Quote:
Originally Posted by Tribesman
The most obvious and the most telling explains why 2nd 3rd or 4th generation descendants of immigrants sometimes behave like they do.
Their parents fitted in, worked like hell, adapted to their new surroundings and tried to better themselves, but still got treated on a regular basis like excrement.
How on earth would someone expect a positive reaction from native born descendants of immigrants when they and their parents are still treated as dumb thieving foriegn scum by ignorant bigots who only deal in stupid meaningless stereotypes.
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A bit overblown. It's way more subtle, in reality.
I always had a problem with the argument that Islamic folks are incompatible with western values. That arguments gets blown out of the water by recognizing that the second generation of turkish immigrants actually did their best to integrate, and only parts of the latter generations went back to radicalization. Something must have happened there and I have a problem of blaming this development only on immigrants children. Integration always is a two way street, those that need to make the effort to integrate (Do not get me wrong, that requirement is there. Learning German and adopting the values is a precondition for integration)
and those that actually appreciate and honor that effort. Both is rather missing in many circles of German society today. What came first is a matter of debate, but cause and effect always is there.
It may also have to do with the fact that Germans showed a distinct lack of national pride in the past. That has changed profoundly the last 5 years or so, but that is too short a time span to make an impact to today's problems. Who wants to join a Nation that is defined by shame and self flagellation, after all?
And who do you want to blame for this problem? IMHO the issue is way more complex then ppl wish it to be, and lacks an
honest attempt to analyze and find solutions.
Then again, and given that the word "race" has had a big comeback lately even in German mainstream media I wonder how much of old attitudes just lay dormant under a big pile of PC. Germany certainly has not developed more enlightend over the last 2 decades. Maybe reunification brought back some viewpoints that were never addressed in the former East Germany. That may also have to do with the fact that especially eastern Germany, with the lowest numbers of immigrants in all of Germany, is the most xenophobic one as well. Odd, if you think about it, but the liberal and future orientated achievements of the old BRD is currently getting replaced by more general 30ies attitudes (before the Nazis came to power). That one most certainly has to do with reunification and a need to find common ground, and Weimar is the last time Germans in one country could be comfortable with themselves. This development is understandable and to be expected in such a situation, but is subtle and lacks active debate, it just happens without anybody really realizing. The huge and sudden burst of anti EU and Euro sentiments also point in that direction. Most of these attitudes are only superficially based on facts and objectivity, most is based on raw and unreflected emotions.
P.S. I just remembered another observation. In the company I worked for, I had a long debate with a guy of italian/polish background. He came to Germany at the age of 5, speaks perfect german, blonde hair, blue eyes, christian background, also lots of work ethics. At the age of 24 he already got into a meeting with Electronic Arts about a project he envisioned. He could be considered the perfect immigrant. Yet even he considers himself almost radically polish and wants to move back soon. Apparently he faced the same problems many turks experienced in their childhood, mockery for his background. This debate started a thought process that got me to today's conclusions. What folks experience in their childhood obviously has a profound effect on their world views in later ages and expecting them to behave rational would require to be rational oneself, first.