re: #381 ericblair

There seems to be a common perception among North Americans that, since much of Western Europe is far more progressive about income taxes, universal healthcare, and the like, it must be miles ahead of the US on race relations. A few conversations with some locals here would probably disabuse them of that.

West Germans have been living with and among foreigners for decades and are generally okay about it, even if they are not always a model of tolerance and acceptance.

Things look somewhat different in former East Germany, which only knew guest workers from Vietnam or Korea, and exchange students from other third-world countries, who generally lived in segregated housing and were sent home when their stay ended.