Are Moroccans Racist?

By Otmane Elyounssi Jebli.

Are SOME of us racist, specifically towards (Black-Africans); this question comes up quite often in conversations with my fellow Moroccans. I don't like this ethnicity description; but this is the only one I could think of right now. I mean well and I apologize if I am offending anyone.

The question changed to "WHY SOME OF US ARE RACIST", due to an incident that happened to me last week at JFK. I was first in line and the lady behind the Royal Air Maroc counter called for the next person. I proceeded to check in my luggage; all of a sudden and out of the blue this gentleman (Black-African) started screaming at me claiming that he was next. I looked at the person behind the counter and she said:"Please don't pay attention to him, his luggage is over the limit and he is ANGRY that he has to pay for the extra weight".This gentleman came to me and started insulting me in DARREJA. I was taken by surprise at the same time I was amused by his fluency in Moroccan vulgar insults. I ignored him for a few seconds until he said "!@#$ mouk" and that I was a racist -

alhamdullilah the flight was not full and no one was around to enjoy our pleasantries. At this time I lost it (as a Moroccan I never lose my cool rrrright).

We started exchanging some lovely insults in English, French and Darrija ( I was impressed with our language skills!!! ) ;then he kindly suggested we step outside to settle our conflict since he didn't have any mint for the tea I decided not to honor his invitation. My reaction was to calm down (again not bad for a Moroccan). He wouldn't leave me alone and I was like "mossiba hadi". I got frustrated with this guy (noticed now I am using "guy" instead of "gentleman) because our confrontation started to get ugly. He started accusing the Moroccans being racist and Morocco is one of the most racist countries. Now I realized that he was speaking from experience since he was extremely emotional, very impulsive and very fluent insulting me in Darrija, French and English. My obligation as a Moroccan is to defend my country. I said to him don't generalize like that and if he hates Morocco why was he flying Royal Air Maroc. His answer was he had cash to pay for it. Then I responded that our airline doesn't need your money (we know they do but let's try to keep this secret among us) . I never allow a non Moroccan to talk in a negative way about our beloved country to an extent, depending on the circumstances. After our lovely civil and nice insults. I proceeded to the gate and started to reflect on this incident.

Objectively speaking,I concluded that this gentleman had a valid point. I have seen and read a lot about this problem in Morocco.The question remains is why some of us are racist. Unfortunately, the pill can be bitter and we need to remind ourselves that 'Denial' is a river in Egypt. If this article gets posted I am looking forward to reading your answers and comments. Please let's keep our minds open regarding this subject and our comments civil. I cannot step outside to settle our disagreements with all the wafiners.

Assalam,

-otmane elyounssi Jebli.

PS: Please don't discriminate against me because my last name is "Jebli"...lol...Oh this could be the next topic "RACISM AMONG US".

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tachafin34 : When I saw the title "Are Moroccans racist?" I thought that the author of the article deals with the topic of racism in Morocco, I thought that the topic is about the humiliation suffered by millions of Moroccans. I thought that he notes things to do with racism, wanted to condemned it. I thought that he has some suggestions to solve the problem of racism in the country
I also think that the article may have highlighted the suffering of the women of Morocco by the Arabs, we consider them our brothers. However, the article lists only a story, or rather a disagreement between two people.
As the title in hand, and the subject in other hand, let me tell you that Morocco is full of all kinds of racism, and those who suffer most are the Amazigh and the poor and black, but the Amazigh in first place in this case.
Who feels the racism and contempt, hatred, and injustice? Who suffer from it are those who feel only. Do you ask yourselves days, how Alamzege feels of racism everywhere? (hadak ghir shal7, - sdr a shal - a shal7 al9rofi- barbar- .....).plus hunderds of annokath.
We can not talk about racism in Morocco without evoke the Amazigh. And Moroccans that they can not talk about racism, human rights, or other as long as they practice discrimination against others.

rabati30 : tecahfin34 you really are a complexed individual with mental problems. just because you personally went through negative experiences because you are " SHAL7" does mean that all " Shlou7" are target.and you my friend are the real racist for targeting Arabs and calling them your brothers . you want to start a "fitna" in this holy month just because you have sentiments of inferiority towards Arabs and want to start an ethnic war. you my friend could not integrate in the Moroccan society. you want to bring in your berber village customs into the cities and expect people to blend in with you minorities. it is you that needs to integrate. they dont discriminate against you because you are a berber. they discriminate against you because you could not integrate.

obaid : I will be brief and concise in my comment. Without taking this out of proportion, in Morocco we can find all sort of discriminations but none to a large scale that makes it odd. Only one exception breaks my heart and seems to be deep in our moroccan society: discrimination agains the POOR. Some call it hokra. It is the worst and it is what drive many to flee the country and not worry about the cheap look of europeans mainly and americans as well. WHO AND HOW CAN YOU SOLVE IT??

adam96 : Dear rabati30,
May I remind you that our "Amazigh" brothers and sisters are not an ethnic minority group but rather the native inhabitants of that lovely Blad we call Morocco.

mmis nmazighth : To rabat30:
Before you attack our brother "shlh", and call imazighen a minority that needs to blend w/ you city people, let me give you a quick lesson in history, that you seem too busy watching turkish soap operas if you are a girl, and watching Barca vs R. Madrid if you are a guy to educate yourself about
_ All dynasties that ruled Morocco were of Amazigh origin except for the Alouites (Idriss the first was hosted by Imazighen of Awraba and given a local amzigh girl in marriage)
_ North Africa is a land of Imazighen from Western Egypt to Rabat, but it was savagely invaded (you call it "al fath al islamee" because history is written by the victors!) by Beduoins form Arabia starting in the end of the 7th century.
Islamization has taken so many centuries, and Arabization has not been complete yet...
_ Have you heard of the Borghwatas? PROBABLY NOT, too busy again buying stuff from majallat "sayyidatee". Anyway, if you are form Rabat, you should at least know the history of "your" town., because that was an amazigh dynasty which actually built Rabat...
_ Most Moroccans and Algerians are of Amazigh origin, some have been forced to be "married "to the Bediouns of Hijaz and Sham, and now they are mixed..
_ Ever wonder where the words dllah, bezaaf, wakkha, khizzoo, etc..come from? if you were Arabc, Mir or Miss rabati30, how come nobody undertands you in the ME (the Bedouins), and you have to change your accent and words to be understood....
_ I hate ignorance and especially arrogance!!!

sueRabat : Salamo Alaycom,

I think the most biggotry we may witness is the discrimination against the marginalized poor, the uneducated, and for the last 10 years, the religious muslims. Have you people noticed how the discussions go???? It is sad, I hope Moroccans get informed before opening their mouths. All ignorant opinions would inevitably exhibit discrimination. Native or not, who cares?? I am a native since I was born there, end of story. What do you care if your ancestors lived in Morocco for the last100, 1,000 or 10,000 years. What privilege does that give us? none. It is time we understand one thing: It is who you not, not what you know. It is time you work hard on accomplising something in your life, instead of digging in the unknown past, which you can neither change, nor benefit from.
Just my opinion,
Sept19th. 2010

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