".....I'm a British citizen of Iraqi origin (left in 1981). I live in Dubai and tried opening an account with IB (due to the commissions and variety of securities on offer). I sent them all the required documentation including: My british passport UAE driving licence My Bank details Apartment lease agreement. They came back and asked me the following questions (which I answered): .........." If I understand the OP's position correctly, I would tend to agree with most of it. It would seem to have very little to do with IB, and everything to do with an ever increasing tyrranical government, seeking to "hook-up" with like minded governments across the globe to monitor every step, transaction, opinion, etc., of it's "worker bee's". It is a shame that a significant portion of US citizens see nothing wrong with having Ceasar as a house guest. Good for the OP in taking offense to governmental edicts that force employers and businesses into becoming unpaid snitches.
Technically racism means race-based discrimination, where discrimination is defined as treating someone less favorably because of their possession of an attribute (e.g., sex, age, race, religion, family status, national origin, military status, disability), compared with someone without that attribute in the same circumstances. While asking about race and national origin on an application is not illegal, denying benefits based on the answers to those questions is. Had he answered those questions and was denied an account he may have had a legal case. The employers have been conditioned not to ask any of the questions about those attributes (e.g., sex, age, race, religion, family status, national origin, military status, disability) during a job interview because of the litigation risk. The hospitals do their best to keep the patients alive because of the same litigation risks. Since asking a foreign national of race other than Caucasian questions that would insult anybody does not represent a litigation risk, the people and companies will do anything they can get away with to avoid compliance related problems with US Govt. So legally he is not being discriminated while the common sense suggests that he is being treated less favorably because of his possession of a certain attribute (national origin). So if people kept in mind that: 1. US is not a democracy but a republic, which is being governed by laws (which by definition have nothing to do with common sense), 2. the laws are written by those in power, and the transfer of power has more to do with manipulating public opinion and legal system, and less with democratic process and fairness, then the expectations of fair treatment would greatly diminish. This is still by far the greatest and best country in the world with the most freedoms to enjoy and one of the freedoms certain individuals and companies enjoy is to do anything which is not illegal, that they can get away with.
All the previous posts seem to be subjective and not based on personal knowledge of Iraqis, except for the above one So here is my personal experience about an Iraqi 1. he called an American professor someone who sounded like he lives with his parents and shags his sister (or something) 2. he also claimed racism against the Brits we were with, he said words to the effect "I can feel it, I can feel it, I am going to complain about racism" and so forth 3. he writes on the notice board calling Aethists, and I guess being a Muslim, he obviously thinks there is room for conversion, guess he is trying to get ahead of the Christians 4. he makes it a point about halal meat being available, his words "I am going to" a named muslim country "because I am tired of asking if the meat here is halal" 5. talks to me and asks me if I would like to have his mints because he cannot eat them because they contain some animal extract, so he is busy offering everyone his mints (like people are wondering if he has a problem) 6. talks to me making it a point to blow some racist joke about muslims, that isn't even funny 7. says he trusts me, like they all say so, and lies like it ain't obvious, hello but we weren't born yesterday, and we are really clever like geniuses 8. records the conversations he has with me with his cell phone, and when asked what's that bleeping noise, he plays innocent and pretends it's not him I MEAN, COME ON, BUT WE ARE REALLY CLEVER HERE From my point of view: these exiled, disenfranchised Iraqis suck YOU SUCK IRAQI DUDE
Well i guess what IB asked is not like some one was there and made it up and asked him these question. It remind me of a experience i had a colombiam friend and a indian friend and me we all went to western union to send money to our country ( not a big amount $1000 each The indian guy had no problem but when my colombian friend tried to send they money they asked him so many question his ID his phone # where he work and a lot of bullshit question. He was pissed off and said this is all racist. I guess the usa has their system
I am here to confirm that IB is indeed racist to the core! Believe it or not, the following horrific display of racism is blatantly and shamelessly displayed on their website: <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1956394> As a proud <b>dyslexic Latino</B>, I find it terribly offensive that IB would openly hurl such a harsh epithet towards our people, and I hereby condemn IB on behalf of the entire so-called 'SIPC' community!
Or, perhaps you are spreading lies because you are born and raised in Dubai and are trying to cut into IB's action.
I am PO'd about this also. My sister knows a proud Latino who says everyone is always asking her if she wants a taco when all she really wants is a hamburger with cheese dripping off of it. The protection from the Lloyd's who live in London seems like a good idea though. Can't trust a Lloyd who lives in London.
I don't know what this guy is on about, I have dual citizenship and don't live in either country. when I open just about any account with a financial institution I am asked a heap of extra questions that other people never have to answer. I asked about it once and it was explained to me it is because my situation does not fit neatly into one of the catergories of the account opening procedure as laid out by the new Know your customer and anti money laundring rules. no big deal if you have nothing to hide just supply it and move on, BTW I have never had an account not opened. I am always very suspicous when I hear of the above, the first thing I think is that they are hiding something or there is something not right with their documents. If you are that worried about privacy move to a cave and don't come out.
To the OP, get a life brother. If you consider these type of questions racist, what can be said about the questions posed to every passenger by airport security on international flights? According to your view, they must all be racists too. lol