Living under White People

 

Germany-educated Mohamed Amjahid adds his testimony to the other informative accounts of what does it mean to be non-white in this country and abroad, like Alice Hasters, for instance. From the everyday encounters between him and the everyday residents of a village to the top management of the German media, the haughty attitude of superiority is widespread. The fact that the ´biodeutsche´ - those born and breed in Germany, with a white lineage - are mostly reluctant towards foreigners is not surprising and not news but the more it is outlined the better for raising awareness. It is a fact that should be acknowledged but even more than that: there should be a change - one day, some day, at a certain extent.

Sometimes, being labelled ´a good migrant´ or ´cool migrant´ (tooler Migrant, in German) may have its advantages, as giving a voice to the voiceless. Without those ´good migrants´ who stay aware of their identity and do not prefer to be trend followers, the story of hate, discrimination and narrow-mindness will never be heard.

This is important especially given the limited number of journalist with non-German background allowed to enter the ranks of the main media outlets. After all, isn´t it so cool to talk about diversity only from the position of generosity afforded by the priviledges of belonging to the majority? What about taking into consideration the real needs of real people who are experiencing every single day discrimination and everyday racism?

Importantly, Mohamed Amjahid sets his story into a wider European context - at the opposite ends of the European geography and history too, France and Hungary are faced with similar experiences. The ways in which the ethnic differences are internalised in Morocco, where his parents, once Gastarbeitern in Germany are currently living, outlines a much complex phenomenon that has to do with human perceptions and internalized stereotypes.

I only wish many many more such books that will keep alive the debate about (mis)treating non-white humans living in Germany. There is so much to share about and hopefully one day, voices of minorities living and contributing to the generous German wealth - think about all those IT experts and engineers invited to come to the country for their skills - will be heard strong enough to make more and more people aware of the need of a structural change of discourse and, on the long term, mentality.

About Racism, in Germany

I am glad that there are so many books taking frontally racism in Germany, especially the everyday racism. That kind of racism that people not born here and with a different skin colour and obvious religious observance has to deal with every day.

Alice Hasters´ Was weisse Menschen über Rassismus hören wollen aber wissen sollten (in my approximate translation What white people don´t want to hear about racism but should know about) is partly a personal memoir of a woman of colour born and living in Germany but partly is an overview of racism atittudes in the everyday life. Indeed, you don´t have to be a Nazi to be a racist. It´s enough to start with that question: Where are you coming from, originally? Or to address in a broken English a person with a non-German sounding name and a darken skin colour. 

´We are here, in Germany´, sounds the micro-agression in the Kita when one parent insists that pork is part of the German culture therefore he requests in a a kindergarten with a high diversity of children to introduce the aforementioned animal on the daily menu. That´s my experience that I will explain in detail on another occasion, maybe.  

The book is written in a very personal, authentic style creating an open dialogue with the reader. It´s a kind request to try changing the way of looking at people, considering more than their hair and their skin colour, but also taking into account historical perspectives and colonial burried past, acknowledged only in the last decade. It is also a request to reconsider critically not only the Enlightment period - which was far from being enligthened, as it revealed a system of thought that lead to racist mindsets, especially in scientific research - but also symbol thinkers and philosophers, like Kant and Hegel. 

Alice Hasters covers a lot of issues, from the family connections and relating to her white German grandparents and relatives, to school relationships, cultural appropriation and the wrongs of acting white. Through the examples, it serves very well as a kind of guide and orientation for white people helping them to stop being racist. As there is nothing like good racism anyway.

I had access to the book in audio format, in the reading of the author.

Another reliable source of information about what does it mean being a POC in Germany is the book by the journalist Marvin Oppong: Ewig anders. 

Rating: 5 stars