Comments on: Once You Go Black: Racism in Jordan

By: Pardi

Pardi — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:25:28 +0000

This article is right on point.

I just landed from Jordan. Yesterday was first time there - and my last (if I can help it). I can assure you I will never willingly go back to that land of evil for the rest of my life.

I have a successful consulting career, six figure annual salary (US Dollars) and have travelled to many countries in this world interacting with many different types of people - Asia Europe, Middle East, Africa, etc etc..

Never before have I experienced such ballant in-your-face racism like I did in Jordan.

The hostility starts at right on arrival - at Immigration (by government officials) and follows you all through till you leave. Never have I felt so alone and hated on this planet.

What did I do? Who did I hurt? What’s my sin? Whose air am I breating? Whose space did I wrongfully occupy by being born?

Yup, One night. Thats all it took for me. Your friend must have a heart of steel.

Anyway, I am glad I was staying at the Intercontinental - the staff were multicultural and I could hold on to that for much needed sanity. I managed to keep my cool and engage the racists in some verbal/humorous battle of wits (unfortunately such people don’t tend to be very smart).

I am sad that Arabs - the very people who claim to be targets of racism nowadays, can turn into such monsters given the slightest opportunity.

Anyway, I am not angry any more. I forgive them and will continue to pray for them.

By: Pat

Pat — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:18:49 +0000

i believe you, austin. and sarah, all those catcalls and propositions we get because we are blonde and fair? that is just another form of racism combined with a healthy dose of sexism. we wouldn’t get as many of them if we were able to fit in better.
i’ve lived all over the world, and i don’t say this to be mean, but i’ve never before or since experienced the daily, sometimes hourly, reminders of my “differentness.” and i really grew to resent the overall vibe that, somehow because i’m fair, i’m sexually available at all times to whomever makes a pass. not nice. sometimes these offenses took place in front of the jordanian police, who only smiled at my predicament and acted like the were getting a kick out of it.

By: Alurdunialhurr

Alurdunialhurr — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:46:47 +0000

I’ve concluded that African-Americans have an inferiority complex due to their history in the United States, they feel entitled to cut in line and get their hands in others’ cookie jars (theft, vandalism..etc) because they were slaves and treated inhumanely, that’s their excuse. They claim the cops are after them because they’re Black, not because they’re speeding or have had criminal records. They won’t acknowledge that THEY TOO ARE RACIST toward Caucasians, Mexicans, Indians, Pakistanis and Arabs!"

Haneen,,,your occlusion at least it seems to me is based on very biased and racist opinion and not scientifically based facts and findings.

By: Austin

Austin — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:19:55 +0000

kinzi: many thanks for your comment! Since I counted among those with a supposedly pitiable skin color, I was not privy to hear such comments myself. However, as I said before, all of my white friends in Jordan can recount such tales of flabbergasting race-based commentary. Thank you for corroborating this aspect of my argument. And you’re right: ending the denial is the first step toward correcting the problem.

And as a quick aside, I also want to say that I am definitely inclined to believe that this phenomenon is widespread in Arab culture(s): my brother, who lived in Cairo for four months, has stories similar to my own. My supervisor at an internship I had, who was Lebanese, told me that he never really realized how racist Arabs were until he went back home (to Tripoli) with his four year old daughter, who happens to be very dark-skinned, and saw how she was treated even as a child. I myself spent several weeks in Yemen this past summer, and the treatment I recieved there was absolutely maddening: I made the decision after my first two weeks there that I should never go out to eat alone or only in the company of other blacks, because there was a good chance that I wouldn’t be served. I could give many, many anecdotes on such treatment in Sana’a. Ironically enough, these experiences pushed me to play the part of "the angry black man" that I have avoided all my life in order to simply be seen, and which Haneen has apparently found intolerable in America.

It’s just like Tololy recounted: even though I’m from Georgia, a state with a long, horrible legacy of racism and segregation, I can honestly that I have never been as conscious of my blackness the way I was in Jordan.

Sarah: thanks for pointing out that this definitely doesn’t begin and end with blacks and American sensitivities! As heartbreaking as my experience was, my Asian / Asian-American friends certainly had an even worse time than I did. I myself witnessed such gross disrespect towards them (and don’t even get my started on how people treat their servants…), including random jerks shouting "ching chang chong" as though it’s funny or clever.

By the way, when were you in Jordan? I was there the 2005-06 school year.

Alurdunialhurr: thanks for the sentiment. I also applaud you for raising the issue again on your own blog. Usually, as has been witnessed in some above comments, my protestations against racism in Jordan were met with denial or lame excuses, as though innocuous racism is somehow not a problem compared to the explicitly malignant kind: while it may be less offense superficially, it’s still a problem in the hearts and minds of people who are so race-conscious to begin with.

Haneen: while your comment is off the subject of racism in Jordan, I think it warrants being addressed. I’m sorry that your experience with blacks in America has been so overwhelmingly negative up until this point, and I understand how someone who doesn’t think of themselves as racist can suddenly find themselves contending with the seemingly objective standards that their eyes and experience present them: trust me, I have that same struggle with Arabs sometimes.

I myself am embarrassed by the often-times unnecessarily abrasive mannerisms of my fellow black people. We, particularly black youth, have a lot of cultural problems–anti-intellectualism, glorified gangsterism–that aren’t typically dealt with honestly. But I think you’re definitely on to something with your theory that there’s a widespread, subconscious inferiority complex at work amongst many of us. As with many historically oppressed groups–blacks, homosexuals, Muslim Americans, women–some people feel engage in what I feel is an attempt at overcompensation, whereby the aggresively assert an identity that only ends up turning people off even more. Allow me to suggest two great books on issues of African-American sociology (although I can’t remember the authors’ names and am too lazy to google): "Why Do All The Black Kids Sit Together In The Cafeteria?" And Other Conversations About Race and Losing the Race.

By: madas

madas — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:27:31 +0000

Actually you are not aware of racism that is based on skin color because in Jordan there are a few people who are black. But I bet you are aware of racism that is based on religion, or sexuality or on nationality… i.e. Jordanian, Iraqi, Palestinian, Egyptian…

Of course Jordanians are racist…. As a matter of fact the problem is that racism is

embedded and condoned in the culture.

http://madas.jordanplanet.org/ –>

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:55:49 +0000

I also studied in Jordan; I’m blond, so I didn’t face any particular race-related problems (there was a barrage of catcalls, of course, but that’s another issue). However, I heard reports of racism from all sorts of "brown" students, and not just the relatively few black students I was studying with. Those of East Asian descent had "ching chang chong" shouted at them on the street; those of South Asian descent were often assumed to be servants. Yes, American conceptions of political correctness can account for some of the offense that was taken, but not all the students I knew who felt oppressed by this behavior were American or had even visited America.

By: Alurdunialhurr

Alurdunialhurr — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:33:25 +0000

Austin,,I would like to apologize to you for the racism that you have encountered in Jordan while visiting,off course my apology would not compensate you for what you had go through, racism do exist in Jordan even between people from the south or north ,that how ugly things are in Jordan let alone,the discrimination against palestinians,we had to change a lot of minds and attitudes and it’s going to take sometimes to erase and abolish racism in my country ,again Toloy thank you for bringing this subject to blogsepher.

By: Haneen

Haneen — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:11:40 +0000

This is not exactly a reply to anyone, just thoughts on the issue.

As a Jordanian who’s lived in Amman for 20 years, and now a current resident of the States who’s been here for 8 years. I admitt that I have a problem with African-Americans where I reside.

Never had I imagined that I would be one of those who would move out of a neighborhood and look for an exclusive community that doesn’t harbor any Black families, but since an African-American teenager was shot near my doorstep due to a gunshot wound by another African-American, I couldn’t imagine raising my son in that subdivision, my son was unable to go out and play like a normal kid because of fear for his safety. Next to that the theft of my neighbors’ cars on a weekly basis-which turned out to be by African-Americans-kept us frightened to park our cars outside even in broad daylight. In the same neighborhood, the cameras caught a group of Black kids vandalizing the pool and throwing the chairs in the water because they were denied access (since they’re not residents of the community they can’t use the pool we pay for monthly.)

I’m always getting into altercations with African-Americans while driving or parking and I swear to God I NEVER initiate. There’s cutting in line at the supermarket or restaurants, blasting the stereo in the car/apartment/house and disturbing the peace without any regard for other people.

This is my personal experience, what I came across and lived through. Had these incidents been with Mexicans, Norwegians or Cypriots, I would have a problem with them as well, it is not a grudge against Black individuals.

Growing up in Jordan with dark Jordanians, Palestinians, Iraqis and Egyptians, color was not an issue, it isn’t to me, it’s human behavior and mannerisms. The law of Decency applies to all races, religions and ethnicities.

By: kinzi

kinzi — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:00:25 +0000

I refrained until Austin commented, and I hope you will forgive me for saying so, but I see racism as a deeply ingrained thing in Arab culture. It’s so close it isnt’ seen, it’s as much xenophobia as racism.

Ditto Bambam, the slave mentality is very much alive and well. I think not many Arabs know how deeply their ancestors were involved in the Western slave trade. I think this is the root issue with the horrible abuse suffered by domestic workers - they are considered property, bought and paid for. Indentured servitude.

We have Sudanese friends here who have terrible stories of their treatment by Jordanians. A long time ago, there was an African American man who learned the language so quickly he was preaching in church in Arabic after only six months. Granted, he was allowed to preach, but the reason was sort of a sideshow: "Come see the e3beed speak, we had no idea black people could learn anything!"

We have at least six photos in an album of mixed race marriages, and those photos always provoke a comment that it was a shame that bride/groom couldn’t find anyone better of their own race…what had they done to lower themselves? We have even more friends who have adopted black and hispanic babies, and these photos are viewed with the same contempt.

I had a British Indian friend, married to an American. If we went shopping, the clerk would try and give her my purchases to carry (so I always insisted on carryignnher bags, just to freak them out). Her family was in Mac D’s eating, and a Jordanian woman approached her and acused her of ’stealing the madames’ husband’. She had been slapped by a taxi driver, pushed down a flight of stairs by a group of boys, they finally left because her husband couldn’t stand to see her treated that way.

Racism, by any culture’s definition, is alive and well in Jordan. When people can weep with sorrow over Austin’s story, rather than denying it, they will be on the road to getting rid of it..

By: Austin

Austin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:24:40 +0000

Hello, everyone. I am Tololy’s African-American friend in question.
And since so many people have indicated their interest in this post, I
feel obligated to speak for myself. Hope you don’t mind, Tol.

To everyone that suggests that my American biases exaggerated my
perceptions of racism: I would counter that that is only true to a
limited extent. I am willing to admit that my American sense of
political correctness left me utterly aghast for the first several
times that strangers called me "Abu Samra;" however, this horror was
mitigated when I realized that this name was not necessarily malicious,
thanks to conversations with several Jordanian friends on the issue.
Still, even after this realization, I can fairly say that there were
several occasions on which I was called this name in what was clearly a deragatory tone. But this is just the tip of the overly race-conscious / racist iceberg in Jordan.

What can account for the fact that all of
the white people I studied in Jordan with, without exception, have told
me stories of Jordanians who asked or said things to them that were
explicitly racist? Such colorful examples include: "Blacks cause all
the problems in America, right?" "I think that black American people
are more criminal because they are from Africa, where they have a tough
existence."

What can account for the vast differences between the automatic respect
and warm cordiality afforded my white American counterparts and the
coldness and suspicion with which I was regarded, even when I was in
their company? On several occasions, this made them feel just as
awkward as I did. What can account for the fact that when I tried to
enter Tche Tche (next to the Applebees) I was told I would need a
reservation (and this happened three time, at different times of day)?
Imagine how embarrassed I was when I later entered the same place on a
very crowded afternoon with my white friends, unmoleested.

Moreover, and somewhat ironically, the disparities in how I was treated
versus my white friends grew worse the more proficient I became in
Arabic (and I know Arabic very well). After running several social
experiments, I concluded that at any time I was in a situation that
required service–at banks, restaurants, wherever–it behooved me to
speak my native language. Because if I used Arabic, the service would
likely be resentful and inefficient, whereas using English was met with
a degree of cordiality. Again, comparing my experience with my white
friends, service providers were always ecstatic at their attempting to
use their broke-ass Arabic. I realize that race is only tangential to
this issue, but I believe it plays a discernable role.

And on the issue of "origin":
again, I realize this issue has more to do with ignorance than
malicious racism. But I ask all of you to think of how upsetting it
would be to be confronted with the fact that others refuse to see you
for what you are (an American, in my case). Imagine how upsetting it
would be to be confronted daily with the historical reality that your
ancestors were stripped of their identity when they were forcibly
shipped across an ocean and sold, rendering you unable to answer the
question of where you’re "originally" from.

And to correct Tololy’s recollection of our conversation, people
usually countered my litany of complaints about Jordan with the
contention "But there’s racism in America! We don’t have that here."
In fact, most people in Jordan I spoke to were largely ignorant of
slavery in America, and even ignorant of the realities of the harsh
slave trade in the Arab world.

Anyway…I could go on and on and on, but I’m cutting myself short
because this comment of mine is long enough already. Feel free to send
me an email at austinbranion@gmail.com if you want even more detail.