what the hell is wrong with americans!!!!!??????

I have read a lot of posts about parents who say that they don't want black to be married in their family etc etc etc.
That is just so sick!!!
You would almost go to jail in my country for saying something like that!!
I won't say that everything is perfect where I live, but i certainly never heard anything like this!!!

I thougth Americans were like this 70 years ago.........

 

Eyvah, this is a little off of the subject but is it still fairly easy for americans to get permanent residency or citizenship in the Netherlands with all of the terrorist stuff going on?

 

Americans have been racists for many, many years. People are racists, Russians, Arabians, whatever. 70 years ago? I wouldn't be surprised if the racism got worse 70 years from now.

 

For what it's worth "Eyvah," I don't know if you've visited here or not, but this is fairly common here. I was just reading a post from a white girl the other day who says where she lives, her parents were ready to darn near kick her out of their town for dating a black guy. Now, it's no coincidence that she lives in HICKSVILLE, Texas!!!!

But you would have to know American history in order to understand that IR dating has always been a touchy subject here and steps to legalize it in every state occurred after slavery ended all the way up to 1999, when the final state Alabama legalized it. So you have to imagine that there have been some bad feelings about it in order for change to take this long. Take it from me, who returned to live in my small town a few years ago. There are still people in this country, white or black, who don't even have another race for a friend. You can only imagine how these people would feel when their kids try to date outside their race. But things will continue to change over time. Years from now, this sort of reaction from IR will be rare.

Hmmm. And you say people would almost go to jail in your country for saying such a thing?????? Interesting.

 

There are worst places.
It comes and goes over here. Sometimes we seem to be moving in the right direction, and at other times, it's like the racial cold war is heating up again.

When I was a kid I would have told you that racism would not be an issue in 2006. Now I think if I live to be 100, racism will still be alive and kicking.

Oh well.

 

Well Eyvah, I don`t want to make u feel bad, but I`ve been to Amsterdam...and lived and travelled in Europe for a long time...even though u could go to jail for saying racist things in Holland, or Denmark or even France, a lot of people are pretty racist in Europe too...they like black people as colleagues or friends...but in a relationship??? that includes SEX, maybe MARRIAGE??? oh my GOOOOD!!...many people are still kinda shocked

Ok, ok, in Europe it`s definitely better than it is in the US...and the Netherlands are probably more open-minded that most European countries, but Europeans always use the US as a shield to cover their own very subtle racism!!

 

Well, aren't you cute?

Seriously, times haven't really changed here in our neck of the woods. Things have only evolved more into something deeper now.

 

In full agreement with this, the media still makes this way of thinking the norm in many of our 'beloved' popular pop-cultured shows that can be still seen on American TV today, that is so say, if this girl is familiar with American TV.

It is, isn't it?

 

Now that I think about it, this is very true. It's almost as if people automatically resort back to a comfort zone with one another, especially when one minor misunderstanding occurs, and/or if people can't have their way with others who are 'different' somehow.

I guess, ya never really know.

 

nothing is wrong with Americans, we have freedom of speech(as the netherlands doesnt seem to have). People can say that, just as they can say that the President is a racist. in a dictatorship a person wouldnt be able to say anything like that.

in Europe, and I am sure in your country too, there are families that dont want blacks or arabs or any other minority colored person in their family.

just because you cant say that in the Netherlands doesnt mean that it doesnt happen. people are just afraid to talk about it for fear of political correctness

 

Well, I don't know if what;s wrong with America is the right question, but I do have to say the OP raised some important questions or issues to think about. There is no question that America sucks when compared to some european countries on the issue of IR. Interracial dating is such a big deal here that I always feel refreshed whenever I travel out of the U.S.

 

Well, I don't know if what;s wrong with America is the right question, but I do have to say the OP raised some important questions or issues to think about. There is no question that America sucks when compared to some european countries on the issue of IR. Interracial dating is such a big deal here that I always feel refreshed whenever I travel out of the U.S.

 

Well, while it's true that you find racists everywhere no matter where you go, IMO, there are still some differences between European countries and the USA.

If you take into consideration that nobody is born a racist and that racism is taught than it makes a difference if hate speech is allowed under the lable of "freedom of speech" or if hate speech is not accepted.

It also makes a difference if you are confronted with racial labels ad nauseam - for instance, in the USA it's never only an actor, it's either a "Black" actor, or a "White" actor", it's never only a criminal, it's either a "black" criminal, or a "white" criminal, etc. and if you have to check a "race box" to complete a Census form, or if a country differentiates by nationality only. (eventhough nationalism can be just as bad).

Europe is such a small place, with a multitude of different countries, each country with a different culture, living at close quarters. Europe couldn't work with an extreme "us vs. them" mentality. In contrast, the "us vs. them" mentality is the foundation of the USA, it was build up on that concept. And ever since the black slaves and white indentured servants rose up together in the Bacon's Rebellion, it became a necessary and a matter of survival for the American elite to uphold and enforce racial categorization and to nurture racial hatred.

 

wow...so many replies...
I didnt have time to read them al...
Diomandlife: I would like to know about 'all' the terrorist stuff that is going on in my country???

We have just as much freedom of speech as America. thats why I said: you would ALMOST go to jail.

because English is not my motherlanguage , sometimes i'ts hard for me to express myself in English. What I was trying to say is if you make an extreme racist comment, the majority of people would be like: :shock:
I just never heard of any of those things where I live,(not in my highschool and not on "the streets") what I have read on this board.
But ofcourse there are racists and skinheads here...just not as many and as extreme... Or at least in al the 18 years that I have been living I never experienced or heard anything like that. Maybe I'm just naive...

 

you are not naive, perhaps just young. the reason why you may not see it often is that you have so few people of color in your country. I bet if you ask people to be honest, would they like their children to marry a black american, what they would say. sure the young people like you might say, NO Problem" that is the same thing most white young people in America would say. But adults of an older age might not agree with you, as they wouldnt necessarily in my country.

we have far more racism out in the open in the US because we are a multiracial society. and while we do have problems, we also have lots of wonderful Interracial marriages and dating in this country. And we can speak our mind, even if others do not like what we say--that is democracy and freedom.

 

Eyvah, I did not say that there was any terroristic activity going on in the Netherlands even though a few years back there was a building blown up in the Hague a few years back which some terrorist group laid claim to. All that I was trying to say is that because of what happened in America on 9-11-2001 made all countries take stronger security measures, including European countries. That was the reason that I ask whether or not if it was still relatively easy to become a citizen or permanent resident in The Netherlands.

 

I live in a multicultural society as well, especially Amsterdam an Rotterdam, they are like the mekka of multiculturalism.
And I am aware of what democracy is... we have that too. I have the feeling that I gave the impression that we live in caves or something. well anyway I didnt mean too.
I live in a real house with electricity and everything :wink:

oh and diamondlife: I guess every western country could be the next target. But It would be stupid to blow us up....they would kill so many muslims as well that are living here!!

this is "slightly" off topic:
when do you use these forms: I have lived
I have been living.
whats the difference???

 

i have lived = A place where you used to live or spent alot of time living.

i have been living = A place that you are currently living.

 

America isn't the only place with racism in a multi-cultural society, nor is it the only democracy in a multi-cultural society.