Am I overreacting or is it racism?

Hey, thanx for looking at this Q

I recently moved to Britain from India (no, I do not work in a Indian takeway). I go to school here (I am a child) and my classmates (more like classhates) start on about Indian corner shops and start talking in an Indian accent when I am there. One day when I was going on my bike, some girls (who were also on their bikes) started laughing at me and called me a paki. The other day, one of my classmates said "go home and make a call"(I think this is to do with the call centres being relocated to India). Also, some people in my class seem to pick on me for no reason(atleast this is how it looks as if to me).

By the way, my best friend (who's english) told me I haven't got any Indian accent. Some people told me I was overreacting when I went to the Head of year about this, what do you think?

Please don't pretend to say something that is not what you really think just because I'm Indian (a foreigner)...

Keep the answers coming in please, I want to know all perspectives. I haven't chosen the best answer yet so dont think I am going to ignore your answers!

It sounds like you are the victim of racism. But I would suggest this - keep holding your head high and make it look like what people are saying does not affect you. Here's my reasoning:

1) It will make you the more noble person. You will not stoop to their level, nor will it appear that their ridiculous attacks have any credibility. Just stand a little taller than those people.

2) It will make you a stronger person; you'll be able to endure and grow through these hardships.

3) It may make the insults, at least for the most part, go away. If people don't get a reaction out of you, much of the reasoning for the insults is lost.

Good luck!

Sounds like typical childhood teasing....as my dad would say....grow a thick skin and get over it. Life ain't easy and no-one is going to kiss your butt along the way.

its rude and ignorant and ur not over reacting. Its hard for some people but just ignore them and show that you dont care. Kids who usaully tease are insercure of themselves so they find other people to pick on so no one will say anything to them, or they recive this type of attitude from they surroundings.

Yeah it is racism.

Yes, I think they are being racist.

Overreacting with a hint of racism.

Oh I 'm so sorry. That's blatant racism. Don't you pay any attention to what they are saying. Like the English, Indians also have a rich culture, noble traditions and a stellar history. maybe you could go to the Head of year (as I've never been to England I don't know what that is) maybe you could suggest a heritage day for all students of all cultures. I'm sure there are some Irish, Scottish and Asian people at your school.
I'm sorry they are being so mean to you. But there is one comic who said something really funny about it. "The English started it!! Did they really think they could invade India for 400 years and then leave and not have us follow them?" LOL.

It's honestly easier to laugh at it, than take it seriously. On you tube, look up Russell Peters and British.


But try not to listen to anyhting they have to say. Both have rich pasts and promising futures. So tal to you head of year or headmaster or whoever's in charge and talk abotu having a multiculturalism day where everyone can celebrate where they are from, English, Irish, Scottish, Chinese, Portugese, Indian, whatever.

I hope you feel better soon.

It sounds like racism to me. I don't think that they are doing it because they don't like you as a person, it is just how they were raised and because of the society that they grew up in. They are picking on you because you are different than they are and its something that they all agree on, so when they pick on you it is like they are finding a common ground for conversation. Don't get me wrong, it's not right for them to do this and I know that it is horrible to be the topic of everyones jokes but just know that it is not you or your personality that they are picking on it's just because you look a little different. I would suggest having your parents talk to the school and organizing a school assembly where they talk about people's differences and how everyone is different and it is not right to pick on people. Maybe you could invite some of them over to your house for a party so they can get to know you and learn to see past your differences instead of being afraid of them and they can learn that you are a good person who doesn't deserve to be made fun of.

Its always called over-reacting nowadays if a non-white person is on the sh** end of it. If it was the other way around then its "reverse" racism worse than any klan/neo-nazis member could ever think of or commit.

heyy jose,
yupp that sounds like racism to me, dont pay any attention to them, believe in youself. GOOD LUCK.
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