I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

UG, as you know, bigots only require ignorance in order to hate a race or group of people. The answer is, they often can hate a group of people without ever having met them.

Biggots, What Percentage Of A People Have To Fit The Racist Steroeotypes, in order to hate every member of the group?

Your question is flawed - It is wrong to look for a rational reason for Bigotry it does not exist.

Bigots hold their views based on preconceived ideas and their own emotional response to those ideas - Nothing at all to do with the behaviour or attributes of the people they direct their bigotry against and everything to do with their own internal, intellectual and emotional problems.

UG .. I hate all Americans just because of you!

actually I try to avoid bigots at all cost.

Anti-Israeli backpacker sentiment is just another form of anti-semitism. There are also so many people opposed to their government that they take their feelings out on these young people who have nothing to do with making their government policies or the requirement to serve in their army. Yes, there are some rude and cheap ones just as there are some rude and cheap Italians. When people see this behavior from Jews, they make racist conclusions. Otherwise, they think those are just some rude dudes. No surprise that Israelis buy your books. In the US the biggest per capita book buyers are Jews first, gays second. BTW, my last trip to CM I did notice the huge numbers of Israelis. I didn't notice bad behavior from even one of them, meaning nothing of course, but there it is. As the Israelis in CM are mostly young. fit, and attractive, they also add a certain sophistication to an already lovely city.

Do you mean like how a majority of Thais hate westeners for any reason they can think of?

Do you mean like how a majority of Thais hate westeners for any reason they can think of?

There's a good example of a bigotted view.

It has no basis in fact, but is a view which the barky presumably holds to be true based on some other criteria - Prejudice? Emotion? etc.

Do you mean like how a majority of Thais hate westeners for any reason they can think of?

There's a good example of a bigotted view.

It has no basis in fact, but is a view which the barky presumably holds to be true based on some other criteria - Prejudice? Emotion? etc.

No based on obsevation, and real life experiences, based on from my perspective, fact. I have many, many examples.

So you don't accept anyone else's experience's of having many Thai friends who hold nothing against foreigners despite the complete lack of respect many foreigners have for the local population and their country (like you for example).

Lots of Biggots abound in the land of smiles, I for one try to give them a WIDE berth

Do you mean like how a majority of Thais hate westeners for any reason they can think of?

Do you mean the majority of Thais hate YOU? Have you considered using listerine?

I cant be bothered arguing.

People usually become racist because of things they have seen or experienced.Calling a racist 'ignorant' is usually pretty far off the mark and wrong.

I think bigotry often comes from fear and sometimes it has originated from a real sense of injustice. An example of this would be Northern Ireland where both sides fear the motives of the other community. Both communities have legitimate complaints but these escalated into complete fear and mistrust of one another. Merely calling one side or the other bigots doesn't seem to solve much unless you are willing to tackle the cause of the bigotry in the first place. To say this it is not about external conditions would be foolish.

Of course it is wrong to label a whole community as such and such, but it happens all the time. People see injustice and they associate members of that group as being part of the injustice. In a time when world leaders refer to an 'axis of evil' is it so surprising that citizens of many countries feel justified in labeling groups of people.

Human beings seem to have a natural need to have "an enemy." There may be something evolutionary about this tendency. Even in our great literature there always needs to be a fight, or struggle, between a protagonist and antagonist. That we define our lives in terms of conflict and struggle requires there to be an opponent.

Perhaps our bigotries and prejudices are like instinctive intellectual allergies- the environment doesn't have so many real enemies, so our system has to make up some fake ones. As every society across different time periods and different cultures seems to have some kind of prejudices, that seems to argue that they are characteristic human traits- unfortunately.

"S"

I honestly can't understand how someone can hate someone they don't know.

Bigotts are everywhere, im sure in Thailand alot of Thai dont like westerners without a real reason, but its also the same when Asians/blacks etc go to Western countries.

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

I encountered a horrible form of bigotry with one of my flatmates boyfriends once. He was fundamentalist Muslim and hated Israelis with a passion. I was shocked when he confessed to me that not only did he hate them, he would be willing to kill a male Israeli. When I asked why, he said they are reserve soldiers, and in Islam it is OK to kill a soldier in Jihad. I didn't bother arguing with this guy, he sounded too brainwashed. I moved out not long after as I couldn't stand being around this obnoxious guy.

The few Israelis I have met in real life are very nice, friendly people. Sure I wouldn't assume they are all like that, but it did leave a positive impression on me. Guess it works in the opposite way too.

"paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount"

I wonder why you unintentionally wrote that bit.

Could this not apply to all backpackers regardless of race?

You know,yes,there are certain cultures i find have less manners,and im not afraid to admit it,i see i presume young Arabic appearance males driving fast around Pattaya with no concern about others safety,now im presuming their arabic,they could be israeli for i know but they look middle eastern.

Im not sure why you mentioned about Israeli young people?

I see these young guys on rental motorbikes going fast over speed humps,speeding down sois and it does not give me a good impression of them.I thought they were from a Arabic background?

Being from Jewish background myself this is not their culture,its about having some bloody manners.

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

I encountered a horrible form of bigotry with one of my flatmates boyfriends once. He was fundamentalist Muslim and hated Israelis with a passion. I was shocked when he confessed to me that not only did he hate them, he would be willing to kill a male Israeli. When I asked why, he said they are reserve soldiers, and in Islam it is OK to kill a soldier in Jihad. I didn't bother arguing with this guy, he sounded too brainwashed. I moved out not long after as I couldn't stand being around this obnoxious guy.

The few Israelis I have met in real life are very nice, friendly people. Sure I wouldn't assume they are all like that, but it did leave a positive impression on me. Guess it works in the opposite way too.

That is pretty extreme.

But people generalise all the time and because of a few they hate them all, I have a pali and he hates jews with a passion also but not as much as the guy you know.

Just go to youtube and you see bigot comments all over the website, especially from the yanks. But thats life

There aren't many Israeli tourists in Pattaya. I live here and I can tell. Its hard to believe you can't usually tell the difference between young Israelis and young middle easterners (non-Israelis and also non-Arabs like Iranians).

"paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount"

I wonder why you unintentionally wrote that bit.

Could this not apply to all backpackers regardless of race?

BTW manners really are not universal, they depend on social norms.

Do you mean like how a majority of Thais hate westeners for any reason they can think of?

You are stereotyping the majority of Thai people on the few that you know.

Yet if that's how you feel, I can understand why you don't live in Thailand. If I felt that why, neither would I.

There aren't many Israeli tourists in Pattaya. I live here and I can tell. Its hard to believe you can't usually tell the difference between young Israelis and young middle easterners (non-Israelis and also non-Arabs like Iranians).

I have trouble telling the difference between Italians, spanish, sth americans and arabs. They all look the same to me

I agree with the original poster that Israeli's are just like any other group. Ten years ago, of course, there were many obnoxious Israeli's running about disrespecting the Thai people ad nauseum. Now, thanks to George Bush fighting their wars for them, they've been reduced to a level of humility that goes with the territory. There are positive consequences to the horrible Israeli-Muslim war being waged currently in Iraq and other places. George Bush has inadvertantly brought a lot of humility to American, and apparently, Israeli arrogance.

There aren't many Israeli tourists in Pattaya. I live here and I can tell. Its hard to believe you can't usually tell the difference between young Israelis and young middle easterners (non-Israelis and also non-Arabs like Iranians).

I have trouble telling the difference between Italians, spanish, sth americans and arabs. They all look the same to me

There are many optical shops in town.

"paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount"

I wonder why you unintentionally wrote that bit.

Could this not apply to all backpackers regardless of race?

There was nothing "unintentional" about it. I was demonstrating that this group did not fit the racial stereotypes of Israeli travelers.

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

Your labelling them hippie backpackers isn't bigotry and stereotyping then? In all your years you have never encountered Israelis before to have formed a good impression? Is it because they were Jewish that you were surprised they didn't try to bargain down the price? You also seem surprised that they acted civily (isn't that more bigotry?), that then prompting this post to justify to yourself that you aren't really a bigot.

I'm not in fact suggesting you are a bigot at all but many comments could be seen that way by those who enjoy searching for PC. And surely those trying to categorise an offhand remark into a person being a bigot are in fact bigots themselves through their own predilection to stereotyping.

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

Your labelling them hippie backpackers isn't bigotry and stereotyping then? In all your years you have never encountered Israelis before to have formed a good impression? Is it because they were Jewish that you were surprised they didn't try to bargain down the price? You also seem surprised that they acted civily (isn't that more bigotry?), that then prompting this post to justify to yourself that you aren't really a bigot.

I'm not in fact suggesting you are a bigot at all but many comments could be seen that way by those who enjoy searching for PC. And surely those trying to categorise an offhand remark into a person being a bigot are in fact bigots themselves through their own predilection to stereotyping.

A slightly intelligent reader might realize that I am trying to point out that the stereotypes had no basis in fact.

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

To make a long story short, these guys were quiet and polite and ate fairly expensive food and paid for it without bargaining or asking for a discount. In short, they were perfectly pleasant customers.

What I wonder is, if a good many Israeli's are just regular, nice people like these, how come so many people feel that it is OK - almost fashionable - to hate the whole race and behave like they all act exactly the same?

Your labelling them hippie backpackers isn't bigotry and stereotyping then? In all your years you have never encountered Israelis before to have formed a good impression? Is it because they were Jewish that you were surprised they didn't try to bargain down the price? You also seem surprised that they acted civily (isn't that more bigotry?), that then prompting this post to justify to yourself that you aren't really a bigot.

I'm not in fact suggesting you are a bigot at all but many comments could be seen that way by those who enjoy searching for PC. And surely those trying to categorise an offhand remark into a person being a bigot are in fact bigots themselves through their own predilection to stereotyping.

A slightly intelligent reader might realize that I am trying to point out that the stereotypes had no basis in fact.

Please forgive my lack of a robust intellect, my dad says its genetic maladaptation, whatever that means. As there are probably others here also sufferring with a lesser IQ than yourself, it is just as well you have clarified the suble nuances of your original post into something we can now comprehend.

By the way, f you reread my comment you may see that I wasn't having a go at you at all.

I was just eating lunch in a freind's pleasant, air-con restaurant with no other customers. A group of 5 young Israeli men came in who looked like hippie backpackers and were of the age that they probably just got out of the Army.

I have seen all the hateful messages on the Internet about "loud, rude Israelis" and all the problems that they supposedly cause over and over again, so I thought that I would watch and see what happened.

I have a used book store and I have to say that in general they are a lot more well read and polite than customers from other countries, but many people claim that is because usually it is only one or two Israeli's rather than a whole group.

The fact you sat and watched these Israelis in anticipation of something happening shows you stereotype people.

I stereotype Thais as being friendly fun people is this a bigotted view?

Let people think what they want about others be it good bad or indifferent.