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jonniboy
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama
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 Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Takahiwai wrote: |
| I worked for many years in the centre and north of Spain, where immigration isn't, perhaps, such a big issue. Many of my Spanish students ruefully admitted that Spaniards in general are a racist lot. In my experience the group which received most odium were the Gypsies (as in many European countries), closely followed by anybody who had arrived in the latest flood of immigration from Eastern Europe. Oh, and I forgot the 'moros', of course - generally Moroccan or Algerian. These groups were not only hated but also feared, and therefore left well alone. Sub-Saharan Africans, Asians and Latin Americans always seemed to be treated relatively well in comparison. Perhaps things are changing. |
I always found that on this issue of immigration Spanish talked tough but when it boiled down to it they were willing to put up with a lot of stuff that would make other European countries blanch. Public opinion for example certainly wouldn't let the U.K. government get away with some of the amnesties for illegal immigrants that Spanish governments have pushed through in recent years. Similarly here in Latvia, when 7 Somalis were washed ashore 2 years ago it was headline news: coloured immigration comes to Latvia! The poor guys were apparently en route to Finland but are now here and the subject of numerous racist attacks by local neanderthals. Similarly Latvia's only African restaurant closed down last year after the head chef was viciously attacked for the second time and beaten so badly that he ended up in hospital for a fortnight. After getting out he understandably returned to London. In relative terms Spain is a very liberal and tolerant place! |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| johninmaine wrote: |
...i remember an incident while i was living in Ecuador. a man s*x. assaulted a 13 yr old in a small town there. the local people hunted him down, poured gasoline on him, and started burning him alive. the police got there a little late, but he survived with 90% burns on his body. |
 are you serious?
Jonniboy - Latvia sounds like a nightmare! I guess you don't see too many people of a dfferent colour about then eh? |
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sheikh radlinrol
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 1222
Location: Spain
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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I would say that the Spanish are a racist bunch, even if they deny it. They hate blacks, moros, gypsies, the French, the English and the Americans. Come to think of it, they even bad mouth people from the village 10 km. down the road!
But nobody is perfect I suppose. |
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jonniboy
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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Sheikh, they are indeed a very parochial bunch, but as I say while they'll whine about immigrants and foreigners it is (thankfully) mostly hot air and I would say that Spain is a much better place for an immigrant to live than many other parts of Europe.
The video reminds me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5NRvVGdy8o which sparked a bit of controversy in Valencia about a year ago. Interestingly there is a bit of xenophobia in that too as the old guy starts calling English people "swine." The young guy, who's a complete idiot, doesn't seem to be English to me.
Qatarchic, I certainly wouldn't want to live here as a member of an ethnic or sexual minority. Even as it is, there's a big backlash against British and Irish due to the negative images generated by stag parties http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g274967-i1134-k1447750-o10-From_my_experience_i_would_not_promote_going_to_this-Riga.html and incidents like this certainly haven't helped. http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/17534/
I'm in my third year now and most native speakers don't seem to last more than a year here, which surprises me because all said the place is a beautiful city. I guess the climate puts a lot of people off. It's been a big boon in terms of privates though as there's hardly any competition. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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| sheikh radlinrol wrote: |
I would say that the Spanish are a racist bunch, even if they deny it. ......... Come to think of it, they even bad mouth people from the village 10 km. down the road!
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 Actually that's true. I remember when I used to live there the people from Barcelona used to slag off those from Reus, Tarragona, Sitges etc....don't even get me started on what they used to say about los Madrilenos
jonni thats very interesting but disturbing to read. I take it you won't stay a 4th year then? |
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jonniboy
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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QC, yes the Valencians were always slagging off the Catalans, the Madrilenyos, the Murcians... Even Torrent, the next town down from Valencia was characterised as "Bon Poble Mal Gent" (Nice town shame about the people.)
As for a fourth year, I've grown to tolerate all the idiosnycracies now. I've said every year since the first year that I'll be out of here and off back to Spain the following year but I actually get more cash here than I would there, don't have to teach kiddies, can cherrypick classes and privates and thanks to the girlfriends father, have a very nice flat in the swankiest area of town for next to nothing. Spain would inevitably involve sharing with strangers and that's the major offputting thing. But I'll never say never! |
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Takahiwai
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 93
Location: Libya
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Older Spanish students, when on the subject of racism, would often recall their own, or some family member's bad treatment at the hands of the Germans/French etc. during their time as immigrant workers in those countries. They were treated as third-class citizens, and perhaps see some bizarre justification in passing this on to their own influx of foreigners. |
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john_n_carolina
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 700
Location: n. carolina
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:55 am Post subject: |
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yes, i think you all are right. most of the Western Europe is a bit territorial / parochial to some degree. maybe, each country varies a little. even in Holland, where you would think they are pretty liberal.
the EU Economy isn't in the greatest shape right now in terms of employment, production, etc so any massive immigration from any planet, even Mars would cause a backlash.
however, Sergei will pay for his actions. this will send a message i think to all of Spain. you can't spit, verbally abuse, and kickbox someone while they're not looking and walk free. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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| johninmaine wrote: |
| yes, i think you all are right. most of the Western Europe is a bit territorial / parochial to some degree. maybe, each country varies a little. even in Holland, where you would think they are pretty liberal. |
......Just thought I'd mention The Gulf is also racist as well, the way people are treated here based on certian nationalities....disgusts me beyond belief....but that's a whole different thread....
| johninmaine wrote: |
| however, Sergei will pay for his actions... |
I don't know, call me cynical but I have a nagging feeling that he'll get away with it...  |
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sheikh radlinrol
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 1222
Location: Spain
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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| QatarChic wrote: |
I don't know, call me cynical but I have a nagging feeling that he'll get away with it... |
I think you're right QC. Let's hope we're both wrong and this lout gets what he deserves. |
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Takahiwai
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 93
Location: Libya
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Anyone who's lived in Spain knows that Spanish prison sentences are a joke: someone can be sentenced to fifty years, and only serve two because they keep their nose clean, take a few courses and promise to be good. I'm sure 'justice' will be meted out by some other means though, as other posters have pointed out. |
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john_n_carolina
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 700
Location: n. carolina
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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| ...yes, i agree too. but don't forget, Pres. Correa has personally called the Pres. of Spain / Prime Minister....and, sent a big legal team there. i don't think they're gonna let it go away. be a long long time before it's over, but during that time he should be practicing his blackbelt all day long. behind bars he's gonna need it. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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john_n_carolina
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 700
Location: n. carolina
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:44 am Post subject: |
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...thanks Qatar  i figured it was the 'Latin Kings'....
do you have a 'Sergei Alert' from Google or something?
i might set one up on Google with his full name.... |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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| johninmaine wrote: |
do you have a 'Sergei Alert' from Google or something?
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no I don't.
I just usually read online newspapers from Spain, to keep up my Spanish |
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