Same thing in Germany, when I tell people Im from Detroit and its right next to Canada: "really, so what country are you from? what country borders Canada?" Ive been asked this atleast 4 times. First time I said Mexico.
My spouse and I speak English together, so are often asked in stores and so on here where we are from (England & Switzerland), assuming we are tourists.
When I visit the States I was asked things like "That accent! Are you from Germany or Scandinavia?"
As a teenager (many years ago) I travelled coast to coast (and back) across the USA by bus. In those days many times people simply refused to believe I was English and thought I was putting on the accent. I assume this was because I wasn't wearing a bowler hat.
But I can't say in anyway that I found this racial or frustrating - just ammusing...
Wish I could be so sure of myself. The nearest I could get to that is something along the lines of
"I hope I take people as they think they come".
One landlady showed me her room, then said 'Oh, I would take you because you seem fine, but you really have to understand that I never rent to your people'.
Another said that she would not consider me because, although we shared the same nationality, it was highly probable I was not '100% ethnically acceptable'.
A colleague at university was surprised to learn after three years where I was from. 'But didn't you notice my accent?' I asked. 'No, I didn't pay attention', she said 'Because you were so smart I just assumed you were from around here'.
The result of this was that I did not feel at home at what was supposed to be my home. So when I moved to Switzerland, I was happy to be just another foreigner. Until I discovered that people from my part of the world were not terribly popular here either. Fortunately, in Geneva they often assume that I am Russian and I do not try to dissuade them. What does it matter after all?
In general there is nothing wrong but it all depends on the intention. If someone asks because they are being friendly and curious then that is fine by me. On the other hand if someone is asking to discriminate against me then that is not fine by me.
Notice our Democratic candidate for President. Can you imagine that happening in Europe? I'd give that 20 to 50 years to happen.
Martin Luther King's legacy is real. His dream is readily accepted by most Americans, though not all. We have streets and monuments named after him. We have a National Holiday, and he is recognized as a National Hero.
I grew up in a multicultural environment. It was kinda unique even for the 'states. But from my circle of friends; some were wealthy landowners, some were new immigrants, and some ended up in prison. We call each other racial epithets for fun, or when we got angry at each other. We would tease each other. But at the end of the day, we also made up as friends. We never really wrote each other off.
Racism is actually a pathetic thought pattern. It belies a sense of dis-empowerment. It's typically practiced by those who feel they have no sense of control over their own individual circumstances. It's a way of pointing elsewhere, rather than taking personal responsibility. Most of the expressions of racism come from the poorest socio-economic mindset, the most ignorant and unintelligent, hence it is not considered tasteful in our civil society.
People in Europe also know how to "come together" -
No place is perfect, but since I have been in Ch I have been kicked out of 4 places for either not speaking Schweizerdeutsche or being an Amrican. I was also kicked out of a Migro eatry. When my girl friend (whom I was waiting for) asked the security guard why, and yelled at him, he said he "thought I was Albanian"....... Thats illegal in the US and you would have your business burned down for that.
No matter how much people are differant we are not affraid to discuss it. Youre video was about people who dont live with each other, but people who she couldnt understand.
I think the Swiss are a little past burning businesses down but, hey, you might have got some satisfaction from the guy being warned or sacked or something.
Ive always tried to have fun with this kind of thing. I try not to take it serious. In Detroit we have a holiday called "devils night" and on the night before holloween Union members burn down the houses that belong to people who are either not in Unions or people who look Asian.
Thats to be expected from people who are slaves to GM and Ford. Thats not expected from people who rely on people of all colors and back-grounds to buy goods from them or provide a source of revenues.
Its just arrogant.
Aren't we?
Thankfully people here don't burn down stuff so readily. Why did you not go and see the manager? So I assume you are white if you were mistaken for Albanian? I speak only English I am non-white and I have been here 7 years. I have faced racism here just like rest of Europe but never been kicked out from anywhere so far and definitely not out of Migros. Sure you were not kicked out for being a loud mouth or something else?
She is a British comedian and lot of those races and nationalities (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Africans etc etc) DO live together in UK. Ever heard of "goodness gracious me" comedy series in UK? So please get off your US this US that high horse.
There are plenty of racist people in USA just like there are in Europe and rest of the world. While you are at it do some research on no. of blacks in US prisons. Was that part of Martin Luther's dream as well?
My point was and is that US is not superior when it comes to racial matters. Just having laws is not everything or enough if people are racist inside.