[lbo-talk] Graeber

[Wojtek S]

Angelus: "Now, whether it's *more* racist than American society, I
think that would be difficult and meaningless to argue, but I think
that one substantial difference is this: whereas it's a fairly
hegemonic idea in American society that the society is "multi-racial",
so that expressions of racism often have to take subtle or veiled
forms, in Germany (obviously the European society I'm most familiar
with), it's fairly well-accepted in the mainstream that it's "supposed
to be" an ethnically homogeneous society, that minorities are
acceptable only to the extent that they are "integrated", and that the
children of immigrants aren't "real" Germans."

[WS:] Good point.  I think it is more acceptable in Europe to openly
express xenophobic and racist ideas in public, but at the same time
there seem to be less of de facto segregation i.e. people more eager
to interact with other ethnic groups on a personal basis. In the US,
by contrast, you will see more political correctness in the public
appearances, only a redneck would use a racist slur in public, while
more "respectable" folk would use much more veiled language.  However,
they tend to fraternize only with their own kind on a personal basis.

-- 
Wojtek

"An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."