Was this a racial remark?
By marlena18042
@marlena18042 (636)
United States
October 15, 2008 4:30am CST
I was surfing through the channels last night and heard women talking. A group of women were saying that the other woman was a racist. Now, the reason was that she had made a comment saying that alot of Asian people do nails as opposed to other races. I myself, do not normally watch this particular show but that had caught my attention and made me think for a moment. I come from a very diverse family with many,many different nationalities/races. I myself, am far from being racist in any way. When I hear thingslike this iI try to give the person the benefit of the doubt and in this situation I dont think she was being racist.
Now, I know my area well. As well as the surrounding cities and to be honest, most of the nail salons around here are owned by asian women. Not all, but mostly all that I have seen. That to me is not good or bad. My daughters and myself get our nails done as well so I have definitely done searching for the best prices,etc. and this is what I noticed.
Also, I try to put myself in this situation and thought to myself what if someone had said something similar to me. Maybe that most fishing shops are owned by german people( which is partly what I am).And, to me it wouldnt bother me either way.
What do you think? Do you think that it was wrong for the girl to have said that?
I would love to hear some of your opinions on this! Happy Mylotting all!
6 people like this
17 responses
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
15 Oct 08
Facts are facts. Here, most nail salons have Asian women as owners and as workers. Here, most convenience stores have Middle Eastern men and women as owners, managers and workers. Does acknowledging this fact make one racist? I don't think so.
Dictionary.com says that a racist is one who believes one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. It also says that a racist (government) will discriminate. And it lists hatred or intolerance of another race or other races as being racist.
I don't think any of those definitions apply to recognizing that a particular race or culture is in a certain business.
3 people like this
@marlena18042 (636)
• United States
17 Oct 08
Hi kenzie. Yes, facts are facts. The definition you wrote is exactly what I thought a racist to be, it is a shame that people want to jump to accusations so quickly! Thanks for your response!
@quinnkl (1667)
• United States
15 Oct 08
I don't thing the comment itself is really racist or sounds it. But maybe it was they way she said it or what her voice implied? Some people can make an innocent comment sound very racist. But just an off-hand comment doesn't automatically mean racist to me. I have friends and family in all cultures/races and I really hate anything racist. But, like you, it doesn't come off that way to me. Many people inherit family businesses or go into family businesses because they are good at what they do or because that is what they know how to do. They could have turned it into that type of discussion instead of bringing in the racism comment - but I really don't know the show you are talking about, so I am assuming a lot here.
3 people like this
@marlena18042 (636)
• United States
16 Oct 08
You make a very good point.You are very right.Things people say can always be taken in different ways. I have said things,especially to my husband, that I have meant no malice at all and he has taken them very wrong. They were just simple misunderstandings. I suppose with a subject as racism people are very sensitive still!Thanks for your response!
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
15 Oct 08
i dont think its racist. the way you've written it, it doesnt sound like the woman was trying to be insulting or derogatory. to me that makes the biggest difference when it comes to a comment being racist or not.
if what is said is fully intended to be insulting or is a derogatory statement in regards to a specific race..then its definitely racist.
all the cities ive lived in...(3 or 4 lol) the majority of nail salons HAVE been owned by and the employees were asian. but thats along the lines (to me at least) as saying that most of the professional basketball players (in the USA) are black.
which they are..by far the majority. i dont think thats racist to say, its just a fact. it doesnt mean that ALL basketball players are black, or that only the good players are black..it just means that a lot of them are black. i dont know if its a cultural thing, whether they have a tendency to just grow taller, or what it is..but it is.
2 people like this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
15 Oct 08
No, it wasn't! Just an innocent observation made without malice. Just like me saying "Goan Christians love pork." They really do! So, it is just an observation. Real racial statements are nasty, and you can feel the malice and spite in them. :)
Cheers and happy mylotting
3 people like this
@LadyWinter (195)
• United States
15 Oct 08
I dont think its racist...more an observation. Sort of like saying that most Chinese restaurants have asian workers. I am white but wouldnt take offense to someone saying most white people work here or there. Now if the comment was more derogatory....and it doesnt sound like she was saying they are all worthless bums who dont work or live on welfare or anything like that.
For the record, all the nail salons around where I live have asians doing the nails.
3 people like this
@j_sgill (49)
•
16 Oct 08
I don't thinks so, like you say you've noticed that yourself.
I think people generally are too sensitive and pick up on things too quickly, it might come to a stage where people are too worried about others reactions to speak.
Unless a comment is aggressive and explicit i think the person should be given the benefit of the doubt. Nobody's perfect, everyone has their own thoughts and opinions and should not be afraid to talk about them.
@marlena18042 (636)
• United States
16 Oct 08
j-sgill, well said! I thank you for your response as it is exactly how I feel, and you've worded it perfectly!
Do you think perhaps that the negative reactions as this girl received could be aiding to keep racism alive?
Sometimes I think it may be. My husband is spanish and he is a very smart and understanding man. We have discussions sometimes about similar things. As a matter of fact, I recall asking him in the past while I selected my current salon I use, why is it that these nail salons are run by Asains mostly. I am not very knowledgable in Asain culture,and thought maybe tdoing nals or nail salons are a big thing for them. Now again, I based this of my experience with no malice at all, he knows me and he is also someone that takes things said for what they are-facts.
Sometimes I think some people that react this way are just lloking for a debate or drama!
Thanks again for your response! And Happy Mylotting!
@j_sgill (49)
•
16 Oct 08
i think most people here have hit the nail on the head, I am Asian myself (Indian) and form the UK and yes it would appear that this is popular with Asians along with other similar things like threading, beauty salons.
It's just stating the obvious really.
I agree with you marlena and yes there sare some people who are just confrontional and want to get into an argument, whish they would just chill out.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
16 Oct 08
I don't think that was a racist comment, sounds more like an observation. I guess it depends on the context,
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
16 Oct 08
More like stereotyping...kind of like saying all black ppl are great dancers or all Mexicans like tacos...that kind of thing. It's not very nice to say and it makes assumptions about ppl that can often be wrong. There do seem to be alot of Asian women that do nails but if they do a good job, who cares.
[b]~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~
**AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG** [/b]
1 person likes this
@thedogshrink (1266)
• United States
16 Oct 08
I don't think that is racist. It's true. I see more nail salons owned by Asians than by any other group. That's not bad. It's not racist.
But you know the politically correct censors, they think being "tolerant" means to never speak at all, not in honesty.
Tolerance is allowing others to believe the way that they want, act the way they want, worship the way they want, etc.
It doesn't mean everyone is exactly the same, as the pc censors try to make us be.
Tolerance: http://www.ehow.com/how_4503520_be-truly-tolerant.html
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Oct 08
marlena I really dont think that was a racist remark, it was
just a statement of fact. Of course if it had been done with
a malicious tone well yes, but she was really just stating a fact, we get a bit too hung up on being politically correct that
we go over board. In fact here where I am living in the US we also have more nail salons run by asians than by others, and they mostly do a very nice job too.I am not being racist but just being factual.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
5 Jul 10
Hi, marlena18042. No, this is not an racist remark at all. That is just like a person saying, that most Chinese people are owners of Chinese Restaurants. Or, most Indians are managers of many hotels or motels. Her remark was not racist at all. Now, is she had to say, How come Asians do nails and not Japanese women.... Then that might be considered an racist remark.
@mrsgoodygoody00 (895)
• United States
17 Oct 08
I don't think that statement is racist at all. I know that it seems true. All of the nail salons that I have been to have been run by Asians. All of the employess were also Asians. So, I don't think that statment was meant to be hurtful or mean. Being African American, I've heard things that are statments that were racist and untrue, and I know they were because they didn't apply to me or anyone that I know.
@jordan04n (463)
• United States
16 Oct 08
I don't see that remark as racist. Asian women are taught to serve others and this is just one way in which they can do it. I think they are very good at it.
@butterflytears (77)
• United States
16 Oct 08
Not a racial remark at all. The woman was merely stating the obvious. It would be like me saying, wow there sure are a lot of black people in my neighborhood. That's because there are. If Asian women do the nails in that particular area, then what she said was just an observation. People look for anything to get upset about nowadays.
@trudyanndac (100)
• United States
16 Oct 08
It's not always what you say but how you say it. Also you have to be aware of your audience! It's more of a sterio type than a racist comment, in my opinion.
There are some people who will jump to conclusions and there are those who just want to start some drama to make life intresting.
There are racist people out there, and prejudist people as well, but it's better not to judge. If there is no solid proof then maybe it was just an honest misunderstanding.
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
15 Oct 08
I don't see where it was a racist remark. Most Chinese restaraunts are run by Chinese too but that doesn't imply anything racist. Just a fact. In my area I only know of one nail salon that is not run by Asian women and I don't go there because I don't like the work the girl does. It has nothing to do with what nationality she is! LOL
@dorothyDauphinee (534)
• United States
15 Oct 08
not to me was it racist i dont know why a true comment should be taken as racist we are letting this political correctness blind us all to some truth
