Is She Racist?

Question

Ok so my white coworker gave me a lift home the other day and she stays in a suburb(Canton, MI) and I stay in the city(Detroit, Mi) . So while driving she says, "I would get some gas but I might get shot...haha" So I'm like what do you mean, I go to the gas station all around here and I have never been robbed or shot and furthermore my neighborhood is very nice actually! Then she mentions how one of her friends is always scared to go downtown and get lost because she might get robbed. Now being that Metro Detroit is predominantly black, is my coworker being a racist or just ignorant?

Answer 1

Most likely, like most in the US, she's been brainwashed by the media.  They seem to have an agenda of pitting different ethnic groups against each other.

Answer 2

ignorant .. she's probably got all sorts of ideas in her head of crazy things going on  .. an nothing you can do could change that. Ya can fix other peoples Stupidness !!!

Answer 3

Just ignorant..she has watched one to many news reports or movies! I think you handled the situation well and when you meet people like this you should educate them and let them know they sound silly.

I will say that..had she been black..it may not have bothered u as much..it would have seemed more like a joke..but it is very easy to take something personal..that someone says from another race that may sound like a stereotype towards our race.

If she has never given u any other reason to believe that she is racist..thing she has said and actions against black ppl..I wouldn't even sweat it!

Answer 4

it depends actually...because you didnt actually tell us wat shz like in general as in at work because just one incident does not make her racist(unless ofcourse if she got up and said something crazy like "all the blacks must burn in h**l"  or something)...

the thing is it happens everywhere,even here in Botswana(in Africa) where suburban peeps tend to think of anyone that is not posh or is in a lower society as desperate and wanting to steal their stuff..h**l i have white friends who thought of other white people like that onli because they were not as rich.so basically it is sheer ignorance...on ur part as well because she never exactly said black people now did she?who said whites cant also shoot and rob?

but then again since its a black area..it is racism but onli because her implications are that shed never be seen in such a place,but wudnt u feel uncomfortable in a rougher neighborhood than yours?

p.s i am black..

Answer 5

Most people are probably scared to go to a city that is perpetually ranked in the top 3 in violent crimes.

She helped give you a ride, that was nice of her and I don't suspect her to be racist.  Some of the things she said might of been because she was nervous about not ever being to Detroit, a city the media attacks regularly.  I would hope you cut her some slack and be happy your coworker was nice enough to give you a ride home.  Just my 2 cents.

Answer 6

Sounds like she was trying to be humorous and didn't actually mean offense and you clearly took it the wrong way. If that had happened to me I would have just laughed with her.

She was obviously kind enough to give you a ride. I think your overreacting.