other type of racial joke…

Where I live now it’s mainly Black or Mexican jokes, which i can’t stand either. I occasionally have heard “Indian” jokes too and I’m part Native American…such joking is stupid and i have never gotten into those jokes and always hated when some guy started telling them on and on and on…

I heard a horrible comment in the grocery store a couple years ago about Mexicans, I was so upset I wanted to run an ad for a Mexican family to move here and live on my land! Actually I did have someone half Mexican stay here a few weeks last year…
I got along great with most Mexicans i worked with in the north west, even though mi no habla mucho espanol…

1 Like
9

Ugh that makes me sick.

It’s 2014 not 1960, racism is just terribly uncouth even in jest.

1 Like
10

Where I live it is much alive, unfortunately. And not always in jest. Verbal digs against blacks and Mexicans, the use of the N word are common around here and it’s not even unusual to hear it randomly in public…
There are also a lot of people into that movement to speak & write only English, complaining mainly about the Spanish language, especially on business phone machines and labeling in stores…

1 Like
11

Here is a joke, take it how you like it.

What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages?
Tri-lingual.

What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages?
Bi-lingual.

What do you call someone who speaks 1 language?
…
…
…
American.

@surprised J.
Nothing wrong with being Mexican. Delicious food too!
It wasn’t that long ago that it was quite uncool to admit you had any American indian in you, but now, seems after “Dances with wolves” became a hit, everyone wants to claim it.

In case everyone has been glued to the TV for so long they seem to have forgotten that the U.S.A. Is made up of immigrants, save for those indians, so it seems a little short sided not to look in their family history closet for a few people who immigrated here before they start looking at someone else.

Isn’t this the land of plenty? Aren’t we the largest (literally) people in the world?
Seems like there is enough for all to go around. Can’t blame others for wanting to come here to make a better life for themselves.
At the same time…if everyone paid their taxes-rich and poor alike, and stop making the middle class foot the bill, there might not be such a problem with funds.

Also, for those who weren’t aware, social security is not a “handout”, it’s an “entitlement” meaning those who receive it, are “entitled” to it because they have worked, and earned their quota to receive it. Welfare is a “handout”
Since no one receiving it ever put a dime in it.

As far as I’m concerned about social security is, if you didn’t pay into it, you shouldn’t get anything from it.
I’m referring to immigrants 65 years or older who step onto US soil and first stop is the social security office where they apply, and GET monthly income without ever so much as putting a dime in it. It was never intended for this.

1 Like
12

australia is a very racist country,the dum arse australians complain about refugees’ coming on boats to australia, they have stopped that for now.
yet ironically more refugees come by plane !?!
’ dumbo ’ our new prime minister is an idiot and flies the white flag , the sexist flag and the religious flag above the parliament…joking.
he belongs in a 1950s’ catalogue !!
australia treats refugees like rubbish, and then when eventually they get australian citizen ship , after spending a minimum of 2 years in a concentration camp, we expect them to be grateful…!?!
all races are welcome in our house…just no jedi
take care

2 Likes