Is Ireland Racist?

Are there racists in Ireland? For sure, just as there are racists in every country on the planet.

I'd argue that Ireland perhaps has fewer racists precisely because we ourselves have been an emigrant population for centuries.

The definition of racist has changed. Genuine racism is hatred or dislike of people due to their background - such as the idea of hating black people because they are black. Now, the definition of racism is so wide that anyone for any reason is called racist and told that, even if there is no evidence they are actively racist, "they probably think it". So, you're left guilty either way.

Very convenient and politicised use of the word, racist.

I think people need to travel more to truly appreciate the idea of calling a nation "racist".

There is no national culture in Ireland to promote any kind of racism. It's simply not there. Yet. I suspect it will come about due to the pressure by activists against racism. Create the monster so you can justify your fight against it.

If you want to see a nation that is racist, look to China which teaches that Chinese people are unique/special compared to everyone else. Or Japan, where the culture is superior to everyone else. Or America where Black people are systematically held at a lower social position than White people. That's not to say that every person in those countries is racist. But are there factors within a culture to encourage racism to manifest? and in some countries such things exist, whereas in other countries, like Ireland, they don't exist.

Individuals are more likely to be racist occasionally, as opposed to be constantly racist in their beliefs.... but I suspect everyone is racist sometimes. It's simply part of human nature to be tribal. To feel disgust or contempt towards certain aspects of another culture. It happens to everyone, at some point in their lives.

And I'd consider racism only to be a negative when people act on it, or express their views publicly. What people think in the privacy of their own minds shouldn't matter to anyone else.

I think the opposite is true.

Immigrant populations tend to conglomerate together; such as Brazilian population, Nigerian population etc. Very little mixing with the host country population, but an awful lot of integration to their own / and to other immigrant populations. International parties are very common, and whilst they're not a bad thing, they tend to produce very superficial "friendships" where the most inane topic about your background country makes you instantly add all these different people as "friends" to Facebook. Yet none of these people end up being real friends at all. So I'd take that quote with a pinch of salt when you consider what happens on the ground with immigrant populations.

I dare say the same is true of the Irish abroad, too.

Right, but the core principle is the same.

Nope, it's really not. Everyone knows what racist is.

You just dalloped a big bunch of racism on people who are concerned about services. In a county with an accommodation problem it is certainly not racist to point at every factor including numbers coming in.

The other poster is right, some people don't understand the true meaning of racism and throw the word around. Sometimes to push an agenda.

Wtf?

What does my post have to do with you?

Bit paranoid there 🙄