Post by Keith on May 25, 2007 18:13:28 GMT -8
We really shouldn't use the term of "racism." The more correct term(s) are hate and prejudice. I had written two articles one on racism in America and racism in the Middle East. In the United States, hate and prejudice are associated with skin color and sexual preference while in the Middle East it's more about religious faith and what group you're apart of. Like most part of the worlds, Europe is no exception to hate and prejudice.
A good amount of Europe's history was built on the bloodshed caused by hate and prejudice. In World War II, there was either the spread of Fascism or Communism in Europe. My Spanish professor who is a Cuban immigrant said that the Spanish War that came before World War I was between the Communists and the Fascists with both being equally bad. It was basically badguys versus the badguys. So you have Spanish Communists and Spanish Fascists hating each other. There was plenty of bloodshed after the Spanish War.
There are numerous factors at play about the causes of hate and prejudice in Europe. There are many horrible things that hate and prejudice led to as well.
There was the end of World War I where the Allies decided to criple Germany. They did not heed Woodrow Wilson's warning about the repercussions of what would happen if they financially cripled Germany. When Hitler came into power as the Fuhrer of Germany during World War II, they took their hatred and aggression out on the Jewish. The Jewish were victims to mass genocides in concentration camps where they were either starved to death or killed off in the poison gas chambers.
The Jewish were pretty much persecuted throughout Europe. After World War II, the Jewish continued to be persecuted. Even when the Communist Regime took over Eastern Europe. The Communists didn't think much of the Jews either. Right after World War II, hate and prejudice still continued on in Europe with the Jews still being persecuted. They're still one of the most persecuted groups throughout the world let alone throughout Europe. That's just one factor and aftermath at play caused by hate and prejudice.
After the Nazis lost power after World War II, figures under the old regime formed up their own groups thus we have "Neo-Nazis." The Neo-Nazi movement is still visible in Europe today. They have this event called Eurofest which is a Neo-Nazi music festival promoting white separatism and hate. These groups promote hate and prejudice against Jews, Blacks, Asians, Gays, etc. With such groups like the Neo-Nazis, hate and prejudice in Europe continues to run rampant. It's been running rampant then and continues to run rampant in Europe today.
Another example is racism against Blacks in England which has been going on for quite awhile. In Northern Ireland before the IRA became a legitimate political party, they were duking it out with the English. There was plenty of bloodshed between the English and the Irish. The Irish suffered oppression and bloodshed under English rule. There was a lot of bloodshed in Belfast which is the capital of Northern Ireland. There was constant fighting and terrorist bombings. Though they're making amends, there will always be a bit of hate and prejudice. Another example on how Europe is no exception to hate and prejudice being existant in the world.
Ever since 9/11 and other terrible events such as the subway bombing in Madrid around 2004, Arabs have been victim to hate and prejudice around Europe just like they were in America. While Jews were being persecuted, Arabs were being persecuted also. At the same time Jews were persecuted by the Arabs and the Arabs were persecuted by the Jews. It's just hate and prejudice brewing everywhere. Unlike the United States, it seems that the hate and prejudice has been pretty violent. Again, another example or hate and prejudice in Europe.
At times, I thought living in America sucked. But when I see the violence brewing in other parts of the world, it make me realize that like America, each country has problems of its own. Most of the problems driven by hate and prejudice with groups of people persecuting one another. Just all sorts of events leading and continuous fueling of hate and prejudice. The reason I use those two terms instead of racism is that there's no genetic difference. We all bleed red regardless of what skin color(s) we are. Whites bleed red, Blacks bleed red, Latinos bleed red, Asians bleed red, Arabs bleed red, Jews bleed red, we all bleed red.
The fear of such horrific events is driving the hate and prejudice even further. Not long ago around fall of 2005, there was mass rioting in France. The disenfranchised which were mainly Blacks and Arabs took to the streets. A lot of people were injured with a few being brutally murdered. When those riots erupted, I watched the news continuously everyday until the rioting quelled down. The riots was the product of an event between kids and police officers that ignited pre-existing tensions.
Other factors that lead to hate and prejudice as described during the riots are the high rate of unemployment possibly due to outsourcing of jobs and police brutality in certain areas. Hate and prejudice will continue to exist. However, it can be fought.
Like other places in the world, Europe needs to focus on building bridges. The people need to quit obsessing about the past and the tensions brought on by the past. From there, just let go of the weight and move on. Can't obsess about the past. Obsessing about the past only leads to more hate and more prejudice. We need more compassion and far less obsessing.
We're all human beings.
www.helium.com/tm/262485/really-shouldnt-racism-correct
A good amount of Europe's history was built on the bloodshed caused by hate and prejudice. In World War II, there was either the spread of Fascism or Communism in Europe. My Spanish professor who is a Cuban immigrant said that the Spanish War that came before World War I was between the Communists and the Fascists with both being equally bad. It was basically badguys versus the badguys. So you have Spanish Communists and Spanish Fascists hating each other. There was plenty of bloodshed after the Spanish War.
There are numerous factors at play about the causes of hate and prejudice in Europe. There are many horrible things that hate and prejudice led to as well.
There was the end of World War I where the Allies decided to criple Germany. They did not heed Woodrow Wilson's warning about the repercussions of what would happen if they financially cripled Germany. When Hitler came into power as the Fuhrer of Germany during World War II, they took their hatred and aggression out on the Jewish. The Jewish were victims to mass genocides in concentration camps where they were either starved to death or killed off in the poison gas chambers.
The Jewish were pretty much persecuted throughout Europe. After World War II, the Jewish continued to be persecuted. Even when the Communist Regime took over Eastern Europe. The Communists didn't think much of the Jews either. Right after World War II, hate and prejudice still continued on in Europe with the Jews still being persecuted. They're still one of the most persecuted groups throughout the world let alone throughout Europe. That's just one factor and aftermath at play caused by hate and prejudice.
After the Nazis lost power after World War II, figures under the old regime formed up their own groups thus we have "Neo-Nazis." The Neo-Nazi movement is still visible in Europe today. They have this event called Eurofest which is a Neo-Nazi music festival promoting white separatism and hate. These groups promote hate and prejudice against Jews, Blacks, Asians, Gays, etc. With such groups like the Neo-Nazis, hate and prejudice in Europe continues to run rampant. It's been running rampant then and continues to run rampant in Europe today.
Another example is racism against Blacks in England which has been going on for quite awhile. In Northern Ireland before the IRA became a legitimate political party, they were duking it out with the English. There was plenty of bloodshed between the English and the Irish. The Irish suffered oppression and bloodshed under English rule. There was a lot of bloodshed in Belfast which is the capital of Northern Ireland. There was constant fighting and terrorist bombings. Though they're making amends, there will always be a bit of hate and prejudice. Another example on how Europe is no exception to hate and prejudice being existant in the world.
Ever since 9/11 and other terrible events such as the subway bombing in Madrid around 2004, Arabs have been victim to hate and prejudice around Europe just like they were in America. While Jews were being persecuted, Arabs were being persecuted also. At the same time Jews were persecuted by the Arabs and the Arabs were persecuted by the Jews. It's just hate and prejudice brewing everywhere. Unlike the United States, it seems that the hate and prejudice has been pretty violent. Again, another example or hate and prejudice in Europe.
At times, I thought living in America sucked. But when I see the violence brewing in other parts of the world, it make me realize that like America, each country has problems of its own. Most of the problems driven by hate and prejudice with groups of people persecuting one another. Just all sorts of events leading and continuous fueling of hate and prejudice. The reason I use those two terms instead of racism is that there's no genetic difference. We all bleed red regardless of what skin color(s) we are. Whites bleed red, Blacks bleed red, Latinos bleed red, Asians bleed red, Arabs bleed red, Jews bleed red, we all bleed red.
The fear of such horrific events is driving the hate and prejudice even further. Not long ago around fall of 2005, there was mass rioting in France. The disenfranchised which were mainly Blacks and Arabs took to the streets. A lot of people were injured with a few being brutally murdered. When those riots erupted, I watched the news continuously everyday until the rioting quelled down. The riots was the product of an event between kids and police officers that ignited pre-existing tensions.
Other factors that lead to hate and prejudice as described during the riots are the high rate of unemployment possibly due to outsourcing of jobs and police brutality in certain areas. Hate and prejudice will continue to exist. However, it can be fought.
Like other places in the world, Europe needs to focus on building bridges. The people need to quit obsessing about the past and the tensions brought on by the past. From there, just let go of the weight and move on. Can't obsess about the past. Obsessing about the past only leads to more hate and more prejudice. We need more compassion and far less obsessing.
We're all human beings.
www.helium.com/tm/262485/really-shouldnt-racism-correct