Galliano Fired after Anti-Semitic Remarks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somebody should inform Galliano that Hitler's views on gays were just slightly short of fabulous.

This is the most shocking part. The pink triangle that is sometimes used as a gay symbol was used by the Nazis for gays in concentration camps. I say John G needs to read a little in between fashion shows.

[Anonymous]

Gay people have the right to be racist too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gay people have the right to be racist too.

No doubt. I think you missed the point. Loving Hitler is not just racist. It's homophobic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gay people have the right to be racist too.

No doubt. I think you missed the point. Loving Hitler is not just racist. It's homophobic.

Galliano is not homophobic, he is racist. He is ignoring Hitler's attitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gay people have the right to be racist too.

No doubt. I think you missed the point. Loving Hitler is not just racist. It's homophobic.

Galliano is not homophobic, he is racist. He is ignoring Hitler's attitude.

Hit submit too early, he is ignoring Hitler's attitude wrt homosexuality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europeans are MUCH more racist than Americans.

It is easy to throw stones when you live in homogeneous populations.

I find this statement hard to reconcile with the many biographies of WW-II era Black soldiers who stated, in so many words, that the first experience of acceptance and dignity they had was when stationed in Europe. I just can't put European style-racism, or xenophobia, up against the race hatred of early 20th-century America and accept that Europeans are much more racist that Americans. Can't accept that.

NP here. I think the experience of WW II Black US soldiers was positive because they were not a threat to the relatively homogeneous European populations (since they were a small group and they were leaving) as well as the fact that the contrast with Jim Crow treatment in the US at the time was so stark. As I recall, James Baldwin left the US for Europe because he felt so much more welcome over there. Indeed the Europeans used to look down on us for our racist ways.

But it turns out they may have been more accepting of African-Americans because there were so few of them. Now that European nations are dealing with large influxes of immigrants from ethnically and racial different nations, Europeans have turned out not to be any better than Americans in the 40s. Of course I am generalizing but you see in places like France legal attempts to preserve the homogeneous native culture while keeping immigrant groups separate -- for example, the effort to prevent women from wearing headscarves in public. In contrast, these days, the United States is more open to diverse peoples and we stress racial and ethnic inclusivity as part of our national ethos. We obviously fail at this, as racial prejudice still exists as does racial inequality but nevertheless it is not acceptable to say you don't like someone because of their race or to openly discriminate.

I think that US African American GIs' experiences in France were an anomoly. It's a logical stretch to assume a lack of racism on the part of the French based on Jim Crow era soldiers' reactions to their reception as liberating forces in Europe. (And my father and my uncle were two of those black soldiers, FYI.). Yes, they were received with open arms by the French, and many AA soldiers had profound reactions to that treatment, considering the conditions that existed back in the US. But it's my sense that all liberators, of any color, were welcomed. And perhaps those AA soldiers percieved that France was less racist than the US because they percieved that certain white people in the US would have rather died than be rescued by a black man. But none of them had to experience life as a person of color, post-liberation, in an increasing population of color, in France.

You can't extrapolate from WWII black soldiers' perceptions that there was an overarching lack of cultural or racial bias on the part of the French at that time, or any time. See, e.g. Sarah Baartman, a/k/a the Hottentot Venus, a native of (South Africa now) who was exhibited as a curiosity by the British, and purchased by the French for the same purpose, exhibition as a freak of nature. Because she had a big a$$ and elongated labia. In 2001? 02? South Africa had to negotiate with France for the return of her remains, which had been held in a French museum, for proper burial in her homeland. WTF?

In my own experience, as an African American woman once married to a French man, and a professional with French clients, I'm almost always the only person of color in the room, and am greeted with reserve at best. The quickest way to dispel that reserve, from a French person age 35 and up, is to mention that I have relatives who fought in France in WWII.

[Anonymous]

In many European countries, whenever an African player gets the ball, the fans of the other team will start hooting like apes. Some fanbases are worse at this than others, some will even boo/whistle at their OWN players. I can provide many examples

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europeans are MUCH more racist than Americans.

It is easy to throw stones when you live in homogeneous populations.

I find this statement hard to reconcile with the many biographies of WW-II era Black soldiers who stated, in so many words, that the first experience of acceptance and dignity they had was when stationed in Europe. I just can't put European style-racism, or xenophobia, up against the race hatred of early 20th-century America and accept that Europeans are much more racist that Americans. Can't accept that.

It's been about 75 years since WWII began. Much has happened .... the guest workers of the 1950s in Germany, Netherlands, other countries overstayed their welcome. They were supposed to be there temporarily but then brought over their families. Some have assimilated and others have not, which I find astounding after 50+ years.

There are ever increasing numbers of legitimate/illegimate refugees entering Europe who depend on welfare to live, with burgeoning families of 8+kids per family. Many are Muslim with their sexist attitudes that men are supreme, so they really cannot improve their lot in life when half their community is so restricted and oppressed.

Understandably, the native people start to resent this. At the lowest level, the immigrants/refugees are illiterate villagers who have little hope for advancement in any sphere. Of course, there are the better educated professionals who flee countries like Iran, but I don't think they are the majority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europeans are MUCH more racist than Americans...


It's been about 75 years since WWII began. Much has happened .... the guest workers of the 1950s in Germany, Netherlands, other countries overstayed their welcome. They were supposed to be there temporarily but then brought over their families. Some have assimilated and others have not, which I find astounding after 50+ years.

There are ever increasing numbers of legitimate/illegimate refugees entering Europe who depend on welfare to live, with burgeoning families of 8+kids per family. Many are Muslim with their sexist attitudes that men are supreme, so they really cannot improve their lot in life when half their community is so restricted and oppressed.

Understandably, *the native people* start to resent this. At the lowest level, the immigrants/refugees are illiterate villagers who have little hope for advancement in any sphere. Of course, there are the better educated professionals who flee countries like Iran, but I don't think they are the majority.

Ladies and gentleman, PP has provided Exhibit A. Note her use of "the native people" as distinguished from the descendants of those who immigrated 50+ years ago and have the gall to maintain their ancestral traditions in someone else's country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europeans are MUCH more racist than Americans...


It's been about 75 years since WWII began. Much has happened .... the guest workers of the 1950s in Germany, Netherlands, other countries overstayed their welcome. They were supposed to be there temporarily but then brought over their families. Some have assimilated and others have not, which I find astounding after 50+ years.

There are ever increasing numbers of legitimate/illegimate refugees entering Europe who depend on welfare to live, with burgeoning families of 8+kids per family. Many are Muslim with their sexist attitudes that men are supreme, so they really cannot improve their lot in life when half their community is so restricted and oppressed.

Understandably, *the native people* start to resent this. At the lowest level, the immigrants/refugees are illiterate villagers who have little hope for advancement in any sphere. Of course, there are the better educated professionals who flee countries like Iran, but I don't think they are the majority.

Ladies and gentleman, PP has provided Exhibit A. Note her use of "the native people" as distinguished from the descendants of those who immigrated 50+ years ago and have the gall to maintain their ancestral traditions in someone else's country.

Gee, I'm sorry. By "native people" I was referring to the native Germans and Dutch - the ones footing the social welfare bill. Not the "natives" from the villages of Turkey and Morocco.

[Anonymous]

You should really just stop talking, PP. You're so not helping your cause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I think that US African American GIs' experiences in France were an anomoly. It's a logical stretch to assume a lack of racism on the part of the French based on Jim Crow era soldiers' reactions to their reception as liberating forces in Europe. (And my father and my uncle were two of those black soldiers, FYI.). Yes, they were received with open arms by the French, and many AA soldiers had profound reactions to that treatment, considering the conditions that existed back in the US. But it's my sense that all liberators, of any color, were welcomed. And perhaps those AA soldiers percieved that France was less racist than the US because they percieved that certain white people in the US would have rather died than be rescued by a black man. But none of them had to experience life as a person of color, post-liberation, in an increasing population of color, in France.

You can't extrapolate from WWII black soldiers' perceptions that there was an overarching lack of cultural or racial bias on the part of the French at that time, or any time. See, e.g. Sarah Baartman, a/k/a the Hottentot Venus, a native of (South Africa now) who was exhibited as a curiosity by the British, and purchased by the French for the same purpose, exhibition as a freak of nature. Because she had a big a$$ and elongated labia. In 2001? 02? South Africa had to negotiate with France for the return of her remains, which had been held in a French museum, for proper burial in her homeland. WTF?

In my own experience, as an African American woman once married to a French man, and a professional with French clients, I'm almost always the only person of color in the room, and am greeted with reserve at best. The quickest way to dispel that reserve, from a French person age 35 and up, is to mention that I have relatives who fought in France in WWII.

Fascinating story, pp. Thanks for sharing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europeans are MUCH more racist than Americans.

It is easy to throw stones when you live in homogeneous populations.

I find this statement hard to reconcile with the many biographies of WW-II era Black soldiers who stated, in so many words, that the first experience of acceptance and dignity they had was when stationed in Europe. I just can't put European style-racism, or xenophobia, up against the race hatred of early 20th-century America and accept that Europeans are much more racist that Americans. Can't accept that.

It's been about 75 years since WWII began. Much has happened .... the guest workers of the 1950s in Germany, Netherlands, other countries overstayed their welcome. They were supposed to be there temporarily but then brought over their families. Some have assimilated and others have not, which I find astounding after 50+ years.

There are ever increasing numbers of legitimate/illegimate refugees entering Europe who depend on welfare to live, with burgeoning families of 8+kids per family. Many are Muslim with their sexist attitudes that men are supreme, so they really cannot improve their lot in life when half their community is so restricted and oppressed.

Understandably, the native people start to resent this. At the lowest level, the immigrants/refugees are illiterate villagers who have little hope for advancement in any sphere. Of course, there are the better educated professionals who flee countries like Iran, but I don't think they are the majority.

Yes, how dare those "guest workers" not understand the fact that they were only there to do low-grade manual labor, leave, and have no civil rights at all. How dare they want to have their wives and children join them? Really outrageous of them. And all those Germans and Dutch eating Turkish pizza are right to feel dismayed at the fact that the guest workers "failed to assimilate," when they offered them citizenship, right? Oh wait, my bad -- they were never offered citizenship, despite the fact that generations of "guest workers" have been born in Europe and never even seen their native countries and speak fluent German and Dutch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europeans are MUCH more racist than Americans.

It is easy to throw stones when you live in homogeneous populations.

I find this statement hard to reconcile with the many biographies of WW-II era Black soldiers who stated, in so many words, that the first experience of acceptance and dignity they had was when stationed in Europe. I just can't put European style-racism, or xenophobia, up against the race hatred of early 20th-century America and accept that Europeans are much more racist that Americans. Can't accept that.

It's been about 75 years since WWII began. Much has happened .... the guest workers of the 1950s in Germany, Netherlands, other countries overstayed their welcome. They were supposed to be there temporarily but then brought over their families. Some have assimilated and others have not, which I find astounding after 50+ years.

There are ever increasing numbers of legitimate/illegimate refugees entering Europe who depend on welfare to live, with burgeoning families of 8+kids per family. Many are Muslim with their sexist attitudes that men are supreme, so they really cannot improve their lot in life when half their community is so restricted and oppressed.

Understandably, the native people start to resent this. At the lowest level, the immigrants/refugees are illiterate villagers who have little hope for advancement in any sphere. Of course, there are the better educated professionals who flee countries like Iran, but I don't think they are the majority.

Yes, how dare those "guest workers" not understand the fact that they were only there to do low-grade manual labor, leave, and have no civil rights at all. How dare they want to have their wives and children join them? Really outrageous of them. And all those Germans and Dutch eating Turkish pizza are right to feel dismayed at the fact that the guest workers "failed to assimilate," when they offered them citizenship, right? Oh wait, my bad -- they were never offered citizenship, despite the fact that generations of "guest workers" have been born in Europe and never even seen their native countries and speak fluent German and Dutch.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/world/europe/04germany.html?hp

yet another one who failed to assimilate ... after 40 years of family assimilation.

[Anonymous]

PP, what is your deal? Your contributions continue to be positively vile.