Bel, you said

I don't understand what you are angry about when you are asked about your people?

Partly it is because, perhaps, I eschew the idea of having 'my people'. Partly because of.... well, here's an imaginary conversation, that nevertheless is pretty true. (I have made up C88's parenthetical thoughts.)

Hypothetical conversation upon first meeting.

Combat88: "Are you Indian?" [You're Indian, aren't you!]

Me: "No. Actually I'm English." [What are your criteria anyway?]

C88: "But, like… you've got… um … family … in India? I mean, your family comes from India…?" [wog]

Me: "My parents live in Bombay, yes." [And I could have been white and this fact would not have made the least blind bit of difference to you then.]

C88: "Ahhh…" [Knew you were Indian!] "So tell me - do your people celebrate Christmas (play hide the sausage/burn their dead/kill for dowry)?" [Bloody uncivilised wogs. Bet he shares his room with thirteen other people, most of them illegal immigrants.]

Me: "I celebrate Christmas with gusto." [Racist!]

Notes:

1. Combat88 - As I understand it, a fascist group aligned to Nazism (the number 88 is of some Hitlerian significance - his birthday or some such).

2. wog - Westernised oriental gentleman - much used pejoratively during the time of the Raj. Also 'babu' used similarly vide Kipling's Kim.

The point is that the minute I am categorised as part of 'your people', I feel as if I have been de-personalised, as if I am no longer important to the person talking to me, merely the stereotypes I represent for him or her. This certainly angers me. How much of it is merely 'in my mind' I don't know, but I am not a paranoid sort of person, and cannot really remember coming across any overt racism aimed at me... so maybe it's an open question.

cheer

the sunshine warrior