[alexyz2618]

Without getting too involved with the back and forth here, I'd just like to share my experience with anyone who could benefit from it.

I worked in a business with quite a few Mexicans (yes, Mexicans, not Hispanics, people born and raised in Mexico,) and if a customer heard them speaking in Spanish amongst themselves, or if they responded to the customer in a thick accent, more often than not, when the offending employee was out of range I would be treated to a snide, racist comment. The only logic I can find in the situation is that the people making such comments would think that, because I'm white, I must obviously agree with their analysis of my co-workers. They'd be simple comments "Ugh, no surprise they can't speak English, right?" or something to that effect. Like I said, this wasn't a rampant problem, but I'd hear it maybe 6 out of every 10 times one of our customers had to be subjected to the punishment of dealing with an immigrant, who, heaven forbid, had an accent.

I also cashiered briefly, and many of our customers were Hispanic, and many had a loose at best grasp of the English language. Several of my coworkers would intentionally short-change any Hispanic people because they either wouldn't notice the discrepancy in change, or wouldn't be able to argue their case. Absolutely disgusting behavior.

Do these instances represent the majority of Omaha residents? No, I really, really doubt it. In my experience, though, racism is a prevalent issue here. No, it isn't the physical assaults, racial slurs, or violent conflicts that the term "racial tension" conjures up in some people's minds, but it is very much alive in Omaha. There aren't very many Asians in Omaha, and I've never noticed much racism directed that way, but that might very well just be cause and effect. If the OP's girlfriend has concerns about feeling singled out, then my advice is to visit Omaha and see how she feels. All the posts, insights, and population statistics in the world can't stand in for real world experience. Personally, I think it's definitely possible the OP's girlfriend might feel like "the only one" at times in Omaha. That's just how the demographics are. Like I said, though, you'll never know until you're here, and you can see for yourself.

Oh, and another of my favorite anecdotes. My girlfriend and I were out at a diner in Omaha, and our waitress had the slightest South American accent. She was also waiting on the booth next to ours, an elderly couple. During the course of the evening, the elderly woman asked the waitress where she was from, she said she was from Brazil, and came to America for school. The woman responded with "But you talk English so good!" Which, aside from being astoundingly patronizing, is also quite a poorly phrased sentence. The waitress said she began learning English when she was in Brazil, but never really got the hang of it until she immigrated. The elderly woman said "Well, we really appreciate it! We don't have to listen to you jabber on in Spanish!" I rested my face in my palms and shed a single tear.

[smithy77]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

No, you shouldn't taunt children, because SIR God knows what you're doing - and frankly, He's getting a little sick of it.

So laugh now, because some morning soon you may wake up with boils all over your body. Or genital warts.

Brilliant. Keep digging.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by alexyz2618

Without getting too involved with the back and forth here, I'd just like to share my experience with anyone who could benefit from it.

I worked in a business with quite a few Mexicans (yes, Mexicans, not Hispanics, people born and raised in Mexico,) and if a customer heard them speaking in Spanish amongst themselves, or if they responded to the customer in a thick accent, more often than not, when the offending employee was out of range I would be treated to a snide, racist comment. The only logic I can find in the situation is that the people making such comments would think that, because I'm white, I must obviously agree with their analysis of my co-workers. They'd be simple comments "Ugh, no surprise they can't speak English, right?" or something to that effect. Like I said, this wasn't a rampant problem, but I'd hear it maybe 6 out of every 10 times one of our customers had to be subjected to the punishment of dealing with an immigrant, who, heaven forbid, had an accent.

I also cashiered briefly, and many of our customers were Hispanic, and many had a loose at best grasp of the English language. Several of my coworkers would intentionally short-change any Hispanic people because they either wouldn't notice the discrepancy in change, or wouldn't be able to argue their case. Absolutely disgusting behavior.

Do these instances represent the majority of Omaha residents? No, I really, really doubt it. In my experience, though, racism is a prevalent issue here. No, it isn't the physical assaults, racial slurs, or violent conflicts that the term "racial tension" conjures up in some people's minds, but it is very much alive in Omaha. There aren't very many Asians in Omaha, and I've never noticed much racism directed that way, but that might very well just be cause and effect. If the OP's girlfriend has concerns about feeling singled out, then my advice is to visit Omaha and see how she feels. All the posts, insights, and population statistics in the world can't stand in for real world experience. Personally, I think it's definitely possible the OP's girlfriend might feel like "the only one" at times in Omaha. That's just how the demographics are. Like I said, though, you'll never know until you're here, and you can see for yourself.

Oh, and another of my favorite anecdotes. My girlfriend and I were out at a diner in Omaha, and our waitress had the slightest South American accent. She was also waiting on the booth next to ours, an elderly couple. During the course of the evening, the elderly woman asked the waitress where she was from, she said she was from Brazil, and came to America for school. The woman responded with "But you talk English so good!" Which, aside from being astoundingly patronizing, is also quite a poorly phrased sentence. The waitress said she began learning English when she was in Brazil, but never really got the hang of it until she immigrated. The elderly woman said "Well, we really appreciate it! We don't have to listen to you jabber on in Spanish!" I rested my face in my palms and shed a single tear.

Yep, you can find racists everywhere.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by smithy77

Brilliant. Keep digging.

I created the hole - and you're coming perilously close to finding yourself in it permanently.

[alexyz2618]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

Yep, you can find racists everywhere.

Yes, you can, but it still bears mentioning. Especially since Omaha is worse than many other places up here. To say "Well yeah, Omaha has X problem, but so do a lot of places" as a selling point for the city is incredibly backwards. There's more of a concentration of the racist attitude in Omaha than in other cities, and I'm fairly certain that's what everyone who has taken up that position has been debating. Yes, you could, in all likelihood, go to every single city in this country and find a single person who holds a racist idea. But the problem is much more pronounced in Omaha. The city has its virtues, but in a discussion where the OP has singled out racism as an issue of importance, to ignore it and say Omaha is fine because "you can find racists everywhere" is silly.

Many Omaha residents have trouble accepting the fact that their city is not the perfect place for everybody to live. When all is said and done, Omaha has a lot going for it, but there are plenty of circumstances that could arise in a person's life that would make moving to Omaha less than desirable, but so many people here immediately take up arms, ready to defend their city to the bitter end. As if it was a personal slight against them. I don't understand it, frankly. Why would you want someone to move across the country (or in this case, nearly across the Earth) to Omaha under false pretenses? There's almost an attitude of "Well, if I don't have a problem with it, no one should have a problem with it" that prevails. Just think, if you don't keep defending Omaha so valiantly, you won't have as many people here who dislike it, and are given the sage advice "Well if you don't like it, then leave."

[smithy77]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

I created the hole - and you're coming perilously close to finding yourself in it permanently.

At least your owning the hole. Admission is the first step in the healing process.

[McBain II]

Originally Posted by alexyz2618

Yes, you can, but it still bears mentioning. Especially since Omaha is worse than many other places up here.

No it's not. Believe me, I've been to alot of them.

There's more of a concentration of the racist attitude in Omaha than in other cities,

Again, no there isn't.

Yes, you could, in all likelihood, go to every single city in this country and find a single person who holds a racist idea.

No "likelihood" about it. It's a statistical fact.

But the problem is much more pronounced in Omaha.

For the third time, the answer is no.

The city has its virtues, but in a discussion where the OP has singled out racism as an issue of importance, to ignore it and say Omaha is fine because "you can find racists everywhere" is silly.

How so? Personally I think it's a dumb question to start with when you ask "will I find racists in ____" and you're talking about a city the size of Omaha. I live in the south now (where they still haven't got over losing the civil war) and racism is not much of an issue in the larger, more evolved cities here.

It's ****ing ridiculous.

Many Omaha residents have trouble accepting the fact that their city is not the perfect place for everybody to live. When all is said and done, Omaha has a lot going for it, but there are plenty of circumstances that could arise in a person's life that would make moving to Omaha less than desirable, but so many people here immediately take up arms, ready to defend their city to the bitter end.

Hey, we're proud of our city and will make no apologies for it. That being said, we're all well aware that Omaha has problems like any other city, but come in here spewing a bunch of uninformed crap about Omaha and we'll jump on you pretty quick for it.

[McBain II]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

I created the hole - and you're coming perilously close to finding yourself in it permanently.

I literally laughed out loud when I read this line.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by alexyz2618

Yes, you can, but it still bears mentioning. Especially since Omaha is worse than many other places up here.
No, it's not. And you saying so isn't going to make the accusation any more accurate.


To say "Well yeah, Omaha has X problem, but so do a lot of places" as a selling point for the city is incredibly backwards.
And to sit and whine with trumped up personal, anecdotal opinions is stupid. You might as well be arguing that the moon is made out of cheese.


There's more of a concentration of the racist attitude in Omaha than in other cities, and I'm fairly certain that's what everyone who has taken up that position has been debating.
You - being the one who has tossed out the accusation - need to back it up with something other than your own hyperbole.


Yes, you could, in all likelihood, go to every single city in this country and find a single person who holds a racist idea. But the problem is much more pronounced in Omaha.
Y A W N


The city has its virtues, but in a discussion where the OP has singled out racism as an issue of importance, to ignore it and say Omaha is fine because "you can find racists everywhere" is silly.
Y A W N


Many Omaha residents have trouble accepting the fact that their city is not the perfect place for everybody to live. When all is said and done, Omaha has a lot going for it, but there are plenty of circumstances that could arise in a person's life that would make moving to Omaha less than desirable, but so many people here immediately take up arms, ready to defend their city to the bitter end. As if it was a personal slight against them. I don't understand it, frankly. Why would you want someone to move across the country (or in this case, nearly across the Earth) to Omaha under false pretenses? There's almost an attitude of "Well, if I don't have a problem with it, no one should have a problem with it" that prevails. Just think, if you don't keep defending Omaha so valiantly, you won't have as many people here who dislike it, and are given the sage advice "Well if you don't like it, then leave."

Why don't you bring some specifics to the discussion, rather than this rehashed nonsense?

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by smithy77

At least your owning the hole. Admission is the first step in the healing process.

Why are you talking about my hole?