I can't believe racism is still out there

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

lostinrates wrote: »

Not all rural areas are like that.

I have lived in both very isolated rural areas where, yes, there is a seeming 'white out' and people are very scared about jobs going to seaosnal migrant workers in agriculture which does bring comments born of fear as well as ignorance. But I live now in a less rural area which has a lot of movement and is characterised by MOD presence.

I would say the same 'closed mindedness' seen in some parts of rural uk is seen in some parts of any mono culture or colour cities too.

Sounds you might live near the Lovely Fella's childhood home, LIR.

But he doesn't remember a single incident of racism towards the one family in his village (as far as he and his mates were concerned, they were just another couple of kids to play with when they moved in), but he found that he always got lots of questions about multiculturalism and his opinion of it during job interviews up here. Strangely enough :cool:, I've never been asked about my views once.

Scrapaholic

We live up North , Newcastle is our nearest city . I've never lived anywhere else but not everyone is racist here . In Newcastle there's a large Chinese community , near us a large Jewish community , Polish, Arabs in South Shields etc . quite diverse . There are ignorant people everywhere in the world .

Bluemeanie_2

Relocationrelocation wrote: »

Living in London does shelter you from racism, I have never encountered it here (I'm not white) but in other areas of the country, sadly I have. It's good to still be shocked that this happens because it means you have a good moral compass and know what's right and what's wrong. Also encountered it in Australia...

Not having a go, I'm sure it was said with no malice or intent but I do take exception to this comment when you state you are not white. I am white but have encountered racism myself.

lostinrates

Bluemeanie wrote: »

Not having a go, I'm sure it was said with no malice or intent but I do take exception to this comment when you state you are not white. I am white but have encountered racism myself.

I don't think its offensive. The poster is not white and hasn't experienced racism in London. Its a post representative of perspective and experience. Others have said different things also based on perspective and experience.

I'm not sure what is offensive about this to you?

balletshoes

panagia wrote: »

and for anyone (like me!) who didn't know what a shiksa is

http://theshiksa.com/what-is-a-shiksa/

thank you - I had never heard that term before.

lostinrates

balletshoes wrote: »

thank you - I had never heard that term before.

When I had it the group was predominantly made up of older women. The words followed me around the room like the rustle of silk...slightly suggestive, offensive and as if I might be contagious. As people wheat by me or I went by them they would switch into Yiddish from English,:rotfl: one could just as easily get agist or sexist about the experience tbh,.....all the perpetrators were women of a certain age. The woman who had invited me was incredibly embarrassed and kept holding my hand, which frankly I thought was winding them up even more. The men were oblivious in the main, and chatted amiably.

It really wasn't the worst afternoon of my life, but it wasn't the best. . DH has a friend whose mother is passionate about non Jewish women actually being really positive in some cases. She says that in her experience men who are not religiously observant enough to want to marry Jewish actually maintain more interest in the culture through explaining things to their wines and children than they might if they just married someone similarly disinterested and drifted away altogether from their history.

Tbh, DH and I just do what we do, we borrow from both our cultural heritages.

MrsE_2

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

You only have to look at the news items on European football violence to see the problems... monkey chanting, neo Nazi salutes... not good.

In some countries it is growing - the trouble is that in an economic downturn, people always look for someone to blame and 'different' is an easy target.

You know what I really can't understand. These neo nazi groups seem to be most prolific in the countries that suffered most in ww2 from the nazis!!
Also most of the British who support these types of groups will have dads, granddads & great-grandfathers who risked their lives or lost their lives fighting the extreme right, nazis......

Rev

You're incredibly lucky to have never encountered it before.

Isms are everywhere. If not racism then it's ageism or sexism or homophobia or god knows what else.

But I agree. It's incredibly sad and frustrating that in this day and age many people are still filled with hate of absolutely nothing.

poet123

lostinrates wrote: »

When I had it the group was predominantly made up of older women. The words followed me around the room like the rustle of silk...slightly suggestive, offensive and as if I might be contagious. As people wheat by me or I went by them they would switch into Yiddish from English,:rotfl: one could just as easily get agist or sexist about the experience tbh,.....all the perpetrators were women of a certain age. The woman who had invited me was incredibly embarrassed and kept holding my hand, which frankly I thought was winding them up even more. The men were oblivious in the main, and chatted amiably.

It really wasn't the worst afternoon of my life, but it wasn't the best. . DH has a friend whose mother is passionate about non Jewish women actually being really positive in some cases. She says that in her experience men who are not religiously observant enough to want to marry Jewish actually maintain more interest in the culture through explaining things to their wines and children than they might if they just married someone similarly disinterested and drifted away altogether from their history.

Tbh, DH and I just do what we do, we borrow from both our cultural heritages.

I think that is a common thing, reverting to a language that is not common to all. Wales used to be notorious for it. I have relatives in North Wales and when they moved there 45 years ago it took a long time for them not to have that experience. And when we visited and entered a shop they would switch to Welsh almost immediately we opened our mouths.

OOp north is not as racist as has been painted though. Most of the major cities are multi cultural, there may be pockets of racism as there are anywhere, but it is not the norm. And it is certainly not seen as acceptable.

meritaten

What I didn't understand about sons experience was that Asian and Black families were accepted - yet Welsh families (and to be frank the Welsh are the indigenous people of Britain) were made to feel outcasts.
I normally holiday in Cornwall and NEVER felt like this. ok all tourists are 'Grockles' but never felt singled out as Welsh. Son and family and his friends who had booked the holiday with him all say they would NEVER go back. it wasn't the 'occasional' comment - everywhere they went they were met with hostility.Mostly On this park I hasten to say - elsewhere they didn't feel it to the same degree, but still didn't feel 'welcome' as visitors.