Thread by @Swizec

When Americans don’t understand how Europians can have such strong feelings about ethnicity when “everyone looks the same”

lol amateurs

Racism in Europe is such a tricky topic *because* it's hard to draw a line.

Are Spanish people brown? Of course not
They became brown by creating Mexico ... waitaminute 🤔

Greeks are white yes?
Are Turks white?
Gets tricky because of the christian-muslim divide

I think most people would say Turkey is white.

Okay what about Syria? It's parallel to Cyprus on the map. Is Cyprus white?

What about North Africa in general. Especially Algiers, Tunis, Morocco, etc. White or brown? 🤨

Those Muslim vs. Christian grudges are very old. Going back thousands of years. And we Europeans have long memories.

It gets even trickier when you realize most nation states are younger than America.

The trend started with French Revolution in 1700's.

Germany? Unified in 1871
France? Became a country in 1792
Spain? Got a constitution in 1812
Italy? Unified in 1861
etc.

Before that it was all about regional identity for the peasants and royal bloodlines for the aristocracy.

And *those* grudges are very fresh.

Try asking a Spaniard about Catalonia or a Serbian about Kosovo. I dare you :D

Go to London and ask about their feelings towards Polish immigrants ...

Now back to muslim vs. christian – observe the culture and you'll notice that muslim folk are largely considered brown and christian backgrounds are white.

Nothing to do with skin color.

I don't have a point here, just finding it interesting how Americans over-index on skin color. Humans have always excelled at defining Us vs. Them.

Don't believe me? Ask an Irish catholic how they feel about protestants.

Or for a more radical example of “but you all look the same, what’s the problem”

Ask a Taiwanese person if they’re Chinese
Or a Ukranian if they’re Russian

you might not make it out alive 😉