<p>The origin and reasons of existing racism in any country is undoubtedly interesting topic for discussion. I just can’t stand assertions like this:
“Racism is huge problem in Russia… I travel for business and meet racists there all the time, and my friend meets Russian racists when travels, and friend of my friend does…”</p>
<p>klotto…you put quotes around the above assertion, but on quick skim, I can’t find the person who actually said that. </p>
<p>You ‘can’t stand’ this sentiment…but what I can’t stand is someone who co-ops an issue and says no one else could possibly know what they are talking about. First hand experiences of those, other than you, who have lived in Russia or who have traveled to Russia are relevant and should not be dismissed by you or anyone else. The OP is sharing an actual experience or observation about what seems to be a large problem at his or her school. No person here is stating that Russia or Eastern Europe is the only place on this earth that needs to work on race relations. But what is going on there, as these fledgling democracies are evolving, and how it affects us here IS an interesting and dynamic topic worthy of discussion. </p>
<p>Honestly, I read more of the old Soviet vs. US defensiveness in your posts than anywhere else on this thread. No need for that.</p>
<h2>“Why not to get rid of it in your country and then care about others?” “Why not analyze your own culture…?”</h2>
<p>I believe the OP is addressing culture and racism that has been imported and IS in OUR country. I see you are in San Francisco…can we assume this country is also YOUR country? </p>
<p>Honestly…my pet peeve? I’m all for immigration (ask anyone here 
) and feel strongly immigrants are an important and vital part of American culture and economics. But I get a little annoyed when Americans say “WELCOME!” and people from other countries accept that invitation and come to reap the rewards uniquely found in America…yet continue to hold themselves separate.
‘Them vs. Us’ indeed.</p>
<p>People immigrate to many countries and the first thing they do is hunker down, find folks similar to themselves and go about the process of living. There are more pockets of national tribes spread thin upon this globe than stars seen in an urban sky on a good night. I know some racist and tolerant Russians, Americans and Nigerians to name a few. I am always amazed with their stories, fears, and hopes. I agree with Cheers, education can make a big difference. It already has. For those of us who are immigrants may we learn to bless the country or our birth and wear it on our shoulders and offer homage and love to our new homes.</p>
<p>ldmom06, although I like America, and respect it, you can not assume that US is my country. I currently reside in San Francisco, but I am neither citizen nor permanent resident and have no intention to become one. </p>
<p>Sorry about quotation marks in post 21. It was a result of using punctuation rules of Russian language. They were used to show what kind of evidence many people use to support their point of view.</p>
<p>P.S. Is any point of view that differs from one of progressive Americans’ is considered to be old Soviet?</p>
<p>klotto - just here for a visit?</p>
<p>Just here to study.</p>
<p>Actually, studying is what I should do now, instead of spending the whole morning on endless debate.</p>
<p>Good luck everyone in discussing (or correcting) shortcoming of other nations.</p>
<p>aaah…good for you. Hope you learn from first hand experience self analysis and self criticism are very American attributes. No need to tell us our own faults; here we practically embrace them in an attempt to repair them. In that spirit, recognize that a discussion of flaws found in other societies is not considered personal insult, nor is the purpose to hold out America as somehow better than everyone else. It’s just that hypercritical thing we do…</p>
<p>I am curious, OP, what is your own culture?</p>
<p>I think one thing that happens with recent immigrants is that they are less aware of what is and isn’t acceptable to say. I had a painter from an Eastern European country (can’t remember which one) tell me that I lived on a nice street, but there were too many N----s living on it. I was shocked, but I don’t think he realized what an awful thing he was saying. I’m sure there are plenty of Americans who would have thought the same thing, but they certainly never would have said it.</p>
<p>I am Russian. I was born in Russia, raised by Russian parents, was part of the Russian educational system, and had Russian friends before coming to the U.S. I have lived in the U.S. for almost 8 years.
I do honestly feel that racism is present in the Russian culture and in the hearts and minds of the Russian people in the way that it isn’t present in American society. I come from what is considered to be an educated family, but my relatives have made comments about various groups of people that I will never dare to repeat. I remember my Russian teachers freely using the “n” word in the classroom to describe someone who’s black and interracial marriage is taboo in Russian society. As someone said before, Russians are very quick to pick up on stereotypes and feel it’s necessary to group people according to those stereotypes; they become very surprised when they meet a person of a certain race who doesn’t fit their stereotype, which is racist to me. The racism I found in American society is much less frequent and much more hidden, but is generally of the same nature (isn’t all racism the same, anyway?).
Re-reading my post, I feel that I’ve never generalized so much, but it’s the first time I don’t regret it. I do feel that Russian society has a problem with racism that should be addressed, but it is a problem that will probably take generations to fix.</p>
<p>To be honest, I’ve never had a teacher use the N word. In Russian language the word used to describe a person of African descent is “negr” ( pronounced nyegr) . The word doesn’t carry any negative connotation. To call somebody “black” is considered derogatory though. Interracial marriage is not exactly taboo, but VERY uncommon, partly because there are not too many people of a different races living in the country( foreign students mostly) .</p>
<p>Parabella -
As far as I am concerned, the word negr is a translation of the English word (guess which one!) and is just as derogatory. Just like in English, there are other Russian words, few of which have the same racist undertone, that could be used to describe black people.</p>
<p>You would be wrong. 
You may encounter this word in Russian and Soviet literature without any negative connotation( famous quote from Mayakovskiy comes to mind ) .</p>
<p>Interesting. Honestly, I do a sport that has a heavy eastern European following so I have had Russian coaches and currently Ukranian. I live in a very racially diverse area. We have never had any problems or perceived racial tension. I don’t know much beyond that, that’s just my experience. </p>
<p>As far as comments, there is a story that a very famous Romanian coach who defected to America a couple of decades earlier tells. He was working on a dock or something somewhere and his employer used, shall we say, colorful language. He didn’t really grasp english, but was trying to learn, and he assumed when his employer used the phrase “son of a -----” it was a term of endearment. So he makes enough money to get a little established and gets a job coaching in America, and his first day when the kids did a good job he was using that phrase. Seriously, until someone explained to him what it meant. An immigrant might not necessarily understand the very loaded connotations of certain words.</p>
<p>I think there have been some moves away from using ‘negr’ now, simply because people are more aware of how the similar sounding word is used in other countries. But in the past, it was not seen as an offensive word at all in Russia, it was regarded as a descriptive scientific word which avoided the far more offensive descriptions based on skin color.</p>
<p>Klotto, are you asian? you confused me…you said that you were Ukrainian.</p>
<p>Anyways, I happen to be Asian and I have noticed in my high school that Russian immigrants (or 2nd generation children of Russian immigrants) do tend to treat non-white people very horribly. Once I remember a situation where a (visibly) hispanic girl dropped her wallet while fumbling through it in the couselor’s office. The Russian girl did not see me as she was sitting in the corner, and seeing that nobody was looking, did not bother to tell the girl that she dropped her wallet, possible becuase she did not look white. I know it wasn’t becuase she wanted the money, since she herself did not pick up the wallet.</p>
<p>I know that is just one case, but when you see it over and over again (There are quite a few Russian immigrants in my school) you start to think if it’s the individual or the culture. I have seen racist images (making fun of asians by pulling their eyes up, adding a banana to a picture they took with a black classmate) on their myspaces. These girls and guys seem to group people into two categories: white and non-white, and then treat them accordingly. (often overtly, too). I have also read very ignorant posts on CC, of all places where russian international students thought it was crazy that universities weren’t 100% white. </p>
<p>I am not saying that all russians are like this, it’s just that I have seen incidences of racism from immigrants of all ethnic groups, and nothing was as overt as the ones from Russians. Of course, I have met quite a few russians who aren’t like this, but more likely than not that is what I see. </p>
<p>Honestly, I am not trying to say so and so is bad. I just want to open up a dialogue. I think this is a very strange situation.</p>
<p>The thing is racism in Russia…is in Russia. BUT when Russians Immigrate to the US, they bring this racism over here without giving it a second thought.
that’s what’s so sad.</p>
<p>“Klotto-why worry about the situation in Russian/Ukraine? Get rid of it in america first”</p>
<p>It doesn’t help to get rid of it in america when there are people coming to America only to bring it here.</p>
<p>I have no problem with immigrants, just racist ones.</p>
<p>tli83,</p>
<p>that’s exactly what I ment.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how you can possibly infer that the Russian girl didn’t mention the other girl dropped her wallet for racist reasons. The fact that the two people involved were of different races doesn’t make it an inherently racist incident. There’s a world of difference between making racially offensive gestures and images, and not telling someone they dropped their wallet.</p>