Is anyone else getting quite tired of being called a racist?

[Peppatina]

I know it can't just be me.

It doesn't matter what carefully thought out reasons a brexiter has for wanting to leave (I've seen some very articulate and reasoned ones on mn itself) we are still all getting lumped into a stereotypical group of closet racist idiots.

And Lord forbid any of those reasons might just involve any concern over levels of eu migration!

I've been told that I'm essentially imagining the three week waiting list for my GP or that this is nothing to do with eu migration. If I say I know it is because of the names being called out I become the equivalent of Enoch Powell.

The same goes for a certain local estate very much being a no go area, especially for young girls. After braving this street once with my children and being spat on and shouted at by a group of very hostile Romanian men/boys I've been told I imagined it.

When I had my son a few week ago my I was the only English speaking person in my ward. A polish man was shouting and being very aggressive to staff as they were struggling to find an interpreter.

I absolutely know that not every migrant is aggressive and that they should build more schools and go surgeries but I believe I'm right to be concerned about a high number of migrants who are not intergrating with their local community and the unsustainable strain on services.

I'm sick of being told that my experiences don't matter. That to even mention that this is what life is like in our town means I am a racist or little englander.

[Werksallhourz]

Chalalala,

Everyone accused of witchcraft is by definition innocent, even though they can't prove it.

Not necessarily. Some of those medieval bods could have been real witches -- in the sense of using hemlock and fly agaric to induce sensations of metamorphosis and flying, and flogging poison to young Agnes who wants to bump off her husband. We cannot say for sure that some of those medieval "witches" did not dance naked around fires in the forest at full moon, praising Satan/the Horned God/the Lord of the Greenwood/Pan/a vision of Tim Curry in Legend.

In both cases, you have people that will be either innocent or guilty of the charges of witchcraft or racism, but the innocent have no way to prove it so automatically, in the eyes of society, they are all guilty.

And, in both cases, such charges were used by local elites to silence, squash dissent and to political ends.

[BoboChic]

Fear of foreigners, indeed :)

As an immigrant myself, I have felt plenty of prejudice and discrimination but no racism or xenophobia. Does that make sense?

[Chalalala]

Ah, I see - if you use "witchcraft" in a subjective sense, rather than as objective supernatural abilities, then I agree the analogy does make more sense!

[oldharrysgame]

Racism is about power imho- using your power to act out your prejudices.

[Woodhill]

The witchcraft analogy makes sense. To me racism was how the Nazis treated the Jews or the slave trade.

[IrishDad79]

Woodhill
"The witchcraft analogy makes sense. To me racism was how the Nazis treated the Jews or the slave trade."

So your definition of racism is slavery and mass extermination? And anything that falls below that considerably high threshold is, what, harmless banter?

[howrudeforme]

I've just voted to stay in.

Reasons for staying in:
The father of my dc is an EU national. We were married and neither of us took on the other's nationality (no great reason to) - and our dc has UK passport only. This was never a problem but, if we leave, it could complicate matters for us. It could mean that my dc might need to apply for a second passport for his father's country if he wants any sort of rights there (not needed now). For personal reasons, I'm wary of this.

I want the next generation to have the opportunity to work in EU countries unencumbered by visas.

To leave the EU during a huge recession could bad for us and would have a detrimental affect on the EU partners we leave behind, and possibly economic shock waves beyond europe.

Reasons why I reluctantly voted to remain:
The 'discussion' - most of it rubbish on both sides but I laugh my head off at the Leave=Little Englander remarks. So what is Europe but a collection of a small, provisional and inward looking countries. Hilarious.


My world view is way beyond EU boarders and I'm tired of this little eurocentric attitude. It's stifling.

It seems to me the UK would be 'punished' for leaving.

There's been little discussion about how the increase in EU migration over the last 15 years has contributed to the increasingly racist attitudes to non white Britons and it has affected my family.

And that's me done. I think I made the right vote in difficult circumstances.

[bkgirl]

Howrudeforme
re: There's been little discussion about how the increase in EU migration over the last 15 years has contributed to the increasingly racist attitudes to non white Britons and it has affected my family.

I thought there was a lot of migration from countries such as Poland over the last 5 years which seems mostly white. Indeed a lot of Irish have gone back to the UK as well (friends and family).

Frankly when I went to visit my brother in Cambridgeshire I experienced it myself at a kids playpark and it felt horrible. I ended up hours later teaching my little niece some words with an english dialect. My brother asked me what I was doing, not speaking in my usual dialect. I explained I wanted her to fit in! Afterwards I was really conflicted. :(
I guess that's it but how much do you change to keep people happy? Integrating is so important but there has to be a balance on both sides.
Funny enough my sister in law knows quite a few of the ladies responsible and they have been out going round doors for Remain. The irony!

[howrudeforme]

Well I wish everyone the best in their vote. Each person has their own view and their own experience and their own wishes for the future.

[Roonerspism]

Good grief seek what a delightful post.

It's looking very likely Remain will comfortably win.

And us Eurosceptics dust ourselves down and move on. Which we must. We have to accept that people want the EU. Not me, but I take strange comfort that most people do. we have to make the best of it.

In a decade, I think we will probably look back and think "what if" somewhat wistfully!

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

It's looking very likely Remain will comfortably win.

Maybe win yes. Comfortably?

You Gov unofficial exit polls. Remain 52% Leave 48% polster still saying too close to really call.

[Littlemisslovesspiders]

Seek.

You have just prove that just like they have said of the Leave voters, Remain voters have a nasty streak.

Try growing up.

[Roonerspism]

littlemiss I would say that in the last 2 weeks, the debate from some Remain voters has been really vile.

Before that, there was a good tone on the boards. To those posters - thanks to both sides - you have been enlightening!

[AlcoChocs]

It's looking very likely Remain will comfortably win.
Why did people believe the opinion polls yet again, despite the "surprise" win for the Tories in the general election

[SuramarMom]

I've actually had some very nasty comments from friends along the lives of 'Oh I didn't have you pegged as being a racist' when they found out I voted to leave.

To be honest the name calling and stereotyping seems to be much worse AFTER the vote.

[SuramarMom]

oh sorry.

This came up in a search I didn't realise it was from before the vote.

[InfiniteSheldon]

Very interesting to read and reflect

[jaws5]

OP, I was called a racist for defending EU membership. Apparently I am being racist against non-EU citizens. I have never called anyone racist. But I feel an atmosphere of xenophobia since before the referendum (remember Nigel Farage's outrage at not hearing enough English spoken on the train?), and increasingly since, culminating in the shocking Tory conference. There's a thread here on xenophobia started on that day which explains the reasons so many of us were horrified by the rhetoric.

[jaws5]

Just realised this is an old thread!

[SuramarMom]

Yes sorry about that!

Though it has been quite an interesting read with some hindsight.

[Corcory]

Thanks for resurrecting this thread Sura.
It really has made interesting reading. It has really highlighted the misconceptions that many seem to hold with regard to what actually is racism and xenophobia. I had no idea that so many people didn't understand the meaning of the words. No wonder so many people are saying TM and the rest of the conservative ministers that talked at their party conference were making racist and xenophobic comments when it isn't true at all.
I'd love to hear exactly what it is that some people think they said that was so wrong.

[Jenicas]

In the case of the G.P. waiting list, try 40 years of neoliberalism which doesn't believe in public healthcare and is slowly getting rid of it.

[Corcory]

This a a 4 year old thread!

[jessstan1]

Nobody has ever, once, in my entire life called me a racist.