Have You Experienced Prejudice Or Racism In Argentina?

[sleslie23]

It's funny to read "white" Argentines explaining to us all how those terms aren't racist, but "endearing" and that they are part of "our" culture.

The people whose opinions would matter to me would be the Paraguayans, Bolivians, Peruvians, etc. who have to be subjected to them. My guess is they won't find them quite as "endearing" and "inoffensive" as bajo and matias seem to think.

This thread reminds me of a cab ride I had a several years ago a few days after returning to Buenos Aires from Spain. The driver was going on and on about how Peruvian immigrants were destroying the country, causing crime, taking jobs, etc. The irony was I had heard the same speech from a Spanish cab driver two days earlier, who said the same thing about Argentines.

 

[kemer84]

Well,

Since in Spain live no more than 90.000 Argentines (and counting down since everybody is returning) and in Argentina live more than 100.000 Spanish I think that cab driver have a massive inferiority complex.

And to be honest, I do not know why you write "white" in that way.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Am not sure that "Yanqui" is discriminative or prejudging (is that word correct?).

I wouldnt say Yanqui is used as endearment, but I wouldnt say the contrary either.

Per se, for me, is just descriptive.

I would say it all depends on context, and it can be very negative. Given that I'm of Scandinavian origins, I prefer vikingo.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Seen recently in Puerto Madryn: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=564510396966770&set=a.377503972334081.90337.299468063471006&type=1&theater

 

[camberiu]

The people whose opinions would matter to me would be the Paraguayans, Bolivians, Peruvians, etc. who have to be subjected to them.

You left Brazilians out.

 

[BradClark]

I've recieved no better or no worse then when I was an expat in any other country. I've broad shoulders and just shrug it off, I wont loose sleep over some random comment.

 

[Peony54]

I have definitely been called yanqui as a derogatory term, however more often than not Im called polaca o rusa but in those cases its very obvious it's being used strictly as a nickname or an easy way to catcall from across the street. Nevertheless I have seen first-hand most of these "nick-names" used derogatorily. To say there is no animosity towards different cultures/ethnicities here is pure BS. Not saying that everyone feels this way, but it does exist. Once went to a wedding where I was harassed all night by a friend's wife about the evil-doings of my country and the hate she displayed towards me was ridiculous. Some people just have a tough time differentiating the acts of a government or certain people between one race/origin. The mere fact that the phrase "(Insert ethnicity here) de mierda" exists proves my point.

 

[dennisr]

Yanquis
Wound too tight, too much testosterone. Kind of the nature of the beast sometimes.

 

[Gringoboy]

Being a Brit, pirate is a compliment.

 

[Matiasba]

My guess is they won't find them quite as "endearing" and "inoffensive" as bajo and matias seem to think.

Look, I was very careful when I wrote all these messages in this thread. I established differences with terms, which one was said with animosity, which one was racist, which one was offensive, which one was with endearment.
I was exxlaining it from an Argentine point of view. Theres no reason to feel offended if theres no intention.
The classic example is the term "negro" used with affect here. Theres no reason to feel ofended by that, once you know the intention, once you know the actual meaning of that term in this culture.

So if some people feel ofended by a term which does not have any offensive connotation, then it is thier problem. I dont think that particulary in the terms I mentioned people feel discriminated. Yes in the terms I put as racist. And YES we have a lot of discrimination towards Paraguayans, Bolivians and Peruvians. As I said before that exists, and a lot here, but also this society, argentine socciety, welcomed millions of poor immigrants in the last past years, they are far better than they were in their home country, thats why they still come and that number is increasing. They have health, education, DNI, social plans, no issue with residency. So Argentina is a country with open barriers to immigration, always been.
I said it many times but I repeat it: to be racist it has to have the intention, the superiority feeling. There are lots of terms that are with affect and thats what counts.