[HangnJudge]

Does this stuff really happen? My BS-o-meter is pegging. If it needs calibrating, let me know.

Yup - sadly it does
So do people coming up to female MD's and assume they're the nurse
They see a hispanic and asssume they are an illegal immigrant
pattern recognition assumption errors are everywhere.

My friends of the more pigmented persuasion assure me that these
social assumptions can be an everyday part of their life

[L98Fiero]

Wow. According to legend, us Southerners were supposed to be bad but I have never seen anything like that in my 37 years.

[Clemenza]

I tend to find that such incidents are very common with folks from "the Greatest Generation", less so with us Gen Xers. My grandmother assumes that anyone of Asian appearance is "Chinese" and "not born here."

As for white people talking black when they meet blacks, I have seen this and feel embarassed.

[ßuddaßudd]

Dont forget the people of color who meet a white person and assume they are a racist.
I for one always allow the acquaintance to first mention race/color/ethnicity in conversation, thats how diverse I am.

[lmr]

They see a hispanic and asssume they are an illegal immigrant

In some places, this might be a good assumption, well, a safe bet, anyway.