"James Baldwin spoke about that difference a lot after he decided to move to Europe and I think a lot of what he said still applies today." I had James Baldwin and Josephine Baker, even Nina Simone, some 20/30 years later, in mind when I wrote about racism in Europe (the "sympathy" towards the "exotic") I agree that the US has more of a…
"James Baldwin spoke about that difference a lot after he decided to move to Europe and I think a lot of what he said still applies today." I had James Baldwin and Josephine Baker, even Nina Simone, some 20/30 years later, in mind when I wrote about racism in Europe (the "sympathy" towards the "exotic") I agree that the US has more of an issue with race. That is a good way to put it. However, racism is not solely based on skin color. The Nazi theory of "pure blood" condemned slavs to be terminated and their territory to be used a "Lebensraum" for the aryans. I am partly slav - Russian father- and was called a "Mischling" by a Syrian well established cardiologist in Germany. I was offered, at no cost, a lecture about Assyrians being the original aryans (very different from semites, be they Arabs or Jews). It is true that throughout Europe racisms is mixed with nationalism and xenophobia and religious intolerance, which shows how deeply intolerance is seeded in that continent and how violence can explode rapidly setting neighbor against neighbor, as it did in the Balkans in the 90s. I can give you a few examples of systemic racism in Europe. It is not an issue there, as it is in the US, but still it exists, it is not recognized and it is not addressed. Ghettos are a natural and convenient cultural arrangement for different cultures to coexist. The idea of integration, in which people's comfort zone is affected asking diverse cultural groups to make adjustments, is not promoted. Perhaps the most integrated city I lived in Europe was Amsterdam, and it is no coincidence that New York was previously called New Amsterdam. I also agree that systemic racism in America legalized racism. Tradition in Europe is as strong or stronger than law -the aristocracy and connected members of the upper classes are hardly held accountable. Another factor in the complexity if European intolerance: class. It is possible that African Kings and Saudi sheik's will be given such "protection from the law" (read about the sagas of Saudi princesses escaping their sheik husbands or fathers and being kidnaped back into their countries.
I also agree with you assessment of Japan (I have not been in the county) Growing up my mother did some work for the Japanese consulate and I was friends with the kids of the various diplomats and technical staff. I remember how sensitive they were and how pleasant it was being in their company, no matter whatever qualm they may have had about our customs or race. Having "good manners" does give an opportunity to share and can eventually bring people together. Perhaps that is what James Baldwin experienced.
"The Nazi theory of "pure blood" condemned slavs to be terminated and their territory to be used a "Lebensraum" for the aryans"
Hmm, yes, true. And yes, the Balkans. I thought Bosnia as soon I read this. As well as the Tutsi and the Hutu for example. Here we see how completely arbitrary the concept of "race" can become. I tend to make the distinction between racism and xenophobia in these cases but I agree that that's also fairly arbitrary. The whole thing is just stupid.
I think we're entering a phase where the difference between institutionalised racism and classism is difficult to be precise about. Especially in countries with monarchies of which there are obviously many in Europe. European royalty, land owners and the upper class were exclusively white. So now the richest people are still white. Is that racism or classism? Well, it's difficult to say. I think that in almost all cases we'd be better off focusing on class.
As for Japan, yeah, it's a fascinating country. I absolutely fell in love with it as soon as I first visited and had been back many times. There's a big difference between being a visitor and trying to integrate though. And though anti-black racism is worse, that applies to *everybody* who isn't Japanese.
I found the Japanese people to be almost uniquely (internationally speaking) kind and warm to me as a visitor, and I do speak some very mediocre Japanese which goes down well. But as much as I love the country, I'm not even slightly tempted to try to live there, as I've heard--and seen--so many horror stories about how non-Japanese are always on the outside looking in.
" The whole thing is just stupid." I had to laugh because after writing the reply yesterday I too thought about the amalgamation of race with other prejudices concluding "how can you model, define such stupid behavior? How much of a percentage in a nasty reaction is due to xenophobia (hostility to strangers) and how much to racism? Racism is a frame of mind in which you view someone from another "race" as a stranger. I use " " because I belief "race" is a human construct. The differentiation, however, is necessary when we look at systemic racism. In that case there are observable characteristics that a key determinants of the outcomes in the social model. For example, higher sentences given to people of darker skin tone. Or assigning graduate students from LDC countries to inferior living facilities than their European counterparts that is a common form of systemic racism in many European Universities (some very prestigious).
Agree about Japan. I would like to visit, even work for a period there, but with a clearly defined exit visa. As a female I am wary of gender discrimination.
"James Baldwin spoke about that difference a lot after he decided to move to Europe and I think a lot of what he said still applies today." I had James Baldwin and Josephine Baker, even Nina Simone, some 20/30 years later, in mind when I wrote about racism in Europe (the "sympathy" towards the "exotic") I agree that the US has more of an issue with race. That is a good way to put it. However, racism is not solely based on skin color. The Nazi theory of "pure blood" condemned slavs to be terminated and their territory to be used a "Lebensraum" for the aryans. I am partly slav - Russian father- and was called a "Mischling" by a Syrian well established cardiologist in Germany. I was offered, at no cost, a lecture about Assyrians being the original aryans (very different from semites, be they Arabs or Jews). It is true that throughout Europe racisms is mixed with nationalism and xenophobia and religious intolerance, which shows how deeply intolerance is seeded in that continent and how violence can explode rapidly setting neighbor against neighbor, as it did in the Balkans in the 90s. I can give you a few examples of systemic racism in Europe. It is not an issue there, as it is in the US, but still it exists, it is not recognized and it is not addressed. Ghettos are a natural and convenient cultural arrangement for different cultures to coexist. The idea of integration, in which people's comfort zone is affected asking diverse cultural groups to make adjustments, is not promoted. Perhaps the most integrated city I lived in Europe was Amsterdam, and it is no coincidence that New York was previously called New Amsterdam. I also agree that systemic racism in America legalized racism. Tradition in Europe is as strong or stronger than law -the aristocracy and connected members of the upper classes are hardly held accountable. Another factor in the complexity if European intolerance: class. It is possible that African Kings and Saudi sheik's will be given such "protection from the law" (read about the sagas of Saudi princesses escaping their sheik husbands or fathers and being kidnaped back into their countries.
I also agree with you assessment of Japan (I have not been in the county) Growing up my mother did some work for the Japanese consulate and I was friends with the kids of the various diplomats and technical staff. I remember how sensitive they were and how pleasant it was being in their company, no matter whatever qualm they may have had about our customs or race. Having "good manners" does give an opportunity to share and can eventually bring people together. Perhaps that is what James Baldwin experienced.
"The Nazi theory of "pure blood" condemned slavs to be terminated and their territory to be used a "Lebensraum" for the aryans"
Hmm, yes, true. And yes, the Balkans. I thought Bosnia as soon I read this. As well as the Tutsi and the Hutu for example. Here we see how completely arbitrary the concept of "race" can become. I tend to make the distinction between racism and xenophobia in these cases but I agree that that's also fairly arbitrary. The whole thing is just stupid.
I think we're entering a phase where the difference between institutionalised racism and classism is difficult to be precise about. Especially in countries with monarchies of which there are obviously many in Europe. European royalty, land owners and the upper class were exclusively white. So now the richest people are still white. Is that racism or classism? Well, it's difficult to say. I think that in almost all cases we'd be better off focusing on class.
As for Japan, yeah, it's a fascinating country. I absolutely fell in love with it as soon as I first visited and had been back many times. There's a big difference between being a visitor and trying to integrate though. And though anti-black racism is worse, that applies to *everybody* who isn't Japanese.
I found the Japanese people to be almost uniquely (internationally speaking) kind and warm to me as a visitor, and I do speak some very mediocre Japanese which goes down well. But as much as I love the country, I'm not even slightly tempted to try to live there, as I've heard--and seen--so many horror stories about how non-Japanese are always on the outside looking in.
" The whole thing is just stupid." I had to laugh because after writing the reply yesterday I too thought about the amalgamation of race with other prejudices concluding "how can you model, define such stupid behavior? How much of a percentage in a nasty reaction is due to xenophobia (hostility to strangers) and how much to racism? Racism is a frame of mind in which you view someone from another "race" as a stranger. I use " " because I belief "race" is a human construct. The differentiation, however, is necessary when we look at systemic racism. In that case there are observable characteristics that a key determinants of the outcomes in the social model. For example, higher sentences given to people of darker skin tone. Or assigning graduate students from LDC countries to inferior living facilities than their European counterparts that is a common form of systemic racism in many European Universities (some very prestigious).
Agree about Japan. I would like to visit, even work for a period there, but with a clearly defined exit visa. As a female I am wary of gender discrimination.