all the poor ones are white. all the rich ones arent. go figure.

my workplace is 50% chinese, 25% API and 25% white.

:P

LOL while that SOUNDS really diverse, most people might find it amusing to note that your workplace consists of 2 people ;)

Posted by: Jennifer on September 24, 2004 @ 5:16 PM

They are all white.

100% - me :)

on a side note, I grew up in the South and it was a slight adjustment for me to be in SF where I was a majority. Now I would feel weird if 30-40% of the place I go would not be diverse (work or travel)

Sofie, that’s not really uncommon for Belgium though, is it? I admit I don’t really know the ethnic makeup of the country…

And Mona, yea that was kinda what I was implying I guess. I’m used to seeing a mix of people, so it’s weird going somewhere in California where there are white people everywhere. Hehe and yea, SF is definitely comprised of an entirely different population than the south!

Posted by: Jennifer on September 25, 2004 @ 12:40 PM

Well the city I live in is incredably multi-cultural, and that is reflected in my work place, a fairly even mix really.

Jennifer: Explaning how Belgium goes with it’s population is different.
But feel free to read this weblog: http://lenajohanson.blogspot.com/2004/08/arab-gangster-caught-again.html
It’s a swedish girl her first impression of Belgium. Then read the comments. ;)

Hmm that was a bit of a scary read! I almost stopped in Brussels on my trek through Europe, but skipped ahead to Amsterdam on the Eurail because I didn’t have enough time. I too didn’t know about the Arabs and Africans in Belgium—I admit I picture mostly white European types. Is this indicative of the country as a whole, or just Brussels and possibly other major cities?

Posted by: Jennifer on September 25, 2004 @ 4:27 PM

Only the major city’s and then those city’s also have nice spots.
I’m speaking about Brussels, Antwerp and Charleroi. The last one is NOT to be advice to tourists! ;)
But … they have nice places too!

When I was in Germany I encountered (not personally) quite a bit of racisim, there specifically directed against Turks.

In the Netherlands, it is impossible to get into nightclubs with dark skin.

All of Europe is also massively openly anti-Semtic.

During my travels through Europe, I realized that it was quite a racist place. That’s why, whenever I hear Europeans riding their high horse about how the US this and the US that, I think: “Shut the fuck up! How about you stop openly being racist bastards and then we can talk about how barbaric we all are. Until then, realize that you live in a fucking glass house.”

The worst part is that they think they’re enlightened. Maybe the way to handle it is just to shoot them all. It certainly “worked” for their “Jewish Problem.” OK.. enough Europe bashing.

Come on now, no need for hardcore Euro-bashing. I guess I don’t have your cynical view of Europe—but then again, you’re half “ethnic” and I’m not. It’s also easy to make sweeping generalizations, but you know as well as I do that EVERYBODY is not an openly racist bastard.

And Germany’s treatment of the Turks isn’t much different from our country’s treatment of Mexicans, or anyone else to whom we delegate the crappiest, lowest-paying jobs.

Posted by: Jennifer on September 26, 2004 @ 7:37 PM

Actually, the German treatment of turks is FAR worse than our treatment of Mexicans. They go to different schools, they’re relagated to the worst paying jobs, and they’re forced out after 5 years and often can’t invite their families with them.

If you want a view of immigration from inside the beast, watch Dirty Pretty Things. Then compare that to our (admitedly also tyrranic) INS.

Also, I know there are enlightened Europeans. But European Racism is part of the public discourse proper. In the United States such a thing is generally frowned upon socially, and any of its practitioners are quickly public parrias.

Also of note is that European Neo-Nazi-ism is on the rise. Such, i suppose, is the price of protectionism… Assholes…

Sorry. Whenever i talk about European politics i just get on a roll. I think they’ve no right to criticize US policy when theirs is yet so backwards.

That said. I’d still like to live in Europe sometimes. I’d like to live in asia too.

Jen has informed me that my comments could be interpreted incorrectly. I don’t HATE Europe and Europeans. I just think that sometimes they tend to throw stones from their glass houses.

I don’t mean to equate all Europeans as racist and Anti-Semetic. Just saying I get that feel. I consider it like calling America Capitalist. Not everybody is one (just go to Berkeley or San Francisco and find that out), but generally, the political machine has that feel.

Quote: “I don’t mean to equate all Europeans as racist and Anti-Semetic.”

Congratulations.. you just did!

Before you trow stones towards people.. think of your words and concider that not everyone is the same. They hurt!

There are european people enoff who are having American friends. I have a close méxican friend, I have a close American friend. Does that make me one of those Assholes from Europe?

He goes on to say specifically that the political machine especially gives him that feel. If you look at his earlier statements, they all revolve around the European political issues and governments. So he really is aiming it at the Euro governments. The implication is that he sees just as many problems with Euro governments as there are with the US Gov., and furthermore, since many Europeans are NOT assholes and ARE better than that, they should worry about fixing and improving their own governments before criticizing the US government. That is his opinion. I assure you it is an informed one, as I know him personally. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with him, but it sounded to me that his point was more about the governments than about the citizens. (If i misinterpreted, m-unit will correct me) So no, Sofie, that doesn’t make you one of the assholes from europe - unless you don’t believe his statements that Euro governments have just as many problems as any other government, and that just as much can be done to improve them, and that it is the citizens’ job to do so — it is not the european community’s job to criticize and denigrate the US government on issues they themselves struggle with. In short, pot calling the kettle black.

Thanks kevin. And Sofie, I truly meant no personal offense. I have quite a few personal European friends whom i consider to be extremely wonderful individuals.

As an aside, many of the Germans and Swiss that I’ve met start bashing George Bush within the first 2 minutes of meeting me. I’m not sure why. Perhaps they suppose that being American I speak for him, or perhaps more incorrectly, he speaks for me. I guess I’ve just found the finger pointing that goes on certainly goes far wide of public intellectual discourse.

In short, yes, the pot calling the kettle black. ‘Cuz we’ve got lots of screwed up problems too.

I am planning a trip to Amsterdam. I have dark skin(black american). Is it true I will not be allowed in nightclubs, I will be taking a girlfriend, if this is so I want to save her the embarassment of being rejected based on skin color. Please reply.