How to fight against racism?

I agree that living abroad and feeling like a foreigner would certainly make a difference for many people. It can really open up your eyes. I know how difficult it was for me at times being an obvious minority. And although I was treated differently, it was never negative or meant to be insulting (well, rarely). I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like for people that have to live with that. I've been following what people have been saying on the other post with interest, although not having anything really to contribute myself.

Can a racist person change his/her mind?

I'm sure they can. That doesn't mean they will. Although I suppose it depends where the views come from. I suspect many people are racist without even realizing it - although this certainly does not apply to everyone.

I wish I could say something more useful, more intelligent on the subject. But I've never had to deal with this directly, aside from while in PNG - but that was a much different kind of racism than what I think you're talking about. Of course, being a fairly nondescript white female living either in Canada or Australia means I've always been a member of the majority race - as well as the one with the most power.

I'm interested to hear what other people say about this!

I think a racist person can change their mind, but their mind cannot be changed for them.

I think the only way to fight racism is through friendship.  If you've never felt any empathy for someone of another race, religion, nationality, etc, you can see them as a big faceless THEM and you feel no guilt for hating THEM.  Racism ends when you start seeing others as real people with valuable thoughts and feelings.  Living among another population is an easy way of doing this.

I don't know how you can effect this change on someone else however.  Forced expatriotism? ;-)

I think it would be better to use the word discrimination instead of racism in this discussion.
Discrimination (based upon racism or otherwise) originates from fear for the unknown and general stupidity (IMHO). 'They' are different from 'Us' because 'They' have a different skin color (religion, language, cultural background, sexual orientation, etc. etc.) and 'We' don't understand/like that; it makes 'Us' feel uncomfortable.

Changing people's minds about this takes education, but it's not that simple. It takes an open mind and that's something which has to be taught to children from day one.

I totally agree with the last post and want to add a few things about racism.

I had never been in contact with someone whose skin colour is black. My country had no slavery in her near past, and there had never been immigrants brought from africa. Racism never became a major matter or a taboo. That is why I feel so comfortable talking about these in general.

Turkey is a highly cosmopolite country that there is only few people define themselves as Turkish as a race. Most of us belong to muslim communities from balkans, caucasia, and Kurds plus greeks, armenians, and jewish communities. And many people like me are half-half. For someone from a country like me, it should be impossible to be racist in general. I believe if someone learnt to live with other people, he can do it with everyone. But do everyone have to be friends, or do we have a right for not liking some people?

Do I like to hang-out for a drink with a black guy, would I go to a trip with him/her, would I marry a black woman? If someone says he or she does not like black people, is it just because of the skin colour, or can it be because of the unlikeness between the cultures and just not feeling comfortable with their culture? What is the difference of a Brit. saying he does not like Americans and an american saying he does not like Blackmen? No one blames the Brits for racism?

I may edit my post, ideas are flying in my head, I am trying to make them settle down. Never tought about this matter in depth.

Isn't discrimination a consequence of intolerance? And racism part of intolerance? Maybe we should start other topics ...

If people can change, what can we do/say to make them change?

I completely agree with you Gary when you say it's something to be taught to children ... but for older people (you know, these who never left their small village and who are frightened by the unknown), is there a way to do something?


nb: I am very happy to share views with you guys, we might not change the world but we all believe it's important to exchange opinions, and learn from others. The more I am working on this website, the more I appreciate it!

Julien wrote:

Isn't discrimination a consequence of intolerance? And racism part of intolerance? Maybe we should start other topics ...

Why? I think topics like these are expat-related and important to discuss.

Julien wrote:

If people can change, what can we do/say to make them change?

I completely agree with you Gary when you say it's something to be taught to children ... but for older people (you know, these who never left their small village and who are frightened by the unknown), is there a way to do something?

I'm not really optimistic about the chances of changing older people. The older people get, the more they tend to keep to their beliefs and convictions.
It requires an open mind and the willingness to learn for people to change their points of view. Older people, especially those who never left their environment, most of the times don't have an open mind..

Julien wrote:

nb: I am very happy to share views with you guys, we might not change the world but we all believe it's important to exchange opinions, and learn from others. The more I am working on this website, the more I appreciate it!

We  might be able to contribute a little to international understanding and tolerance!

Why? I think topics like these are expat-related and important to discuss.

I completely agree with you Gary, we should talk about discrimination and racism in the same topic (what happened to me yesterday?!)

Julien wrote:

I completely agree with you Gary, we should talk about discrimination and racism in the same topic (what happened to me yesterday?!)

Julien wrote:

What can we do to fight against racism?

Ignorance is the major factor. Adults or children... Nowadays, it's quite important to teach to everybody who is the other one: foreigner or neighbour.
From my point of view, the global concept is reinforcing the patriotism, which can lead to racism. Indeed, anyone is seeking his own identity to differenciate himself from the worldwilde family. Therefore we have the extremists which are raising... Extremism could be as political, as religious or racial. The situation in Middle East which is one of the most saddest example.

How can we teach people? First by changing the Media politic. Sending more special reporters in the world to catch real and beautiful pictures. Then launching the films on national tv at primetime.
It might seem radical but we need more awareness.
Nowadays the Media isn't helping the situation. Scandal only makes money... how a country is hating towards another population - what does they manifest it...
Others are "cultivating" racism: German press towards the Italian soccer team- they wrote without any shame racist words: spaghetti heads, pizzaiolo... A newspaper knows what can or cannot be written, which means that it would be received by public without any problem.

Hi to all,

I am new here, and in maximum two years from now, I will be a real expat. At the moment, I am still planning that.
This discussion is interesting. I believe, in fact, inherently, we will discriminate unconsciously. I know, it sounds absurd, but have you ever thought of it? If you are a white man and you see an Arab or a Chinese, then you will certainly say in your heart: "Oh, an Arab/ a Chinese". The same thing happens to other races (and religions too).
I believe the problem lies in the action we choose to take based on this perception of difference.
If we treat people differently after we perceive them as "different", then we fall into the category of racist/discriminating people. But if we choose to treat the people honestly and justly without considering his/her race or ethnicity, then we are not a rasist or a discriminating people.
Education (formal and informal) plays an important role in shaping these views. In this matter, western culture is much more advanced than Asian or Middle Eastern Culture (I live in Asia, anyway).
I agree with some points made by the people here that the more multiethnic the society we live in, the more open we are to other races, thus the less discriminating we are. The problem is, there are a lot of parents raise their children as they bequeth them with racism and intolerarism. I am saddened by the facts that some middle eastern countries' children were raised with the notion that all Jewish are filthy or evil. I don't know how the Jewish Parents raise their children, for I don't have any Jewish friend at the moment. In the future, it will lead to endless conflicts.
Fanatism also leads to intolerancy. The cultural conflicts in the East and Middle East gives raise to the resistance. Open society is seen as a threat to the existing culture. And while modernity (and it's positive and negative aspects) is unavoidable, many countries choose to shut themselves and make laws unsupporting to the openess, democracy, less racism and discrimination. One example of this is the application of Sharia Law.
That's my opinion. Sorry if I make a lot of mistake in my English and if I offend anybody here.

W

(continued)

How to fight racism and discrimination?

Well, first of all, we must acknowledge that no race or religion or anything else is higher than the others. Adopting the golden rule of humanity: "Do unto others what you want others do unto you". is a good start to begin.
The second, we must open our mind and heart to the difference around us and try not to think of us and our culture as "the center of the world".
The third, is the willingness to choose treating anyone justly, no matter who or from where.

We only can change ourselves. All we can give to others are our opinions. So the change should start from one self.

W

Racism is seen by many Western people as their unique problem because of Western slavery and colonialism and later, because of Hollywood's description of the White racism to the rest of the world. However, all people are tribal by nature. The hatred between some African tribes and the terms they use to describe each other are just as bad but because they do not say these terms in English, they are not known. Hollywood also does not usually make movies about it.

Asian racism towards each other ( and other races) is also pretty nasty. Many Japanese absolutely abhor other Asians and consider them subhuman. In Japan, very few landlords will rent apartments to foreigners. Asians are less violent in their racism but much worse in that they virtually have no guilt about it.

However, because they are not saying these things in English and they are not on CNN, we do not see those as an issue. So, while many white people self-flaggelate and train themselves and their children not to be racist, other races around the world have no qualms about anything like that.

An example is South Africa was boycotted because of its racial policies but no one is boycotting Japan for putting signs such as " Japanese Only", " No Animals, No Prostitution, No Foreigners" .

The result is the guilty Brits, Americans and Germans, and on the other hand, swaggering racists of other colors who are piling filth on others, but because they may not do it in English, it is not be known to the outside world.

The other result is a very multiracial immigration policy of the Anglo countries and strong Affirmative Action there and , on the other hand, closed doors in the countries where these immigrants come from. Try and immigrate to China and Japan and fight for your rights there. See how long you will live.

And if you say to a Japanese " You are a racist"  ( first of all, it is even very difficult to translate the words into Japanese and they will not be an insult) he will smile and say " That's right!" And calling a black African a racist is a compliment. It is like calling him a patriot.

So, all of the fight against racism has been mainly directed at teaching white English speaking people to love others, not teaching others to do the same. And those others can be just as bad.