@sonia
insänt av Roger B i Schweiz forum
Well, what can I say other than I'm deeply sorry for your experience. Yes, there is racism and bigotry in Switzerland. There are people who judge others by the colour of their skin rather than the content of their character. Just keep on trying, don't be put off. I am convinced that there are fellow Swiss who are as open minded as possible and not at all as block headed as it might sometimes appear.
However, even if I understand your frustration, I think one has to consider the anxiety many Swiss feel about immigration topics. I've shared my point of view regarding this topic several times here with an aim to bring in the perspective of the "other side". To be blunt, I'd consider myself to be an outright sceptic when it comes to immigration.
The story you've just shared with us, that a landlord expressed relief that he could rent his flat out to a Swiss is not surprising to me at all. After all, we had a net-immigration of 360'000 people from 2005 - 2009 (official statistics), extending that to the year 2000 would reveal a total net-immigration of 575'000 people from 2000 - 2009. And that has to be put in relation to a population of roughly 5.5 to 6 million Swiss citizens. In other words, from 2005 - 2009 a complete city of St.Gallen has immigrated into Switzerland and that makes one really wonder whether such levels are sane & sustainable. To put the pedal to the metal, consider that most of this immigration did not just neatly spread itself over all of Switzerland. Most of this immigration happened to urban centers like Zurich, Basel & Geneva (understandably so, who wants to live in the remotest possible valley in central Switzerland), further adding pressure on already strained public infrustructure, rental fee levels and naturally heightening tensions between native & foreign born population.
Anectodal evidence to this state of "hyper-tension" is the housing (rental) market. Ever seen what happens when a landlord is making a public exhibition (Wohnungsbesichtigung) for an appartment in the City of Zurich? You can bet on queue's going from your doorstep on the 3rd floor, down the staircase to the appartment builduing's entrance and possibly even beyond (dozens over dozens of applicants). And yes, you can bet on a significantly large proportion of applicants being immigrants from neighbouring countries. Naturally, that is what causes a whole lot of anxiety, second thoughts and feelings that the pace is just not sustainable. To be very frank, in situations like these, I can understand a certain sense of nativism on the landlord's part. For me, it's quite clear that a 300'000+ immigration over 4 years ain't sustainable nor sane.
My personal take on it is the following: This is Switzerland. We should be open to the world, flexible in granting visa's and "green card's" when there's a need for it. We should be tolerant and cherish the liberties a liberal democracy bestows on its people. However, we shouldn't allow "no-strings-attached, no control" immigration to take place (sth we currently have with the EU). Last but not least, we should not forget that we are Swiss, we're not a confederacy of cosmopolitan internationalists. We should not forget that as a society, we should aspire to do things in a sustainable, long term thinking way that will ensure that our children have a better future in front of them.
Andra svar
- Making friends in Switzerland
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- thanks juan
- EN la sierra de Guadarrama.
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- Sobre mi zona.
- Friends in Switzerland
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- Switzerland a land of racism, descrimination and stupidity
- About the Swiss
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- lonesome
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- Bitte echli MITdenke!!!
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- Just flicking through these posts
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- Thanks for your posts Steven and Dino
- About Switzerland
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- now im really angry how swiss are and behave
- you are right jim
- Maybe Zurich is different to Bern?
- hola celia zurich es diferente hi celia zurich is diferent
- celia have you tried to meet people out of your laboral area
- People from work and not from work
- zuri is very diferent,but people are also closed
- Welcome to hell - welcome to Switzerland?
- nothing to add to claudios comment
- When in Switzerland...
- Switzerland is no Mexico
- Move to another country!
- What's the matter
- To Andy
- Come on...
- What?
- Miscegenation
- alright
- Your own theories are based on emotions and not on facts!
- reply
- if you arnt swiss, you arnt good enough
- i need help.
- To Mark
- canuck
- @ mark
- canuck
- Sorry
- The Swiss and their friends
- hi
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- to Faiz
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- @ Faiz
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- @ Faiz
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- ouch
- Schwiitzertüütsch
- @ Roger and Daniel
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- Swiss Friends
- @ Canuck
- Can't realy agree
- You're right
- the "kantönligeist"
- @ roger
- german speaker
- Can't agree
- thanks
- no problem
- thanks
- becose they dont want new people or diferent people
- attn. Brian Taylor
- Dear Brian Taylor
- Swiss people are....
- fellow canuck
- hoi!
- :
- good to hear your story
- new in switzerland!!
- hi
- hi back
- the Swiss are very racist . They hate everybody including themeselves
- Yeah..whatever
- Swiss people are boring
- About Switzerland
- @ Jim
- Na, can't do other than disagree
- about switzerland
- Goodevening Maria and Everyone,
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- @ alexander, roger and just in general
- Fear of foreigners is one of the reasons...
- A piece of news from World Radio Switzerland
- Switzerland & Racism
- why ???
- To Roger B with respect
- back with respect
- Difficult to integrate with this kind of campains
- I understand but it's a free democracy
- Free democracy promoting racist and xenophobic campains aginst foreigners
- half the country?
- The authorities have to be blamed for their inaction
- of course part of the problem are the authorities
- @ Roger
- a question for roger
- Swiss racism is to blame for everything
- racism in Switzerland
- Mr. Jackson be careful...
- Switzerland explained
- STOP IT
- Mr. Switzerland you be very careful
- Stop it
- To Jim Jakson
- hi
- bout carefulnes
- Foreigners more than ever considered to be criminals!!!
- Na, if you think it's the way you describe, you have not understood the initiative
- This is an ugly racist and xenophobic agenda
- We pet a lost dog, so lets send a smile to the stranger...
- Racisim big time in Switzerland as usual..
- racism in Switzerland
- Here is a good one foe you again from a "foreign" friend in Switzearland
- let's stop about this racisme shit?!
- n
- Check what Human rights web site says about racism in Switzerland
- get the point guys
- hi
- thanks
- racism in Switzerland
- I understand you
- hi dear flo regina
- sorry to hear that
- Even for a swiss guy it's not easy to make friends in Switzerland
- re
- re
- the same
- Yes, it is VERY hard to find friends in this country!!!
- to live in Switzerland
- LOOKING FOR GOLD DEALERS URGENT
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- Dear Karim
- ok
- I need help
- my opinion
- Seriously?
- Open your heart
- :-O
- MSC STUDENT INQUIRY
- Its really easy to make friends
- Oh yeah?
- great, li lu
- Blaming Swiss
- Riiiight
- Hi
- hello
- Dear Nikko Z.
- O yes!
- Really?
- What to do with a problem named Mariaaaaaa?
- Lmao
- Hello
- Time
- Agrees
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- Friends and other things
- PS, forgot to say one last thing...
- Looking for friends
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- Tonight ????
- Swiss people are haters
- @sonia
- Yeah, right.
- Seldom had such a good laugh...
- I am Spanish
- Not totally hard to find a friends...
- Y ppl not serious in friendhsip from switzerland
- do not agree
- not easy for us
- sei
- still existing the comunity college in Zurich
- The best thing about Switzerland is to leave it!!!
- oh
- For one who said "The best thing about Switzerland is to leave it!"
- Hie
- I don't understand....
- reply to Davor and others
- Its Right!!!
- you can't have one without the other?????
- sidenote
- so stupid jokes
- Get a grip.
- Seriously??
- swiss
- Friends
- Answers?
- Sorry
- you may try a course to make Swiss friends
- racism in Switzerland a concern?
- person who's good ,nice and simple, can find good friends everywhere...
- Swiss direct democracy leads the world
- Whaaat???
- Big time Racism in Switzerland
- Jim, are you OCD?
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- Switzerland vs US
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- .
- Friendliness Requirement
- agirlin..
- no obligation to be friendly
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- Are Swiss racist?
- Very true...
- about CH
- MAN I SPENT MY LAST CENT TO BUY YOU A DRINK
- Friends
- Always hard to make new friends
- hmm
- not multicultural
- It is hard everywhere
- I agree but....!
- hey...
- We can meet
- Since 1 year
- Hi
- This one goes to canuck s
- Suche nette Leute weiblich und männlich um zusammen was zu unternehmen
- From the outside
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland??
- Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland?? (40)
- From the outside
- If this thread is so popular since 2008...
- Well they aren't that unfriendly
- Its just another peace of land
- "hosting in Egyptian Home" welcome to hosting in our Egyptian Home in Egypt ..f
- Swiss
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- Making friends in Switzerland