Wow. It's really sad that this is a lose-lose situation for both the citizens and the immigrants of these countries. Also, it is strange that most immigrants are either thieves or drug dealers, yet they are able to afford expensive cars. In the US, most drug dealers make little money and live with their parents, despite some stereotypes.
There is so much chaos in Europe, and though immigrants came their to escape the ills of their native countries, they should behave as gracious guests so that Europeans would feel inclined to respect them better.

I agree with S. Rice, it is a terrible situation that it is a lose-lose, for the people of this country and the immigrants because it just makes it that much harder for the country and that much more stressful for the people living in Europe. I feel that the drug dealers are making money and able to drive expensive cars because of the connections and underground operations they are running. There are underground operations all over the world and even in the U.S but the security is not as high and it is easier for drugs to travel all around europe to countless countries creating a system that has so many people involved and that is why they are able to drive fancy cars and live lavish lifestyles. It is a stereotype that most foreigners are "rude" and this is a why people feel inclined to give them attitude or feel like they do not need to give them the same respect. If you are a immigrant coming to live in a foreign country you should respect the people of that country and they should treat you the same way. In today's society people take things very personally and has become a lot about pride and not backing down. If people would respect each other and show no matter where a person is from they will give the same respect as their next door neighbor.

Prejudice exists all over the world and I don't think it is going to stop anytime soon unfortunately. This is a great example of how prejudice begins, people from another country may move, migrate to another nation offing the locals of the existing jobs. I think we need to look as to why this is happening and whose fault it is in the first place. Is the government at fault for not providing a proper environment, therefore increasing the likes of people leaving the country for another country. Or is it the people's right to want to leave their country for another place that provides more for them and themselves. It will just be a revolving cycle through the course of the future because I just don't see away for situations and people to change. It will be interesting to see what can be done to help mediate both sides in Spain and if anything will change.

i wonder if american citizens realize that the US is not the only country that feels threatened and "ifultrated" by different immigrants. most have fears of losing jobs or being outnumbered.. these sort of fears and issues are happening all over the world and because of extreme prejudice and racism the situation can get more and more dangerous as the problem of immigration goes on. most jump to the conclusion that those who migrate are useless or criminals or that they are they to recieve a free ride, although undocumented immigrants are illegal they are doing what anyone would do when they have no choice, they are loooking elsewhere for opportunity to support families live out dreams or perhaps live in a better place. the issues begin with the judgement and hatred towards them. although there are many issues with illegal immigration most actual citisens of the country go tofar.

This article shows that the US is not the only country dealing with immigration issues. We are so focused on the issues that are directly associated with our locality and tend to ignore that there are others going through similar situations. At least most people are more civil to one another when it comes to the topic. True not in every county or city is it the same, but at least people are more respectful than those that were stated in the article. It amazes me that people can be so prejudice and seriously take stereotypes.

The article shows that more countries than just the United States have issues about immigration. We tend to not notice immigration problems in other countries that are similar to our own because our primary concern is with the people in this country. It seems like the prejudice harms both sides with no great benefits. Immigrants who enter the country to find work are treated badly by those living there while the government has to spend time and resources trying to stop immigrants, often with little success. But before dealing with immigration itself, people like those in Spain need to recognize the stereotypes of immigrants as false instead of universally applied.

I also agree with Matt and Sharina, and also Tavish. I think that Europe is having a very hard time politically. They are unsure what to do and political ideals are very split between parties. In America, immigration is a very hot topic, but I wasn't really aware until I read this how big the debate is in European countries as well. I think that part of the problem may be that Europe isn't exactly the "melting pot" that America has always been. Usually, the Italians live in Italy, the French in France, the Greeks in Greece, etc. I think that Europe and Europeans aren't exactly sure how to take or deal with this wave of immigration.
My grandparents are Greek, but grew up in a Greek colony in Italy. It seems strange, but they faced a lot of prejudice even there. They were stereotyped as "typical Greeks". There is obviously a huge lack of respect. While immigration brings various issues for the country and political leaders to debate, it also does bring good things. America and Europe both have to figure out how to deal with immigration so that the immigrants and the natives are being treated fairly.

I dislike seeing this intermingling of politics and xenophobia. These politicians are using the people's anger to gain votes for themselves. They don't want to solve this immigrant problem. It's more like they want to simply get rid of it without any sort of compromise. Even without the political aspect, the level of xenophobia is unacceptable. Quite frankly, I am disgusted by such behavior from these people. I hope that they can learn to come to a more reasonable compromise.

I actually visited Barcelona this summer and I have to say that from my experience, the immigration problem in Spain is much different than the US. I witnessed two attempted muggings firsthand in one day (one attempt to steal from my uncle), and was told many times to wear a purse with zippers and keep it in front of me at all times. People, and especially women, are constantly on edge and in fear of being mugged. Even coming from a community with a high immigrant population, I had never experienced such blatant lawbreaking and negligence on the part of the police before. I think that the main difference between immigration in the US and immigration in Europe is the demographics of the immigrants who come. In the US, immigrants come because they have no other choice and are very willing, if not desperate, to work hard to make a living. In Spain, from my experience, many of the immigrants were either Romanian gypsies or Moroccans, who were not necessarily moving to Spain in order to try to make a better life for themselves, and whose culture conflicts greatly with that of Spain (in the case of the gypsies, a culture of thievery). I think that the situation in Europe is much more delicate because the immigrants who are coming are not helping to stimulate society. It is easy to understand why there is such xenophobia when many see that all the immigrants do is steal and get away with it. While this is definitely not the case for all immigrants, something needs to be done in order to maintain security. I do not agree that xenophobia is acceptable, but it is easy to understand why it exists having experienced it firsthand.

I think that it is interesting that we are not the only country in the world that does not have an illegal immigrant problem. I think that it is important that most of the countries in Europe should create immigration laws in their country so they can protect the well being and security of their people. Because of no internal borders in Europe, I think that it would make it harder to kick people out for illegal immigration but the countries need to provide its people with security. It is sad to see that most illegal immigrants in Barcelona are actually selling drugs and committing crime at a astonishing rate and not much is being done.

In my opinion, no one can have a better look on the issue than someone who has actually experienced it. According to that, I have to agree with Bethany. It is my understanding that immigration is very different between the U.S. and Europe. Most, not all, immigrants come here to make a better life for themselves, and it seems to not be the case in parts of Europe, but, here in the United States, illegal immigration is the problem, not immigration. America is about being the "melting pot," America is supposed to be filled with people of different nationalities and cultures. As Bethany explained, Europe is not used to this idea nor accepts this idea.

It's pretty sad how racists are now coming into power because of the great increase in immigration. I'm not sure if the immigrants that are really there are rich drug-dealers and thieves but it seems like the whole country is getting torn in half. Like S. Rice was saying, it is a lose-lose situation unless the people come together and push their differences aside. Wishful thinking but the leader needs to be strong enough to make this happen so the tension isn’t so great and maybe even enforce some laws to prevent crime might help the situation.

My interest here is not with so much with the events in this article, but rather how they relate domestically. Xenophobia is far from new to our world, and immigration is only on the rise in times of economic weakness. According to the article, Spanish candidates are using prejudice and racism in order to win an election by using the fears of the Spanish population of Islamic immigration. This fear is spread throughout much of Western Europe, as the article mentions.
In America, this same Xenophobia is being used o sway the opinions of constituents. Already, the republican primary debates are featuring such discussions of 'electrified fences' on the Mexican boarder -never the Canadian boarder. To say that the immigration issue, especially when the pro-wall conservatives claim it is for security purposes, is not racist is a lie. When the discussion centers around security, all to easily the Canadian boarder and oceanic boarders are fully ignored. This specific fear of Mexican 'delusion' of American culture pulls at the heartstrings of ignorant, heartland of America voters.
My great-grandparents immigrated through Ellis Island during the Italian immigration of the early 20th century. So too then, racism and hatred of immigrants was all too common. It would not surprise me at all if during the Great depression, politicians in New York used Italians as a scapegoat for economic hardship.

Ultimately, this is not a new situation. It is sad and pathetic, and the only way to fix it is to educate people about race and ethnicity - though a fully diverse (not colorblind) society is many decades (if not centuries) away.

Its interesting to see the differences between the ideals of immigration and emigration. Where here anything associated with immigration is often predisposed towards being viewed negative and illegal. As in Europe its very closed walls for moving there as well and more frivolous in the means of dealing with that sort of criminal intent as in bedded as the illegal underground of Barcelona. Its something that upon entering the region its nearly impossible to up root since the system there is much more foregoing of allowing passage country to country simply in comparison to the American system. America rises to be the melting pot where then the system is abused and often very hard on both illegal systems of thought and then assuming any for of immigration is related to the illegal policies. As in Europe the guilt is already there and is more difficult to up root the ideal of something possibly being better since the systems of violence and crime are not as regulated in the terms of gaining footing in nations compared to the united states so then they are able to run more rampant in classifying people abroad and people coming here. Its a good intent to be thinking of safeguards but certain ones are either too far and stressed to heavily in the public eye or need be instated and better enforced for the system and the people to go about in a consensus

might i also add to my comments already made from an apolitical standpoint, in taking into consideration the standings of the economy, there need be an aligning agreement of how to regulate the polices, fund and instate them and look at the probable cause of the output to be generated from those allowed in the nation. Where there seems to be a lot of social uproar at the notion of free loaders taking on benefits without producing, there has to be the best median and best allocation of the needs of the system at the time if need be changes for social and economical upheaval. The policy and the way it is enacted must adhere to the needs of the system so that it can continue to provide the best of the two sides of a government system in the future and people need be understanding that how they feel won't matter in the end if the results are not produced. If food cannot be made for all to live happily in a nation, then rallying to say something about those circumstances goes to waste. Think of it in a college acceptance sense. They monazite the feelings after knowing that the measurable and marketable properties are met. and that is why they play the accepted or non accepted card. Sure those guidelines are subject to debate one way or another, but the point remains.

Obviously racism and xenophobia exist and are at times exacerbated by politicians and agendas. However, not everyone that has concerns about immigration, be it illegal or otherwise, both here and in Europe, are racist xenophobes and they may have legitimate reasons for concern. As Bethany said above, when immigrants are causing disturbances due to lack of respect for their new home and its cohabitants then it does not become a matter of race but rather of preserving an environment. The gypsies for example have earned the prejudice that they face due to their behavior not just because they are Romanian.

Why is it that it is shameful to have an interest in preserving ones native culture? It seems that established citizens of a nation are the only group not allowed to preserve their culture and identity. The same people are derided for pointing out the lack of respect for a different culture that often comes from immigrants while the immigrants are free to behave however they are accustomed. I think that having a mix of races and cultures is enriching and beautiful on a global scale as well as local. Ideally people of different race and tradition would be able to function respectfully together while still defending their heritage. If I moved to Germany I would still be proud of my American citizenship and heritage but I would make an effort to know the language and custom of my new home. Why is it that all of Europe is supposed to bend over and let Muslim Immigrants live and behave however they want with no respect to the culture of the respective European nations? I don't blame those in Europe who are harboring racist sentiments. Wouldn't we all feel a bit threatened if we perceived that our way of life was threatened? Despite that I of course don't condone violent and derisive behavior. I'm just trying to point out that a lot of people that would have been otherwise capable and happy living alongside a different race can be pushed to harbor resentment for real reasons and not just the color of the others skin.

When reading an article like this it eye opening to see how much more we as a world have to overcome prejudice and racism. Yes, the civil rights movement and integration has America making great strides, as seen by a few years ago with the Mexican immigration protests and the law in Arizona, we have not come as far as we would like to think. This article shows that the rest of the world is not as evolved in this matter as we would like to believe. Especially with the current terrorist acts that have occurred in the past decade it has only made tension worse between countries. It also seems that these xenophobic issues have crept into policy whether or not we want to admit it or not. The last presidential election, Obama becoming President and he was the first black president in America. Containing immigration has been a topic addressed in policy debates for candidates in the past decade. And racial profiling happens even if we admit it or not, especially in regards to TSA regulations. It's appalling to think about how far we have to come to overcome this worldwide epidemic of xenophobia.

Why is xenophobia even a fear? Why are people scared of foreigners or strangers? Knowing that racism and prejudice still exsits, i was not surprise as to how relevant it is. However, I was surprise that it was so overt in other countries. I thought America was the only counry that had those values. Being scared that immmigrants will take jobs is ludacris. How about another citizen taking jobs. How do we know an immigrant took our job. This reminds me off some statements that high school senoirs make when they get denied to a certain university of their choice. Some will say, well, I did not get in because a minority took my place. I did no get in because of affirmative action. I did not get in because these Latinos are the ones taking up the space. Why can't we say we did not get in because someone who was more qualified took m spot? How do we even know that the person who took our spot was a minority, or an immigrant? It is the mindset of people all over the world. Blame it on progress and process. I do agree with Mike that in America, xenophobia is a mechanism to persuade opinions. When Herman Cain mentioned the electric fence idea, that is a fear of immigrants(it was also ignorant and inconsiderable). Everything or anyone in power has something to do with race. If we say it does not, it is a lie or we are simply unaware. Color-blind is nonexistant. that is why there are discusions and policies to keep Latinos out and build a bigger wall, but we hear nothing about Canada, like Mike said.

I agree with Mark in that politicians should not be encouraging the type of behavior present in this place. They are inciting anger and using it for political gains. The anger is not benefiting anyone. This is exactly like a powder keg of the Balkans. Politicians need to figure out a peaceful means to calming the storm faced in the country. In situations like there, I often wonder (like Magen) if America is aware how much violence and adversity and racism there is in other parts of the world. In response to Felecia's statement, I don't think it would be right to question phobias of any kind. Because many people have phobias that don't have a rationale behind it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I think the overall fear in any of the citizens when it comes to xenophobia is a fear of change. There is also the resounding fact that many of the immigrants are wealthier than the current residents. The story in the beginning of the passage about the couple who are frustrated at their economic standing reminds me of the the Occupy Wallstreet agenda. They are frustrated at the system, they don't have a cure or a solution, but the animosity is there with politicians egging them on.

It is surprising to see that we are not the only country facing immigration problems, but more surprisingly the fact that it is a worse situation in other countries. Xenophobia is in everyone. It is natural to feel fear and to judge people by the way they look. Our judgment on others determines who we look for to make friends, who we feel comfortable being around and who we trust or don’t trust. Culture has an enormous effect on the way people view other people. People tend to have a mentality of seeking refuge among those that make them feel secure. For example, the United States has a large cultural diversity, but we don’t see all these cultures intermixing. Cities with large cultural diversities are divided among cultures. Cultures don’t intermix, providing a save net for individuals to feel secure from the threat that outsiders might represent. This is the reason that leads me to believe that people have a tendency to feel insecure or threaten in the presence of outsiders or other cultures. I believe that no matter where you are in the world, there is always someone that has something against you because of your race and culture. There will always be someone stereotyping you because of what you look like. If people don’t change the way they look at other people, we will always have the fear that other cultures are going to harm us.

Being Mexican myself, I have experienced racism first hand. Personally I think it is really sad seeing people generalize about one culture or background. Just because one person from a certain background has done something wrong or unjust, does not mean everyone from the specific background is the same. This type of general mentality towards others does not help any country- instead it only further creates division amongst the people living there. The worst part is that people don't hesitate one bit to point out the negatives of a certain person from a specific background, but they do absolutely nothing to try and change it in any way possible. Perhaps these people only appear to be rude or undisciplined because they have grown up in a society as such. But how can they improve at this if they are not at least given advice on how to change their wrong doings? It's just like if someone complains about the president, but then they never vote/voted. They have no right to complain then.

Did anyway else see a parallel to Hitler and Germany? Citizens in a country down on their luck, blaming it on another race, another culture, immigrants. This Anglada is trying to unite the country through hate. Although unity is important in a country and hate can be a very effective way of uniting people, it is not a good way, as we have seen through the Holocaust. Maybe I'm the only one who drew this parallel but it's a scary thought, that we might have another "cleansing" on our hands. One group of people trying to erase another race from "their" country.

It is not at all surprising to see this type of "fear" of anyone who is believed to be different; an outsider. It wasn't until this past Spring semester, while studying abroad in Argentina that I realized that immigration is an issue on a global scale. Similar to this situation Spain is facing, in South America people from Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru immigrate to Argentina in hopes of seeking a better lifestyle, and Argentines developed a hatred towards these "dark complexioned" individuals who they believed bring crime to their country. The concept that amazes me isn't necessarily in terms of immigration (although that is an important key factor) but how even in our modern society we still hold such ignorant ideological views and how those same views are validated by those in political power. We see those who use the surface reasoning such as race in the immigration situation. Should we focus on the governments who cannot successfully help their citizens maintain a humanly lifestyle in which basic necessity are readily available? To what extend should a government be responsible for pushing its citizens to find the needs they are being deprived of in neighboring countries? Should those countries experiencing a high influx of immigrates created blame to those who are immigrating illegally or the politicians in power who are not serving their citizens? So why is race and ethnicity the common response, argument against, and reasoning for control of immigration, when the act itself, independent of all other factors, is the one we need to re-evaluate.

Living in America, where immigration has been a huge phenomenon for centuries, it is easy to forget that other countries experience new immigration as well. California in particular, as well as other states bordering Mexico, experience the most immigration and therefor the most political focus on how to handle illegals in the country; whether they are severely hurting the economic standing of U.S. citizens or contributing by taking jobs that many Americans would not preferably fill. ""In times of crises”, he continues, “the only governments that survive are the ones that best manage fear. But the future is not built out of fear, but out of hope." This part of the article particularly stood out to me because of the harsh reality of countries who are struggling to keep peace among immigrants and long-time citizens. It's sad to me that immigrants who are moving in hopes of a better, safer life for themselves and their families are mixed in with those who are taking advantage of the systems in place. Will there ever be a clear way to decipher?

Prejudice exists almost anywhere in the world. Ending the trend is merely impossible because it has been continuous for so long. However as a nation that believes and stands for natural rights, it is necessary for citizens to cast these prejudices aside. It is difficult because xenophobia is so natural, however it is no excuse for disregarding the immigrant problem. It is troublesome to see the intermingling of politics and xenophobia. Immigration has become a word that is associated with negativity. It is not always bad the issues and troubles that come along with it must be addressed so that no longer those who are immigrants are not put into a “lose-lose” situation.

This article shows that the United States isn’t the only place that experiences issues with illegal immigrants. In the US many people have the xenophobia fear, that the immigrants from Mexico are taking over all of our jobs. The real problem Americans have is the mechanism in what the operate by. They believe things are granted to them and they are just going to be handed to them in a silver platter because they are American Citizens. Instead of having the mechanism of going out to get what they and work hard for what they want. But as soon as what they want is taken away from them by someone else especially someone of a different ethnicity they are quick to pull the race/ immigration card and blame them for their troubles of not being able to receive or doing something. Whereas the immigrants take being in the United States as a big opportunity to seek for any job they can to help them survive and become successful. In the article it was mentioned that how most immigrants where thieves and drug dealers with nice cars and accessories. It may seem that it is unfair that they are getting money though but they are just trying to find any way they can to survive and stealing and drug dealing is the best and quickest way for them to get money

I agree with Valencia, because before reading this article, I admit that I believed that illegal immigration is only prominent in the United States. While this issue may be greater for the United States than other countries, seeing that Spain, among others, has to deal with the same problem of illegal immigration shows that it is a worldwide problem. The citizens of Spain and the United States actually have a similar hatred for the Muslim community (in general of course) in Spain for illegal immigration, and in the United States more along the lines of radical martyr groups. However, the views of illegal immigrants in California and Spain have a few interesting similarities. The stereotypical illegal immigrant in the US is a hispanic, and in Spain, it is a Muslim, yet, we both feel (at least I think some Californians do) as if these groups are drug dealers, law breakers, and all they do is perform undocumented work and reproduce. While this may or may not be true, it is the view of many citizens of both California and Spain. Illegal immigrants around the world no matter their ethnicity seem to have the same or similar stereotypical views being placed upon them.

"...There’s no coexistence here. People just put up with each other."

Xenophobia - fear of strangers. Here best interpreted as a fear and intolerance of strangers. People like a sense of polis and a sense of community in their lives. Humanity seeks out feelings of belonging above all other internal necessities. So in a place where there is "no coexistance" and people "put up with each other," no wonder things seem bleak. It's hard to live alongside people you cannot stand, and perhaps you don't even know why you cannot stand them, but that only makes it more complicated. The only hope for change and coexistence is communication and compassion. It is needed not only here where the article takes place, but across the world.

“I’m not a radical”, he interrupts me, “but just the people’s megaphone. The country is tired of political correctness”.

Political correctness can be exhausting. Especially when stereotypes and generalizations come to life before our eyes, confirming their essential truth over and over again. Certain people are always richer, smarter, and better off than the others. Certain people are always troublemakers, riotmakers, and problems. In my own life, I always pause on how I should refer to African American people in my sociology essays. Is it OK to call them black or is it offensive? It doesn't help that "political correctness" is additionally subject to your personal culture and community. When the right way and the proper way doesn't make itself self-evident, we are much more inclined to just give up.

“In times of crises”, he continues, “the only governments that survive are the ones that best manage fear.

This is the coolest quote I've seen in a long time. And it's 100% true. Look at the US during the Depression. Finominal change and rebirth and hope came with the New Deal reforms of FDR's presidency. He created hope out of thin air and managed the fear and distress of a choking depression in what has come to be the greatest power in the world today: the US of A. Managing fear doesn't even begin to cover it. He conquered fear and eliminated it through careful and superficially radical, but effectively sound policy making. Fear can be as great of a choke-hold as the literal economic depression that causes it. Whether fear of strangers or fear of failure or fear of the unknown, it does come down to the government to combat fear and shape a society that can work together. No one, not even FDR, can fix everything on their own. If there was ever a time to stand united, it is now.

I find it saddening that in Spain there is such a problem with prejudiced natives against immigrants who are really only there in search of a better life and hope for the future. I also find it interesting that we can draw so many parallels to California's current situation. We have a vast amount of immigrants here of Hispanic descent, and in many ways these people are prejudiced against because they're illegals (or at least are presumed to be), taking resources and jobs from our country, etc. And many of them, especially in run-down areas in which the cops commonly deport people, are treated similarly to those in Spain. It's somewhat disappointing that we have such deeply ingrained issues with strangers. But at the same time, can we really blame the Spanish natives? Many of the immigrants are of Muslim descent, and the Spanish aren't unaware of the attacks upon the US and parts of Europe by Muslim extremists. They're scared, and their fear is fully justified. Who knows what these people believe, what they've been through, what they value? Language barriers also come into play here as well, because there is really no way to communicate with the immigrants unless you know their native language, which is highly uncommon in a European nation. Not only are there cultural and language barriers, but also many barriers in terms of ideas that it's almost impossible to break through.

I agree with previous statements that immigration is part of other countries other than the U.S. The racism and overall discrimination towards immigrants and native citizens. No one benefits from any form of discrimination. People are trying to live out their lives and making a better life for their children. But let's look at the detrimental effects of discrimination for these children. How do you explain xenophobia to a child when they relate phobia to being afraid of heights or spiders? It's almost sickening that people don't embrace new cultures and people into their lives and countries. We should be a world united by our differences, not torn apart by them. Prejudice should never be used to benefit anyone, especially political canidates running for office.

The opening of this article speaks of the immigrants as thieves and drug dealers, and how the population around them is threatened they will be raped by them. In my opinion, this stereotype of immigrants is valid for any city, not just Barcelona. When someone recognizes a person walking their way of another descent, something that doesn't look like the actual "native" country-born citizen, these thoughts of theft, rape, drugs, any other negativity run through their heads. It's a stereotype that society has developed, and unfortunately is one that has traveled across the world.

The Spanish government and local groups should take responsibility for programs that allow immigrants to integrate into their communities. Even groups of immigrants who have been in a community for some time can have programs to help teach new immigrants that there are options other than crime for building a new life. Locals who are willing to help immigrants assimilate should reach out to them as well.

How you see others of your own in-group act has a huge effect on how you will act. Both the immigrant population and the government is at fault here. First of all, the government is allowing for illegal immigration, but secondly, it is not allowing immigrants, even legal ones, to become productive members of society.

Discourse between Spanish and Moroccan officials could encourage policies in Morocco that discourage illegal immigration.

This is a sad situation which is very like europe during the great depression where nations rather than finding a solution to the economic problems they were facing became extremely nationalistic and turned on outsiders proclaiming their problems are solely from outside influences. We can only hope that this xenophobic message is limited to the minority and we don't see a repeat of the past.