Racism in 2008?

A friend of mine recently sent me an email telling me about something that happened to her (and her 1-year-old daughter) a few days ago. I... was just shocked. Read for yourself: 

I got on the train today pushing the stroller ahead of me.
I sat down and relaxed a little. But, when the train started moving, another girl started to talk very loudly. She was a teenager - a white teenager.

"Some people say Canada is the land of opportunity, " she says,
"And so many f***in' people come from different countries to be here, taking up space, stinking up this f***in' place. Where's the opportunity now? Taken advantage of by 'other' people."

I tried not to listen to her, she seemed to be just another person
with nothing better to do. I closed my eyes, hoping I could just ignore her.

"...mo' f***in' people coming here living off of welfare. Not doing anything but bringing us down! Mixing themselves with us! Am I not telling the truth? I am! Dirty people..."

I found that I couldn't ignore her. When I opened my eyes, I saw her looking at me - and at *Jane (my daughter). Was she talking about us? I just stared back, trying to contain my temper. I refused to let her get to me. But she kept going, and with every word she said, I became more and more upset. No, not upset. Angry. I wanted nothing more than to shut her up. Thank God that *Jane was with me. Thank God there are decent people out there. One man started telling her to stop talking so loudly and to stop swearing because there was a baby in the train. I think he saw that she was targeting me. He tried to tell her off as he was getting off the train. But then, he was gone, and the doors chimed. She just started talking again.

"Many people say that Canada is wonderfully diverse, but this country is so diverse, it's disgusting!..."

So this is what racism is...
Another guy began to tell her off. Another teenager. He talked to her calmly at first, almost trying to make it into a joke.

"That's some racist **** you're spittin'," he said, "It's no good you know. You don't know half of what you're talkin' 'bout."

It angered her, I think. She was angry more so about him being a white person than what he actually said. I watched and listened. I was still somewhat shocked. One white person against another, arguing.
I clenched my teeth and held back what I wanted to say. I decided to leave it alone.
The train was stopped due to their arguing.
The staff came in to talk to the white guy and the white girl.
Now, the guy was wearing a hoodie and really baggy pants. He even had a hat on. The girl was dressed properly, and when I say properly, I mean she didn't look like a hoodlum or a rocker or a goth. She looked like a "proper" girl, raised in a "proper" home. Guess who the staff kicked off the train first?
I couldn't believe what I had just experienced...

I had to change some of the names but I'm sure you get the point. Also, she said it would be alright to share the story, so don't worry.
Now, this happened to a friend of mine who, like me, is Asian American. I felt very offended by this and just couldn't believe that it actually occurred - especially because I live in one of the most multicultural cities in the world. 

I just wanted to share this story with all of you. 

Any thoughts?   

hey, coming from an asian canadian who's in toronto, i think that's pretty uncommon. maybe it's just because i live in toronto where it's a pretty diverse city. i mean, of course racism still exists, it's just that nobody openly discriminates like that. i know plenty of people who would rather not associate with asians, but the difference is they don't go about talking like that. i'd be pretty shocked if i were on that train.

its a horrible story but I am not surprised. yes, its 2008, but there is racism EVERYWHERE. it is just sometimes difficult for people to feel it when it is not directed at them (usually the majority population).

a few events happened in my life recently that really opened my eyes. I never ever felt discriminated against really (sometimes for my gender, but not race) but just from learning from people that DO get discriminated against all the time...it's such ignorance and it makes me ashamed to be human seriously.

I'm so sorry that your friend and her daughter had to experience this. It sounds awful and frightening but, unfortunately, not surprising.

So many people like to think we're so beyond racism just because we're not still segregated. When in reality, racism is still a HUGE problem. & it's all around us.
The ignorance really kills me.

It might be racism, but really...she sounds mentally ill.  She was raising her voice in a crowded area, seeking attention, and then fighting with someone who came to your defense.  So, mental illness. 

Racism is more of a silent disease...don't you think?

i know this is like a year on from the post, but since when were white people natives of canada????:P that girl doesnt pay attention in history. her ancestors are probably immigrants as well, 'taking up space'

how shallow of them to kick off the nice guy