Racism and discrimination in Munich

Yeah, maybe I'll pass by there (sans bikini). My partner wouldn't be too happy about that...or maybe he would, and then he'd blame me for disgracing us both in public...anyway, will you guys be watching the Superbowl (whoever is playing)?

You'll be there au naturel?

Def bring him in too. As for Superbowl.. yes we will, but Ol' Hazza wont let us watch the commercials

Ewww - You wish!

WHAT!?! The commercials are part of the S-Bowl, dangit!

Have you seen this link that i started up last year?
I now how you feel. It is terrible isn't it.
People are so cold aswell. Even if when you are in a night club even? They would not approach youo to say hello.
Where i a from this does not happen.

Acts of racism and discrimination...

Brandy

Why didn't you reply to the questions and comments on the thread that you created in March?

Wow - that's terrible. Yup, I have to admit, I've been tripped up, as well, but mostly by old women. It's funny when I hear people saying, 'Hey, maybe you're being a bit sensitive, ' because people who know me, my dear friends in particular, seem to think I could use a little more compassion for humanity. City kid mentality, I guess. No, but sorry, if you're white, you really wouldn't notice the kind of racism that's directed toward people of color in Munich, because it simply doesn't happen to you. There are cultural generalizations that we make to describe behaviors that appear to be acceptable in Germany, and, unfortunately, a lot of these behaviors coicide with what we've been taught in our cultures is "polite" and "impolite" to do in public, but believe me, if you think people here in Germany stare, go to mainland South East Asia. People there will stare at you blantantly with their mouths open and not blink, and it's apparently common practice...along with hocking a lugie, which I personally find putrid, but that's just me. Anyway, my point is, you think you know, but until you witness it first hand, you'd be surprised the amount of racial and cultural incompentence floating around this 'clever, rich' city.

Whenever it gets to me, I just like to think about how the Munich Germans are the biggest sun-worshipers ever and I think of the amount of people here that tan themselves until their necks get leathery. Pretty ironic that they all want to brown themselves my color, but then try to trip me up in the Trambahn. It's warped.

Getting off my soap box now. Go have a beer, Brandy. If I see you in the U-bahn, I'll make sure no one tries to trip you, sista.

I was at MiniMal today and was almost killed by a horde of stampeding Neanderthals who were jockeying for position as a cash register was opening up - by the way, I'm unmistakably Caucasian. My example and your experiences on the metro aren't a question of racism, so quit victimizing yourself, it's just the boorish Germanic way of doing things.

Sorry, but EVERYONE, inlcuding other Germans get stampeded. That's not the issue at all. No one wants to be a victim, but it's not really justified to speak of things that you really don't experience. You have to at least admit that. I'm sorry that happened to you today, that was nasty, but trust me, that kind of thing plus some happens to me. Dude, if I really felt intentionally targeted or was made to feel like a victim, I wouldn't choose to live here. No one has ever called you a 'Reisfresser' or a 'Schlitzauge' on the U-bahn, now have they? Is that just the boorish Germanic way of doing things? Because to me, that's a bit more than just jumping for the cash register.

from what you write here, I don't really see what you've experienced can be referred to as racist (apart from the Reisfresser/Schlitzauge you refer to above)...in fact I would say the above quote comes across as being very racist against Munich Germans! it is a HUGE generalization to say they are all sun-worshippers.

Munich is a big, densely populated city people push and shove (it's like this in Rome/Paris/London/Berlin/Manchester...this I can vouch for) also, do you know that not everyone in Munich is German? it's 25% likely that the person(s) who 'tripped' you up were not even German.

I think you are being a little over-sensitive.
a lot of us have posted saying the staring thing is normal here...how do you know they are staring you must be looking at them too!

Come on people, because you have no way of experiencing it, does not mean you should discount the feeling of others and say racism does not exist. The word "racism" might be in some cases a bit strong as in my opinion this implies hate. Racial profiling is however very prevalent here. Case in point: In the community where I live, when entering a bus you must enter using the front door at which point you show your ticket to the driver. So today I entered, showed my ticket like everyone else, validated my ticket and took a seat at the extreme back of the bus. After a few minutes the driver got up, walked past everyone else and asked me to show him my ticket again so he can see if it was correctly validated. Are you doubting Thomas' going to tell me that is random selection? When it happens once it can be put down to that, but when it happens more often than not then one has no choice but to notice that there is a pattern...

My ex-wife is black and sad though it is, reactions were generally different here in Munich when i was with her than when alone. Ranging from the aforementioned staring to outright grimacing at the sight of a caucasian with a black girl, luckily it used to make us laugh.

Especially the questions from other guys as to whether " its different ? "

I can't remember any outright abuse directed at her but she was normally with me and Germans tend to be non confrontational in my experience.

Good post iscream
I haven't commented on this thread till now because I'm white, tall, blue eyes and lightish hair. So most people who just see me would consider me German. Therefore I've no way of really experiencing the attitudes or vibes people of different ethnic origin or skin colour experience. But based on the odd comment I've heard (from people who've assumed I'm German) I've no doubt that non germanic looking people here experience more than just the general level of staring and pushing. It's backed up by the fact that when they find out I (or friends who've experienced similar) am foriegn, they immediatly say something like "Oh we don't mean people like you" (i.e. white western european).

Perhaps everyone else showed him their tickets after stamping them (which you're also supposed to do).
Alternative solution: Buy a weekly/monthly pass. No stamping.

It's not racism that your ticket was checked. Profiling, sure. And why the profiling? Because people matching certain profiles (foreigners, stoners, schoolchildren) have been shown to be more likely not to pay or stamp their tickets. Unfair overall? No. Unfair to you? Yes. You suffer for what others have done just as I suffer various expectations due to carrying a US passport. But life's not fair.

If the driver was racist you wouldn't have been allowed on the bus. If you want to see serious racism in action, forget the American South. Try living in Japan.

People get tired of exaggerated claims of racism. Believing you see racism everywhere you look and complaining about the most miniscule perceived slight is like crying wolf. I've heard it so much that I'm unlikely to believe even a legitimate complaint without it being so blatant and horrible that it makes the front page of the SZ.

woof.