Alez
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| posted on 22/11/04 at 12:01 PM |
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Racism in Madrid?
Guys,
I black British friend of mine was asking me by email WTF is going on with this. As apparently it's all causing a lot of noise in the news these
days, I thought you may want to read my email to him.
Cheers,
Alex
__________________________
[...]
To be perfectly honest, I don't think that people here are any more racist than may be there in the UK, no racism at all apart from the odd
silly neonazi moron who is considered rubbish by the society. I have friends of different races and they are happy here in Madrid. One of my best
friends married a lovely latin girl a few months ago. My best friend married a black girl friend of mine a couple of months ago. Spanish women
won't hate you. If you moved to here, you would end up realizing you are "different" to them, which is perfectly normal, I'm
describing the way I felt myself when living abroad in the UK. I always was the Spanish guy. Fair enough! You would always be the black guy, or the
British guy, or both and that's it (uncomfortable at times, but nothing to do with repulse).
What you've seen is the typical few idiots making a lot of noise, both here in Spain and there in the UK. Don't pay attention to it,
there's a lot better things to do with your attention. I'm really sorry that I can't give you an unbiased or well formed opinion, I
really hope you don't feel offended by us from whatever stupid news like this, honest.
Cheers,
Alex
PS: your email is fantastic, it really made me laugh, so much in your line :-)))
> What the FUCK has happened in Madrid?? The racist football poo is all
> over the World press. I'm not too concerned if some Spanish hooligans
> hate niggers but if the Spanish women start to hate on me then I won't
> waste my time and hard earned cash on their Spanish asses!
[Edited on 22/11/04 by Alez]
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 22/11/04 at 02:23 PM |
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Hi Alez
I think that the spanish people are trivialising the incident - other people are not in cluding FIFA the world body.
I watched that match. The monkey noises were prominent from beginning to end.
It may be that 'politial correctness' in society - in this case a good thing, hasnt reached Spanish society. If you go back to the early
70's, there was a TV comedy in the uk - a pretty crap one at that - called love thy neighbour. Its not been seen on TV here for eons - because
it wouldnt be acceptable, and one of the actresses wont allow it to be aired (apparently actors have that right after the prog is a certain age.) In
it, a white and black guy live next to each other, and the black guy is called sambo, etc, and the white guy is a 'honkey'.
I suspect that Spain is still in the 70s sitcom spectrum where it comes to attitude to coloured people.
In terms of skin colour, southern spanish are a bit less white than us frozen brits, so to some extent, its shades of the pot calling the kettle
slightly charcoaled 
Your phrase "apparently it's all causing a lot of noise in the news these days" also seems to be trivialising it a tad.
Its really unfair that a football player should have a whole section of crowd going 'oooh oooh oooh oooh' like a bunch of chimpanzees.
Just imagine if Shumacher was doing F1 GP at Silverstone, and a section of crowd threw the nazi salute every time he went past....
If this was an english soccer crowd, and we did the same if Spain visited, then we would 100% end up banned.
Thats not equality either is it?
atb
steve
[Edited on 22/11/04 by stephen_gusterson]
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Alez
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| posted on 22/11/04 at 03:14 PM |
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> I watched that match. The monkey noises were prominent from beginning to end.
That's disgusting. Shame on us, although I should say on them as don't feel part of that game at all.
> It may be that 'politial correctness' in society - in this case a good thing, hasnt reached Spanish society.
I don't think so. I've lived here for many years and don't have that feeling..
> In it, a white and black guy live next to each other, and the black guy is called sambo, etc, and the white guy is a 'honkey'.
I don't recall seeing anything comparable here ever, although our past years are different since we had this dictatorship until quite recently.
As for the present, you would never ever see anything remotely similar to that on TV nowadays and that's for sure. We have lots of organizations
to fight for the rights of any minorities and bodies as well, same as you, in case things go wrong.
> I suspect that Spain is still in the 70s sitcom spectrum where it comes to attitude to coloured people.
I'd love to make you guys, or you Steve change your mind. I really don't think it's like that. We have lots of bad things here, but
that is not one.
The same as you, some of us reject the term "coloured people" as the euphemism it is. We favour "black", "white"
and so on.
> Your phrase "apparently it's all causing a lot of noise in the news these days" also seems to be trivialising it a tad.
It's not easy to explain because it really has to do with the way I am, not the matter discussed, I'm sorry I gave the wrong impression,
good or bad (probably bad?) I'm the kind of person who takes things, generally, not very seriously. That's all!
> Its really unfair that a football player should have a whole section of crowd going 'oooh oooh oooh oooh' like a bunch of
chimpanzees.
It stinks, just like so many things.
> Just imagine if Shumacher was doing F1 GP at Silverstone, and a section of crowd threw the nazi salute every time he went past....
Hey! You don't need to explain why! Honest!
> If this was an english soccer crowd, and we did the same if Spain visited, then we would 100% end up banned.
Thats not equality either is it?
I guess not. But I've never ever watched football in my life (TV or stadium), oh I just happen to be the least adequate person to give an
oppinion on this 
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 22/11/04 at 04:19 PM |
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I used the term 'coloured' in my post, when I meant to use black. Thats cos I found out the other day that apparently 'black'
is ok and 'coloured' isnt.
its a minefield, isnt it!
atb
steve
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Alez
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| posted on 23/11/04 at 07:20 AM |
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 23/11/04 at 08:50 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
I used the term 'coloured' in my post, when I meant to use black. Thats cos I found out the other day that apparently 'black'
is ok and 'coloured' isnt.
its a minefield, isnt it!
atb
steve
When you are cold you are blue
when you are sick you are yellow
when you are jealous you are green
when you are hot you are red
And you got the F****kin cheek to call me
Coloured.
the lighter side of life
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