Do Spanish people view Arab and Muslim colonization of their country as a positive thing or a negative thing?

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Maria Fontaneda

I think we just think about that as part of our history. We've been colonized by several civilizations (Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs) and all of them have left some influence in our culture. There have been fights, wars, but we are the result of the mixture of all these different cultures.

I'm sure the Spanish of the 8th century weren't happy about the Arab invasion, that's why they tried so hard to expel them. The Arab culture and science was so advanced, and they built great buildings and palaces, but they invaded the Peninsula by force and people didn't like that.

SUE

mya, I believe the question was about the colonization of the 8th century.

And that is taken in an entirely different view than that described by Gabi, though I can totally see what she means. I ran into only a few Arabs when I lived in Spain, and they totally gave me the creeps. Women from the West are generally completely disturbed by the arrogant way in which they often carry themselves.

I think, however, that the 8th - 15th century occupation by the Moors is viewed with mixed feelings. They were foreigners and not Christians, and Spain has, since the end of thr 15th C. been so completely Christian that they object to the whole occupation thing, but they also realize that the Moors were (for that time) extremely educated, artistic, and the catalysts for many of the advancements in Spanish culture.

Am I right that this is the "colonization" to which you were referring?

Someone else will surely be able to add more depth to this.

Gabi

Negative!

1-. Terrorism. I know that it's not all of them willing to die by exploding in trains, but after Europe's biggest terrorist attack in Madrid, I happen to get really nervous whenever I see them with backpacks in trains, tubes...

2-. They are sexist and medieval. They still try to commit ablations in their little girls and their women have to wear those uncomfortable things on their head. Men are so sexist, they have touched me in the public transport and made sexual comments. I'm a lawyer, and when they arrive at my office and realize I'm a woman they usually leave or ask for my boss. My boss happens to be another woman. That's when they usually go "Mmmm...no,no. The B O S S, man".If they have no other option they just don't trust your advise and do whatever they want, even if it's bad for their own interests.

3-. They stuck to their ways and refuse to integrate. A friend of mine who's a doctor is fed up with them because many won't let their women remove of their clothes, and one even punched him because he tried to get his sock of. Also, many of them are not clean, and that's extremely nasty for doctors who have to touch them and be near them

4-. They are building all these temples all over the place, their special shops and special clothes stores. But if I go to a Muslim country, not only I fail to see a Christian church but I can't wear a cross around my neck-it's not as if I want to, but still-or dress in an Occidental way. So then, why do they dress their way here and make all that fuss when Ramadan time comes, and I cannot maintain my Occidental ways in their countries?

And I could go on and on. I don't care if people will call me racist, I began feeling like one the first time a disgusting and smelling man thought he had the right to put his filthy hand on my thigh just because I'm a white European woman.

NOTE: if Sue's right and you were referring to the Muslim's occupation centuries ago, then that's totally different. Back then it was the Moors that were much more advanced than Christians in terms of philosophy, maths, engineering...They are part of Spain's history and they have left beautiful remains of their culture, such as La Alhambra. Most Spaniards obviously know that and are thankful for it. But that doesn't mean that the south of Spain ought to be Moorish or anything like that. It just happens that for a while if was occupied by a foreign culture and religion that improved our culture and then was kicked out.

Mya

Excuse me? Colonization?
I think it isnÂ´t the best word to talk about inmigration.
The inmigration is positive if itÂ´s legal inmigration, the problem only is with the ilegals people.

ottis

negative duh there mexica

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