YankeemovingAbroad

I can't imagine a BNP type party ever being allowed to influence political power in American politics like it does in Great Britain in 2007.Just a couple years ago France experienced national race riots in most every large french city.Austria,Germany and Denmark have voted into office local and national leaders that would make jealous a KKK member. I'm aware the UK is more progressive than many European countries,yet you see very few faces of color in positions of power.

What does that say about ethnic diversity and it's acceptance by Europeans? Do you see mix ethnic couples in Europe as often as you would here in America?I've been told by brits that racism is pretty bad even in Australia on the other side of the globe. Hope you don't attack me for asking these questions.Just trying to understand if people in Europe are more socially accepting of "people" regardless of ethnicity compared to America.And I'm not talking about in the work place.I'm speaking in terms of breaking bread together,dating,attending church or place of worship,marriage and children.Has Europe turned that corner yet in their evolution?

Thank You

angelman

Race here is very different compare to Europe. It's hard to explain more just a feeling I have. People seem to me to be much more aware of race. Race permeates all of society here in way I have never felt in the UK. Back in the UK I never really thought for a second about the colour of someone's skin. Here whether someone is brown, white or black seems to always be an issue. Issue is not really the right word though. maybe it's being heavily involved in latino culture here I feel it more. They are far more frank about race than we are.
I was shocked to here all sorts of jokes being made about different races on mainstream radio, stuff I could never imagine hearing in the UK. People are generally incredibly racist/ignorant about latinos here. I never heard anyone even mention the idea of anti semitism in the UK (maybe my experience in London was different to many others). here though it's always a topic of conversation. People always casually joke about how 'those damn asians cant drive', radio stations openly joke about jewish people and hispanics.
People in Europe and certainly the UK seem to be increasingly intolerant of foreigners, especially from Eastern Europe. Not sure quite whether thats actually a racial thing or just a xenophobic thing though..
just my thoughts.. badly explained

fatbrit

BNP types do heavily influence a party in America -- namely, the GOP!

Rushman

We used to use ethnicities for cheap labour and slaves but we changed all that years ago we even lynched a few, admittedly we were one of the last countries in the world to abolish slavery but we got there in the end kicking and screaming. There are still a few people and places that look back at that time as the good ole days but generally we have progressed. Other races are now allowed to attend our schools, we no longer view the populace as "Blacks and Whites"...we like to think that we are all "green". We even ride on the same buses nowadays (imagine that), only the dark greens sit at the back and us light greens have the front.

snowbunny

Europe is more racist than most Americans *realise* -- but it's also more racially diverse than we realise, too.

Just as in America there are areas of high racial tension and areas without. While I believe a higher tolerance for dissent allows the BNP to operate, openmindedness helps keep racism, at least overt racism, lower in Europe.

YankeemovingAbroad

You explained your view point very well and I appreciate the open and frank manner in which you did. There are travel websites that have dedicated boards where minorities can share their european experiences.Friendships and word of mouth is what I count on not to mention personal travel experience to decide where I like to spent time.I must say that some countries on the Continent do have infamous reputations.

I think Spain stands out as being the least inviting toward Blacks and Asains.The Netherlands on the other has the best reputation for welcoming people regardless of ethnicity.Germany seems to be a mix bag.Many Germans are VERY VERY attracted to people of colour but that openest does not seem to have translated from "some" social acceptance to power sharing in politics or in the board room.

The UK has a 92% caucasian population.I hear often how many Brits are upset how that 92% dominance is slowly going away because of all the new Asian,and eastern European immigrants.Do you believe Brits are truely very accepting of minorities? Very open to mix ethnicity dating?Do you believe Brits look twice when seeing a black or brown person dating a white person? Is that type of couple wispered about in negative terms?A British friend who happens to be black did mention to me how many people of colour have recieved very frosty receptions in the northwest region of the UK.He use the word "fear" when asked how he felt about going to certain percieved "no go areas".

I would like to believe the UK a BTW much older society has evolved far past many social ills that exist in much younger countries like that of the United States. I wonder why we don't see more of that acceptance cultivating leadership from the grass root level in every ethnicity community in Great Britain? I also wonder if a CEO Oprah Winfrey,or a Colin Powell and all the other success stories to numerous to mention in the usa minority population could have been achieved at the same level of success or been nationally embraced as much in any European country?


Thus far I can't think of any similar person of colour in England or other regions of Europe in the minority population who has world wide prominance.I could understand why power sharing among all ethnicities would take time to materialize in America,but slavery (other than Scotland) was never a issue and it especially never effected the browns or blacks in England.

YankeemovingAbroad

Do the BNP and GOP have the same supporters?There are many Asian,Black and Hispanic people who register as Republicans.I believe the BNP party are for the most part against minorities and immigrants.Do you agree?

Hiro11

Probably because the US is so much more diverse than the UK. When (or if) 33% of the population and 45% of the kids under 5 in the UK are a minority, as is currently the case in the US, race will be as big an issue in the UK as it is here. Also, minority population is increasing at roughly 3 times the rate in the US as non-Hispanic whites.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/10/his...ref=newssearch

To be clear, I think this is a glorious thing, nothing better than a diverse populace.
That seems hard to believe to me...

elfman

IMO racially mixed couples are much more common in Europe (including the UK) than in the USA

Hiro11

I don't think so, at least not in the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interracial_marriage

According to Wikipedia (quoting the US and UK censuses (is that a word?)), 7% of all married couples in the US are in an interracial marriage (I'm in that statistic). In the UK, 2% are.

elfman

That surprises me: walking around New York I just don't see nearly as many mixed race couples as I used to walking around London. And the link you supplied also says: As of 2001, 2% of all UK marriages are inter-ethnic. Despite having a much lower non-white population (9%), mixed marriages are as common as in the United States.

Is it possible the higher US figure is due to lots of white/hispanic couples that don't look of markedly different races when you pass them on the street?

penguinsix

Quote:
I never heard anyone even mention the idea of anti semitism in the UK (maybe my experience in London was different to many others).

Quote:
That seems hard to believe to me...


Yea...ditto. I can name a couple of friends who moved out of London to the US because of the snide offhanded comments about Jews that were passed in the chattering classes of London. Not to mention the North London darby which has its fair share of those chants as well.

And as for the general thread, when was the last time US sports fans made monkey chants and threw bananas when a black athlete was on the field? Ask Tierry Henry if racism is still alive in Europe.

TRPardoe

I never heard an anti-Semitic comment in my life until we moved to Southwest Florida. Here they are fairly common.

More common is the use of the so-called "N-word". I hear the word "Nigger" used casually in normal conversations.

anotherlimey

Everyone's racist here, White people, Black people, "Hispanic people".. Mexicans..

maore

The UK is actually in Europe but very different in every aspect compared to other continental european countries : class/religion/football team is more of an issue than race in the UK in everyday life encounter.

I do certainly think in the US there are more racial tensions than in the UK based on the following : mixed couples are more common in the UK compared to the US.

I do agree with you about the US being more progressive in terms of professionaL advancement to coloured people compared to the rest of the world.