Do we argentine have a fame of being racist?

[Gonzalez]

Ok so I was having a conversation in a chat with some random people and I was surprised how much some people view argentine people as racists for some reason. This left me a bit distressed because I had no idea people saw us that way. At most I would have expected people not knowing anything about Argentina, since we are not that important, being basically a third world country, but not being actually known for being racists.

So, since NMA is very multicultural, having members from many nations, I thought I would ask here for some input. Do you really see us argentines as racists? If so, where does this comes from?

I mean, is it for the military dictatorship we had? And if so let me remind you that it was us who had to suffer it, not the rest of the world. What's worse, if anything the military dictatorship was in fact supported by foreign powers against our interests and in favor of their. Also I think we made a good example by, unlike many similar cases in other countries, trialing and putting in jail all those criminals by means of a democratic judiciary.

Is it because of all those the rumours that nazi scientist (some say Hitler even, being this the most ridiculous example of all) fled to Argentina? Cause that's rather a poor reason given most nazi scientist ended up either in the Soviet Union or in the United States. I do know some scientists were facilitated entry to our country by the government at the time but that being mostly for the same reasons the US and the USSR had. And even if so it was the choice of a government that made things in secret, it's not like the population had any say about it.

Are there other reasons? If so, which?

 

[Sub-Human]

I never thought Argentinians are racists. Perhaps this comes from the famous thought that Hitler escaped to Argentina, but I view that as a load of bull.

 

[aboniks]

Never really associated Argentina with racism.

I think of penguins, silver, the Falklands war, locro, and asado. And futbol.

Not racism though. But I'm from, the US, so I'm essentially ignorant when it comes to the cultural behavior of anyone who lives more than 1000 meters from me. Aside from money, violence, charismatic animals, food, and sports, of course; Americans know about that stuff.

 

[Moe Canibo]

It probably comes from the fact that Peron sympathized heavily with Hitler and the fact that many officers, personel, etc. DID flee to Argentina and where given refuge there.

Fun fact about that - The guy who was the fascist puppet-fuhrer in my country also fled to Argentina after WW2 and served as Peron's high ranking security advisor.

 

[Gonzalez]

It is no secret Peron sympathized with Hitler, but then again, so did Franco in Spain, and you don't hear people saying Spaniards are racists. So I can't see how that's enough reason.

 

[JohnnyEgo]

We self-centered Americans don't think of Argentina as racist.
In fact, we don't really think about Argentina.

In all seriousness, if you look hard enough at any nation, you will find some sub-culture that has a history of being discriminated against. Even places with a nearly homogenous cultural identity, people distinguish between mild variations in skin tone or ideology. I wouldn't get too up-tight about it. Do your best to represent your country on an individual level, be honest about its flaws, and you will sleep the sleep of the righteous.

 

[Atomkilla]

I've never associated Argentina with racism. Granted, as people have said already, in some far corner of my head there is perhaps a thought of Nazism, but it is quickly dumped.

My first thoughts of Argentina are mostly football related - Messi being the first thing to come up usually, and the colors of the national team.
Maradona is among the last

Also, Patagonia and its beauties (it's my childhood dream to visit that place), and, somewhat strange, but again childhood-related, Argentinosaurus.

On the other hand, I, for some prejudices which is not a product of my reasoning, sometimes relate it to cocaine, although I'm completely ignorant about Argentine's drug trafficking and problems related to it.

But racism? I was quite surprised after reading the thread's title. I always thought Argentina to be something of a multicultural nation (again, complete ignorance here, but it's a thought).
So a definitive no to racism.

 

[Gonzalez]

We self-centered Americans don't think of Argentina as racist.
In fact, we don't really think about Argentina.

I know! That's why I was not only surprised that they had an opinion about us, but mostly that the opinion, of all things, had to be that of us being racist. So it got me thinking that something was really wrong, that maybe we had a strong sinister reputation of racism I was unaware of.

On the other hand, I, for some prejudices which is not a product of my reasoning, sometimes relate it to cocaine, although I'm completely ignorant about Argentine's drug trafficking and problems related to it.

There is no cocaine production (that it's known of) in Argentina, that rather happens in countries north of here. We have no drug lords of any kind or any of that down here. But it is known that our country has been used as a transition point to smuggle drugs into Europe, since customs controls for people going there from here are probably less strict than say someone traveling from Colombia. Security forces such as Federal Police and Gendarmerie usually make a big bust now and then confiscating drugs and capturing bands (usually foreign), I guess they do their best to keep our country's reputation clean.

I always thought Argentina to be something of a multicultural nation (again, complete ignorance here, but it's a thought).

Yup, I would say we are multicultural. A mix of a lot of cultures indeed. We even have a large jew community, and was never persecuted by the government, not even during Peron's rule.

 

[popej]

Exocet missiles, steak and cheating at football!

Seriously though, I'd love to visit the place, especially Patagonia!

 

[aboniks]

I know! That's why I was not only surprised that they had an opinion about us, but mostly that the opinion, of all things, had to be that of us being racist. So it got me thinking that something was really wrong, that maybe we had a strong sinister reputation of racism I was unaware of.

Wait, these were Americans? On the internet? That sounds like they were trolling to me. I thought you meant they were people from a real country with standards of etiquette.

 

[Walpknut]

It is no secret Peron sympathized with Hitler, but then again, so did Franco in Spain, and you don't hear people saying Spaniards are racists.

Actually Spainrads are pretty racist, an Aunt was beat up by a bunch of skin heads while she was in Spain because of her accent, and even outside of that you try arguing with a guy from spain on the itnernet and the first thign he is gonna do most of the time is calling you "Sudaca", not all of them are like that but there are a lot of very vocal assholes like that.

 

[Sub-Human]

In Russia there's a skinhead on every corner beating up the former USSR Asian people, but that doesn't mean its racist. And a lot of Russians call these former USSR Asian people with an extremely offensive word.

There are really low-life, stupid, ignorant and illiterate representatives of every country (in Russia, I'd say that makes up little less than 40%).

 

[Walpknut]

I know, that's why I said that they are not all liek that, and it's mostly vocal assholes, but I was giving an example of how you can actually get the idea of them being pretty racist.

 

[Sub-Human]

I know, that's why I said that they are not all liek that, and it's mostly vocal assholes, but I was giving an example of how you can actually get the idea of them being pretty racist.

Oh. OK then.

 

[Makenshi]

I don't associate Argentina with racism at all. You guys totally make me think about silver medals, tho.

 

[Sabirah]

Personally I have met more racist Canadians than people from Argentina. Actually, now that I think about it I don't think I know any South Americans on the internet

 

[TorontoReign]

For some reason I think Nazi when I think of Argentina. Oh yeah I also think of Madonna. People are racist everywhere.

 

[TheGM]

As an American here are the things that pop in my head my head when I hear "Argentina".

1: Falklands War.

2: That awesome Newsweek cover about the Falklands war.

3: what the hell those guys thinking when they started the Falklands war?

3: Nazis.

4: Dictators....and lots of them.

5: That chick from the 40's but you can't quite remember her name but know Madonna liked to dress up as her or played her in a shitty movie about her.

6: People keep thinking they are Italians.

 

[JohnnyEgo]

As an American here are the things that pop in my head my head when I hear "Argentina".

1: Falklands War.

2: That awesome Newsweek cover about the Falklands war.

3: what the hell those guys thinking when they started the Falklands war?

3: Nazis.

4: Dictators....and lots of them.

5: That chick from the 40's but you can't quite remember her name but know Madonna liked to dress up as her or played her in a shitty movie about her.

6: People keep thinking they are Italians.

Totally nailed it. Although 2.a. should have been 'Harriers are really cool'.

 

[Gonzalez]

Given that the dictators that oppressed us were put here by foreign powers and trained to torture our citizens by the CIA I would rather say that rather than being something that define us the dictators are one more reason to resent central powers like USA and the UK.

And the "what were they thinking" is because you see them as some shitty stupid islands you don't care about and how dare these banana country people attack some shitty isolated part of our "territory" for no reason.

From our point of view it was, not only a piece of land, but also an important part of our culture and history, that was stolen from us a long time ago, and for countless years of trying to get them back trough diplomatic means the UK always assumed the position of "fuck off, we are Britain you stupid third world neanderthals, we occupy whatever territory we want and we don't have to justify ourselves for it, what are you going to do, attack us? Hahaha" Until one crazy guy that was running the country and wich, ironically enough, his reign of murder and torture was fully supported by the UK government decided, probably while being drunk as usual, to say "Yes, why not, I will attack".

Does that answers the question?