What does it take for you to consider someone your co-citizen in your country?
having iived in several countries, I understand your dilemma.
My viewpoint is that if you're living and behaving in a manner similar to everyone else, then you belong. It's not a matter of different customs, but of culture, as long as your integrating well, that's what matters, even if you're not completely assimilating. As long as your viewpoints are not antithetical to local norms, you're fine.
But, if you're standing out, not just by name/appearance/accent, but by attitude, then that's a different matter
note: there will always be people who will discriminate merely by name/appearance/accent. For those people, there's nothing you can do to remove the other-ness from yourself. Those are called racists/bigots/assholes
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this is what should make anyone a citizen of anywhere:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Family: Hominidae
Genus: Homo
Species: Homo Sapiens
if they can pass those requirements, they should be treated as any other.
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I guess I don't understand the question. Citizenship is a legal thing, granted by the country; cultural assimilation is not required. Maybe you're looking for a different word? In your case, the "You're not Italian" statement is not the same as "You're not an Italian citizen." I suspect if pressed they'd change the statement to, "you may be an Italian citizen, but you're not Italian."
Either way, I'm sorry for your situation and hopefully the vast majority of folks are more accepting.
[Edit: Oh, I'm from the US to answer your question.]
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I know it's not the best term but couldn't find anything better to express my taught. It's not a legal matter, rather what people feels
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Well, I don't really care for what nationality you are. If i like you, it will be because I like YOU. As a person. As a human being. Also, I do love to meet new people, get to know their cultures etc. Therefore, I have no problems with them keeping their culture/religion/whatever in my country. Sure, it is not defining WHO they actually are, but it plays a major role in their lives, so I'd say - leave it. I never cared for borders, politics and other crap of that sort, for it only limits your mind and logic.
I guess I would call a citizen anyone who got their citizenship, if it has to be so simplistic. The only thing that really pisses me off is when people's freakin' grandparents came to the country and that person still doesn't speak the language. I mean, I look at it as a common courtesy.
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Won't answer the poll because I don't believe in such a thing like citizenship - I believe it to be an artificial boundary that is holding us as a human race back. No matter what you believe it is, if it's something coming from DNA or coming from assimilating culture - both cases means that you distance you from those who either don't share said DNA or in your eyes didn't assimilate with culture enough. And while I don't see both of these equally harmful I see them both somewhat harmful anyway. Separating you from other people based on your nationality, citizenahip, relligion, race, sexual orientation, whatever is an utter bullshit imho.
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You are living a couple of centuries in the future my friend ;)
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Bump. There are some awesome answers in this thread, I'm learning a lot.
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I'm italian and I know many romanians (my city-zone has a little romanian community, studying russian I knew a lot of student from Romania and Moldavia, and had also a chance of working for a romanian woman, manager of a kebab restaurant), and I can say that surely our cultures are a lot different but still have many things in common. Tl;dr romanians in Italy are not a problem, the problem is racism (in italy is a great and actual problem). And, dear Fatality92, you ARE italian, don't be afraid of thinking or saying it.
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How is it racism when two groups of the same Caucasian race hate each other based on ethnicity?
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Maybe xenophobia is a better term but in italian common speaking we are used to give racism and xenophobia the same meaning
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I still think that italians (like me lol) are awesome people.
I just have this feeling that xenophobia has spread a lot lately
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After 75 years of multi-culturalism, people forget the damage that xenophobia and bigotry can do. As the european experiment is showing some flaws, people rail against the entire institution, and with it, the other-ness that it promoted.
Racism is on the rise, tribalism is on the rise, and I can only hope it doesn't get too bad before things start getting better
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Some time ago I commented on a thread sharing part of my story, and I noticed that the topic was very interesting for many so I'd like to open the discussion to a wider range of audience, and also understand how ways of thinking change according to countries.
Long story short: I was born in Romania and lived there for 9 years, then I moved to Italy because my mother found a job here. I grown up in Italy, went to school and university in Italy, have italian friends and cook italian food BUT I don't have a italian name, so every time I have to give explanations about it, and so sometimes people change their behaviour towards me.
Most o the time it's simple distrust, like when I went to a friend's home and he told me that his parents spent half an hour to hide their belongings and jewelry when they knew I was coming. A couple of times it came to open statements like "you will never be italian", "your people are all violents and thiefs", "you should go home to where you came from".
The very most people here are not like this, I have lots of friends and know lots of awesome people so I will never blame the population for these episodes. But still they happened, and became more frequent in the last years with the arrival of immigrants on our coasts. If I'd had to say what I feel to be, I'd say italian for sure because it's the only culture I know and have, but lately I started to question myself "will I ever be fully accepted in this society or my name will be an obstacle for my lifetime?".
I've made a poll and I'd like you to share your opinion, and if possible, to say where are you from.
I've also added 10 sweet giveaways for you:
6y7rq
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