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Is the UK really more racist than the USA?

148 replies

Blip · 07/12/2022 14:36

I always thought that the USA was way more racist than the UK but recently have heard a lot on the news that the USA generally believes the UK is a lot more racist than the USA.

Is there any kind of consensus on this?

OP posts:
Choconut · 07/12/2022 14:39

I don't know how you would measure it? Racist attacks per head of population perhaps?

I would guess that some parts of the US are far more racist than the UK but some areas of the UK are more racist than some parts of the US.

Blip · 07/12/2022 14:46

Good points choconut

OP posts:
Blip · 07/12/2022 14:49

I remember in the 1970s my American aunt and uncle visiting - most towns at the time had separate areas where white and black people lived and they were up in arms about a black family moving into their white area of town.
I was only very young at the time and found it so strange and shocking that it has stayed with me.

OP posts:
AriettyHomily · 07/12/2022 14:50

The southern us is racist on a different level to here, it's everywhere. We were in a pool once and a middle aged white white man was berating a black kid and telling him to get his black meat out of the pool. I tried to intervene but my husband told me not to as they are an open carry gun state. Confederate flags everywhere.

Visiting family, wouldn't go there for any other reason.

It's more obscure in the uk but it's here.

Alysskea · 07/12/2022 14:51

It’s all relative but from a broader social context the US is worse for ethnic minorities, generally due to lack of welfare state, ghettoisation and lack of opportunity.

carefulcalculator · 07/12/2022 14:54

I think it is different. The US and UK have very different histories, different legal frameworks, different cultures.

What I do think is both countries have significant problems with racism still and I'm tired of people minimising the experiences of those on the receiving end.

blacksax · 07/12/2022 15:11

No it isn't more racist here. That's according to my British relative who has lived in the southern States for over 3 decades, and who returns to the UK for several weeks a year.

gogohmm · 07/12/2022 15:24

Far more openly racist in the USA, and it's a lot more likely to be violent or nasty. Yes there's elderly people in the U.K. being very nosy and inappropriate "where are you from" but there it's violent threats for simply going to a rural area (my friend said he daren't visit where I was going (Montana), I asked why and he said it was due to his race (I hadn't even noticed he was Hispanic), gay friends similarly were very wary travelling out of major cities.

All racism is wrong, but violence is more likely stateside

RandomPerson42 · 07/12/2022 15:29

No, and New Zealand and Australia are far worse still.

WeepingSomnambulist · 07/12/2022 15:30

There was an interested story from WW2. I'll try and find it.
American soldiers station in a town in England, they had a platoon of black soldiers with them. The black soldiers said they couldnt believe the treatment they got here. They were very much 2nd class citizens in the US, and the white american soldiers treated them like dirt. When they got here, there was no segregation and they were welcome in the pubs and cafes and the locals didnt bat an eye lid at them.
The white American soldiers were furious about having to share with the black soldiers so demanded that the town racially segregated. The town put up saying "Locals and Blacks only" and wouldnt deal with the white soldiers.

There ended up being an actual shoot out in the town, between the black soldiers and white soldiers throughout the town. The locals said it was very much the white guys who started it, but official reports in the US army (I think) blamed the black soldiers.

WeepingSomnambulist · 07/12/2022 15:32

*pur up signs saying

Knors · 07/12/2022 15:32

What unit of measure are we using? FFS

Echobelly · 07/12/2022 15:33

I think it's very different and not sure one can compare. I get the impression USA is much more segregated in a way the UK isn't - like the US has some areas that are pretty much no-go if you're one race or another; also racism is also probably more acceptable in some fairly mainstream politics.

Colcat · 07/12/2022 15:34

No. We have a long way to go but we are not worse. I work with Americans and I'm shocked by how openly racist some of them are. Not all of them of course but I'm shocked that they are not embarrassed to be racist.

barneshome · 07/12/2022 15:34

Ridiculous

barneshome · 07/12/2022 15:34

I advise you to stop watching the BBC or reading the Guardian

BHMiseverymonth · 07/12/2022 15:45

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

lollyloo88 · 07/12/2022 15:48

Did Meghan just "feel" different though? Because she's American and an ex-actress? Did she feel different and so a small comment about the first non-white grandchild send her over the edge?

Or, yes, the royals are racist and they treated her badly, hence why Harry has thrown everything in for her - I wonder what the documentary will convey..

lollyloo88 · 07/12/2022 15:48

Apologies not quite the right response for the question but it makes you wonder..

aSofaNearYou · 07/12/2022 15:50

the USA generally believes the UK is a lot more racist than the USA.

People from the USA often believe a lot of things that generally paint them in a positive light.

shreddies · 07/12/2022 15:53

I have a distant cousin who moved to the States years ago. Very wealthy now, boomer age. Another cousin asked if he and his family would put up the son of a family friend, there was a history of this on both sides of the Atlantic. Money not an issue either side.

US cousin learned the potential guest was black. Said no. I was absolutely shocked. I can't imagine such blatant racism amongst wealthy educated people in the UK. Not for a minute saying that there isn't racism here, I know there is, but not so overt.

elp30 · 07/12/2022 15:54

I'm a Mexican-American and live in Texas where we are the largest ethnic minority. I'm comfortable living in Texas and the southwest US for this reason. I certainly feel different in other states and that feeling isn't just in the southern states either. I'm not falling over myself to visit parts of New England or the Midwest again due to previous encounters.

When I was a child, I'm 52 now, it was important to be "American" outside the house and assimilate and be "Mexican/ethnic" at home. These days, my ethnic group has the stance that we are "American" as we are, rightfully so, and are through with having two separate identities but want to express themselves fully. Add the other ethnic groups and races and there's certainly a clash with the "white" Americans in my country. We are a "meting pot" of cultures, after all. Perhaps they may feel threatened and add the media to it and racism goes over the top.

I lived in England for nine years and I'll admit that I was a little bit worried about how my son and I would be treated but we lived pretty happily. Admittedly, my son (we are dark-skinned) did get some bad words thrown his way at elementary school once but it was quickly taken care of and he and I did receive an apology by the teacher, the headmaster, the children who insulted my son and their parents.

What's really puzzling is that I'm less likely to be singled-out as a dark-skinned Hispanic woman in the UK. However, once I open my mouth and my Texan accent is heard, people have been known to make fun of me, treat me differently and say shit to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

bakalava · 07/12/2022 15:58

I can speak for Jewish people in the largest cities who seem more settled in Jewish areas then they do in Jewish areas in London.
Many have moved to the UK from Europe where anti-semitism is much worse.

However, I commented on the Kanye thread that people who call out racism on the royal threads have ignored the Kanye thread even though he is blatantly anti semitic. There seem to be rules about who should be called out for racism and when it is ok to simply turn away. I don't think it is consistent.

Notanotherusername4321 · 07/12/2022 16:00

aSofaNearYou · 07/12/2022 15:50

the USA generally believes the UK is a lot more racist than the USA.

People from the USA often believe a lot of things that generally paint them in a positive light.

This.

some of the things “the US” believes about the UK are honestly ridiculous. I saw someone absolutely certain we all pay 60% tax to fund the NHS….

PuttingDownRoots · 07/12/2022 16:02

Surely it will depend on where in both countries. The different states can be like different countries in the US. Plus rural vs big cities.