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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be tired of the ‘racist UK’ remarks?

275 replies

AGermFreeAdolescent · 16/10/2019 10:07

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...?’

OP posts:
angell84 · 16/10/2019 20:36

Lol at the possible stereotype of the Irish - that was given on here- "thick and lazy".

Their economy is much better than ours.
Ireland is a much wealthier country than ours right now.

I have been to work in the republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland, and I remember working in a very poor part of N.Ireland. One of the teenagers said to me, "haha isn't the dirt poor , and they live in barns". I had just come from the republic, and I was thinking of all the people that I had seen living in mansions, with extreme wealth.

Tellmetruth4 · 16/10/2019 20:42

Nobody is talking about disablism because the OP is specifically about racism. Nobody is saying other issues such as disablism and sexism don’t exist, however, the OP referred to racism.

FrauFlamingo · 16/10/2019 20:58

Personally I wouldn't say the neo-fascist parties of Europe make UKIP look like "fluffy bunny rabbits". They cover exactly the same political territory and all work together under the far-right grouping in the European Parliament.

I think in the UK we are far too fond of insisting that Johnny Foreigner has the monopoly on fascism and racism; probably more a case of there but for the grace of God go we. Cf. the EDL thugs outside the Houses of Parliament recently calling opposition MPs "Nazi" and "fascist" while acting exactly like the brownshirts and blackshirts of days gone by. Oh, the irony.

PaulRedford · 16/10/2019 21:01

I thought you weren't in the UK Frau.

PencilsInSpace · 16/10/2019 21:03

All the stuff about the hostile environment, treating people, foreigners, like shit has been going on for years, before brexit started.

YY HeyNotInMyName - I wonder if we'd have ever had the referendum if it hadn't been for Theresa May's hostile environment. Recruiting vast swathes of the general population as unpaid border force agents will have emboldened a lot of racists.

FrauFlamingo · 16/10/2019 21:03

We do have news coverage elsewhere in Europe, you know Grin

PaulRedford · 16/10/2019 21:06

But you said ' I think in the UK we are too fond of insisting etc ' which makes it sound like you are living in the UK.

FrauFlamingo · 16/10/2019 21:14

I am a British citizen, was born, raised and educated in the UK, have family in the UK, visit regularly and watch/read British news on a daily basis. Culturally I suppose I'd identify as a British European, hence "we" as I presume the majority of MNetters are British too.

Mordred · 17/10/2019 08:29

@angell84

"mordred do you know that your wife can report your neighbour, for hate crime to the police?"

Oh we did - the police were great, they came and interviewed DW, then went and 'had a word' with the neighbour, which was good enough. DW didn't want to prosecute - the neighbour has given us a wide berth ever since.

I had gone over for a word or two myself with him before then. I was a bit cross, you see.

SafetyAdvice0FeedWhenAgitated · 17/10/2019 08:49

I had never got told to fuck off back to Poland pre brexit.
After the referendum I did.
Conversation usually goes
"Fuck of back to Poland" or some are more polite with a smirk "So you going back to Poland now, hey?"
My answer is always the same
"Why? I am not from Poland"
They go quiet and I am starting to think it's because they don't know any other EU country beyond Germany😂 Tbh I wouldn't be surprised... A guy interviewed on a TV before referendum went in with "I will vote leave cause it will stop all them Indians and Pakistanis coming"🙄
I am not saying everyone who voted Brexit is dumb, because that's simply not true.
But every dumbass voted Brexit...

I think the referendum results really did open the floodgates with this. Every racist and xenophobic 1 GCSE Gary now feels they can say horrible things they wouldn't before because in their mind they got backing of half the country...

Yes, other countries have issues with hate too, but UK has gotten worse than it was and doing "But x country is worse" is just plainly desperate apologism.

RitaIsMyHero · 17/10/2019 12:12

@FrauFlamingo

It sounds like the rise of populism in Eastern Europe and the links to nazism is something you may like to read up on. I haven’t got time to go into detail here, as it would be an essay!

FrauFlamingo · 17/10/2019 12:19

RitalsMyHero

Thanks, my bookshelf is full of it. My point about British complacency still stands.

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 17/10/2019 12:25

Brexit has emboldened racists. The racism was always there, it never went away. Unfortunately.

RitaIsMyHero · 17/10/2019 12:26

@frauflamingo

Perhaps I misunderstood your comment, as it sounded to me like you were trying to dismiss the rise of populism in Eastern Europe and the links to Nazism. As your book shelf is full of it, then surely you would agree that it’s horrifying?

FilthyforFirth · 17/10/2019 12:33

YABU to use your own experience to make a sweeping statement when facts and stats simply do not back you up. Hate crime IS on the rise since Brexit. Whether you like it or not.

I am non white and have definitely felt more uncomfortable since 2016. Which is utterly ridiculous as I and my parents were born here.

Helmetbymidnight · 17/10/2019 12:56

Yes, other countries have issues with hate too, but UK has gotten worse than it was and doing "But x country is worse" is just plainly desperate apologism.

Absolutely. And it's really horrible to see it - and you do see it a lot these days on MN.

Helmetbymidnight · 17/10/2019 13:01

Perhaps I misunderstood your comment, as it sounded to me like you were trying to dismiss the rise of populism in Eastern Europe and the links to Nazism.

Looks very much like you misunderstood the comment, Rita.
And why wouldn't Frau agree that the rise of populism, the far right and Nazism was horrifying? Unlike so many of this thread, I don't think she is a poster who has tried to defend or minimise racism...

RitaIsMyHero · 17/10/2019 13:22

@helmet

Are you implying that I am trying to minimise racism?

Helmetbymidnight · 17/10/2019 13:34

i am stating that many people on this thread have. if you feel that fits you, so be it.

RitaIsMyHero · 17/10/2019 13:38

@helmetbymidnight

I’ll check with black ex DP and mixed race DD and what they think.

No I don’t think I’m attempting to minimise racism. That should be perfectly clear if you hadn’t wilfully misunderstood my original post to suit your own agenda.

Helmetbymidnight · 17/10/2019 13:47

And why wouldn't Frau agree that the rise of populism, the far right and Nazism was horrifying? Unlike so many of this thread, I don't think she is a poster who has tried to defend or minimise racism...

thats what i said. if you interpreted as about you, thats your problem not mine.

RitaIsMyHero · 17/10/2019 14:02

@helmetbymidnight

I meant my original post (clearly) you are deliberately misunderstanding my comment to suit your own agenda.

Only the most twisted person would see anything in my post that seeks to defend or minimise racism. Arguing with you is like arguing with a brick wall though.

Helmetbymidnight · 17/10/2019 14:17

Ok, just reread your original post. Sounds fine, great, I do agree with you. Absolutely.

At a guess, (maybe Frau will later verify?) I think yes, she would be someone who would be horrified about the rise of Nazism. Some people on this thread have tried to defend and minimise racism - but she hasn't.

Is that ok?

RitaIsMyHero · 17/10/2019 14:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

anniemac1 · 17/10/2019 14:21

Keep calm and carry on. Kindness is an underated quality that should be practised by all.