Racism that makes no sense...

[Incognito Teenager]

I'm sure everyone has heard about Osama Bin Laden's death, yes?
I was faced with racism against it, but the truth is - the comment made no sense. Sure, I was on the verge of crying and wrote a poem about it to calm down - let's start from the beginning.
What a fine Monday! Sit down at the lunch table and just do a slight whack to one of the most hateful people of the opposite sex I have ever met. His girlfriend tells me to stop because he's sick. In my mind, I go, hello! We're in the real world! Nobody could care if he's sick or not!
I avoid saying that and talk to another girl, blah blah blah. "Your leader is dead." The boy says. I'm confused. My supernatural novel tells me the leader of my enemy, which makes no sense because he's the enemy and that this boy doesn't know anything about my supernatural fantasies and that novel..
"Whaa?" I say, clearly confused.
"Osama Bin Laden...?" He tries to explain.
Pooofffft! Rage explosion! I'm ready to rip his head off. I've been faced with such racism before. First of all, I'm Indian and I'm not Muslim. Must I repeat, I have nothing against Muslims? However, the relevance to me wasn't there.
I was ready to [don't mind me] kick his ass but his girlfriend (a now ex-friend of mine whose family insulted me before while working on a project together) tried to protect him. For something's sake, she can beat him up and I was self-harming quite oftenly for the past couple of days. I knew I couldn't take them, so I yelled at him.
But no, I get told to calm down again.
How can I calm down at such idiotic ventures?
I walk away to my other friends' table, write a poem, and just deal with it.

I told a Muslim friend of mine the next day and well, we went to the Vice Principal this morning. I cried while explaining. Sure, I was on the brink of crying when he said that - why? I'm not sure.
My Muslim friend asked the boy to apologize and he just shrugged.
The day of the reporting, the boy was absent but came afterschool, which was awkward. I dropped my friend off to her car (I'm staying afterschool to avoid the house) and walked back and saw him in a car. "Radhika" I heard him say. His girlfriend was pulled out of class during the last period of the day, so perhaps it was about this incident and she told him. That means they'll know I and my friend reported it.
I know, at this age, you aren't supposed to be snitches, but . I blame my friend who dragged me in for this.
I'm afraid that they'll know we told.

Either way, it was an idiotic claim. I'm irrelevant. It just made me feel bad though. Oof.

[Sythan]

You did the right thing though. It has to be reported and put an end to before it grows. Next time it happens, if it happens again, explain that you are from India, not the Middle East. To make it easier, explain that Indians are not generally Muslims, most are Hindu or Buddhist. That usually calms down the racist events in my life, a lot of the time they have no real idea and just make assumptions.

[Sea Monkey]

You shouldn't have to put up with racist remarks by others, its awful. Don't ever feel bad by having to tell somebody that you're being bullied; it's the right thing to do.

[Illuminate]

Hey don't feel bad about telling the head teacher.
You don't deserve any racial comments. What that guy may see as funny is totally out of order to you.

Congrats on having the courage to stand up to him

However, don't let it get you down. Also try and let it seem as though it doesn't bother you.. he might be saying all of these annoying things because it bothers you and he can see it is winding you up.
Good luck dear <3

[LaurenIsAwesome]

There is no room in this world for Racists. Telling the headteacher is the right thing

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

If you think about it, assuming the guy didn't say any racist or other comments, or do something to someone else, it's obvious you (and possibly the friend) told the head teacher. If they're pulled out of class and told it was for a comment they made, it's obvious who told the head teacher, so no reason to become upset over that.

It's an equally idiotic claim to blame your friend for what you got into because you were the one who dragged your friend into it. Your friend wouldn't have reported it if you didn't tell him/her, so don't let this silly event possibly harm your friendship with the Muslim friend.

In high-school, some of my friends along with myself are German (fully or partially) and of course there were some racist comments, usually centered around Hitler and Nazis (we didn't support them). In one class in grade 10/11 we had a computers class where we had to research a country we are not from and present it to the class. One of my friends chose Canada and on his way to the front of the class, this one person who was a class clown shouted "heil hitler!". On the way back from his presentation, the person did the same thing. My friend should have calmed down but instead he slammed his face into the desk, chair, wall and finished with hitting him with the keyboard. Needless to say, the class clown didn't say such comments again but that's not a good way to resolve things.

Instead, my other friends laughed at the racist comments and played along with it. The class clown pointed to a picture of Hitler then to my other friend and myself but in good humour, we laughed and I told the class clown:
"none of us have a mustache, only you do or is it a dirty sanchez on your lip?".

It didn't lead to any fights but the fact we laughed along with it showed that it wasn't a problem. By giving a similar racist comment back that was also in good humour, it sort of equalized the issue. If you let it roll off your back and tell them why they're incorrect, you may have support from others who realize the racist comments aren't even fitting for you but they still rile you up. Sometimes giving a comment back to them that they take offense to, such as saying "how would you like it if I called you ___" can make the person appreciate the harmfulness of their comments. Of course, it could simply add fuel to the fire and make them say further racist comments.

[Veronica1986]

What a racist! Just because you aren't 100% American doesn't mean you should be associated with terrorism! Sheesh

[VampirePrincess]

Do not feel bad reporting - not even if they find out. What are they going to do to you if they do? I mean, sure, it's probably not great - but then just report them again, and think of the bright side. The meaner that guy is to you the closer he gets to being kicked out of school! It's the little thoughts like that which keep you sane when these things happen.

I know this is much easier said than done, but just shrug off the comments. They won't stop because that's just the way people are, and I'm afraid explaining could make it worse. I don't face racist comments, but I do take an awful lot of crap about my religion. And what made those comments stop is me taking them as a compliment. For example, if someone said to me what that boy said to you? My response would have been. "Oh, right! Little known fact: that was my plan from the beginning." And I would be smiling and winking the whole time, then walk away before they can say anything else. Of course, if you don't get away fast enough they'll talk you into a corner eventually. Keeping that smile on and waving your hand in a "no problem" sort of way makes them leave much faster. As I said before, much easier said than done. It took me years to get to the point where I was comfortable doing that, but my life has been much better since then. I'm sure if you can perfect this, yours will be too

[Release9]

Hello...
That is really awful...racism in any form is disgusting and hateful.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that...I know how it feels.
I've also been racially teased before.
You can PM me if you want to talk.