“In America, they hunt black people.” These words were spoken four years ago during my first months in Spain — by a German, of all people.
The movie “Crash,” which I despised, was adored by many of my Spanish friends who saw it. They loved how it presented a long-awaited honest depiction of America: one riddled with large and small currents of bigotry.
It was difficult for me to hear these opinions, not because I have a knee-jerk opposition to criticism – if anything, living abroad has only illuminated the nuances of my country’s shortcomings – or because they weren’t at some level true. It was because of the blatant double standard. With easy blinders-on righteousness, Europeans have long enjoyed disparaging what they perceive to be America’s inherently racist society without taking a sidelong glance at the glaring inequalities of their own lands. My anger resulted, therefore, from the bravado with which the pot was calling the kettle racist.
I live in a country where the employment opportunities for black people amount to selling drugs or pirated CDs on the street. Asians, or chinos as they are called, work in self-owned businesses , usually convenience stores or dry cleaners (sound familiar?), and aren’t allowed to play the slot machines in bars because they are thought to be able to hear when a jackpot is coming. Last year the Spanish Olympic Basketball team caused a fuss when they posed for an official photo stretching their eyelids in a mocking “homage” to their Chinese hosts.
When I was mugged on the street, the police officer to whom I filed my report said “Yeah, these gypsies are always stealing people’s money. Be careful at the ATM!” When I corrected her that it wasn’t a Romano who had attacked me, she tried again. “Un moro?” (“A moor?”) No, he was a white guy, I insisted. Aghast, the police woman exclaimed “Un español?!?. I didn’t have a chance to check his passport, I snarked, rather horrified.
Surely there are stories like this, and much worse, from every nation. And I don’t mean to say that Obama proves that we Americans aren’t racist, or that we have transcended racism in America. My point is that I take offense at Spaniards criticizing us, when racism here is not only rampant, but largely unexamined. What Obama’s election has done is hold a mirror to Europe’s own intolerance, resulting in varying levels of self-introspection and sobering doses of reality.
NPR Correspondant Sylvia Poggioli did an eye-opening series during the week of the inauguration that highlighted the racism that is rampant in Germany, Italy and France and how Obama’s presidency might affect racial politics on this continent. Her report confirmed realities that I witness here in Spain: no minority representation in the worlds of media, government or business; minority populations who cannot assimilate even after generations; a reluctance to embrace the possibility of a multi-cultural society.
Poggioli finds an explanation in Europe’s history. In their colonial past Europeans considered Africans and South Americans as enemies to be conquered. America, on the other hand, has been multi-cultural from the start, and though we have redrawn the lines several times denoting who we include in the “us” category, diversity has been in the fabric of our nation since its inception. Not so in Europe. Europeans, Poggioli argues, define national identity through exclusion. Currently they are being forced to balance their stated ideals of egalitarianism and the reality of an increasingly diverse society.
But immigration into Europe is a fairly recent trend, and while there are currently no substantial grassroots civil rights movements, Obama’s election has been inspiring above all to racial minorities. Poggioli reports that they are emboldened, empowered, and revel in this example of a black person in the news who isn’t either entertainer, athlete or criminal. A New York Times article from November notes that while white Europeans are generally pro-Obama, a shifting in their attitudes towards minorities — “immigrants” or “foreigners” as they are often called — is non-forthcoming.
Perhaps in America we just have more years of experience with this struggle, and that with our example, European minorities will be able to forge their own progress toward racial equality. After all, civil rights in America didn’t come about from white people suddenly deciding to rethink their prejudices, but rather from minorities empowering themselves to force the issue.
So, though Obama hasn’t quite caused a tidal wave of tolerance in Europe, it has certainly raised a bar, one that is admired and at least superficially aspired to across the Atlantic. Perhaps one day soon the words Afro-Spanish or Turkish-German may exist. And young Europeans could look forward to emerging disciplines of minority studies in their Universities. And people of color will be welcome in boardrooms, newsrooms and the halls of government. But for now, it’s time for Europe to stop acting like the pot, and be more like the kettle.
Well put! I think in some ways many Spanish are still not fully aware of their racist tendencies, much as a child raised in a racist household considers the teachings of their parents as the norm, that is, until they go out into the real world and through their own experiences they (hopefully) learn how skewed their perception of certain groups of people was.
I don’t think this is a justification for any racism found within Spain’s borders, but a call to understand Spain’s position in the shift of the people’s mentality, especially in relation to our position on that continuum. Year after year Spain is becoming more diverse in its social composition. It’s only a matter of time before yesterday’s intolerance becomes tomorrow’s norm.
As Mark Twain said, “Travel (knowledge) is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” – So next time a Spaniard (or anyone for that matter) is quick to point fingers, point them in the direction of the airport and tell them to broaden their horizons.
Thank you for this post.
Jaclyn, Thank you for shedding light from Spain. It’s so good to have new perspectives, and yours is a welcome one. I do love Paul’s addition of the Mark Twain quote. I often struggle between not wanting to constantly seek “the other” but also knowing that only with exposure to and experience with “the other” do we ever truly reorient our perceptions. Using that term “the other” feels strange, but it’s an accurate description. As a little kid, when I learned about the Holocaust, I sat in my room and felt myself grow horrified by Germans. Of course, I didn’t express this to my parents or anyone; I dealt with it privately. And when I met Fabian, a German boy, in my class, when I was actually living in Spain, that confusion melted away. He became my best friend. He was nice, inclusive, and didn’t want to kill people. So simplified, but I suspect adults work in much the same way.
Not everyone can hop on a plane, but everyone can step out of their bubble simply by walking into a different neighborhood and starting a conversation with someone.
Fascinating post, thanks!
Jacki,
This is such a terrific post and I have also noticed that “double standard” that you talk about. As you say, European identity has been carved out of a century’s worth of racial/ethnic/religious conflict–conflict with the “other.” Whenever I am there, I can’t help but have images of myself walking on bloody soil. If you add up the World Wars and the Catholic/Protestant, Muslim/Christian, Jewish/Christian, Armenian/Turk, Bosnian/Serb, British/Irish, Basque/Spanish etc. conflicts, you are talking about hundreds of millions of people who died because they belonged to one group or another. They died simply because they looked a certain way or believed a certain thing or spoke different languages.
I freely recognize that maybe it is because I am Jewish and my grandparents are Holocaust survivors, but I’ve also found myself really uncomfortable having conversations about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with some Europeans. Not because I seek to deny Palestinian suffering. But I wonder why some Europeans are so quick to label Israelis as racists bigots when I almost never hear them talking about how the Arab people living in their own countries are CLEARLY marginalized and cut off from mainstream opportunity structures.
This is not to excuse inequality or racism around the world–nor do I want to silence those who seek to point it out with the objective of making the world a better place. It’s best for us all to reflect on our history of inequality and find ways to practice social justice instead of pointing the “you’re more racist” finger.
This is a great topic, Jacki. Thanks for posting!
Somewhat fortelling of your post, I just recently had an argument with a Spanish friend of mine on this topic. First, I must put out a disclaimer: in my musings on the subject–including the above article’s link to a blogpost I wrote –I still find that using the label “racist” to generalize the Spanish population is problematic. In many cases, what is happening is more like a generalized naivete or ignorance when dealing with race due to Spain’s lack of experience with multiculturalism over the past five centuries (and until the recent immigration waves of the past decade).
But of course if the end product of race ignorance within Spain’s borders means that minorities are denied the same education and professional opportunities than whites, it is obvious that something needs to change. Here the effects clearly indicate that there is a cause, and a troubling one at that.
And while full-blown racial prejudice in Spain is rare, what troubles me is the Spanish population (and media’s) reluctance to condemn seemingly “innocent” racial fouls that do occur.
Instead of self-examining, Spaniards still seek to deny their own “racist” attitudes and acts by justifying how much less racist they are then the British, or the Italians, or any other European country who they think have reacted worse to their foreign guests.
The collective Spanish consciousness does not include, at present, acknowledgment of discriminatory behavior. This is partly because when they look at a past of mob lynchings in Alabama, or riots in British suburbs, they are certain that they are not racist.
Whether “harmless” monkey chants (“in the spirit of competition!!”)at black players in soccer games is really less flagrant than British protests against foreign laborers, as my friend argued, is really besides the point when looking at the big picture. This picture should portray a society looking inward not outward, and using non-subjective yard-stick in the race debate.
In 2000, it is not good enough to be “not as racist” anymore.
Really interesting. I fear that things might have to get worse before they start to get better. If the economic downturn leads to greater sectarian tension, as some are predicting, perhaps we’ll start to see the kind of political mobilisation you talk about. Sad to think it might have to be this way.
Amazing post… because it’s something that had to be said, and said well. Sometimes I think the world looks at America through a magnifying glass, analyising and judging every little thing, but rarely do they take the time to inspect what’s happenig right under their noses. I’m not defending racism on any continent but I’m far more worried about the constant critism and finger-point that’s going on instead of construcively making things better. Isn’t that how all wars get started, somebody sticking their nose in somebody else’s business?
I believe that the only real change that can come about will need to start with the marginalized groups themselves within Spain. They need to demand equal rights, better jobs, etc. Without these groups vocalizing the inequality, the prejudice can continue to be easily dismissed as harmless or not real racism. We, as Americans, are highly sensitive to racism, but your typical Spaniard hasn’t experienced any large scale protests or riots provoked by racial issues. Until something happens to shine a brighter light on Spain’s racism and/or incite the marginalized groups to action, I don’t see any change occurring.
thanks for the comments everybody, especially from my friends in spain. it is clearly an issue we all struggle with, whether while getting to know our chosen country of residence or looking back at the one we’ve left.
what i’m hearing from you all is that it’s the finger pointing that really bothers you; perhaps hypocrisy is a greater offense than ignorance. and maybe that is just what obama’s presidency highlights.
joie — great point about european’s attitude toward israel’s vs. their treatment of arabs in their own country.
thank you all for your thoughtful comments and opinions!
Don’t forget the largest group of immigrants in Spain: the “Latinos”. The Spanish are all too happy to benefit from the (really) cheap labour but are not so keen on acknowledging their existence.
nice! I really enjoyed this! As a Spaniard who grew up abroad since an early age, and lived in the US many years, I have to say the differences are huge btw the US and Europe, and yes, ESPECIALLY Southern Europe. I do believe both societies suffer racist discrimination, but in very different ways, I am always appalled when visiting Dc , and riding the bus from NYC into DC, crossing those poor, very poor neighbourhoods, with an overwhelming majority of black people. I think that’s a very hidden form a¡of racism as well. I am equally, if not more appalled when I see the blatant and most of all very ognorant racism we have in Spain and a lot of Europe. The other day I was in the subway, and there were these two guys riding down the stairs. One of them decided to sit down on the step, half jokingly, and out of nowhere bolted two cops who demanded ina very very rude way, to see their documentation. Yes, they looked South American. And I was enraged to think that if the two young guys had been white, that would not have happened. Ever. For sitiing on a tep?? PLEASE! And many many otherthings I see everyday.
I believe Europe, and especially Spain is ignorant. A past of many wars, poverty and nationalism has left many countries on this side of the Atlantic feeling insecure and untrusty of foreigners, or “different” people. A shame, I believe. The more, and the bigger the differences amongst us, the better: the more I learn from you and the more we get to share. Racism comes from insecurity and this whole economic crisis will only exarcebate those nationalistic movements and xenophobic attitiudes.
When I lived in India, I realizd that whites are the weak race, destines to dissappear in a fewhundred years, Mulatos, mixed, half halves… that’s the future of humanity. And to those that don’t believe it, I say… well, maybe you need to travel more!
great post!
Very clear and inslightful in a difficult area. There are many reasons why it is better or worse in one country or another but the important area is obviously is it getting better or how can it improve.