Dangerous Madrid?

[ClaremontPhoto]

iamzip:

Pherdinand says we all generalize.

And you say most of us have some bias (but you cannot remember where you read that).

Doesn't this sound rather weak?

[ferider]

Pherdi,

in the > 10 years I have lived in the US I have never heard it mentioned here. But racial prosecution of Sinti and Roma has been a big issue in European history, including an estimated half million people being killed in German concentration camps.

A very sad subject really.

Moving back to the OP's question:

Madrid is not more dangerous than any other big European city. Enjoy your trip.

Roland.

[Pherdinand]

is there one single nation that did NOT commit some kind of genocide during our short history as human race? I can't think of any. First person to come up with an answer, can have a free miniature 220 microF capacitor (fits and revives minolta x-300).
It's just a matter of how long ago it was and how many are left behind to complain.
Would be better to learn from it, instead of blaming each other. But i guess it's easier this way.

[iamzip]

Originally Posted by ClaremontPhoto

iamzip:

Pherdinand says we all generalize.

And you say most of us have some bias (but you cannot remember where you read that).

Doesn't this sound rather weak?

*sigh*

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/33738529.html

"Psychologists say we're biased toward the perception that other people are more biased than we are."

I'm not arguing one way or the other, just reporting what I read.

[stefan_dinu]

Originally Posted by ferider

Stefan,

not only is post #72 wrong in its facts, but it is racist and offensive.

Roland.

I agree that what I wrote could be read like this.
But I am not a racist. I do have gypsies friends and even people that work for me. But there is a problem with criminality. In Romania, while they are 10% of the population now, they make 85% of the crimes here. Especially theft and robbery. These are facts. Why is happening here, while in the native country (rajasthan) they are very friendly and is the last place on earth where you can get robbed? I don't know. So, it must be our fault because they are not integrated. Maybe, but this is another issue. And this is speculative. But the facts (the overwhelming percentage) are real.
Another fact is that after joining the EU, the criminality in Romania was lower, because most of the gypsy people left for richer countries. To work, beg or steal. Those are facts. I saw them with both my eyes stealing and begging around Europe.
In conclusion, to help you check the facts, I repeat them:
- gypsy come from north of India (widely accepted fact)
- in Romania most gypsy are not criminals;
- a large majority of criminal activity in Romania is done by gypsy;
- in all the western countries I saw gypsy people begging (Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, London, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, etc.) and even stealing (in Rome);
- every week we see at news plains full of gypsy people sent away from Spain, Italy and France because of criminal activity.

If you ever come to Bucharest, take your Leica and best lenses and I will drive you in the middle of the gypsy area. If you make it out of there with everything in place, I will pay for your trip. It is possible you make it. But highly improbable.



And what are the wrong facts you talk about in my first post?

[Beniliam]

Im from Madrid. I consider Madrid like a safe place. There are places that maybe can be dangerous, normally these places are outskirts, but depends the hours can be localized in the center of the city. The risk/danger is a very subjetive perception, you can walk for example in Montera Street, that is a busy street, in the real center of the city and dont feel danger, but around you can walk a pimp, a prostitute, a policeman or a kid. Use the common sense for move around the city. Normally, spanish people are communicative, and can help you if you need it. One of the best things of Madrid, is that you are very near to other venerable cities like Toledo, Avila, Segovia, Cuenca, El Escorial, Salamanca...

[ClaremontPhoto]

Beniliam:


It is good to see you back here, talking good sense.

[gertf]

Originally Posted by Pherdinand

is there one single nation that did NOT commit some kind of genocide during our short history as human race?

Norway springs to mind..

[gertf]

photomoof, I'd think the brutal cruelty of the first Christians of Norway worse in many respects, but point taken. I'd forgotten that Norway was in fact a unified kingdom before the unions with Sweden and Denmark, my bad

[javimm]

Stefan, when I was talking about romanians gangs, I was only talking about romanian gangs and not referring to all romanian people in general. There are many more romanians here in Spain that work very hard to make a living, and those are a many more than the robbers. I wasn't walking about race either.

I apologize if what I said hurt your in any way. That wasn't my intention.

And yes, everybody generalize. When you say that the Summicron 50/2 is a great lens, you say it based on your particular sample. You'd have to try all 'crons been made to say that, but nobody has.

For the OP: I'm glad your like Madrid. Sure you had a great time

[eia41]

I am relieved that DxPhoto asked our advice only on security in Madrid (or any European city for that matter)

In the late 50's and most of the 60's, the advice given by mothers/aunts/friends etc, to yound American girls en-route on a holiday to Europe was to "Watch out for those young lecherous Southern Europeans intend on depriving you of your virginity and possibly getting you pregnant"!!

Well, how the world has changed...

[MickH]

Saville?

Was it this bloke?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Savile

[johnastovall]

Don't see anything in the U.S. State Department travel information that would cause me any worry.

Spain

I would feel much safer there than in our southern neighbor, Mexico.

[Olsen]

Originally Posted by photomoof

You do not count the brutal cruelty of the vikings? (see c.790 to c. 1050.)

Also review King Olaf.

You will hardly find any historical facts documenting that the vikings were any more cruel than the other peoples of Europe at their time.

King Olav? You mean King Olav The Saint?

He was killed by 'the farmers' at the Battle of Stiklestad at year 1033, - in a sort of revolution, due to that he tried to implement 'Christianity and a Common Law Equal to Everyone'.

The only cruel thing King Olav did was to 'pull down London Bridge'.

- We are very sorry about the bridge, - it won't happen again...

[Olsen]

Originally Posted by photomoof

Olaf (Óláfr Tryggvason).

Oh, that fellow. He was most famous for his enormous long ships. First a 'snicke' called 'The Crane', of 30 'rooms', with two oarsmen per room, that is 60 oarsmen. Then he built 'The Long Snake' ('Ormen Lange'), possibly as long as 54 meters and with a crew of 130 men.

Olav Tryggvason fell at 'The Battle of Svolder' (possibly Øresund) when jumping overboard with 'two chests full of gold' under his arms.

Yes, Olav Tryggvason had some nasty ways of convincing people to 'take to Christianity'. Like making them swollow snakes. But some of the 'refusers' he pardoned. Like the guy with this long and golden hair they were about to behead. He was held by his hair, but pulled back his head before the axe hit his neck. The guy holding his hair got his arms chopped off. This was such a nasty trick that Olav Tryggvason pardoned him...

[Olsen]

Originally Posted by photomoof

That is how I became a Christian, my family did not allow refusers, but were unrelenting in their mental torture. No one ever fed me snakes, but they might have, had I refused to become Methodist.

Ha, ha! I have shared a similar fate as a 'Catholic Norwegian', a very rare species.

[Pherdinand]

Us hungarians had similar "adventures" of becoming Christian.
About thousand years ago.

That's exactly the point. Olsen. "Not more cruel than the rest of the world".