I was born in Austria, and yet I do not identify as Austrian. My mother was a Russian Jew, which I consider myself, and I would identify myself as European before I identify as Austrian. Heck, I would prefer identifying as Sammarinese before I identify as Austrian although I only lived for a few months in San Marino as opposed to Austria for most of the rest of my life.
I do not have to celebrate or live the culture of a country in order to be a functional part of its society. It is none of your business what I refer to as myself culturally, how I celebrate my holidays, or if I eat pork or not.
There's a German city, I forgot its name. They have a lot of immigrants, but those immigrants are Japanese. They have Japanese schools, Japanese kindergartens, Japanese businesses, Japanese stores with Japanese products and Japanese price labels, where everyone talks Japanese. And there's no problems there whatsoever. You know why? Because everyone is tolerant of each other.
Saying that your co-worker identifying themselves as Turkish is a problem is, in fact, the real problem. So what if they identify as Turkish? Isn't that up to them?
This statement makes me both sad and angry.
I was actually having an avid discussion with a good mate of mine about this the other day. And I really want to ask you the same question I asked him back then: I you are you proud to be Russian, why the fuck don't you go and live there?
See, I am born Croatian. I have been there the first 5 years of my life and then came to Austria. By now I have Austrian papers, done my military service and if someone asks me what I am I would not think a single second to say that I am Croatian. Like, why the fuck would I? Thanks to this country I have a good education and live a good life. In all these years Croatia gave me SHIT!! Yeah, my parents are from there, so what? My far ancestors are from Hungary. Am I Hungarian now?
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that you obviously live of Austrias fine culture. So why do you have problems to call yourself a such? I know why I would never live a life like this in Croatia with all the corruption going on and the pretty non-existing work securities. Seriously, the last time I have been there I talked to a guy who work 7 days a week and did far more hours than me each day for a payday that is laughable. He's almost like a slave. My aunt, who got her university finished with 50+, got fired because someone in her company wanted to employ someone he/she knows. Her social help now? Nothing. And you know what she could do about it? NOTHING. There is simply no instance there like the ones we have here where you can actually do something about this shit. Made my blood boil when I heard it.
And this stuff happens left and right in former Yugoslavia countries. When I confronted my buddy with these facts he couldn't say shit and just looked like an idiot.
I will never, ever understand why people who are apparently so proud of their culture refuse to life in it and have all its "benefits". Instead they live in countries like Austria or Germany, benefit from their culture but refuse to accept it as their own.
And yes, I am deeply convinced that the social injustice like I mentioned above is a CULTURAL THING and nothing else.