Ignorance is never pretty

I was teaching some middle school students nationalities. This is my actual conversation:
"If you are from China, what is your nationality?"
"Chinese."
"If you are from Korea, what is your nationality?"
"Korean."
If you are from Japan, what are you?"
"Trash."

I am under the opinion that one of the tasks of a teacher will creating a good learning environment is to confront racism whenever it is encountered. Ignoring a statement like calling Japanese people "Trash" is condoning that behavior, which is something I will not do.

Middle school girls think it's funny to spout of something like that. This isn't the first time I've heard students this age say things like this. Without fail, none of them had been to Japan if they've traveled anywhere, none of them knew Japanese or anyone Japanese, and none had any specific reason to have any grudge against Japanese people as a whole. This sort of statement can only be spoken in ignorance. It doesn't matter what country, student, or nationality is in question, the foundation of bigotry is ignorance.

What sickens me is their believe it should be tolerated or encouraged by the teachers, other students, and the media they see. The things they see only reinforce their behavior since people that are proud of their intolerance don't actively challenge themselves. I'm usually the first person that has ever said anything counter to what they've heard.

Usually when confronted, people act defensively and slip back into their native tongue, trying to avoid the situation thinking I won't understand. I don't let them do that, and when they speak negatively in Korean or English I call them on it. Thinking that just because the other person can't understand makes what you say better doesn't make it true. Since I don't just let them get away with such a statement, they have to try to defend their reasons. I understand that this is difficult in a second language, but I've never heard any justification in either language other than, "I just don't like Japan."

These children have been taught that not liking Japan means you shouldn't like the Japanese people as well. It starts with children very young, and keeps the rivalry between the two countries alive through the generations. Certainly their history of warfare and bitterness can lead to resentful feelings towards the country as a whole. I want to get across is that you shouldn't apply that animosity to the people in the country are not responsible for those actions.

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