Bassim
VIP Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2008
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Bosnian
- Home Country
- Bosnia Herzegovina
- Current Location
- Sweden
Please, would you proofread my text.
When one hears the word racism, one thinks about abusive behaviour towards members of another race, or the belief that one race is superior over the other. This kind of racism is easy to uncover because it is obvious, cruel and inhuman. But how to describe the hidden racism, which is not visible, but which is likewise harmful like the first mentioned.
Let us now see how that hidden racism functions in Sweden, in the country which prides itself to be one of the best and most equal in the world.
We can imagine a young man in his twenties who came to Sweden as a refugee as a child, together with his family. He is too young to remember his homeland and the only knowledge he has about it is through the stories he has heard from his parents.
In his new homeland, he learns fast and he is one of the best students in his class. He studies hard at university and he succeeds to obtain his PhD degree. He is overjoyed and his family proud of him.
Then after some weeks, the young man tries to find a job. He believes that companies all around the country will fight against each other to employ him. He sends his applications to some of them and soon experiences his first disappointment. They are not interested in him. They do not even grant him an interview. They do not care that his marks are highest possible, that he is full of knowledge, enthusiasm and energy.
The young man is still an optimist. He sends his applications to twenty, thirty, forty different companies. And he receives the same answer.
He is so desperate and sad that he becomes depressive. He would rather be dead than walk the streets jobless and idle.
And who knows what would have happened to the young man if he had not met another immigrant who explained to him the reason for his failure. He simply has the wrong name! If he ever wants to find a job, he has to change his Muslim name into a Swedish one.
At the beginning, the young man does not want to believe him. But as time goes by, he understands that the man is right. So one day the young man goes to the Swedish Tax Agency, fills in some forms, and like by a trick of a magician he receives a Swedish name Andreas. He feels terrible. He has betrayed his own family, despite his parents giving him their full support.
The young man now sends his applications under his new name and lo and behold, everyone wants him. He is invited to dozens of interviews, managers are patting him friendly on his shoulder, they smile at him and treat him with expensive drinks and meals. The young man would rather smash their faces and spit at them, but he smiles too and talk friendly, because he knows that everyone in this country wears a mask.
Whenever I hear tourists praising Sweden and Swedes I think how lucky they are. They are here only on a short visit and they do know nothing about what is hidden behind the well-ordered society. Indeed, sometimes is better to be ignorant.
When one hears the word racism, one thinks about abusive behaviour towards members of another race, or the belief that one race is superior over the other. This kind of racism is easy to uncover because it is obvious, cruel and inhuman. But how to describe the hidden racism, which is not visible, but which is likewise harmful like the first mentioned.
Let us now see how that hidden racism functions in Sweden, in the country which prides itself to be one of the best and most equal in the world.
We can imagine a young man in his twenties who came to Sweden as a refugee as a child, together with his family. He is too young to remember his homeland and the only knowledge he has about it is through the stories he has heard from his parents.
In his new homeland, he learns fast and he is one of the best students in his class. He studies hard at university and he succeeds to obtain his PhD degree. He is overjoyed and his family proud of him.
Then after some weeks, the young man tries to find a job. He believes that companies all around the country will fight against each other to employ him. He sends his applications to some of them and soon experiences his first disappointment. They are not interested in him. They do not even grant him an interview. They do not care that his marks are highest possible, that he is full of knowledge, enthusiasm and energy.
The young man is still an optimist. He sends his applications to twenty, thirty, forty different companies. And he receives the same answer.
He is so desperate and sad that he becomes depressive. He would rather be dead than walk the streets jobless and idle.
And who knows what would have happened to the young man if he had not met another immigrant who explained to him the reason for his failure. He simply has the wrong name! If he ever wants to find a job, he has to change his Muslim name into a Swedish one.
At the beginning, the young man does not want to believe him. But as time goes by, he understands that the man is right. So one day the young man goes to the Swedish Tax Agency, fills in some forms, and like by a trick of a magician he receives a Swedish name Andreas. He feels terrible. He has betrayed his own family, despite his parents giving him their full support.
The young man now sends his applications under his new name and lo and behold, everyone wants him. He is invited to dozens of interviews, managers are patting him friendly on his shoulder, they smile at him and treat him with expensive drinks and meals. The young man would rather smash their faces and spit at them, but he smiles too and talk friendly, because he knows that everyone in this country wears a mask.
Whenever I hear tourists praising Sweden and Swedes I think how lucky they are. They are here only on a short visit and they do know nothing about what is hidden behind the well-ordered society. Indeed, sometimes is better to be ignorant.