My Personal Experience with Prejudice in America Essay

Someone once asked me how I felt about prejudice. â€Å"In contrast to what?†, or should I say, â€Å"shocking in all its forms.† Initially my response was puzzling. Let me explain. If you were to ask me how I felt about prejudice in the United States I would have to say, â€Å"Here, I am very aware of my skin color.† It is no secret that the US has had a long historical battle with racism. I am able to be educated at the collegiate level, due wholly, or in part, to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. It is the reason I am allowed to vote in this country. The reason I can walk in any public arena and claim what is equally, or rightfully mine, subjected to law. It does not mean there is always equal application based on the right(s). I can†¦show more content†¦The Counselor’s response, she could expect to get in and I could too, as long as I recognized that it may take a little more strategy and energy on my part, although my grades and aptitude for the school curriculum were much better. The innuendo of the suggestion was based on the color of my skin, not my nationality, not my gender. Shocking indeed. Living abroad, in Europe, specifically Germany, Great Britian, France, Italy, and the Czech Republic, brought to my attention a different kind of prejudice. One based on my nationality. â€Å"Americans are rude.† â€Å"Americans are narrow-minded. â€Å" â€Å"Americans are spoiled.† â€Å"Americans are self-centered.† â€Å"Americans never try to blend in to the culture.† â€Å"Americans only speak English and expect everyone else to speak it too.† I heard all too often. When I lived in France, my ex-husband and I were in a sculpture gallery, interested in purchasing a few pieces. My ex-husband, of Italian decent, but he spoke no French, approached the sales clerk about a piece. He expressed in English his interest and inquired of the cost. The sales clerk responded in French, â€Å"I hate for Americans to come in the shop. I don’t want to serve them. They always feel so entitled to service the way they demand.† I re sponded in French, our deepest apologies. The write up on the piece was in English and although my husband (at the time) was not formally versed in the language, he made the assumption that English was spoken based on theShow MoreRelatedPrejudice: a Worldwide Problem1429 Words   |  6 PagesPrejudice: A Worldwide Problem There is a dangerous and often deadly problem in the world today. It reaches beyond political and religious boundaries and spans across all economic and social statuses. It affects the homeless, middleclass, and the richest people in society. The problem is prejudice. 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