To be tired of the ‘racist UK’ remarks?

[AGermFreeAdolescent]

By that I mean people talking down the UK and say that it’s a racist country since Brexit. I appreciate everyone has their own experiences but I dislike when people say Brexit has made the UK more racist and make out it is more so than its EU counterparts when I, as a non white person, feel WAY more safe anywhere in the UK as I would compared to any other country in Europe. Can’t help but feel that the people that denigrate the UK for racism because of Brexit are white and have not visited countries in Europe as, or with, a person that isn’t white. Started this thread mostly because of the ‘shock’ about the racism that Bulgarian fans displayed to England and my first thought was ‘And this is a surprise, because...?’

YANBU, the UK is more racist than where I come from but it definitely seems significantly less racist than other European countries I’ve spent time in. It’s definitely not become more racist since brexit. To be honest I fail to see the connection given that other EU countries are also majority white. I don’t see his leaving a white country club would make Britain more racist overnight.

I agree that Brexit has made extremists more bold about their racist views. It's obviously better that these views are underground rather than public. In the UK we should be worried about racism being more open.

Once Brexit Day arrives I fear it will be worse for all foreigners. Once IndyRef2 is announced (and any Northern Irish equivalent) then I think that we will see even more division

Brexit has made many people much more openly racist and comfortable about expressing their racist views.

I think it's also anger inducing politics which encourages this.
I don't think Scotland is the same place as before the independence referendum. The ones who lost are angry, the ones who won are fed up with the angry losers. Having an snp majority constantly telling us what the people of Scotland want, well a lot of us didn't vote for them. It's a constant wind up.
I thought I'd end my days in Scotland, now I don't really care.
Brexit has lasted THREE YEARS - don't underestimate how angry people are and that they take it out on others. Racism is part of this anger.

I was disgusted at the story calling the Bulgarian fans racist. How dare they call out another country on their racism, when their is HUGE racism in the UK.

So should we have ignored the Bulgarian racism against black English footballers then? Should the nazi salutes and monkey chants be allowed to go unchallenged and not commented on? That's nonsense. Exposing what happened at that match was so important, its the first time the UEFA protocol has been acted on and it has got people talking about racism in football again.

Of course there is racism in the UK, there's space for abhorring both you know.

People in the UK now feel emboldened in terms of accepting hate crime.

Of course Brexit impacts on that.

There has been seriouse issues with racism in eastern Europe. Turkey, FRance, Italy, Germany.

There have indeed. But none of the countries you mention is in Eastern Europe, except perhaps the very eastern fringe of Germany bordering Poland.

Agree with PP that Brexit seems to have given bigots a green light to crawl out from under their stones. I am a white British person, but according to some I am a 2nd class citizen (or even a traitor) because I married a forriner and live elsewhere in the EU. Apparently I should've stayed in the Northern terrace in which I was born and never ventured beyond the corner shop

I live in a large multi-racial city and the only example I have ever personally witnessed of racism is of my Malaysian friend by her own white husband.

I have been called a fucking bastard by a Somalian man who I refused to give money to at a bus stop, as were others who refused and who (coincidentally?) were white.

I was recently threatened by another man, a white man who threatened to report me to the police for homophobia.

I refused to give this man money when he asked me as I was walking down the local high street. He then walked past loads of younger people before going up to a particularly frail-looking old woman who was really struggling to walk. I overheard her say no to him but he persisted in asking for money. I went up and asked him why he'd picked on her and walked past all the youngsters. He told me to fuck off and mind my own business. I told him I wouldn't fuck off and to leave the lady alone. He told me there's no point asking young people as they don't have any money. The woman started to walk away. He got mad at me when I told him the young having no money to give him isn't a valid reason to hassle someone clearly frail and vulnerable. He then just said outright that I'd better be careful otherwise he'd report me to the police for homophobia .

I walked away but was left wondering what would happen if a police officer had come along (fat chance, I know). I hadn't, nor would I, ever have said anything homophobic but I wonder if the police would have taken his word for it. I presume, in retrospect, that he is gay from his comment.

I hope any hate laws won't allow for people to just tell bare-faced lies and get people in trouble for things they haven't done.

There is something very off about people who won't acknowledge racism in this country, and only want to talk about how it's worse somewhere else.

You should listen to yourself. It's horrible.

It’s definitely not become more racist since brexit.

Spoken like a true brexiteer.

I only said yesterday I think it’s more racist since brexit and seems to be more acceptable to be outspoken (and vile)

Brexit has lasted THREE YEARS - don't underestimate how angry people are and that they take it out on others. Racism is part of this anger.

Oh right, so people are only screaming racist abuse in the streets because brexit is taking so long.

Yeah that makes sense.

Jesus.

@AGermFreeAdolescent

I am also pig sick of this.

Maybe these people who cry racism, and accuse people (usually people who support Brexit) of being racist, should spend a few months in Bulgaria, Hungary or Russia, etc etc. They will definitely see then, that the UK - and the vast majority of its people is NOT RACIST!

Seriously, most people living here don't know what real deep-rooted racism is. Try moving to Eastern Europe; you will see real hardened bona fide racism there!

Maybe these people who cry racism, and accuse people (usually people who support Brexit) of being racist, should spend a few months in Bulgaria, Hungary or Russia, etc etc. They will definitely see then, that the UK - and the vast majority of its people is NOT RACIST!

'Cry racism' - listen to you.

I've lived racist countries - doesn't mean I can't see thick cunts being racist at home - and yeah, ime they're usually brexiteers.

that the UK - and the vast majority of its people is NOT RACIST

Yes it is

It may be less racist in comparison with another country (or more) but that doesnt make it NOT RACIST

@rainingallday and I'm pig sick of people saying that we've not got a problem in this country because other countries are worse.

Something being less doesn’t make it non existent

It doesn’t cease to be exist because it is worse elsewhere and that is one problem, anything unchallenged and not acknowledged will grow and grow

Try moving to Eastern Europe; you will see real hardened bona fide racism there!

I have lived in Central Europe for a quarter century. My BAME family members say that the city I live in feels much more welcoming and diverse now than it did when they first visited.

Visiting the UK regularly myself over the past three years I am very aware of how Britain has gone downhill in this regard. Sadly, it feels like a race to the bottom.

I think wilful blindness and ignorance allows, perpetuates and supports racists and racism.

And if a white English speaking person tells me that there is no racism in a country, be that UK, US, Canada, Australia or NZ, I'm not going to think that their opinion based on their own personal observations or experience is likely to be worth taking very seriously.

@angell84

Well if we are trading anecdotes let me provide some of my experiences around Europe. I have a job that requires frequent travel and I have witnessed first had staggering levels of racism, especially in the med countries and Eastern Europe. My middle Eastern and black work colleagues have been refused service in bars plenty of times, given a sub standard service or placed on some shit table out the back while I am treated like the VIP. I have heard casual racist jokes openly told in the offices I have visited and have seen neo nazis and ultras chanting and saluting on the terraces of polish football matches. Even those oh so nice Scandinavian countries have some pretty vile attitudes once you scratch beneath the surface. I have been witnessing this nonsense for decades on my travels. I don't think anyone here is claiming that racism does not exist in the UK or that it does not need to be challenged, just that the constant narrative by some of britian being some bottom of the heap racist swamp are far wide of the mark. I'm not even British!

the constant narrative by some of britian being some bottom of the heap racist swamp

Which constant narrative, by whom?

What I am saying is that Britain's standards have slipped over the past three years and I don't think that can be denied.

As for football terraces, I've yet to experience one anywhere in Europe, including Britain, that was entirely free of the Neanderthal element.

I don't think anyone here is claiming that racism does not exist in the UK or that it does not need to be challenged,

They are - they are constantly dismissing it as a thing. They deny it has increased since the ref (it has) and they minimise it. 'cry racism' FFS.

just that the constant narrative by some of britian being some bottom of the heap racist swamp are far wide of the mark.

Who said that? Come on. Who has said - or inferred or even vaguelly suggested - that Britain is the bottom of the heap racist swamp?

racism is on the rise in this country, not just brexiteers shouting at people to 'go home' or 'we voted you out' but our own Govt denying visas to scientists and academics, and the fucking disgrace that was Windrush.

What I am saying is that Britain's standards have slipped over the past three years and I don't think that can be denied.

People here are denying and deflecting and it says so much that they would attempt to do so.

If other countries are racist, or more racist it doesn't mean that the racism in this country should be more tolerated/tolerable, surely?

They will definitely see then, that the UK - and the vast majority of its people is NOT RACIST!

Yes it is.

"The UK is less racist than....." is hardly the most vehement endorsement for tolerance.

just that the constant narrative by some of britian being some bottom of the heap racist swamp are far wide of the mark

Fortunately nobody has said that on this thread so you can rest easy.