Rascist Attacks

LegacyUser

Just kind of following on from another thread there “Feeling like I don't fit in anywhere”.

I am at my wits end at the moment about the horrible behaviour towards people who don’t have white as white skin.

My boyfriend and I have being going out 8mths and I love him dearly.

He is not black black, more of a deep tan look. Wouldn’t matter to me what colour he was - if he was purple with yellow spots.

Anyways, I have never heard of such racist remarks off people since I started going out with him. I guess I never noticed or realised what people of different colour have to go through.

A few incidents have happened, which mortify me to the soul. Things people have said.

A few weeks ago we were in the pub – the local. We were on our way out to have a cigarette, he was walking a bit ahead of me. A guy was walking in towards us. My BF said “hello, hows it going” – the man replied “Well X, how are you keeping?” smiling at him. The man was just walking past me when under his breath he said “Bloody **** should be strung up”.

I was shocked but kept walking. I didn’t say anything to my BF. Didn’t want to upset him. So, I was thinking a little about it. About what to do when things like this happen. I thought to myself “just think that these people are ignorant”.

Everything grand and quiet, until last night he rings me. He was coming out of the pub. Someone (again a local), started at him, calling him “******”. He was standing alone at the time, he said he was mortified. Everyone turned around to see what was going on. He just stood there.

He is quite a big man, but knows how to handle himself. He said he was so angry he just wanted to physically hurt that person. He rang me anyways, and I managed to calm him down – convinced him not to confront that man. I feel so sad for him that he has to put up with this sh*t because of the colour of his skin. Im kinda thinking that he might leave. I mean why should he put up with this abuse? Other incidences have happened. I am just trying to find a way how he/we can deal with it. Anyone else have similar experiences?

Dan133269

calling these people ignorant is a gross understatement, these people are scum and it is them who should honestly be strung up.
The opinions of these people, despite the fact that they are people, simply do not count in any way shape or form. Unfortunately it's hard to ignore them in situations like that.

Lynfo

Even calling them scum is an understatement, on a daily basis I hear people being referred to as 'darkies' or other ignorant words which I won't go into. It makes me absolutely sick to the stomach to think that these people are supposedly speaking on behalf of the whole country. Ok, so 10 years ago there weren't as many non nationals here - who cares? Aren't they doing wonders for our country? (most of them anyway) Another phrase I hate is 'coming over here and taking our jobs' I mean, if you're too damn lazy to get off your ass and get off the dole to get a job - why the hell shouldn't somebody else take it - non national or otherwise???
Please please take no notice of these stupid, ignorant people. They have little else to moan about, and I'm fairly sure they all have a good few faults of their own - first and foremost being their racist attitude. Tell your boyfriend that we are not all like that, and most of us welcome different races with open arms.

Black Swan

I wish I could offer a solution to the dilemma you shared. The fact is there are a great number of people in this world who are uncivilised and mean spirited. They are the bullies of our playground. What can be done? Well, you did a little something by publishing this post so people can become more sensitized to the problem. What else? Perhaps you can surround yourself with intelligent, caring people that can offer you two a valued alternative to the bigots of our world?

seamus

There are lot of pieces of scum like this around. The problem is that no-one really speaks up against them.

A mate of mine was over from London. He looks Arabic, but he's from Manchester (and his Mum is white), and he goes out with a girl from London. The two of them had the misfortune of going into Rody Boland's. One drunken culchie decides to grab his girlfriend (as they do), so my mate says "Eh, get the **** away" and pulls the guy's arm away. Mr. Culchie decides to rebuke with "F*ck off back where you came from". So he got a broken nose for his trouble. None of his mates did anything, I think they were all shocked that someone would react to it.

The only thing you really can do is sneer at these morons and tell them "Bite me". If it's one of your mates, by all means give them a torrent of abuse, but a lot of people who are the subject of these taunts tend to get embarrassed/annoyed when someone makes a big deal out of a comment made.

peewee18988

Guys, I think reacism in Ireland is blown way out of proportion. Some black lady set herself alight in Dublin over the weekend and the Nigerians claim it was a racist attack. If there is a fight between a black and white guy, it's racially motivated. Wats goin on in this country!! People should not be hassled because of their skin but that works both ways!! I must admit I have some issues with certain nationalities but thats nothing to do with skin colour, its attitude. Anyway, happy days!!

upthere

Racism is totally blown out of proportion. In Holland, the muslim community are condeming Dutch lifestyle, traditions and ways of life. Muslim men in Holland will call Dutch girls sluts and some spit at them, they are very racist towards the natives and extremely homophobic and they believe typical western european dress like the way most Irish guys and gals dress is wrong and disgusting. Yet it is the Dutch's country and they are at the receiving end of racism in their own land because a minority want to take over. Muslims in Holland want to change the ""free"" speech laws and the freedom of peoples lifestyles if they get into power in the Netherlands.
Check out Rotterdam if you are ever in Holland.
Ireland has not seen what this can do to a country and we really do not need that sort of trouble.
Stop all the racism against non whites because its not the only problem! Go to Holland, France, England and learn a leaf from their book!
If Turkey join the EU, there will be more muslims in the EU countries eventually than whites christians and that could lead to a lot of problems! Just think.
Face it, white people who condemn white racists are exercising a freedom of speech that some muslims do not believe in.

We are a small country, I don't want to see Cork or wherever turn into Rotterdam, where there are more foreigners than natives. Seriously if you are anti racist, you are very stupid to defend races that are taught to ""hate"" christians.
To the OP, your friend is just tanned, don't worry about that some people are just stupid lol.

ferdi

yeah rotterdam is totally bogie, i dont see that situation developing here for a while though.

seamus

peewee18988 wrote:

Guys, I think reacism in Ireland is blown way out of proportion. Some black lady set herself alight in Dublin over the weekend and the Nigerians claim it was a racist attack. If there is a fight between a black and white guy, it's racially motivated. Wats goin on in this country!! People should not be hassled because of their skin but that works both ways!! I must admit I have some issues with certain nationalities but thats nothing to do with skin colour, its attitude. Anyway, happy days!!

I don't think it is blown out of proportion. For a long time, while Ireland was predominantly populated by the Irish, racist jokes were generally tolerated. Most people would laugh at a black stereotype joke. There would be nothing malicious in this, but most people didn't know anyone who would be offended by it, so by extension they saw nothing wrong with it.

There is certainly a tendancy in the media to sensationalise people's statements and scream "RACISM!" at nothing (just look at poor Jack Straw), but on the ground it's much more widespread than people would like to think.

Now that we are becoming a mutliracial society, there's a period of adjustment. Even the most committed liberalists can sometimes find themselves remarking when they see a black man making a stupid manouver in a car (even though they see Irish people doing the same all the time).
It all boils own to fear of the unknown. It's quite a deep-rooted instinctual thing to attack that which you're not familiar with or to feel uncomfortable around it, particularly when it's living and breathing. Two minutes talking to someone of a different nationality, race or religion and the whole "unknown" aspect is removed, even if you don't like that particular person.

A lot of people feel uncomfortable around the mentally disabled, the physically disabled or anyone who obviously different. So discomfort/fear around different nationalities isn't really anything new.

What we need to do as a society is to encourage more integration between different communites (and I'm talking about everyone here, not just different races) - ensure that schools, clubs, streets etc are shared between the communities, instead of separating those who are different. Even now there are signs that Ghettoisation could start occuring in certain areas. You'll find in 20 years time that most young adults have much less tendancy for intolerance or racism - especially those children who grew up socialising with children of different backgrounds.

upthere

I am worried because I dont' want to see my grandkids have to live in an Ireland where there are riots by muslims and our own cities being over run and taken over by muslims etc. It can happen and ""can"" happen quickier than you think Ferdi, if Turkey gets into the EU. It concerns me that quiet areas like where I am from will become a minority of Irish in a few years time.
It's an issue that we are not fully aware of in Ireland, yet we defend the victims of racist attacks and condemn those who probably go over the top on racist comments. It depends solely on the intellect of the ""racist"" on both sides.
Good mate of mine is Dutch, he says muslims here ""hate"" natives and they don't have good intentions if they get into power.
I have a 3 year old and to be honest, I am worried that he has to be raised in an Ireland very different to the one I was rared in. I worry about that.

Miguel_Sanchez

I don't think the OP if blowing anything out of proportion. She's detailing incidents that happened to her boyfriend. I think people should stay on topic here - she's looking for some support and words of advice not a half-assed debate on immigration and racism as a general topic.

Marksie

I think to answer the OPs question, it is going to happen anywhere you go. To say nothing is to condone it in some way. To react invites retribution.
There is a substratum which will always act in such a fashion and Unfortunately you cannot do anything to change that and they will not be reeducated.

Blue_Lagoon suggested that you may want to surround yourself with friends who have no issues. It may be one approach.
I stopped going down to the local town on a saturday night though and do a lot more visiting of my friends rather than risk a night being ruined by the actions of one or two ignorant individuals giving the rest a poor name.

upthere

Yes I agree sorry for going off topic, had to make my views clear.
The OP cannot do anything, yet the only way to deal with it is to build a thick skin, and build the tolerance that there are always gonna be some fools out there who always say the stupid thing. They are very stupid people who insult your BF and you should ignore them. You know your bf better than they do and it's great you stick by him, says a great deal about you and him and you should be proud of yourselves Those attackers don't feel any better before or after they shout abuse, so they obviously have some sort of inferiority complex which you must realise. Look at them when they shout? Do they appear smart, educated people?

LegacyUser

I'm going unRegg'ed here for one simple reason, my views on this subject.

Being a Brit (Mother is Irish, but I was born in the UK), and living in this wonderful country, I've had more than my fair share of racism. I agree, before you start, Brits have a very special place in the hearts of Irish people and for very, very good HISTORICAL reasons.

That aside, the attacks I have endured, both physical and verbal are what I would consider racially motivated and, to my mind, are born out of sheer ignorance and living in a closed society for so long where everyone you met was catholic, white and the same.

I meet racism on regular occasions, the minute I open my mouth in conversation you see the difference. I'm acutely aware of it and it changes me and the way I interact with anyone (even very subtlely, but I feel it). Its often never spoken to my face, its sometimes closeted in comments to my Irish wife with reference to the IRA etc etc, one incident by one of my wife's friends husband to my face: "How do you know a good looking Englishman?" Answer: "You see him down the barrell of a gun"....

I meet racism where I find it. (With my fists if its the only option and REALLY necessary) but to underplay this issue is dangerous.

So, my point, albeit long-winded, is this country is waking up, slowly to being multi-racial, multi-cultural and racism will, in time subside as the numbers of immigrants grows and their tollerance of such ignorance wains, they will never out-number the ethnic population and WILL integrate (if allowed) into mainstream society and those of us who are to an extent, the ethnic population have the responsibility of extending the hand of welcome and friendship to people moving here and rebuking the more intellectually challenged where we see acts of racism.

Marksie

Confusedscious wrote:

I'm going unRegg'ed here for one simple reason, my views on this subject.

I didnt go unregged, but there we go. My solution was to avoid various situations where i could be exposed to it, and mine has been limited to simply "get back home where you belong" and "stop taking our jobs..who gave you a visa". But not frequently and by a minority

There are certain threads i have looked at and not contributed to... it does seem that we are looking over our shoulders a little. Which really isnt right when all is said and done.

Still, i am thinking back to the uk of the enoch Powell era and thinking this is the same growing pains occurring here. Hopefully we will integrate effectively and that minoroty who cannot either see beyond the past or beyond skin coulour will themselves become more and more isolated

LegacyUser

I’m so sick of the attitude of a lot of Irish people including some posters here racism is very prevalent in Ireland we were and are a travelling people but of course that’s ok after all we are Irish everyone likes us. But if people come here that’s completely different after all their coming to take our jobs and sponge of our system. And of course their gonna try and take over the country aswell would people cop on and before you start pointing out our differences do everyone a favour and look in to human evolution. all our ancestors originated in the same area over time as humans migrated out of the African continent human changed to meet their different needs for as long as there has been humans their has been people emigrating to new lands. And before anyone writes back saying that’s nothing to do with what’s happening now it’s the same thing just a different time. I’m not saying just because people are a different colour or religion their any better or worse than us of course your gonna have bad people good people lazy ,nice, rude , and just plain a**holes that’s just a fact of life no matter what race your talking about.
As seamus said its similer with disabled people speaking as being disabled I don’t get the abuse some people do I get the looks the whispers and some people just act weird around a wheelchair . But as also seamus said integration is the key you cant judge someone you don’t know or cover your ignorance by saying I’m not racist I’ve a friend who’s not from Ireland its not just white people I m talking about it happens in all races .some Irish people only add to this some people come in to this country thinking they’re not wanted so stick to their own group of people adding to the cycle. Sorry to rant on op my advice to you is try to convince your partner to stick it out hard to do I know but with great determination comes great understanding and hopefully in years to come our petty little arguments will disappear.

LegacyUser

up there

I am married to a Turkish Muslim so I take it you wouldnt want my child to sit beside your child at school then??

nitrogen

upthere wrote:

We are a small country, I don't want to see Cork or wherever turn into Rotterdam, where there are more foreigners than natives. Seriously if you are anti racist, you are very stupid to defend races that are taught to ""hate"" christians.
To the OP, your friend is just tanned, don't worry about that some people are just stupid lol.

Muslims not integrating and wanting to change dutch law to suit themselves is about failing to adapt to their environment, and not wanting to integrate into the society they live in.

Are you worried about seeing faces of different skin colour in Cork or different cultures?

I'm just waiting for those posters who always say "get over it, sure they're just curious about your background" or call people paranoid because they're worried about how they are treated by Irish people. There clearly IS a problem with racism in Ireland. Just because it's worse elsewhere doesn't mean it isn't a problem. I'm not black either, or even a minority, just pretty tanned/Mediterranean looking and I feel like people treat me funny sometimes. I haven't had any serious incidents, but I often just feel self conscious and uncomfortable. It's hard to describe. A feeling I don't get in London, Madrid, Paris, etc, which is why I won't be sticking around here after I get my degree.

It's just such a joke, since the Irish are the first to emigrate to better places and reap the benefits.....yet God forbid anyone do it to us now we're the rich country. It's a horrible attitude. I'm sorry about your boyfriend OP. I am surprised he has had so much hassle, but I'm sure guys get it a lot worse with idiots trying to start a fight and that. I totally understand how upsetting it is - anyone who says it's 'not a big deal' has no idea what it's like. Where do you live OP, kind of sounds like it might be a small town? Where people are often narrow minded and know each other, etc. You said he isn't black black, but I assume he is of that race, but light skinned? Even when I lived in England my mixed race/light skinned black friends got some hassle. It shouldn't be like that, but things will slowly change.

To the OP, your friend is just tanned, don't worry about that some people are just stupid lol.

Hmm, so if he was black or Middle Eastern, then it's alright for people to hassle and abuse him? But not if he's 'just tanned'?

0utshined

Unregted4now wrote:

up there

I am married to a Turkish Muslim so I take it you wouldnt want my child to sit beside your child at school then??

What??? How did you make that leap. Read what he/she said again.

LegacyUser

Its the first message that up there wrote that Unregted4now is talking about maybe you should read it again muslims taking over ireland talk about over the top grow up people

upthere

Unregted4now wrote:

up there

I am married to a Turkish Muslim so I take it you wouldnt want my child to sit beside your child at school then??

You are pointing out and using the convenient excuse that I am racist in that post! That is just typical of the tactics used for "compo" claims nowadays. But as usual as outshined pointed out, that was not my claim. I meant I do not want my child being brought up in an Ireland different to what I was, a country where there are racial tensions because of an outside race coming in.
I;m sure some muslims think the same about Christians. Some muslims do not want christian traditions in schools I have heard eg Christmas decorations.

Pot calling kettle black.

LegacyUser

upthere things change if Ireland stayed the same our economic success would never of happened,the north would be as it was people living in fear Im not saying the north is fully settled but compared to what was,without change ireland would exist as a free state as for compo claims a recent news story showed Irish people ae twice as likely to claim then people coming in

upthere

I agree, Irish culture is claim claim claim/what a big shame!:mad: It does annoy me that you can be burgled in your own house in this country and yet if the burgler cuts himself in your home, he is entitled to compensation. Madness!
But back on topic, muslims do not agree with our culture, they condemn it and freedom of speech does not exist with it as much, so the fact that change is welcome or not comes with so many tags attached. The primary school I went to, well there will be muslims becoming a very big majority and eventually they will disagree with christmas decorations in work, etc etc. You don't get my point. Plus a lot of muslims do HATE our freedom. HATE. I don't think they would like to come here and integrate with our culture.
It's very easy to mention economic boom of Ireland and making us grateful of foreigners. Not really, we suffered a lot and condoms were illegal to the early nineties, yet as we evolved it was a lot calmer and now Ireland is nearer to a very open, free nation. However many muslim countries severly comdemn freedom. Understandably, they will not change because we want them too, but I don't want them to bring their problems here. I am sorry. I have no problem with muslims, but whether they have a problem with me and whether they think my culture is worth respecting is another issue that needs to be understood by the European Union.

peewee18988

Heya guys. I am so glad that this has not turned into a big discussion about how the Irish are a bunch of unwelcoming, unaccepting people. I brought my girlfriend to see a footy match in Turkey last yr. On gettin of the plane she was handed a scarf to wear. Out of respect, she wore it. Our guide also said not to wear a cross and that was again fine. I am a teacher and eight girls in the class wear head scarves. The staff have be told in no uncertain terms never to comment on this. i know Ireland is a liberal country and we must be willing to accept foreign customs but for irish kids the uniform is strictly no facial hair, jewellery, etc, etc. And the school is catholic after all. It's just worrying the degree of change over the past few years.

Bob the Builder

I, myself refer to people as darkie, black, tanned, etc, when I am describing a person. To me, personality is not based on his skin color. I have no problem calling someone a darki, or nigga, etc, to sum1's face, I think it's ok, because these days, people laugh at it, and they don't fidn insulting, they know i'm just messing with them, they mainly even laugh at themselves....

...but when you have the likes of that anti-social behavior, it makes me sick. People are afraid they might catch an infection off a tanned person, or they think being near a tanned person is an embarrassment, they are simply scum who have not moved on from the past.

OP, your bf shouldn't have to leave a community because of his color, as you stated in your thread, he is a mature, self-controlled person being insulted by such crap, that's their problem, and shouldn't be yours.

I can see where the racists are up to, thats the people who think they are funny calling someone a ****** behind their backs or to their faces... they think they can make these jokes until they die, and that people will laugh until they die, but the truth is racism, is just racism, not comedy....Pathetic...

Ickle Magoo

I'm a Scot living in Ireland & I can't say I notice any more (or less ) racism than in the UK...

There are massive shifts in population, immigration & what is becoming "native" culture & I think there are a lot of ignorant, fearful people out there...what's that expression - ignorance breeds contempt?

Catari Jaguar

Unregted4now wrote:

I am married to a Turkish Muslim so I take it you wouldnt want my child to sit beside your child at school then??

Did you convert? Did he become catholic or is he non practicing? My aunt married a Morrocan and converted but he is non practicing and children are atheist, and half white but they've been called n*****rs and I hate that! Anyways, he ended up cheating on her and cos of french law or sumthn she paid him off n is in debt now cos bought him a house and he doesnt pay child support! :mad: Now if I condemn him does that make me racist??

I have to agree with Peewee. I am a student teacher, so used to whole multicultural bla bla. But girls in my year are telling me stories of muslim parents not wanting children to mix with opposite sex, learn how to even spell the word "ham" and no music or drama or art to be learned either! WTF? It's on the curriculum. It's what is done in THIS country. We'd have to live by their law over there! Walkin on eggshells over fear of upsetting them.

I guess my point is that people have a problem with change and rocking the boat and if people try to change the status quo there'l be resentment. Change has come too fast, it's too much to take in and you read all the stories about cocaine production being rampant, fraud and STI's goin sky high from Africans coming over, which I dunno, could well be true. The do gooders are on PC over kill. There will be a back lash and it's understandable. And it's not guna be Catholics v Protestants in the north anymore, it'l be everyone v everyone!

No forces anyone to live here, if they don't like it, they don't have to be here. Amazing how the world got troubles when we got money eh? But I get really annoyed with racist remarks about people who look foreign and are as Irish as any of us.

I, myself refer to people as darkie, black, tanned, etc, when I am describing a person. To me, personality is not based on his skin color. I have no problem calling someone a darki, or nigga, etc, to sum1's face, I think it's ok, because these days, people laugh at it, and they don't fidn insulting, they know i'm just messing with them, they mainly even laugh at themselves....

Are you joking or are you serious? If you're serious I'm REALLY glad I don't know you. I can't believe there are people who thinks it's OK to use racist slang, even as a 'joke'. They might be laughing to your face, but those words are hurtful and insulting, and they DO hurt, even as a 'joke' - every time you use one, you're saying "you're different, you don't look like me, you don't belong here." If you didn't care about someone's skin colour, you wouldn't notice it enough to keep calling them racist names. I have friends of all races and I know them as people - every time they come up to me I don't think "oh here's Alex, the Chinese guy" or whatever. It's irrelevant.

I'm sick of Irish peoples' narrowminded attitudes and calling anyone with a hint of a tan a 'foreigner'. No, not everyone is like this but a lot of people are, and it's really, really irritating. I'm tired of the constant "where are you from" questions. If I were black or Asian I'd understand, but I'm 3/4 Irish and in any other country other than Ireland I'm seen as nothing but a white person. I've lived in England, France, Spain and the USA among other places and never once got a funny look after saying I was Irish. Here I once filled out a form and ticked 'white' for race, and was told I filled it in wrong :eek: I think a lot Irish people think that white is literally WHITE, like a sheet and don't understand the concept of race. 'Caucasian' describes practically all of Europe, from blond haired blue eyed Swedes to dark skinned Italians and Spaniards. I wish people would realise this.

MojoMaker

nevf wrote:

I, myself refer to people as darkie, black, tanned, etc, when I am describing a person. To me, personality is not based on his skin color. I have no problem calling someone a darki, or nigga, etc, to sum1's face, I think it's ok, because these days, people laugh at it, and they don't fidn insulting, they know i'm just messing with them, they mainly even laugh at themselves....

nevf wrote:

I can see where the racists are up to, thats the people who think they are funny calling someone a ****** behind their backs or to their faces... they think they can make these jokes until they die, and that people will laugh until they die, but the truth is racism, is just racism, not comedy....Pathetic...

Kinda contradictory eh?