Is Ireland Racist?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300415#Comment_118300415

Ahh well, I'd say if people were really concerned with combating racism or discrimination, then they would be seeking a society where race/ethnicity didn't matter at all. That everyone would be treated equally, except when it came down to their individual needs/circumstances for support. Instead, we see these demands that Travellers (or minority groups) receive ever more recognition and support as a group, which reinforces the impression that the group is lacking in some way, rather than it being about individuals.

Never really understood the logic that says, we're going to treat <insert group> different from everyone else, but we expect everyone else to treat them the same. You must treat them different when it is positive/beneficial to that group, but you're a racist if you treat them differently in any other way. Oh, and criticism of that group is racist... but criticism of your own ethnic group by minority groups is not racist.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300243#Comment_118300243

420 people out of 1200 have witnessed racism in the last 12 months in Ireland.

So indeed one metric says that Ireland is not racist but it does not mean there is no racism in Ireland. As shown by a significant portion being witness to an incident they deem to be racist in the past 12 months.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300788#Comment_118300788

I don't think anyone on this thread ever said there was no racism in ireland. That would be a ridiculous position to hold.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300823#Comment_118300823

So racism is an issue in Ireland great thanks for the input.

WrenBoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300788#Comment_118300788

So that is quite different to the question in the thread title "Is Ireland racist ? "

You seem to be answering the question, do racist incidents happen in Ireland ? A different discussion altogether.

And to the study it would be helpful to see a breakdown of what criteria an incident needs to meet to be classed as a racist incident. Another interesting bit of info would be the races of those involved and which is accused of being the offender and which the victim.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300838#Comment_118300838

There are racists in Ireland. Ireland is not racist.

RobbieTheRobber

If I am racially abused in Ireland is that racism in Ireland?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300896#Comment_118300896

Yes.

It still wouldn't make Ireland racist.

If I was beaten by up by a black man, would it be ok to say definitively to say that as a whole blacks are violent?

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300838#Comment_118300838

Racism is an issue in every country in the world in that case.

And as others have quite well pointed out to you, there is a major difference between saying there are some racists and racist incidents in Ireland as opposed to Ireland is racist.

I always find it illuminating how people with your opinion will shout and scream it is NOT ALL, you can't tar everyone with the same brush, you can't stereotype based on a few when it suits your argument and you then try pull the same move in different circumstances.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300932#Comment_118300932

What defines Ireland for you is it just the land, or do you include the Irish people when talking about Ireland as an entity?

Do the actions of Irish people represent the entity of Ireland?

We haven’t really had anyone on this thread report their own experiences of racism. Maybe nobody wants to talk about their own experience or maybe it’s just l group of white Irish people on this thread arguing about racism.

Id be fairly sure it happens but how much is the question. From my own experience I haven’t heard a racist joke in years, i also haven’t heard any racist comments from people like I might have 30 years ago. But that’s just my experience.

No. Not an individual action anyway. That would be absurd. Societal laws and behaviours perhaps. People and society in general in Ireland rightfully do not tolerate and vilify racist behaviour and attitudes.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301011#Comment_118301011

Has there ever been a country that has been racist in your view?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301151#Comment_118301151

America certainly used to be.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301180#Comment_118301180

And why would you define America as having been racist and during what period are we talking so I can better understand your definition on what makes a country racist.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301197#Comment_118301197

They had segregation based on skin colour and people were not afforded the same rights under laws based on their skin colour.

jmayo

Was just looking at web trying to find above report on racism and came upon INAR.

Here is the blurb from the website

Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) is a membership organisation. Our strength is in our Members, a growing, national Network of diverse Civil Society Organisations committed to combating racism and all related forms of discrimination in every sphere of life in Ireland. We are dedicated to finding common strategies and policy positions for combating racism, finding ways of complementing each other’s work, and to offering cross-community and cross-sectoral support and solidarity.

Fair enough I tried to look at members and also see where funding for the fancy website, the campaigns, the projects came from.

And Holy fook when you look through members it is eye opening.

There is some obvious ones like Olympic Federation of Ireland, SIPTU, INTO, USI, etc.

But then start looking through the list and you find Africa Irish, Proudly Made in Africa, Louth Minority Ethnic Consortium, Kildare Intercultural Action, Kerry Against Racism, Grandfathers Against Racism, Muslims Sisters of Eire, Queer Disapora, and Traveller groups from Ballyfermot, Galway, Cork, Waterford, etc, etc, etc.

The only thing I couldn't spot was Racists Against Racism so folks that group name is available if anyone is interested. 😶

And my point is where are all these myriad of organisations getting funding?

Are they all suckling at the taxpayer funded state teat in some way?

Folks it looks like there is maybe a bit of money in the old counteracting racism.

So would not make sense then that you need to find a lot of racism so that you can get funding to counteract it.

BTW INAR have a job opening for a Network and Communications Officer

42k for a 4 day week on a one year contract.

Not so bad.

Now I wonder who funds that role ?

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301233#Comment_118301233

What if segregation is enforced in a country but not supported by laws. Would the country be racist or is the racist laws the bar for you?

Is discrimination based on skin colour the only criteria under which racism can take place?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301263#Comment_118301263

Put it this way Robbie, I think a lot of middle eastern countries are sexist because they have laws that prevent women being treated equally. I don't think that every person from those countries is a sexist though.

And you will need to tell me an example of how segregation is enforced in a country but not supported by law. Because if it is certain people enforcing the segregation against the will, law or assistance of the government of the country, then it would be those people that are racist, not the country.

South Africa is a good example, both before and after Apartheid. Systematic discrimination by White people against Black people, and now the roles have been reversed, to the point where quotas ensure that Whites are discriminated against. Also Black on Black racism along Tribal lines exists.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301197#Comment_118301197

Segregation was institutionalised in America, making it a racist country during that period..

South Africa with its apartheid system also meets the definition of a racist country.

You could make the case that Ireland in the last century was a sectarian-based society (and that would not be generally accepted) but extremely difficult to make the case that it is a racist country.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301466#Comment_118301466

Jaysus I don't think I want to start the discussion on whether or to sectarianism is racism. I recall reading an article where two sections of the UN couldn't agree if sectarianism in northern Ireland could be correctly classified as racism.

I have to take some responsibility for mentioning america. But it was in response to a direct question which asked for previously racist countries. I should have known better than to answer a question that obviously was against mod instruction

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301799#Comment_118301799

With respect to the mods, in order to determine the validity of calling Ireland racist, then comparisons with other nations makes sense, mainly because Ireland has none of the policies common in countries that elevate the native population over that of minority groups.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301836#Comment_118301836

Careful now Klaz posters will think you are agreeing with me.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301923#Comment_118301923

Oh, I saw the double standard, or convenience posting (it's fine when it supports his narrative, but irrelevant when it doesn't).

I think if we consider how racism exists outside of Ireland, we will quickly appreciate just how little racism is tolerated here.

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301923#Comment_118301923

Deflect deflect deflect.

If you can't discuss my posts discuss me is it?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299849#Comment_118299849

That's what I was saying? All the places I listed have traveller accommodation

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300944#Comment_118300944

What bullshit is this post. Where did I say everyone is a racist. This entire post is bullshit.

You have assigned views to me and then even used the you people trope. Fuckin ridiculous stuff

Rothko

Anyone who categories an entire country as racist is un utter moron. Every country has issues with racism and we should do all we can to deal with it. I think that sums the whole thread up. Anything else is superfluous. We can shut the thread down now..