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What is the most racist city or town you have ever been in?

My parents told me this story. Back in 1984 when we were moving from Houston to Chicago, we stopped for gas at a town in Arkansas. As we were about to leave, a local sheriff came up to us and talked to my parents for a couple of minutes, and then recommended that we leave by the time the sun went down, for our own safety. In fact, it was probably best if we just got back on the highway right away.
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Miram · 31-35, F
Tellout. It's town in Algeria. We were attacked by Islamists and no one did anything because we are Amazigh, ethnic minority.

After the event, people would ask Me how I feel about my sister being asexually assaulted. I was 8.

Not they that weren't giving me hard time before that event. Pinning all what other kids do on me like stealing and such. And beating me.

This is in Algeria
@Miram That's genuinely heartbreaking and I can't imagine the depth of pain all this has caused you. I'm so sorry.
Miram · 31-35, F
@HijabaDabbaDoo It made me vulnerable to my father's financial and racial agendas. Much of the motivations to why people hated me I didn't understand until later in life.

Can't pretend that it doesn't affect me still. Meeting people I know are family related to those who wronged me while in field work. They rarely can recognize me without my first name.

I think despite how horrible it all been. How horrible I became in my teens. I was lucky. I had help after. And I didn't die in there.

There are few people I do admire from there because they did help us. One being the nurse I mentioned in one of my venting. He offered his home to kids during a flood. And a man who literally covered me with his back from his fellows while I hid between the truck and a wall. He just saw me there and stood to hide me instead of pulling me out.

Lot of things happened. Sometimes I don't remember them, other times they force themselves into my brain.

Eventhe darkest places can have the greatest people
@Miram it's often these situations where
examples of humanity come from. Reminds me of a question a lecturer would ask his students.

Imagine a plane makes an emergency landing and breaks into three parts. As the cabin fills with smoke everyone inside realises they need an escape. What happens?

On planet A, the passengers turn to their neighbours to ask if they're okay. Those needing assistance are helped out of the plane first. People are willing to give their lives, even for perfect strangers.

On planet B, everyone's left to fend for themselves, panic breaks out, there's pushing and shoving. Children, elderly and people with disabilities get tramped underfoot.

And then he asks what planet do we live on?

According to him, majority would think Planet A. But histories most momentous disasters have played out on Planet A.

We fall prey to the idea that civilisation is nothing more than a thin veneer that will crack at the merest provocation. People need an 'other' to make sense of their world or the world they've been conditioned towards, but when crisis hits we humans become our best selves and I'm glad you had some to remind you of this amongst the struggle and unjust treatment.

I imagine it's been difficult processing all of this, even as an adult. I'm just glad you made it out safe and I'm also really glad and admire you for continuing to share your experiences. You're a voice for people who have lived and still live similar experiences.
@Miram Wow. I'm very sorry you went through that.