What is a African American friendly country? (how much, buy)

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by lapuraveritas

lol... i live in Germany and I think you a just a little of with the whole 70's thing ......

but everything is what you make it.....

I've heard that Germany is good for Black males. I was in the military and many of my fellow soldiers have all vouched for this, as the women there seem to like AA men there.

[Anders15]

Thank you very much for your replies!!

[ckhthankgod]

I've also heard that racism is "illegal" in Iceland and Barbados is one of the most literate countries in the world(5th in the world and is 90% of African descent).

[Babooshka]

Anders15, if you are going to take some time and observe, you will realize that most of us can be "racists" and ironically, the same racists can in their turn become the target of some sort of "racial discrimination". What I mean by that is that, no matter what it is said, most of us have the sad tendency to descriminate one another. If you are "black" in a white environment, the tendency, at least the first impact is that the whites will "look at you" differently and maybe will not accept you too well. The same happens the other way around: If you are "white" and end up in an environment of mostly "blacks" the same will happen. If you are "white" and end up in Asia, the same thing, if you are Asian in let's say Egypt, you would probably be treated a bit funny at least during initial times. And so on, and on and on. Conclusion, all races have the tendency to treat those different from them (looks, culture, etc.) different. Usually as if they are inferior, with less value than they have as people. Even if you are far more evolved than they are, technologically and literaly speaking, off course, for example, if Albert Einstein ended up in the middle of the Sahara desert and bumped onto a bunch of Nomades, they would probably treat him like an empty coconut shell...until they get to know him better and he be proved to be of value and deserved of respect and friendship. This is how I perceive the world and its people. My suggestion to you is: Be proud to be "black" and go anywhere you wish or have to go. Just remember, give each kind of people you encounter time and chance to get to know you, like you and accept you. Get involved with them, give something of yourself for that community, such as a bit of your time or talent. Go conquer the world, be happy, enjoy yourself even if others insist in seeing you differently. After all, life is only a brief passage in the Universe, why do we worry so much with each others differences anyway? Those who insist in doing so are unfortunately lost causes due to their ignorance and should be treated with pity, that's all!

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Babooshka

Anders15, if you are going to take some time and observe, you will realize that most of us can be "racists" and ironically, the same racists can in their turn become the target of some sort of "racial discrimination". What I mean by that is that, no matter what it is said, most of us have the sad tendency to descriminate one another. If you are "black" in a white environment, the tendency, at least the first impact is that the whites will "look at you" differently and maybe will not accept you too well. The same happens the other way around: If you are "white" and end up in an environment of mostly "blacks" the same will happen. If you are "white" and end up in Asia, the same thing, if you are Asian in let's say Egypt, you would probably be treated a bit funny at least during initial times. And so on, and on and on. Conclusion, all races have the tendency to treat those different from them (looks, culture, etc.) different. Usually as if they are inferior, with less value than they have as people. Even if you are far more evolved than they are, technologically and literaly speaking, off course, for example, if Albert Einstein ended up in the middle of the Sahara desert and bumped onto a bunch of Nomades, they would probably treat him like an empty coconut shell...until they get to know him better and he be proved to be of value and deserved of respect and friendship. This is how I perceive the world and its people. My suggestion to you is: Be proud to be "black" and go anywhere you wish or have to go. Just remember, give each kind of people you encounter time and chance to get to know you, like you and accept you. Get involved with them, give something of yourself for that community, such as a bit of your time or talent. Go conquer the world, be happy, enjoy yourself even if others insist in seeing you differently. After all, life is only a brief passage in the Universe, why do we worry so much with each others differences anyway? Those who insist in doing so are unfortunately lost causes due to their ignorance and should be treated with pity, that's all!

True. I'm a white guy who has lived for about ten/eleven years mostly in Asia and a bit in South America and Europe.

I do NOT find Asia to be a racist place...however, I've met TONS of white westeners living in Japan, Korea, etc. who constantly CONSTANTLY complain about the racist Koreans, the racist Japanese, on and on.

I really think that ANY time you have a minority person among a majority, you will ALWAYS have people of the minority saying all things are racial.

I lived in Korea for about 7 years...and over and over, saw many situations where the foreigners are seeing an event as racist, where I'm always giving the 'benefit of the doubt' to the situation - i.e. maybe the restaurant owners actually do have to close at that time, or whatever the case is - or that the foreigner might have had the same incident happen if he were Korean just the same, etc. on and on.

Anyways, I wouldn't even post this on a Korea expat forum, as I'd quickly be called an 'apologist' for rationalizing Korean behavior, when most whites would QUICKLY just write off 'all Koreans are racist' type of statements. (I see the same with anti Japan sentiment on these threads, where people say 'all Japanese are racist'. I'm white and live in Japan, and it isn't my experience whatsoever, however most whites or non-Japanese who are familiar about Japan, would quickly say they are racist and case closed on the issue.

The one thing I've quickly come to realize is that in most situations where a person is of the minority, they often perceive the actions of the majority to be racist actions.

While there ARE people who seem to function just fine in these minority type situations (I personally love being the minority - even when I lived in NYC - I detested the 'hip white neighborhoods'). However, for other people, they feel it is more essential to be in places where they are the majority.

So, I really think, that if a person perceives racism, and doesn't want to see it, then they are better off being a majority of the race in their community, city, or chosen country. If on the other hand, they are okay with differences, and the majority people being aware of those differences and occassionally commenting on them from time to time (that's what I've always dealt with as a minority white in Asia for years), then you're a bit able to handle it more.

[US-Traveller]

I believe that African-Americans do best in Canada and the United States. Many other nations aren't used to African-Americans.

[Teak]

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

I believe that African-Americans do best in Canada and the United States. Many other nations aren't used to African-Americans.

If they live in Canada would they be African Canadian or African American Canadian?

[Thomas R.]

I believe Canada considers itself "American" as it is in the Americas. Although I think I have heard the term "Black Canadian."

[jja100]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I've also heard that racism is "illegal" in Iceland and Barbados is one of the most literate countries in the world(5th in the world and is 90% of African descent).

Yeah... try assimilating in Iceland whether you are black or not. Official language is Icelandic and it is not the easiest to learn. 93% of the population is Icelandic and 6% is white with Poles being the biggest ethnic minority and I hear that they treat the Poles pretty badly and exploit them for labour. Iceland is most likely the whitest country on Earth today and are very traditionalist when it comes to their ethnicity, language, and naming system which is still Old Norse. Racism is illegal in most civilised countries of the world but that has nothing to do with whether or not a population will react to a black individual without prejudice.

The US is probably the best place for a black person to live. I never heard of a non-African country that has a black President/Prime Minister/Chancellor other than the US. The richest woman in the US and possibly the world is Oprah. The US is the only non-class based country that exists in the world today. But if you plan to go to school to experience a different culture than most people recommend Europe.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by jja100

The US is probably the best place for a black person to live. I never heard of a non-African country that has a black President/Prime Minister/Chancellor other than the US. The richest woman in the US and possibly the world is Oprah. The US is the only non-class based country that exists in the world today. But if you plan to go to school to experience a different culture than most people recommend Europe.

I would have to agree.

Plus it is one of the reasons I recommend Japan. The Japanese are a bit obsessed about American culture. While that use to be Elvis and Mickey Mouse...and later morphed to Rock-n-Roll and whatever else.

These days, American culture is all about Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and on and on and on and on. From my experience, many Japanese girls who seem to want the 'real deal', gravitate towards Africans (who are in abundance here in Japan - I seldom meet African-Americans here). Oddly the Africans (from Africa) generally try to portray they are actually from America...and wearing basketball jerseys or hip-hop culture type stuff. Tons of Africans actualy open up hip-hop clothing stores in Japan as well.

Places like Canada are probably being recommended here because there are few blacks in general. But I certainly don't expect anytime in the next century or two (and even still then I don't) for Canada to be producing Opray Winfreys, Barack Obamas, and on and on.

I don't expect that in Japan either...but I could see a black person becoming a celebrity in Japan if they knew some Japanese. Maybe some are, I don't know, I do know of a minor celebrity who is a DJ though.

Actually over in Korea, there is an African-American woman who is a bit of a celebrity on TV. I think the show is called 'talking with foreigners' or something like that. She's fluent in Korean, so it's basically what catipulted her into being a mini-celebrity like that.