I generalize, yes, but nothing wrong with that. You gan't get a decent view when looking through a micro lense all of the time.
But this is the real problem.
It IS wrong to generalize. If you would stop doing that and see the criminals in your community purely as criminals instead of letting their skin color be an issue you wouldn't support an ideology that hurts a huge amount of people every day.
And it is a bit ironic that you talk about viewing things through a micro lense. I assume you do this as a point to me having an academic perspective, but by generalizing people you are the one looking through the micro lense. I'm trying to see the whole perspective.
So your garage has been broken by a white kid. Read my examples in my previous post and ask yourself: can I compare this?
No, it was meant as an ironic gesture. From the crime I have witnessed it has almost always been white people involved...just as you point out that I have a different perspective than me because I don't live in an area with a majority of immigrants I tried to point out that white people commit crime too.
This is where I start getting offended. If you think your arguments not backed up by experiences liike mine are going to change my mind, then you must be really simple.
I think it is wrong to base opinions about millions of people you don't know or have ever met from your own personal experiences, so we have different perspectives about who is simple I guess...
Using my examples and my argumens I'm not going to change your views either. That's why this is called a discussion, discussions rarely change peoples opinions, merely steer them into a different direction.
I don't agree. If you would convince me with arguments I would find believable I would probably change my view.
I have changed my political view a lot because of discussions with other people. I was right wing when I was younger, but I have moved more to the left wing every year now when I have started educating myself on a higher scale, and at the same time grown old enough to start having contacts with people from others parts of the town.
And don't tell me that because you're "educated" or whatever you may call it, that you're alway's right.
I'm not. That would be truly idiotic.
Besides, education has nothing to do with this.
Believe me, it has. Education is always important in issues like this.
Obviously I have learned much from having lectures about the problems between different ethical groups, about the historical background making people fear or dislike foreigners etc.
How can you ever hope to deny that such knowledge matters?
Now dojn't go telling me that because of your education you know better. Your university isn't my neigbourhood. Simple.
We have a different perspective here. As I said earlier, I don't think it is wise to use personal experiences with immigrants as a base for judging millions of people you haven't met.
If the discussion was about how life is to live in a community with a majority of immigrants you would know best, but the discussion is about racism in general and I actually think your personal experiences from your obviously bad neighbourhood serves as a handicap for you.
You seem too caught up in your every day problems to be able to see the larger perspective. It's like if you are pro war or not. If you had relatives who died in 11/9 you would probably have a lesser chance to make a good decision about supporting the war or not.
Which is OK as a discussion is merely an exchange of opinions. Both our views are different fro eachother and quite frankly, I think you're right. I won't change my views on the foreigners iI'm talking about since too much has happened. Too many bad experiences. Maybe I'm just unlucky, maybe this is the worst neighbouhood in Europe, maybe all "bad" foreigners live here, maybe... But still ones view on the world is based on the experiences one has and therefore can NOT be dismissed as stupid.
See what I wrote above.
I find it confusing about the part where you think I am right though...do you think that I'm right but stick to a false impression? That seems odd...
And saying you are stupid may be going to far, but it is uneducated.
I'm not saying that you are uneducated about everything, but when it comes to immigration problems you obviously aren't capable of seeing it in a larger perspective.
I wish you a lot of good experiences with foreigners, and damn. I wish you were right in this entire discussion, but I believe the future shall prove you wrong.
Thanks. But it won't matter if I have good or bad experiences with them.
I have allready had a lot of both good and bad experiences with foreigners, but I judge people on an individual level.
But we're already looking forward to move away from this damned place. Like all Dutchmen in this neighbourhood are doing, people with the same experiences and views as me. I hope to watch this neigbourhood turn into a ghetto from a distance instead of being in the middle of it.
I'm sure the foreigners stuck in your neighbourhood feel the same way...don't you?
And I'm sorry...but I will never respect racism.
Perhaps it is because the person I love more than anything else has a foreign background, or just based on my opinion of racism as unfair and evil, but I can't respect or accept racism.
It isn't even a matter of opinion...even if I would want to respect your view I wouldn't be able to.