Romanian woman's video sparks row over racism claims

A Romanian immigrant and the scandal of being called racist

In recent hours, a video has circulated of a Romanian woman who says she is being called racist for criticising irregular immigration. Her exact words have triggered a flood of reactions. Some applaud an immigrant breaking her silence; others accuse her of fanning the flames; and some, more coolly, point out that, being white, what she faces is xenophobia, not racism. The distinction is no small matter in a conversation where labels are thrown at the estimulante ilegal of a click.

Racism and xenophobia: the nuance that gets lost

The distinction may sound like something out of a dictionary, but it matters. Racism is based on race; xenophobia, on rejection of the foreigner. A woman from Romania is not discriminated against for the colour of her skin in the European context, but for her origin. Those who defend her argue that the label racist has become a wildcard used to shut down any criticism of immigration. Those who attack her believe that, with her message, she is playing into the hands of those who want a white, selective immigration policy.

Legal immigration as an uncomfortable premise

The background to the video is the distinction between legal and irregular immigration. The young woman argues that legal immigration is good and necessary, and that the problem lies with those who arrive without papers. For some, this is the most reasonable stance. For others, it is a trap: planting the idea that there is first-class and second-class immigration, or worse, whitewashing the system. The numbers add up for no one, and the debate gets stuck on form rather than substance.

Can we talk about immigration without someone being called racist? And can we criticise the tone of a video without it seeming like an attack on the person in it? For now, the only consensus is the noise.