Sorry @OP, why should you feel bad? I may be wrong but I believe if you are self-confident no alleged racism can make you feel bad. You showed them you weren't a push over by threatening to sue them. That is it, you were victorious. I went for one training in Germany and I was the only black in that section of town. For one good month i didnt see one black face. I was walking like the king. I was pitying their miserable lack of exposure. One day one german approached me and asked whether this is how everybody looked in africa. I asked him whether everybody in German was this mentally handicapped. I used the word 'mentally handicapped'. He was shocked! I dont know what he told them but the next day a german lady bought a drink for me in the same bar I met the german man. In that training I was the best when the result came out. I shifted my flight for one week to get to know the lady better. Now we are good friends. I am my own master. I was there in my own right and merit. Nobody had the ability or capacity to make me feel bad. Be confident and you will not feel bad about racism.

This is exactly what Buhari is doing in Nigeria, it is called discrimination based on ethnicity.

The Polish are not overwhelmingly racist, am sure some idiot must have made a mistake and the manager was hard pressed to find an excuse for it.....sorry for then embarrassment bros

Sorry about your ordeal, bro .



But these racism everywhere and in Nigeria too

Sorry about your experience OP. it is well. This is what we get with all the bad image been created by the Boko Boys and others in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the whites are looking for any slight opportunity to embarrass the black folks anyway, but I could tell you that they are not as confident as we are.

It is well my brother.

The 'white' skinned generally just don't like black people; in fact they seem to rate their pets better than blacks.
May God help black race worldwide; may he lift us up to higher places IJN.
And may we blacks stop worshipping the 'white' skinned people.

I witness a scene at MMA on my arrival in June; a British man flew in from South Africa to attend a conference. Guest what? The organisers sent someone to come pick him at the airport; in fact the lady wanted to carry the man's luggage.

I wonder if a white fella will ever do that for a black academic! Certainly not, so why do we blacks treat them as thin gods?

Atmmachine:
There's nothing like racism again.
The blacks destroyed racism with rap music.
90% of the whites in America call other whites "NIGGA"
now tell me if it's still racist to call a black Nigga, when all the whites call other whites Nigga.

Tell that to people who haven't traveled out of Nigeria.
Racism died a long time ago

Another Uncle Tom . Smdh

Its so unfortunate that you had to go through such experience, I can relate to that when I flew from cairo to Toronto. I was faced with a little extra scrutiny during check in.
Its a shame that some people are still racist.One thing to be understood is that not all whites are racist.There are many whites who arent racist.I have related with whites who are clearly not racist but you still find some persons with a high level of ignorance behave in a despicable and dehumanising manner against people of colour. I hate racist with passion.If I could determine if they live or die.They wont be existing as they will all be eliminated.Only people who tolerate other human beings irrespective of skin color deserve to exist.Even Animals arent racist but humans have chosen to act less than animals.I have always know that those countries in eastern europe are very racist from Ukraine to poland to Romania.Its the same experience. On a normal day I really wont want to have anything to do with those places.

As I black man, please don't let this to pass this way fight for your fellow African for our right because if you remain quit you give them a chance to countiniou treating us like an Alians. Please fight for us by taking a legal action

Pidggin:
Imagine the embarrassment, you need to sue the airline if you can.

Funny. But this won't stop due to so many reasons but can be reduced. My friend and I experienced something like dis 2yrs ago at Jumierah beach in Dubai.. An ukrainian kid was happy to hold and play with us. I left to get a drink den came back and saw d mother angrily taking her kid away, started washing his hands and head which he used in playing with us... We blasted her and left

Hahahaha I got same treatment on a flight from beirut to larnaca airport Cyprus. In fact ours was so bad that everyone started clapping once we landed. I never thought I could feel so awkward before. We were being looked at as terrorists lol Na them Sabi me no dey look uche face

latitidejavu:
Sorry @OP, why should you feel bad? I may be wrong but I believe if you are self-confident no alleged racism can make you feel bad. You showed them you weren't a push over by threatening to sue them. That is it, you were victorious. I went for one training in Germany and I was the only black in that section of town. For one good month i didnt see one black face. I was walking like the king. I was pitying their miserable lack of exposure. One day one german approached me and asked whether this is how everybody looked in africa. I asked him whether everybody in German was this mentally handicapped. I used the word 'mentally handicapped'. He was shocked! I dont know what he told them but the next day a german lady bought a drink for me in the same bar I met the german man. In that training I was the best when the result came out. I shifted my flight for one week to get to know the lady better. Now we are good friends. I am my own master. I was there in my own right and merit. Nobody had the ability or capacity to make me feel bad. Be confident and you will not feel bad about racism.

Lies

You mean a in country that has so many blacks and Turks playing in its national football team and leagues, the citizens still don't know what an African looks like?

Shoroniyen?

Seun
Omenka
Lalasticlala
Ngenekwenu
Others

See English. I tell you. To go good school is good. You see. Well spoken, well-communicated and good way to start this day.

Anyway....I am just observing proceedings on this thread.

princetunex:
Racism is not new but I understand how you feel. You simply paid for the sins of our brothers who have tarnished the image of our color but I'm glad you didn't make any trouble n that's mature. Just move on bro

What is this garble? 19 likes? Who are these senseless people? Sins of which few? Mtschew!!!

Judging from your comment, you know nothing about racism.


Mtschew!!!

Pathetic. Sorry Op, just write a letter to the Authorities and that will suffice. These Polish are known to be very Religious, how contradictory.

Ukraine own is the worst.. have you ever been violently rejected? Just because of your skin colour..

[b]Op sorry for your trouble, if that's the worse experience you had, then you have not experience racism. I was ones singled out in Czech's airport, asked me to take off my boots for scanning in front of about 150 people, I laughed and did as I was told. I went to Greece with my friends BENZ, stop on traffic, A greek policeman on his bike by my side looking at me with anger and said " don't pose here, this is not your country ". Op I have experience real racism in EU. and please this's nothing compare to what others have experience, after all what our fellow brothers are doing in EU with the drugs and frauds business is killing our profile not only as blacks but worse as AFRICAN, Cox the whites see us as hungry people who will do anything to survive. I believe you hear/see/read news about our fellow brothers being caught regularly in Asia. No need writing a letter or sue the airline, you letter will go to trash. You are a black man in EU, No one will listen to your complains. make good use of your time. whenever am a victim I just say " Am proud to be a black man, obviously they see something in the black man's skin/color that they know is better than their's and that pisses them off. Please take heart and control yourself. FIFA always put this Ad " lets kick out racism " but the fact is racism will never stop. Before judging others, look at your house first.. We Nigerians, do we love or do well to our fellow Nigerians knowing he/she is from other ethnic/tribe? ( Yuroba, Hausa and Igbos )[/b]..


PEACE OUT...

Report them to Shakau.

Talking about Poland?

Wait till you enter Germany, they've a Phd smh

OneNaija:
I never felt embarrassed when I encounter such Racist situation abroad. Sometime I laugh and try to resolve the Issue like you did. because I know my own people in Nigeria has done the worst due to tribal Issue. Yoruba and Igbo Encounter is the worst.

thats what ppl dont know that tribalism in Nigeria is far worse than that of racism abroad..at least u will be questioned and interrogated if in abroad but in Nigeria the amount of abuse and hate even within ppl of same tribe is worse than racism

Sorry you experienced this OP.

Take heart my brother.

All is well. Just leave them alone.u handled the situation calmly and sensibly and I commend u for that.

U prove them wrong. They assumed u would shout at them or accept their lies just because u want to make the flight but u didn't.

I have experienced so much racism that I now understand racism still exist.

My advice to u is to be prepared for racism when u go a country where the majority of the population are whites.

I will never ever in my life go to any countries in Europe apart from the UK which I currently live in. I wont even go China sef as they are even worse.

Take heart once again. All is well.

pansophist:
It was before my departure, I was patiently queuing about to board a flight from Katowice (Poland) to Eindhoven (Netherlands) at 07.15 am. While waiting, I was approached by a male employee who asked me about an unknown baggage found somewhere around the airport, I courteously replied that its not mine and I suggested that he should make a public announcement about it before passengers began to board the aircraft. When it was my turn to board, I approached the passenger service assistant and gave him my ID and mobile boarding pass but to my dismayal, he explicitly stated that I will not be allowed to board while asking me to wait at the corner for his boss to handle the situation. He wouldn’t listen to my subsequent plea as he rudely separated me from the curiously observing queuers, as I waited for the arrival of his supposed boss.

Three minutes later, the middle-aged boss arrived and as expected, collected my ID and interrogated me with the same question asked by the previous vicenarian employee, I repeatedly told him that I knew nothing about the baggage but he wouldn’t accept this as the truth. He further claimed that I was caught on camera dropping the bag and he would release the video to me if I keep denying, I was amazingly shocked at such magnitude of lie against me. I ask if I could see the video, wondering if I was mistaken for someone else, He agreed to show me but inferred that I wont be able to board the flight because after the nitty-gritty, the plane would be late on arrival, then its was dawm on me that this is getting serious. I replied angrily that if I miss my flight, I would sue the legal-person(s) involved. On hearing this, he immediately facilitated my boarding and directed me to the boarding gate. I asked again if I could see the video where I was caught dropping the baggage but he refused and reminded me that I am delaying the flight, in an attempt to diverge my pending questions. I was vehemently mortified. As I entered the plane from the front door, I noticed the fear and irritation gripping the passengers due to my chagrin. I approached to my assigned seat number, the passenger next to me wanted to be sure if I should be sitting close to her, as she was scared. I have never been publicly humiliated to this extent before. Throughout the whole trip, I was filled with so much anger, being victimized, guilt, and disregard. I wondered why I was handpicked and accorded such degrading treatment; I strongly believed it’s because of my phenotypically dark skin as I am the only ''non white'' on the flight, since no public announcement was made to inform if someone misplaced the baggage.

I have been a denizen in Poland and I have never experienced such degrading treatment throughout my time there. This treatment created a deep hole in my heart and brought to my awareness the reserved prejudice deeply rooted in the heart of the airport workers who ganged up and treated me so unfairly due to my dark skin. It is expected of public workers to be competent with customer’s relation skills, especially in airport serving passengers from all parts of the world. This experience has made me unnecessarily sensitive as I was made to tacitly understand I would have to prove my innocence if I’m unluckily present in any mix-up situation, that I will be assumed guilty by default with the burden of proving myself innocent resting on me, that this experience is but a mere trigger of an existing presupposition. The most painful part is that my feelings were completely ignored and at the very least of my expectation, no apologies issued to the aggrieved.

I am writing this letter without prejudice, and all I ask for is that the necessary authorities should equip its employees with customer relationship skills and method in reaching coherent conclusions without subjecting anyone to an inhumane treatment, and also as a deterrent from this happening to subsequent passengers.

Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris: Ihad finished Check-in procedures and was on my way to the Duty free lounge when I realized that the security screening point I knew has been closed. So I approached a Security Gurad and politely asked for directions to the Check-in lounge. That was where shiit went South really fast.

He asked for my Boarding pass to which I gave him easily thinking he needed it to point me in the right direction. Next he asked for my passport to which I also gave him. Mind you, my passport pouch contained 3 Nigerian Passports (2 expired ones and the valid one). Next he started questioning me, saying where was I going and what was my business in Paris. He started saying I looked familiar. I asked him if my familiarity was with regards to a famous person or a criminal and he didn't respond. He then proceeded to ask me to open my hand luggage for a search to which I just started laughing. I knelt down in the center of the Airport and opened the bag for him. He barely looked inside before handing me my Passport and boarding pass and pointing me to the security screening point that led to the lounge. I thought my ordeal was over.

I get into the lounge, find a seat and ordered a Beer. Next thing I hear my name over the Public address system asking that I approach the check in counter. When I got there, lol and behold, 3 French soldiers (Gendarme) were waiting there and then beckoned me to the side of the check in counter and started this full body and luggage search in the full glare of the entire Airport. I just started laughing really brightly as I realized that I had been targeted. They rifled through my luggage, pulling out my stuff and just scattering them around, my pockets, patted me down and ran more questions of where I was from and where I was going to. At that point, I stopped answering any questions they had I said they can search me all they want, subject me to internal screening, but I was done speaking to them. I just continued to stand there and kept smiling. When they were done with the search and interrogation, they left me there to sort my stuff out on my own.

When I returned to my seat, I just sat down, with all eyes on me, I put my head down and wept. I felt so violated. All this because I asked for directions within an Airport to the security screening point.

Racism is still alive, they just be concealing it. Some part of Eastern Europe still harbours it, talking from experience. But when I read sentimental comments based on tribalism on nairaland, im quick to overlook racism. Charity begins at home and only the angels of God is white.

I felt tinged, such an embarrassment.

Hope he learns from the experience to DEVELOP his own black group for greater respect.

OP sorry about your experience, reminds of the day I was travelling from Awka to PH, people in the minivan were igbo, excepting one hausa guy, I was seated in the middle, with him on my right and a lady on my left, chai! I pity the man that day no be small, dude was searched at every check point with everyone speaking in igbo, talking about how he should be searched, his people are not to be trusted blah blah blah, it was just too much that I had to start a conversation with the guy(good thing I speak hausa) I could see the joy on his face when I started talking to him.

If I didn't know tribalism is real, I knew it that day, so my dear, it's obvious racism and trabalism is deep rooted, maybe someday we'll all come to accept each other as one, for now, ndo.

Atmmachine:
My Nigga.
That's not even racism.
When you see a real racism, you won't be able to narrate your ordeal to anyone.
The just wanna see your ID & make sure you wasn't the one who dropped the bag.

As in some people ehn? A security check is what OP is complaining about. Perhaps there was some profiling and stereotyping there, but racism?

OP if you were to board a plane and you heard someone was being searched on suspicion of being a boko haram member wouldn't you want the security to be thorough in their search?

Its something like that that happened to you. I don't see racism there, I see caution.

Just for the records, something similar happened to me and I even missed my connecting flight in Atlanta. I knew it was because I was coming from Nigeria. My passport was bent every which way, put under a special light, and when the guy wasn't sure, he called someone else to take a look. All the while I was being bombarded with questions.

All the people who passed through that booth before me were cleared quickly but I spent ages. I felt bad but I understood.

Last word; sometimes the people who see racism everywhere are the real racists.

eurozone1:
I can't say am surprised. Poland have always been affiliated with anything Racism. The level of their ignorance is mind boggling. It's quite funny coming in contact with them outside their country. That is when you can see the true form of their ignorance and low esteem. I have been very much around, a simple Google Search or interview with a Pole will show you what low life they are, mostly from their male counterparts . Ignore it bro, take it as one of those things.

Dont let the experience discourage you, is just the way the world is, racism allows a few minority to rule the world, its actually a divide and conquer ploy.

Atmmachine:


You're a racist son of a bitcch.
You hate whites ??
Which whites ?? I think you haven't been in contact with white people. They're the nicest people on earth.

Uncle Tom

magicminister:


[size=20pt]Racism is alive and well.
I would always advise any and every black person to grow a thick skin.
i have witnessed subtle discrimination and obvious discrimination.

There is no solution to racism and tribalism.

The only problem i have is when i see white folks being treated like demi gods by Nigerian people when they are in Nigeria.
It makes me really really sick and angry when i see my Nigerian brothers and sisters give preference to a white man in Nigeria before they even look my face or your face.

Blacks have to unite.
That is the only way!
Lets stand as one.

I might hate you but if i see you getting harassed by a white man, i will jump in quickly to your rescue.
whenever i read cases of white employers maltreating and physically abusing Nigerian employers In Nigeria, it really makes me wonder!
Can't their Nigerian colleagues jump in and save them?

[/size]

I quite agree with u but its beyond racism. the heart of virtually all men are somewhat similar or what will u call a typical tribalistic nigerian? Even within a tribe, u av ethnicity. As long as we dont c oursefs as equals, we'll continue to recount such barbaric experiences. I wish we can live in a world devoid of racism, ethnicity, tribalism, religious segregation, etc. But in truth, all dz make us humans. Only d wise ar free from them all.

ttmacoy:
You are right it's unfortunate but he should not let it go.

Pansophist should write a letter to the airline demanding an explanation and apology. It may be an issue of Stereotyping rather than racism but it is still unacceptable.

Writing an official letter will stir them to action and inch that if they do not respond you will sue for discrimination. They will not want any bad publicity.

OP, do seriously consider this advice. It's rather sad that you had to go through such an embarrassing ordeal. If not for anything else, make an official complaint to at least prevent other black people from going through such. It may not even make so much of an impact, but it is a step in the right direction.
I wish you well OP, don't feel so bad but just take it as one of life's experiences that doesn't break you but only makes you stronger