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Original poster

To think the situation in Ukraine has highlighted how racist many still are.

217 replies

username99903 · 05/03/2022 11:46

The outpouring of shock and horror at the situation is right of course. I am not trying to take away from that. I have seen some amazing examples of people trying to help and charitable giving. I of course have donated. However I can't help but think why we can not feel this empathy toward the people of Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria etc.

I have heard the most appalling statements especially from US channels talking about how Ukraine is a civilised country that you wouldn't expect this to happen to. It's like people think those from the Yemen etc are some how use to war/don't feel pain the way white Europeans do. We literally dehumanise and devalue people lives.

My work place is holding a charity event which again is great. But we have never thought to do it before for any other war where there was mass migration.

It's not a new realisation I just think it's massively highlighted it.

OP posts:
Reluctantadult · 05/03/2022 11:47

I agree op, was just having this same conversation with dh.

bellac11 · 05/03/2022 11:52

Yes and there appears to be more public appetite for considering accepting refugees from Ukraine than there ever would be from the middle east or Africa.

Wolfie12 · 05/03/2022 22:42

Totally agree with you, complete hypocrisy by the UK and western countries who have destroyed the Middle East but look the other way when it comes to helping citizens from those countries.Yet when it is white Europeans at war they are welcomed with open arms and it’s all a massive deal. Black/Asian people have been treated abhorrently and Ukrainians are showing their true colours.

stickygotstuck · 05/03/2022 22:50

I really don't think it's s much racism as a case of cultural and geographical affinity. Even allowing for the fact that Ukraine is quite different culturally and historically from the EU or the UK.

In 'the West' we are sadly used to hear about wars in far away lands for reasons that escape most of us. After Yugoslavia we didn't expect to see war on out turf again, and certainly not so soon. It's a bigger shock. It also brings actual danger closer to home.

RogueV · 05/03/2022 22:52

I agree with you completely OP

Cakemonger · 05/03/2022 22:54

It's all the 'they're just like us' statements. Err, yes, so are people from Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen... White supremacism is still deeply embedded in the West it seems.

lemongreentea · 05/03/2022 22:55

I totally agree. There will be racist trolls coming along shortly to tell you racism doesn't exist and that is disresectful to discuss this while theres a war raging on... while ignoring ALL the other wars across the globe.

Justkeeppedaling · 05/03/2022 22:57

However I can't help but think why we can not feel this empathy toward the people of Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria etc

I don't think it's racist. I think it's because Ukraine is in Europe and quite close to home.

MangosteenSoda · 05/03/2022 22:58

I was thinking about this because, honestly, I feel much worse about this war than other wars.

What I experience is: same level of sadness and empathy (and donations) for children/families etc. in whatever warzone.

Where I feel differently:

  1. Selfish reason: I fucking hate war and really prefer it to be as far away as possible from where I and my family are.
  2. Historical reason: war is universally awful; war in Europe has historically been terrifyingly, globally impactful on a whole different level.
  3. Nuclear reason: Unhinged despot with his twitchy finger hovering over a catastrophic arsenal.

It’s also true that most refugees stay in border countries to their original home and that neighbouring countries usually help more.

All that can be true and racism can still be at play.

Cakemonger · 05/03/2022 23:02

See here for a delightful round up of this sort of coverage: twitter.com/AlanRMacLeod/status/1497974245737050120

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 05/03/2022 23:03

I agree with you but also think a lot the current out pouring of support is due to how much coverage there is. I've never followed a war on twitter before, the sheer amount of coverage, it feels very different far more personal compared to watching a bulletin on the 10 o'clock news. I was 15 for 9/11 and the following wars and it was a scary time but it was still only accessible on the 24 HR news, and newspaper obviously but I didn't read them then. Now I can check the coverage on my lunch break, first thing in the morning etc.

Also following the last 2 years and the collective experience of the Pandemic perhaps impacts how people feel.

somewhereovertherain · 05/03/2022 23:03

Not sure it really needs highlighting. We are a pretty horrible racist country.

Wbeezer · 05/03/2022 23:07

Short memories?
People from Britain were killed taking charity convoys to Syria.
Where i lived there were collections and people volunteering to help welcome Syrian refugees and a lot of sympathetic headlines and upset about the fate of refugees. There were doctors and white helmets putting themselves in danger going to Syria to treat and rescue people. It was front page news for a long time.
I know i was very upset by the coverage of the suffering and destruction.
Syria was mostly bombed by the RUSSIANS who were pals with Assad.
Also what @stickygotstuck said.
Its normal for most refugees to go to neighbouring countries, Turkey took in huge numbers of Syrians, just as Poland is taking in Ukrainians.

RisingSunn · 05/03/2022 23:08

Completely agree OP.

Copenhagenoffice · 05/03/2022 23:08

Not sure it really needs highlighting. We are a pretty horrible racist country.

We really aren't you know. Eastern Europe can be pretty racist though sadly.

SelkieQualia · 05/03/2022 23:09

Partly. But part of it is the increased coverage, and the way in which this conflict brings up the potential for retaliation toward the UK - people get a lot more invested when there's a possibility that they will be very much personally affected by it.

Copenhagenoffice · 05/03/2022 23:10

Afghanistan was covered for ages in close detail, people were horrified and gave charitable donations as they are now. Same with Syria. This is huge news though as it involves nuclear weapons possibly.

RoastedFerret · 05/03/2022 23:11

I've been moved to tears by this conflict in a way I haven't by others. Mostly when I see videos on social media filmed by teenagers like my children. Filming their lives in bomb shelters, filming their homes destroyed, crying over the loss of loved ones etc. I have never seen conflict play out on social media in such a personal way before. It hits different than news reports.

If that makes me racist in your eyes I actually don't care. I feel what I feel.

fungh · 05/03/2022 23:14

I really don't think it's s much racism as a case of cultural and geographical affinity.

I agree, it's on the doorstep so to speak & harder to ignore. I also think if Ukraine had beeb defeated quickly it would be easier to turn a blind eye but they have the spotlight (rightfully).

LawnFever · 05/03/2022 23:15

@MangosteenSoda

I was thinking about this because, honestly, I feel much worse about this war than other wars.

What I experience is: same level of sadness and empathy (and donations) for children/families etc. in whatever warzone.

Where I feel differently:

  1. Selfish reason: I fucking hate war and really prefer it to be as far away as possible from where I and my family are.
  2. Historical reason: war is universally awful; war in Europe has historically been terrifyingly, globally impactful on a whole different level.
  3. Nuclear reason: Unhinged despot with his twitchy finger hovering over a catastrophic arsenal.

It’s also true that most refugees stay in border countries to their original home and that neighbouring countries usually help more.

All that can be true and racism can still be at play.

I agree with all of this, a war closer to home is always going to have more of an impact on people than one far away, that’s just logical rather than inherently racist.

If something bad is happening in my city I’m going to be more concerned about it than something bad happening at the other side of the Uk, that’s just a normal reaction.

I also agree with your point on refugees being predominantly helped by countries who boarder them, that’s what’s happening here, it’s literally that the next country along is opening their borders, when a country is further round the world it’s more complicated to do that.

The countries bordering Ukraine are predominantly white/European, that’s geography - I’m not saying racism doesn’t come into it with refugee situations but it’s not a completely same comparison.

fungh · 05/03/2022 23:16

Yes agree with the coverage aspect too

spotcheck · 05/03/2022 23:16

We're not a horrible, racist country!

I can only speak for myself, but this feels different because of how out of control Putin is. We are horrified for the Ukrainians, but I think there is a healthy but of worry about what happens next.
So, we are worried for ourselves which heightens our collective outpouring.

Talliah · 05/03/2022 23:17

This conflict is much closer to home than others.

We care mainly about our own family and friends, then our own country, then the countries closest to us. That’s not weird or racist. It’s totally normal. Do you think all the Ukrainians fleeing for their lives now were hugely traumatised when they saw what happened in Afghanistan? Of course not. It was far away and did not feel very relevant.

fungh · 05/03/2022 23:17

So, we are worried for ourselves which heightens our collective outpouring.

yep

noblegreenk · 05/03/2022 23:20

I completely agree OP. Since this all kicked off in Ukraine I've thought exactly the same although I've not voiced it until now. DH never pays any attention to world politics but he's been glued to the news channels since this all started. I've don't believe him to be racist, but I think he identifies with the Ukrainian people more because it's somewhere he's been to and it's a bit closer to home than other conflicts.

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