Racism in Germany Increasingly Mainstream

[Warka]

From http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3427199,00.html

Study: Racism in Germany Increasingly Mainstream

20.06.2008

According to a study commissioned by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, social prejudice is rife across the full spectrum of German society -- ranging from a dislike of foreigners to a resentment of the unemployed.

The report presented in Berlin this week was the second part of a study begun in 2006, which questioned 5,000 Germans over 14 about their views of right-wing extremism and concluded that one in four Germans holds xenophobic opinions.

Drawing on interviews with 60 of the initial participants, the survey aimed to establish the roots of prejudice by examining attitudes among people of various ages, social background and profession.

"We were interested in finding out what determines an individual's political opinions, be they far-right or democratic," said project coordinator Dietmar Molthagen.

"For this reason, we set out to examine the interviewees' opinions in the context of their lives," said researcher Oliver Decker.

Mainstream prejudice

He and Elmar Braehler from Leipzig University's Institute for Clinical Psychology and Sociology said their work revealed that racism in Germany is increasingly mainstream: in both eastern and western Germany and across the generations, the public has little compunction about expressing far-right beliefs.

Their conclusion is that the problem lies at the very center of society, undermining the theory that the breeding grounds for right-wing extremism are the parts of the country struck by unemployment and social decay.

37 percent of the population maintain that immigrants come to Germany "to exploit the welfare state," 39 percent think Germany "is dangerously over-run with foreigners," and 26 percent would like "a single, strong party that represents the German community."

The main targets of German prejudice are Turks and Russians, who are seen as parasitical and grasping.

However, researchers also identified the emergence of what they call "cultural racism" -- prejudices against marginal groups such as the jobless and the socially disadvantaged. This, the study suggested, reflected a strong pressure to conform to a perceived social norm and a condemnation of those who failed to do so.

With most of the participants saying they felt powerless to help define politics, the study also revealed a widespread disillusionment with democracy and democratic principles.

The findings suggested that most people supported democracy to the extent that it guaranteed personal prosperity, but in its absence, turned immediately to intolerance.

The researchers cited similar attitudes in the 1950s, when the economic miracle proved an obstacle to coming to terms with the past.

"The rapid accumulation of wealth in West Germany [in the post-war years] left no scope for reflection and shame," said researcher Oliver Decker.

[Julian Curtis Lee]

"Cultural racism"? So if lefties don't like any thing at all now, they're gonna start calling it "racism"?

[Warka]

"Cultural racism"? So if lefties don't like any thing at all now, they're gonna start calling it "racism"?

That's nothing new, really. They've been doing it for years now.

[Dan Dare]

37 percent of the population maintain that immigrants come to Germany "to exploit the welfare state," 39 percent think Germany "is dangerously over-run with foreigners," and 26 percent would like "a single, strong party that represents the German community."

The main targets of German prejudice are Turks and Russians, who are seen as parasitical and grasping.

'Russians' is of course a euphemism for Jews from the FSU, who have flocked to Germany in the tens of thousands as 'contingent refugees' under laws (http://www.berlin-life.com/news/news/50-Russian_Jewish_immigration_poses_questions) which guaranteed admittance to anyone with one Jewish parent. In addition ex-Soviet Jews were provided with a wide range of financial and social benefits including free housing.

[Cadavre Exquis]

The main targets of German prejudice are Turks and Russians, who are seen as parasitical and grasping.
Would ethnic Germans from the FSU be considered German or Russian, Kazakh, etc?

[Ahknaton]

The first thought I had was "what is cultural racism?" I can't say I've ever heard that one before.
It's a new one to me too. Perhaps they're trying to close off the escape clause open to opponents of immigration who make a big fuss about how they aren't racists because they don't consider immigrant groups to be biologically inferior, but have a problem with the cultural values they bring to their host country.

[Hartmann von Aue]

This sort of thing first started with laicism.

Any law they dislike they can say it is "religious" and then use that as an excuse to nullify it.

They even call the Soviet Union religious, really, they are able to call any law they want religious, and therefore they make themselves the ultimate authority on the legitimacy of laws pertaining to morality.

It's the same pattern with regard to race and immigration - they essentially deny the Right political representation by instituting "hate speech" laws to curb "bigotry."

[ogenoct]

'Russians' is of course a euphemism for Jews from the FSU

No, it is not. When Germans complain about Russians in Germany, they mostly mean Volga Germans.

Constantin

[Hadding]

'Russians' is of course a euphemism for Jews from the FSU, who have flocked to Germany in the tens of thousands as 'contingent refugees' under laws (http://www.berlin-life.com/news/news/50-Russian_Jewish_immigration_poses_questions) which guaranteed admittance to anyone with one Jewish parent. In addition ex-Soviet Jews were provided with a wide range of financial and social benefits including free housing.
That is a valid generalization in the United States, but I wouldn't assume that "Russians" necessarily means Jews when the subject is immigrant populations in Germany. There seem to be plenty of real Russians in Germany, especially Russian women. (There is a surplus of women in Russia, and a surplus of men in Germany.)

[Charlie Robespierre]

"Cultural racism"? So if lefties don't like any thing at all now, they're gonna start calling it "racism"?I heard the phrase "economic racism" this week.

Suppose that's the verbal blunderbus method of shutting someone up that's just been ditched from their job for a cheaper non-unionised foreign specimen..

[Empress Cheesatine]

Wonderful news from Germany! How can the "government" be surprised at this when it moved in millions of racial aliens without the consent of the German people? And when it backfires, they don't admit responsibility and rectify it like adults, instead they pass laws to force people to STFU and threaten to jail them.

Ah, the wonders of democracy!

[Empress Cheesatine]

'Russians' is of course a euphemism for Jews from the FSU, who have flocked to Germany in the tens of thousands as 'contingent refugees' under laws (http://www.berlin-life.com/news/news/50-Russian_Jewish_immigration_poses_questions) which guaranteed admittance to anyone with one Jewish parent. In addition ex-Soviet Jews were provided with a wide range of financial and social benefits including free housing.

Some probably are, however others are Volksdetusche who were born in the Eastern Bloc countries and used the Right of Return law to gain entry and citizenship in Germany. Some of these returned ethnic Germans retain their Russian language and identity, and have been known to cause some trouble on the streets. Locals refer to them as "Russians."

[Kodos]

Some probably are, however others are Volksdetusche who were born in the Eastern Bloc countries

Almost all of them were forcibly marched back to Germany after WWII.

[Longinus]

Every-day people aren't much into history, geopolitics or racial theories, but they resent ethnic otherness instinctively. "Xenophobia" is the precise and most adequate expression for this state of mind. The word 'Russians' in this article probably mean just what it say: ethnic Russians in Germany (and other western states) are probably experiencing similar sort of animosity as Czechs, Poles and other Slavs experienced in Habsburg monarchy.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

The first thought I had was "what is cultural racism?" I can't say I've ever heard that one before.

Also @ Ahknaton,

Cultural racism as distinct from 'racialism' or supposed 'scientific racism'. In Australia, and NZ dare I say it, when there is 'racism' it is nearly always cultural racism. Examples include, 'when they come to our country they need to learn our ways and speak English' etc. Racialists on the other hand will not accept certain foreigners even if they acquiesced to the cultural norms of the host nation, because culture and language are not the primary indicators of race.

[Jake Featherston]

"Cultural racism"? So if lefties don't like any thing at all now, they're gonna start calling it "racism"?

Gas is too expensive; its economic racism!

[Hrolf Kraki]

Xenophobic opinions? I´m curious as to what that entails. They said they prefer to hang out with Germans than Turks??? It´s usually something so silly.

[Corrupt]

Cultural racism as distinct from 'racialism' or supposed 'scientific racism'. In Australia, and NZ dare I say it, when there is 'racism' it is nearly always cultural racism. Examples include, 'when they come to our country they need to learn our ways and speak English' etc.

It's just a cover they use for real racism, however. Racial feelings are universal, I believe, but some of us are just more honest about feeling them, and readier to rely on the findings of 'racial investigation' (how race impacts society, immigration, demographic change, crime, etc). Most of these cultural racists would find that even when a, say, Ghanian, speaks the kings English and is the perfect gentleman (okay, okay, so use your imagination!) he is still very alien and associating with him is never as fulfilling as associating with one of your own kind.

[harjit]

Most of these cultural racists would find that even when a, say, Ghanian, speaks the kings English and is the perfect gentleman (okay, okay, so use your imagination!) he is still very alien and associating with him is never as fulfilling as associating with one of your own kind.
Hey Corrupty-poo, I'm curious as to your take on this:

I don't particularly find anything additionally fulfilling about associating with people of my ethnicity. If anything I find they tend to display a certain bovine kind of cluelessness and a lack of wit, especially if they are not Westernized or 2nd generation like myself.

So, does that mean that perhaps whites are simply more fullfilling to associate with than non-whites, because they are more intelligent, more fun, more attractive, or whatever?

If the answer to this is "yes", then that indicates that it is criteria like intelligence, fun, attractiveness, etc. that are the determinants of how fullfilling it is to associate with someone, not shared race.

In other words, it may prove white superiority but topples the idea that humans are wired for a natural preference for those of one's race, correct?

[Corrupt]

harj, no, because lower class whites aren't so intelligent and don't require intelligence or worldly knowledge in another to consider him good company. The point is, when those of another race are as close to whites as possible, in speech, mannerism, upbringing etc, whites still prefer other whites over them.

In your case, I think you've just seen there's a better way and that way is not the way of your kind. That you might prefer the company of whites doesn't speak against this, since that is likey the result of the rare insight you have had into the white man's world. Were you to hang around me, however, one who doesn't hesitate to make his displeasure at non-white company subtly known, I suspect you wouldn't think so kindly of whites.

[Empress Cheesatine]

Cultural racism as distinct from 'racialism' or supposed 'scientific racism'. In Australia, and NZ dare I say it, when there is 'racism' it is nearly always cultural racism. Examples include, 'when they come to our country they need to learn our ways and speak English' etc. Racialists on the other hand will not accept certain foreigners even if they acquiesced to the cultural norms of the host nation, because culture and language are not the primary indicators of race.

In other words the left has made a moral issue out of people who migrate somewhere and refuse to get off their asses and learn the language and laws. Of course I assume this is a one-way street as I would never expect someone on the left to condemn places like Saudi as cultural racists for expecting visitors to observe local customs such as the hijab or having restrictive and discriminatory immigration laws.

:rolleyes: