It's a major problem I see with both sides in the endless flame wars on that subject.

And then of course there is the reality of what's going over there. All very depressing however you look at it.

It's also notable that much of the vitriol aimed at UK Labour leader Ed Miliband from the right wing press often seems to have something of an anti-semitic subtext.

But at a personal level - you still here a lot of things like 'They jewed me' from people who believe because they would never burn a synagogue or a cross on a black familys yard -

That they hold no deeply ingrained prejudice.


There are also - I've notice the past few years - a great of Americans who have taken sides in Israel v. The Entire Muslim World and they tend to make sweeping statements about Muslims and Jews alike.

Too many think racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, etc., are always over-the-top expressions or hate crimes examples. Most of what happens are little things, but it is those "little things" which can lead to attitude changes and expressions like the ones I listed. There is also the attitude by some to downplay the discrimination suffered by others and pass it off as "no big deal" or "it's all in fun" or "it's really about something else." That last one is very prevalent when it comes to anti-Semitism.

I will say, Most of the people who demand an open and honest debate about racism are really demanding to have their vicarious observational informed opinion hold equal, if not more, weight in the discussion than the lived experience of others ... typically, those of whom they are making the demand.

I agree with a lot of it.

ETA - look at how it 'goes' over there -

Some certainly cross the pond and are as true here as they are there, though the players may be different. Your comment is also accurate. A few who claim to want an "honest debate about racism" simply want to be vindicated in their beliefs as to what is and isn't racist. This is usually at the behest of someone from a privileged or majority group. They are also the ones, usually, not always, who seem to believe we live in a "post-racial" society and that racism is a thing of the past with only minor flare-ups, and usually made worse by an "over-reaction" by the effected group.

Race and Class in Great Britain - and how perhaps things are.

And very interesting -being married to a man from Europe and having 'assets' there so some 'skin in the game' -

What is accetable to hate on the left.
On the right.

And the tip of the hat to Eastern Europeans . . . though would that included Travelers and Gypsies in G.B.?

Oh pikey-bashing is very prevalent in some places. I used to live in Essex, a staunchly right wing part of England where the average conversation about politics always seems to revolve around "facking pikeys" and facking immigrants. Very tiresome and depressing.

Needless to say, this sort of sentiment is a big factor behind the rise of UKIP.

In Southern Italy - they are rotten towards Gypsies/Romany people. Rotten. Just rotten.

I've asked my husband - if someone said something like that about me - only used Mullata/Black - how would you react?

That's helped a great deal. He's not an intentionally harmful person - but I just think its so deeply ingrained in the culture that he couldn't see past the end of his nose.