[camping!]

Hey, I've got a question for you --- and I preface this by saying I do not believe everyone in AR is racist nor do I believe that everyone in Hot Springs is racist. But, I read on another site for adoptees and their families one families experience in Hot Springs this past week. The husband was adopted from Korea, his wife is white, their daughters are mixed (with one having been adopted also from Korea). The wife was asked "how could you?" at the salad bar at a restaurant followed by a loud "Disgusting!" when another white woman walked past their table accompanied by laughing. Wth? Another time, a golf course 'lost' their reservation when the husbands obviously Asian face didn't match his German last name. Plus, people would drive past and yell Asian slurs at this family as they were walking down the street.

Now, I know that not everyone that lives there is like this. I also know that racism is alive and well, but I just hadn't realized it was so open and tolerated. This makes me sad for my son.......should he avoid Hot Springs and Arkansas?

[Aporkalypse]

I generally think of Hot Springs as pretty accepting but it has a nice number of rednecks (including a lot of tourists from nearby states) and retirees. You don't see a lot of Asians there compared to Little Rock and Ft Smith, which have respectable Asian minorities. I wouldn't think it would be a problem.

[JeffAtkins]

Camping!, don't believe everything you read on the internet. People make things up.

[camping!]

Originally Posted by JeffAtkins

Camping!, don't believe everything you read on the internet. People make things up.

Normally I would agree with you, but this is from a close knit adoption board. People actually know each other there irl.

Hopefully, there were just an influx of racist tourists in Hot Springs that week. But either way it is a damn shame and completely unAmerican imho for people to assume they have the right to harrass others because of their ethnic makeup.

[nmnita]

Stuff happens no matter where you live, there will always be bigots, but I don't think there are anymore in Little Rock than anyplace else and I do not think Ar is particularly racist against Asians. I agree, don't believe everything you read, no matter where it comes from.

Here is an example: no, it isn't Little Rock, but it is AR, my granddaughter is getting married in a few weeks, 3 of her bridemaids happen to be Asian, one is a mixture, 2 are full Asian. One was a high school friend, the other 2 from her college sorority: where was that? University of AR and one of them was raised here. the other I am not sure if she is from AR or some other state.

Nita

[joebaldknobber]

I've lived in Texas, California, & Arkansas. Californians look at everything from a racial angle. I don't believe Arkies would even take note. This post is taken from BLOG HEARSAY!!!

[Stormcrow73]

I can't speak for Hot Springs but the vast majority of my best friends are Asian (Chinese, Laotian, and Thai) and they were all born and raised in AR so there are plenty of Asians here and living quite happily.

[camping!]

Well, all this is good to know. Thanks for replying!

But here is a follow up question:
If you were at Hot Springs, and you saw those women make derogatory remarks to a racially mixed family --- what would you Arkansans do or feel about it?

Thanks!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by camping!

Well, all this is good to know. Thanks for replying!

But here is a follow up question:
If you were at Hot Springs, and you saw those women make derogatory remarks to a racially mixed family --- what would you Arkansans do or feel about it?

Thanks!

the same thing I would do anywhere else, probably keep my mouth shut. These comments can happen anywhere.

How would any of us feel if we heard someone make a comment about a black/white mixed family?

Nita

[Robert_J]

Originally Posted by camping!

If you were at Hot Springs, and you saw those women make derogatory remarks to a racially mixed family --- what would you Arkansans do or feel about it?

Originally Posted by nmnita

the same thing I would do anywhere else, probably keep my mouth shut.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Nita. It's just like in sports, you never push back. The retaliator always gets the penalty flag.

When I lived in Sheridan, I was in the middle of a similar situation. While waiting in line at a convenience store a stereotypical redneck turned around and told an older, Asian couple to speak English. (It was ironic that his request was no where close to being gramatically correct.) The couple stopped talking, stepped out of line and stepped behind me. I stepped up in line to the place behind the guy. Even though I did get a dirtly look from him, I said nothing nor did the expression on my face change. He paid and left. I paid and left. Did I feel bad the the couple? Yes. Did I want to do something about it? Absolutely. But with nut jobs like this you don't want to push their buttons. A verbal confrontation can quickly get physical.

After all these years, I'm fine. I'm sure the Asian couple is doing great. In my mind, the guy is at minimum still living in the trailer park behind Wal-Mart with a wife nagging him every day to get a job. Dieing a firey death in a meth lab explosion is still too good for him though.

I know I used the term redneck during my short story but I really think that rednecks are more towards the Jeff Foxworthy description. They are people that enjoy the simple things in life and have no ill will towards anyone. Can we agree to use something like white trash to describe these uneducated, hate mongers?

-Robert