Is Australia becoming a more racist country?

[Matilda]

""Australia is the most successful multiculturalism society in the world, it's one of our greatest achievements," Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the national broadcaster in July.

"But following an uproar over a neo-Nazi being interviewed on national television and repeated comments by top politicians over "African gangs," questions are emerging over whether Australia is a more racist country than it would like to believe.

(snip)

"The interview was pulled from social media and the network apologized after a large backlash, but the fact it was aired in the first place has raised questions about Australia's attitude to race.

"In a speech to the Whitlam Institute in Sydney on Monday, after the interview aired, Soutphommasane said Australia's "racial harmony" was under threat."

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/07/australia/australia-racism-interview-intl/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_source=twCNNi&utm_medium=social&utm_content=2018-08-07T09%3A22%3A27


Thanks to CNN for this. It is, sadly, all too true.

I grew up in post-war Australia, where Italian and Greek immigrants were vilified as being different to "us" (the Anglo-centric immigrant community). We got past that, but although our immigration "problem" is nothing compared to the scale of what's happening today in Europe, the same ugly racists have come out of the woodwork again. And it's being fuelled deliberately by conservative politicians and the mainstream media (mostly, these days, in the hands of Rupert Murdoch).

If you're thinking you'd like to get away from Trump's America and maybe move to Australia, think again. Go to New Zealand instead.

[JDC]

1. I think the Aboriginal People might say its been racist for some time.

[KCDebbie]

2. I came into this thread to say exactly that!

[Matilda]

3. Yes, undoubtedly.

There is an attitude amongst many people that Anglo immigrants are the "original" Australians, and nothing will shake that belief.

Kevin Rudd made a start with his apology to the real original inhabitants, but nothing has progressed since then.

I would guess Native Americans would feel the same way.

[Doreen]

4. My first thought.

[madaboutharry]

5. I thought the same thing.

The treatment of the indigenous population by the Australian government was a disgrace.

[Aristus]

6. Without question.

My wife and I went on a cruise once during which, one night, we were seated for dinner with a number of people including an Australian couple. They showed no shame while regaling the table with stories of how Aboriginal people were "less intelligent than white people". And how they couldn't hold down a nine-to-five job because they were "always going on walkabout".

I was too shocked by this casual racism to point out to them (as Australians they should have known) that walkabout is sacred to the Aborigines, and that they can survive just fine in the wild, without the need for a European-style punchclock job.

Mrs. Aristus and I made sure we were not seated at their table for dinner for the rest of the cruise.

[Matilda]

9. Your Australian acquaintances were misconstruing something

that does have some truth to it.

Aboriginal people (or Indigenous is the preferred term today) are not less intelligent than white men. They are too often poorly-educated, and that is the fault of state governments who too often don't really seem to care whether educational policies work for everyone in the same way. But when it comes to innate understanding of the land and nature and its Spirit, the Indigenous peoples leave white people far behind. And these things are very important.

As for going walkabout - to some extent, it's true, and I had that from a friend who was tutored in acting by a well-known Indigenous teacher in Sydney. What he meant was that living in the city got to him every so often, and he just had to get out and travel "out west" to the more rural parts of outer Sydney, experience again the fresh air, look at the trees and bush, and enjoy the stars at night. Not so hard to understand. The Indigenous people have roamed the country for thousands of years, and the wandering, which isn't random but follows a routine, is part of them, and when they feel the outback calling them, they have to go. The more educated they are, I would think the more they can conform to white man's ways, but I doubt it would ever be bred out of them. But it's something we, who destroy nature so readily, should respect and understand. Sadly, far too many people look down on them because they're "different", without trying to understand. And because the Indigenous view of life is simpler in that it's clear-cut and straightforward, they make the mistake of thinking of them as children. And that is wrong on so many levels.

And that kind of casual racism is what is now driving the racism we're seeing towards newcomers who are mostly just different. I thought we'd moved on from my childhood days, but it seems it's always been there, just waiting to break out.

[Aristus]

10. Thank you for those insights.

One of the things I hate the most about such situations, and we did it here with the slaves, is that white supremacists did everything they could to prevent the education of African and African-descended slaves, and would then turn around and say: "See? They're less intelligent than us. We are justified in keeping them slaves because they're not capable of caring for themselves if they were free."

Deplorable...

[Matilda]

11. And it is true that we still have that attitude here.

Something our governments should address, but they don't bother.

[Matilda]

12. A follow-up article in today's Guardian online.

"There can be no reconciliation until politicians acknowledge the harmful impacts of race baiting".

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/10/australia-is-deplorably-racist-as-people-of-colour-are-reminded-when-they-speak-up


Neither the Federal government nor individual State governments are interested in addressing this, and the Turnbull government in fact, is actively promoting racism. They're singing from the Nazi song-sheet, and it's a disgrace.

This article addresses the topic so much better than I can, and it's worth reading. Racism is racism, no matter who it's targeting.

[SunSeeker]

7. That is sad. The Aussies I met seemed so nice and friendly.

[marybourg]

8. In my childhood, Australia was notorious for accepting

only white immigrants.

[Behind the Aegis]

13. I would say there are some who are quite pissed off.