I thought I would never experience cultural shock here but I was speechless yesterday when someone told me that only the rich can afford to be racists. When you don’t have money, you don’t have any choice. But if you have money, you can go to the shops or restaurants owned by your preferred races.
I suppose it also applies to whom you marry to. If you have money, you can easily buy a bride/groom of your preferred races. But if you don’t, well tough luck, you have to settle for something within your budget.
When I lived in Asia and the States, I never felt being discriminated. But here most people seem to think very differently. It’s 100% safe to voice racist opinions out loud because it’s considered socially acceptable.
And the core value here is money. People are judged mainly by what they own. The rich are not only to be respected but also envied because they can afford to be racists.
I might not live till the day when most of the doctors, lawyers and politicians here are the children of the second-class citizens now. But I know it will happen one day. In fact, it’s happening right now. But it still saddens me to witness such ignorance around.
And it sickens me to be with those who believe racism is a commodity.
