[abrp]

dont ask questions you dont want to know the answer to.

[necessarily benevolent]

Condemning stereotypes by stereotyping. LOL.

[FyreFight]

(Original post by illy123)
Racism is a mix of stupidity and ignorance.

I think the problem is the latter; those countries are not exposed to foreigners as much as the West is due to immigration so they haven't had a chance to learn that we are all the same.

Don't be silly - we're doubtlessly not all the same. It doesn't mean that anyone should be treated differently for their skin colour, though.

[Shadowplay]

Because there are only a handful of black people in Eastern Europe. And because they didn't have slaves and never got the chance to get used to them, like the British.

[thunder_chunky]

Some Eastern European football fans can be pretty bad at times.

[domino0806]

Warsaw is becoming rather multicultural actually. If you go to the country I suppose the people there are narrow minded and overly religious. It is quite ironic seeing that Poland was one of the most liberal and multicultural countries in Europe in before the 19th century.

[tomo2000]

The racism in Poland is to do with the country being almost completely homogenous (96% being Polish). Nearly all foreign minorities were expelled from Poland after the war by the Russians. So racism is fairly widespread due to people simply not being brought up alongside other racial minorities. The most widespread thing that ive seen in Poland is the fact that people tend to stop and stare at people who look a little bit different than themselves.

[Trouser Snake]

simple, because it's less multi cultural. Just don't get started on homosexuality in one of them countries.

[Rule Britannia]

I think the question is phrased wrong. It would be smarter to ask why are western Europeans so tolerant - the answer is we have a colonial history. Russian colonial expansion was the subjection of neighbouring ethnic groups whilst British people have ruled and had close contact with "ethnics" for nearly 500 years.

If you visit many parts of the world, the Russian/Eastern European approach to foreigners tends to be the norm. It is the west that is exceptional in its tolerance.

[Tsukuyomi]

They lack education or basic common sense

[spartakist]

In Poland it's genuine curiosity I think, whereas there is a real fascism problem in Russia, esp. St P

[tomo2000]

(Original post by Tsukuyomi)
They lack education or basic common sense

Thats not really it, Britain and other imperial power have had black people integrated into their society for many many years and thus have adjusted accordingly. Look at the US in particular it wasn't so long ago that they had those horrendous lynchings and the KKK, it took them many many years to come close to even being civilised. In the big cities in Poland at least foreigners won't experience racism on a widespread scale.

Its simply not as simple as saying its down to one thing, it takes time.

[Sammydemon]

Don't go to Russia.

[mfm89]

Because they were behind a wall for 30 years?

[areusureaboutthat]

I recall reading an article in a newspaper which described the murder of a 9/10 year old mixed-race girl by a neo-nazi group. I was so shocked and disgusted that a group of grown men would attack and kill a defenceless and innocent young girl just because of the colour of her skin.

[Disco_Infern0]

(Original post by Tsukuyomi)
They lack education or basic common sense

Please tell me you are joking!


Anyway there are some problems in Bulgaria too but slowly it is being sorted out. The government are hoping to change attitudes. It's not all Eastern Europeans, not by a long shot.

I am half Bulgarian and I am not racist, nor are any of the Bulgarians, Hungarians, or Romanians I know.

[ajtiesto]

(Original post by areusureaboutthat)
I recall reading an article in a newspaper which described the murder of a 9/10 year old mixed-race girl by a neo-nazi group. I was so shocked and disgusted that a group of grown men would attack and kill a defenceless and innocent young girl just because of the colour of her skin.

Do you have the link? Sounds pretty disturbing.

I'm glad i'm not from that part of world, phew! I've rather die than be a racist.

[Elipsis]

Hopefully he realises that the UK isn't that bad now...

[ajtiesto]

UK seems to be getting worse. I think it is linked with the recession, unemployment and a rise in immigration.

[ogloom]

(Original post by thunder_chunky)
Some Eastern European football fans can be pretty bad at times.

in soviet russia, football plays you!