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SSJup81 (Offline)
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07-06-2008, 01:56 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by MMM View Post
Many times what we are calling racism is fueled not by hatred but by ignorance. Many Japanese have never met a black person in the flesh, so all they know is what the media teaches them, and that image is not always positive.
I was actually trying to explain that to a relative of mine, who is positive that the Japanese would be racist against me if I were to live there since I am black. I then told her something like that, but she still feels that I'll be treated badly if I go. When she used to say that before, I always found it discouraging, and would have me second-guessing myself on whether or not I should take a chance to live there for a while, but now, since I'm older, I pretty much ignore that negativity and focus on the positive. In other words, I give the Japanese, in this regard, the benefit of the doubt since, like you said, they have very little exposure to foreigners, blacks especially.
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