Racism and Spain.
Jun 20th 2009, 8:30 am
#1
Straw Man.
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Racism and Spain.
Ok, I know its not something any of us like to think of when we talk about Spain but it seems that it comes up quite a bit so lets see what you have to offer on the subject.
Jun 20th 2009, 8:33 am
#2
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Granada Costa
Posts: 10,898
Re: Racism and Spain.
That's a perfectly valid topic to discuss but if the thread turns into another personal slanging match it won't just be the thread that gets closed.
Jun 20th 2009, 8:38 am
#3
Straw Man.
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Re: Racism and Spain.
I never wanted the other one to Fred, but its probably better to have it all in one thread than comments in almost every single one isn't it?
Jun 20th 2009, 8:40 am
#4
Welsh Ambassador to Spain
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,741
Re: Racism and Spain.
Oh, racism is alive and well here. I mean, I for one can't STAND the English. 
Jun 20th 2009, 8:41 am
#5
Straw Man.
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Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
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Jun 20th 2009, 8:44 am
#7
Straw Man.
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Posts: 46,302
Jun 20th 2009, 8:46 am
#8
Welsh Ambassador to Spain
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,741
Re: Racism and Spain.
There is also no 'J' so it is quite funny when people associate the surnames Jones and Jenkins with the Welsh!
Jun 20th 2009, 9:20 am
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: Racism and Spain.
The nearest large town to where I live has 146 different nationalities registered on the Padron. It's difficult to be racist against those sorts of odds, and I haven't seen much of it.
What little I have seen, has come from the Spanish against the Moros, but it's minor stuff, forgotten every time the Moros/Christianos festival comes around.
I did witness a funny incident at a taxi rank yesterday. Two impossibly white, young English couples, the ladies dressed in impossibly skimpy hotpants, both young men and women smothered in tattoos, and one woman holding a young baby, were trying to get a taxi, and three Spanish drivers who were waiting refused to take them, saying that they were only licensed for four Plazas, and the baby made five.
I could see from the taxi drivers expressions that they objected to the five persons standing on the pavement, otherwise they would not have been so adamant about counting the baby.
I helpfully suggested that two taxis would be the answer and the woman holding the baby told me to ***** off.
What little I have seen, has come from the Spanish against the Moros, but it's minor stuff, forgotten every time the Moros/Christianos festival comes around.
I did witness a funny incident at a taxi rank yesterday. Two impossibly white, young English couples, the ladies dressed in impossibly skimpy hotpants, both young men and women smothered in tattoos, and one woman holding a young baby, were trying to get a taxi, and three Spanish drivers who were waiting refused to take them, saying that they were only licensed for four Plazas, and the baby made five.
I could see from the taxi drivers expressions that they objected to the five persons standing on the pavement, otherwise they would not have been so adamant about counting the baby.
I helpfully suggested that two taxis would be the answer and the woman holding the baby told me to ***** off.
Jun 20th 2009, 9:35 am
#10
The Hillbilly's
Joined: May 2009
Location: Competa, Spain
Posts: 19
Re: Racism and Spain.
I am English, lived in London and worked for a French bank, now I live in Competa in Spain, for a number of years commuting backward and forwards.
My London experience, where I was the local dealing with ‘foreigners’ is the same as here in Spain for the Spanish.
We liked, mostly, those who could speak English and were friendly, we tolerated those who were friendly, and ignored and joked about those who were as we saw is ignorant towards us.
When ever there was a social gathering, the French would congregate in one corner and the English would be in the other. Those who did join the English were then asked why associate with the Roast Beef squad (seen this in Spain anyone?)
Racist bastards you think, but the department I worked in was the original United Nations Malaysian, Dutch, Indian, Italian, Bangladeshi, Greek, Japanese, and genuine localised French along with the horrid imported French, but those could communicate verbal, or with similes got on fine.
The world is no different, Spain, England, USA, or Japan. If you can speak to the locals you will get on, if you are friendly and smile they will tolerate you, be rude and you can kiss any respect goodbye.
Also foreigners are tolerated, all round the world, until they become a threat; some locals don’t like how things have changed, irrespective of the fact the village would have died without the foreigners. There are 4 bigish supermarkets in the village and the welcome to a non Spanish speaker goes from service with a growl and we don’t care if you never come back, to a welcoming smile and as much help as you wish.
Without the foreigners how many would remain, same for bars, DIY stores, restaurant etc all employing local staff and services. Why is the Town Hall trying to get the foreigners to register as spending time here, because their central grants are dependant on the total number, i.e. new roads, heath clinic, school, ambulance service and fire brigade etc.
But the first generation foreigners will never be locals, so get used to it, or go back to England where you can complain about all the Poles, Rumanian, Estonian and Bulgarians moving in.
As for resent trouble, the bar involved is somewhere to ovoid late at night and this is unique in the village and everyone knows it (do you know an English local where you wouldn’t dally at night). I expect the problem to quietly die for many reasons, which individual did it, who knows, lack of evidence, family respect, fear, drunk and disorderly charges for those who obstructed the ambulance and police is probably all that will happen, but let’s wait and see.
Competa is no different to the rest of the world; there are people who like the foreigners and those who don’t, probably for many of the reasons above, so get over it.
Very Happy Living In Spain,
Ian
My London experience, where I was the local dealing with ‘foreigners’ is the same as here in Spain for the Spanish.
We liked, mostly, those who could speak English and were friendly, we tolerated those who were friendly, and ignored and joked about those who were as we saw is ignorant towards us.
When ever there was a social gathering, the French would congregate in one corner and the English would be in the other. Those who did join the English were then asked why associate with the Roast Beef squad (seen this in Spain anyone?)
Racist bastards you think, but the department I worked in was the original United Nations Malaysian, Dutch, Indian, Italian, Bangladeshi, Greek, Japanese, and genuine localised French along with the horrid imported French, but those could communicate verbal, or with similes got on fine.
The world is no different, Spain, England, USA, or Japan. If you can speak to the locals you will get on, if you are friendly and smile they will tolerate you, be rude and you can kiss any respect goodbye.
Also foreigners are tolerated, all round the world, until they become a threat; some locals don’t like how things have changed, irrespective of the fact the village would have died without the foreigners. There are 4 bigish supermarkets in the village and the welcome to a non Spanish speaker goes from service with a growl and we don’t care if you never come back, to a welcoming smile and as much help as you wish.
Without the foreigners how many would remain, same for bars, DIY stores, restaurant etc all employing local staff and services. Why is the Town Hall trying to get the foreigners to register as spending time here, because their central grants are dependant on the total number, i.e. new roads, heath clinic, school, ambulance service and fire brigade etc.
But the first generation foreigners will never be locals, so get used to it, or go back to England where you can complain about all the Poles, Rumanian, Estonian and Bulgarians moving in.
As for resent trouble, the bar involved is somewhere to ovoid late at night and this is unique in the village and everyone knows it (do you know an English local where you wouldn’t dally at night). I expect the problem to quietly die for many reasons, which individual did it, who knows, lack of evidence, family respect, fear, drunk and disorderly charges for those who obstructed the ambulance and police is probably all that will happen, but let’s wait and see.
Competa is no different to the rest of the world; there are people who like the foreigners and those who don’t, probably for many of the reasons above, so get over it.
Very Happy Living In Spain,
Ian
Jun 20th 2009, 9:37 am
#11
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 882
Re: Racism and Spain.
What an inflammatory title.
Maybe it should be called intolerance in the world.
Personally I think this post should be deleted by mods.
Maybe it should be called intolerance in the world.
Personally I think this post should be deleted by mods.
Last edited by twistedmelon; Jun 20th 2009 at 9:39 am.
Jun 20th 2009, 9:45 am
#12
Straw Man.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
Re: Racism and Spain.
It is a subject that comes up in almost every thread about life in Spain!
Lets not hide from it, if it exists then we have to talk about it and discuss the subject, pretending it is a myth won't make it go away, but then lets see if it really does exist or if its just something the Daily Mail tells us is there!
I will say, if you don't like it, just don't post.
Jun 20th 2009, 9:46 am
#13
Straw Man.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
Re: Racism and Spain.
I am English, lived in London and worked for a French bank, now I live in Competa in Spain, for a number of years commuting backward and forwards.
My London experience, where I was the local dealing with ‘foreigners’ is the same as here in Spain for the Spanish.
We liked, mostly, those who could speak English and were friendly, we tolerated those who were friendly, and ignored and joked about those who were as we saw is ignorant towards us.
When ever there was a social gathering, the French would congregate in one corner and the English would be in the other. Those who did join the English were then asked why associate with the Roast Beef squad (seen this in Spain anyone?)
Racist bastards you think, but the department I worked in was the original United Nations Malaysian, Dutch, Indian, Italian, Bangladeshi, Greek, Japanese, and genuine localised French along with the horrid imported French, but those could communicate verbal, or with similes got on fine.
The world is no different, Spain, England, USA, or Japan. If you can speak to the locals you will get on, if you are friendly and smile they will tolerate you, be rude and you can kiss any respect goodbye.
Also foreigners are tolerated, all round the world, until they become a threat; some locals don’t like how things have changed, irrespective of the fact the village would have died without the foreigners. There are 4 bigish supermarkets in the village and the welcome to a non Spanish speaker goes from service with a growl and we don’t care if you never come back, to a welcoming smile and as much help as you wish.
Without the foreigners how many would remain, same for bars, DIY stores, restaurant etc all employing local staff and services. Why is the Town Hall trying to get the foreigners to register as spending time here, because their central grants are dependant on the total number, i.e. new roads, heath clinic, school, ambulance service and fire brigade etc.
But the first generation foreigners will never be locals, so get used to it, or go back to England where you can complain about all the Poles, Rumanian, Estonian and Bulgarians moving in.
As for resent trouble, the bar involved is somewhere to ovoid late at night and this is unique in the village and everyone knows it (do you know an English local where you wouldn’t dally at night). I expect the problem to quietly die for many reasons, which individual did it, who knows, lack of evidence, family respect, fear, drunk and disorderly charges for those who obstructed the ambulance and police is probably all that will happen, but let’s wait and see.
Competa is no different to the rest of the world; there are people who like the foreigners and those who don’t, probably for many of the reasons above, so get over it.
Very Happy Living In Spain,
Ian
My London experience, where I was the local dealing with ‘foreigners’ is the same as here in Spain for the Spanish.
We liked, mostly, those who could speak English and were friendly, we tolerated those who were friendly, and ignored and joked about those who were as we saw is ignorant towards us.
When ever there was a social gathering, the French would congregate in one corner and the English would be in the other. Those who did join the English were then asked why associate with the Roast Beef squad (seen this in Spain anyone?)
Racist bastards you think, but the department I worked in was the original United Nations Malaysian, Dutch, Indian, Italian, Bangladeshi, Greek, Japanese, and genuine localised French along with the horrid imported French, but those could communicate verbal, or with similes got on fine.
The world is no different, Spain, England, USA, or Japan. If you can speak to the locals you will get on, if you are friendly and smile they will tolerate you, be rude and you can kiss any respect goodbye.
Also foreigners are tolerated, all round the world, until they become a threat; some locals don’t like how things have changed, irrespective of the fact the village would have died without the foreigners. There are 4 bigish supermarkets in the village and the welcome to a non Spanish speaker goes from service with a growl and we don’t care if you never come back, to a welcoming smile and as much help as you wish.
Without the foreigners how many would remain, same for bars, DIY stores, restaurant etc all employing local staff and services. Why is the Town Hall trying to get the foreigners to register as spending time here, because their central grants are dependant on the total number, i.e. new roads, heath clinic, school, ambulance service and fire brigade etc.
But the first generation foreigners will never be locals, so get used to it, or go back to England where you can complain about all the Poles, Rumanian, Estonian and Bulgarians moving in.
As for resent trouble, the bar involved is somewhere to ovoid late at night and this is unique in the village and everyone knows it (do you know an English local where you wouldn’t dally at night). I expect the problem to quietly die for many reasons, which individual did it, who knows, lack of evidence, family respect, fear, drunk and disorderly charges for those who obstructed the ambulance and police is probably all that will happen, but let’s wait and see.
Competa is no different to the rest of the world; there are people who like the foreigners and those who don’t, probably for many of the reasons above, so get over it.
Very Happy Living In Spain,
Ian
Jun 20th 2009, 9:48 am
#14
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Granada Costa
Posts: 10,898
Re: Racism and Spain.
This forum is about Spain and there is racism in Spain.
If the thread drifts or gets off topic or gets personal then it WILL get closed.
Jun 20th 2009, 9:57 am
#15
Welsh Ambassador to Spain
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,741
Re: Racism and Spain.
Also foreigners are tolerated, all round the world, until they become a threat; some locals don’t like how things have changed, irrespective of the fact the village would have died without the foreigners. There are 4 bigish supermarkets in the village and the welcome to a non Spanish speaker goes from service with a growl and we don’t care if you never come back, to a welcoming smile and as much help as you wish.
Without the foreigners how many would remain, same for bars, DIY stores, restaurant etc all employing local staff and services.
Right there is why so many Brit expats are looked upon with derision in Spain - this self-righteous, pompous arrogant attitude many ignorant Brits have. That town was there for many years before the expats rolled in and I've no doubt it will be there for many years after they leave. I've seen this all over the place - Brits who are convinced the town would have died without their patronage. It's laughable and insulting. No wonder there is bad feeling between locals and expats where the newcomers believe they are the saviours of the town and these peasants should be thankful! Tosh!
Or it could also be that if the population has increased, then council costs go up so all newcomers should contribute as they benefit from the council's services - contribute directly as in taxes and indirectly through boosting population figures to get more grants. Anyone who doesn't bother registering with their local council is frankly squatting
