As you said, it's relevant to consider the interaction between actual ethnicity and perceived ethnicity. So this seems a valid observation to me.
Relevant for Canada and the U.S. Valid for Canada and the U.S.
I'm a little surprised by the argument that Europe is to be so clearly divided from Canada and the US because those are melting pot societies and European countries aren't. [Is that the argument you're making? Perhaps I'm missing the point.]
I agree with you that the comment is likely inappropriate in the context of the discussion - because, as you say, it changes the focus away from the issue actually being discussed. But I'd question the argument that it's just plain irrelevant in Europe. In my experience, many European countries are also multicultural societies in which some ethnic markers are more visible than others (if that's what you mean by a "melting pot" society?). And therefore there can be a difference between actual ethnicity and perceived ethnicity.
For example, I can walk down a street in my country with a visiting friend from France or Germany - or, indeed, a friend of Russian origin also permanently settled here - and get into a conversation with a stranger where I'm the one who gets asked "where I'm from". My friends only get asked that question if they have a non-local accent. So it seems to me that the difference in skin colour is more immediately visible than the difference in European ethnicity. I don't understand why that would be less true in Europe than in America. Though I agree the relevance of that fact to this discussion is unclear.
here via metafandom
Relevant for Canada and the U.S. Valid for Canada and the U.S.
I'm a little surprised by the argument that Europe is to be so clearly divided from Canada and the US because those are melting pot societies and European countries aren't. [Is that the argument you're making? Perhaps I'm missing the point.]
I agree with you that the comment is likely inappropriate in the context of the discussion - because, as you say, it changes the focus away from the issue actually being discussed. But I'd question the argument that it's just plain irrelevant in Europe. In my experience, many European countries are also multicultural societies in which some ethnic markers are more visible than others (if that's what you mean by a "melting pot" society?). And therefore there can be a difference between actual ethnicity and perceived ethnicity.
For example, I can walk down a street in my country with a visiting friend from France or Germany - or, indeed, a friend of Russian origin also permanently settled here - and get into a conversation with a stranger where I'm the one who gets asked "where I'm from". My friends only get asked that question if they have a non-local accent. So it seems to me that the difference in skin colour is more immediately visible than the difference in European ethnicity. I don't understand why that would be less true in Europe than in America. Though I agree the relevance of that fact to this discussion is unclear.