Racial
The racism debate sparked by big brother in the UK has been interesting to watch from the shores of a near but very mono-cultural European country. To witness the kind of casual unthinking racism that is directed at many people (particularly Asians) in Britain by the likes of the Jade Goodys of the land was sad but no surprise. However, at least the resulting fuss and bother show that India has really become a ‘global player’ whose people have to be listened to. The outcome of the show itself appeared to demonstrate that on most levels of British society people know enough to say that such a carry on is far from ok, which is as I would have hoped it would be.
The most insane aspect of it all was seeing the very tabloids who form the likes of JG’s opinions with their anti-immigrant rants attempting to get on their moral high-horses, while Channel 4, of all people, tried to deny it was racist to tell someone to ‘fuck off home.’
Here in Berlin it feels like it was in Britain 20 years ago. The overall percentage of non-white immigrants is very low, and the only really sizeable community is the Turkish one. I’m finding it harder and harder to listen to educated, SPD voting German telling me what a ‘problem’ the Turks are and what terrible difficulties poor Germany has as a result of their being here and their ‘refusal’ to integrate. I’m not even supposed to say anything to challenge this racist claptrap, because I’m a foreigner myself. It’s like the bad old days in Britain, where you can’t believe that you’re having to explain once again that which to a non-prejudiced person is glaringly obvious, i.e. that integration can only ever possibly be a two way thing. And that if you really want the people who’ve come among you to be integrated into your society, then to spit offensive stereotypical insults at them has never been and will never be the way to pull it off.
Had the new experience of cycling through a blizzard today. Not sure exactly how to describe the sensation, but 'picnic' is not one of the words that springs to mind.
The most insane aspect of it all was seeing the very tabloids who form the likes of JG’s opinions with their anti-immigrant rants attempting to get on their moral high-horses, while Channel 4, of all people, tried to deny it was racist to tell someone to ‘fuck off home.’
Here in Berlin it feels like it was in Britain 20 years ago. The overall percentage of non-white immigrants is very low, and the only really sizeable community is the Turkish one. I’m finding it harder and harder to listen to educated, SPD voting German telling me what a ‘problem’ the Turks are and what terrible difficulties poor Germany has as a result of their being here and their ‘refusal’ to integrate. I’m not even supposed to say anything to challenge this racist claptrap, because I’m a foreigner myself. It’s like the bad old days in Britain, where you can’t believe that you’re having to explain once again that which to a non-prejudiced person is glaringly obvious, i.e. that integration can only ever possibly be a two way thing. And that if you really want the people who’ve come among you to be integrated into your society, then to spit offensive stereotypical insults at them has never been and will never be the way to pull it off.
Had the new experience of cycling through a blizzard today. Not sure exactly how to describe the sensation, but 'picnic' is not one of the words that springs to mind.
posted by Roisin at 6:14 pm
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