Race and dating

how many European countries had a recent history of slavery and an even more and more trenchantly reinforced history of racial segregation? I have read about the civil rights movement many times. Have you read about the Quaker campaign to abolish slavery in 18th century Britain and then abolish it in the whole world in the 19th century? Maybe you should before you write such stupidly US-centric statements.

Germany had both in living memory ... barbed wire is pretty trenchant reinforcement.

As far as I'm concerned, speaking so strongly about a country in which you've never lived is reason to get out more. I've been guilty of it too sometimes but that's why I travel.

Also, I made a mistake in assuming that western Europe has never had a civil rights movement like in the states. Like some of you have said, the situation in the UK and Ireland has been what some people might call racially motivated, although it's more likely cultural and religious disagreements between the dominant community (England) and the less dominant. I admit that I've never lived in the UK so I don't know much about that. But as far as continental western Europe goes, I don't recall hearing anything like the American civil rights movement going on. No Turks in Germany marching on Berlin to demand equal treatment, no Africans in France marching in Paris to demand equal treatment, etc. Their plight, although not as visible and easily described like a lynching in Alabama, is just as important I think.

Are you implying that western Europe doesn't need a movement towards civil rights then? What's your point?

George Whitefield, the great awakening, Calvinist and established Methodism. English.

William Wilberforce, the slave trade act of 1807, evangelical Church of England. English.

These men started revivals in the US which led to the abolishment of Slavery.

maybe you could point out a post where Hazza was "speaking strongly about a country in which (he) never lived"? You seem to the one going on about the US. The only post I recall where Hazza explicitly talked about the US was to ask a question, not give an opinion.

maybe you could also tell us which civil rights you think are deprived to black people in Europe for which a civil rights movement is needed?

Every country needs to make continual steps towards improving aspects of their culture, whether it be their treatment of minorities or all their citizens but since we don't live in a society where people are segregated or were disenfranchised along the lines of colour, I don't see the parallel.

Credible, but I think none of these guys challenged the system and touched the lives of so many like MLK in the 60's (also a preacher, like George Whitefield). And the movement wasn't just him. The whole country was changing. From Rosa Parks to JFK to Bob Dylan. The movement spread over the airwaves and into your living room, and it was about that dreadful topic we've tried to avoid out of convenience but won't go away: race

All things being equal, did these two men change the world? Immediately after they died, did the races get along any better? Date better? Talk more? I don't think so.
Before you call me arrogant for assuming "America is the world," check out my post about "The Next 100 Years" or better yet, read the book, and see how a lot of people are theorizing how American culture, or even better our inter-culture, will shape this century the way European culture has shaped the last few.

Damn, getting off topic again. Sorry guys.

I expected this. Ok so you think because Europe has never had any outright racism like a man swinging from a tree or a cross burning on their lawn, there is no need for a movement, or at least discussion?

Every country needs to make continual steps towards improving aspects of their culture, whether it be their treatment of minorities or all their citizens but since we don't live in a society where people are segregated or were disenfranchised along the lines of colour, I don't see the parallel. --- I think this statement might offend some dark people living in Europe.

Since black people aren't the majority "minority" here in Europe, you might want to retract your other statement. They aren't even the majority minority in the states!

bit hard to spread out over the airwaves when neither radio or TV has been invented. flint you are delusional to think that the effects that the Quaker movement had was any less significant. In fact, due to the very fact that there was no mass media, no mass transit, no easy way to spread the word, their effect was much greater than just one man who had a dream.

You mean that thing all those years ago with the chimneys and the camps and the yellow stars, that wasn't really racist, right?

Well it certainly works for me. 2 people that I've known for several years said the following:
Now I don't try to be "white" (whatever that may be anyway), but as the majority of the population is white (as are the 2 people who commented), I took that to mean that they don't see my skin colour. I don't focus on it, and I don't mention it, because I see it as irrelevant.

You speak about black and white culture and society of blacks and whites and assimilating to one or the other - just to prove that you just don't get what I've been saying.

So once more, just for you...I don't think that black and white should be cultures at all. One has more melanin in his/her skin than the other - it's not a fucking culture, it's a physical trait.

As defined on Wikipedia, culture is:

- excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
- an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
- the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

These values should be shaped by the society you come from and NOT your racial background. And your attitude of "Black" or "White" culture and trying to be one or the other, does nothing more than perpetuate segregation between the two, as does the term "Uncle Tom". Stop trying to be someone based on your skin colour and just be a human. If we all did that, then race would be far less of an issue...

Is getting asked a "black" question offensive? I guess it depends on what it is, but is it more offensive, than say asking a tall person a "tall" question (like how they cope in airline seats) when you're drunk? That's not racism. I don't deny that racism takes place and when it does, then it needs to be highlighted and stopped - I get pissed off because every time they do a "random" ID check on the train, I get targetted. It's obvious racial profiling, and it's shit because there's nothing I can do about it and I consider that to be racist. I'd be happy to take that up as an issue to get the laws changed.

Yet when it comes to dating, I still think that there's no "elephant in the room". People can do whatever the hell they like. Those that want to do it, will. Those who don't, won't. And of course people have different preferences for race - but they have similar preferences to other physical attributes concerning height, weight, hair colour/length, bust size, eye colour, etc, etc. But there aren't studies being done on whether brown eyed people prefer blue eyed mates, or someone starting a thread on how "awesome" it is when a tall person dates a much shorter person...Because like interracial dating, after a short time you stop consciously looking at how tall your partner is or whether they wear glasses, like you stop seeing them as black or white...it's a non-issue.

It is awesome when a tall person dates a short one - well it is for me. Balancing on chairs to change a light bulb (amongst other things) be gone!

Haha! My husband asked me to change the lightbulb last night. I was sooooo offended ;-) (not really)

Am I only allowed to have an opinion and comment on this thread if I'm a non-white who's lived in the US?

That's racist...

Reminds me of this Dave Chappelle skit when he was in the kkk.