Interesting editorial on race issues in Europe vs. America

[skooooo]

This confirms what I've always thought as one of the big differences between the US and much of the rest of the world. We're not perfect as far as race relations, but we've made some progress...



-------
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/11/opinion/edlet.php

Race in Europe; Seeing America; Too little, too late


Race in Europe

Regarding "A 'West Side Story' set in northeast Paris" (Letter from Europe, July 9) by Celestine Bohlen: Racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia are rearing their heads in Europe for a variety of reasons.

Mainstream political parties and leaders are playing the race and xenophobic cards for political gain. In Britain, Labour's myopic pandering to xenophobic prejudice resulted in its loss in recent local elections. And while campaigning to win the French presidential elections last year, Nicolas Sarkozy stole Jean-Marie Le Pen's anti-immigrant rhetoric.

What a contrast to the United States, which congratulates itself on being a nation of immigrants. Could that be one reason why the U.S. has does better than European countries in making loyal citizens out of its immigrants?

Last year, a Eurobarometer report revealed that discrimination exists in every EU member state. That is possible because it is politically and socially acceptable to discriminate on racial or religious grounds. Ordinary courtesy - let alone tolerance - is missing from the hype and propaganda that fog the political and social channels.