In this sense, it's easily comparable to all the racism between the different countries. Because there is practically none. People will joke about Welshman being world-renowned sheep shaggers but no one takes it seriously.

What people are racist toward is, as one example, the communities of local Pakistani people down in the estates. It's not because they're a different colour, or because we truly believe they're 'the scum of the earth'. It's because they bring their culture, refuse to integrate into ours and form their own little closed communities which generally communicate only when they absolutely need to. This pisses people off, and the less patient and understanding people (usually narrow minded jerks) take it out on them by returning the gesture. Everyone else ignores them. This can sometimes rub off on perfectly acceptable Pakistani/turkish/iraqi/whatever immigrants but it's not as wide spread as you seem to believe.

Racism is on the list of greater anti-social problems, but in recent times even the classic racists I've known personally have been taking a more educated view toward it. Surprisingly, it was the controversy over the women who refused to remove their masks that helped educate them and even force them to make exceptions. Once you start blaming their refusal (and what is often seen as rejection) of our culture/rules/mannerisms then those who are far more compromising on being anglocised tend to left alone.

Yhorian



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2007 03:17PM by yhorian.