Studies indicate having college roommate of a different race reduces prejudice

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<p>Haha, completely agree.</p>

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<p>As an Asian, I know about this, and this is often a cultural thing. Our cultures often prize homogenity, and having a roommate of another race is anything but homogenous. I know, for example, that my parents still use the n-word when referring to African-Americans, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.</p>

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Wait, what do you mean Hitler wasn’t Aryan? He was of Austrian descent, the same ethnic group as Germans. And while blond hair/blue eyes were seen as the desirable “ideal” traits, it’s not as though most Germans, Austrians or Swiss have them - go to Germany, half the population has dark hair and eyes. “Aryan” was just a name they used for their ethnic group. Some Jews have blond hair/blue eyes, that doesn’t make them Aryan. As for being short, half the population is below average height. Not to defend Hitler lol, but how is he not Aryan?</p>

<p>actually i’ve heard Hitler had a Jewish great-grandparent, is that what you meant? But I thought they only counted you as Jewish if you were a quarter or more?

Nahh, short people are regular folks under average height, “little people” have a genetic disorder, so I guess it’s poking fun at a medical condition…i’m not suprised it’s no longer PC to say midget.</p>

<h2>I think the most important thing to note here is that “prejudice” is not an adjective, so nobody can be prejudice. Being prejudiced, though, is another thing.</h2>

<p>Thank Gawd somebody said it. But to pretend that this is some new, revolutionary idea is just silly. People instinctively fear what they don’t understand; if they’re forced to understand it by being constantly confronted by it, then that instinctive fear just fades away. Why is this so surprising, I wonder?</p>

<p>D dormed with an Asian roomate who had been her friend since 3rd grade. They were in the same circle of friends (primarily white) all through middle school and high school. Her roomate could have had been part of an Asian group that primarily hung out together in high school, but instead had chosen to be with D’ s group of friends. Her roomate had been in our community longer than some of the other Asians, so that may have accounted for her not forming close bonds with them.</p>

<p>Upon entering college, D’s roomate totally ditched her for a 100% Asian group of friends within the first week of school. Her friend had nothing to do with D or some other white friends throughout the school year, except when she was back home during breaks. Then she acted like nothing was wrong. </p>

<p>D was VERY upset, becasue she had never experienced prejudice and had never felt it towards her friend. At times her roomate would bring friends to the room late at night, and thinking that D was asleep, they would comment that they couldn’t believe that she had chosen a white roomate. All of the roomate’s friends were part of an Asian youth church group. Her roomate once commented to D that the Asians in our home community were not “cool” to her in hs…the white kids were…but now that there were “cool” Asians to be with, why should she seek white friends?</p>

<p>So from personal experience, I do not think my D would agree that having a roomate of another race reduced prejudice!</p>

<p>uskoolfish–that’s tough on your daughter. </p>

<p>I have noticed that some members of minority groups seem to “have their consciousness raised” when they go to college, and discover some members of their group have been “oppressed” or discriminated against, even if it has never happened to them personally…so for a while they go to the other extreme and become very proud of their ethnicity, join a political group or club, maybe an all-black fraternity, etc. It’s part of finding out who they are.</p>

<p>I would guess at some point they reach a middle ground and act normal again. I would hope.</p>

<p>Your daughter was not “discriminated against” because her friend didn’t want to hang out with her.</p>

<p>^x2, maybe they were a bit mean but not racist…</p>

<p>As a white male, I am kind of hoping for a room mate of a different race, I’ve never had any Asian or Black friends. The few black kids at my highschool were worshipped by everybody else for being complete *******s, its not because they were black that I didn’t like them, they were just jerks. I hope my room mate can is easy going and has a sense of humor though if they arnt white, I love to joke about sterotypes, but that dosn’t mean I’m a racist… Hell I’d love it if they could joke about white sterotypes to me, cause I sure do fill some of those categories. Maybe some of my background has shaped some views I have but I am really hoping college can open up some new stuff for me. BTW, I would never call a “little person” a midget to their face, even though I never knew it was considered offensive until now, that is just common sense.</p>

<p>logic and malibu:</p>

<p>I really do believe this was a case of discrimination. It went beyond just not wanting to hang out with someone. With that mentality, you can say that any racist “just doesn’t want to hang out with someone who is______.”</p>

<p>The group of friends that D’s roomate became part of was 100% Asian. They spent almost every waking hour together. The only time my D saw her roomate was late at night when she came back to the room to sleep. I think D’s dorm was avoided for hanging out. Most of the others in the group had Asian roomates.</p>

<p>This was someone who had been part of a group of friends of different religions and races in high school. When she was back at home druing breaks she acted as thought everything was fine. This summer she is working at an Asian camp and has only seen D and her friends one time.</p>

<p>Yes, she has the right to be with only Asians. One can say that whites have the right to stay with only whites, etc, etc. But obvioulsy it doesn’t do much to reduce racial prejudice especially in a school that is very multi-cultural. Needless to say, they are not roomates next year. D’s roomate is in a suite of all Asians.</p>

<p>A lot of Asians tend to hang out mostly with other Asians though, especially if they’re exchanges. I think that’s more culture than racism.</p>

<p>Sounds like your daughters asian friends were not willing to accept your daughter into their group, mostly because she was not asain, and that your D’s friend bailed on her. I would forget her(sounds like she has), the mean asians may have not liked your daughter, but her friend was the one that made the choice to choose her “asian friends” only.</p>

<p>malibu…I agree! D’s expectaions were to occassionally have a meal or go to the library to study together. She is in a program that is very socially involved and was active in several other ec’s. She had no shortage of social opportunities, but felt totally pushed away because of her race.</p>