How I became a nasty little racist

Upyaself says:

05:36am | 27/01/10

Very funneeee. Yuk Yuk Yuk. Sooooooo subtle.

By the way, spitting is filthy and spreads TB, which is on the rise in Oz.

Where I live, it’s “cool” among Anglo youth of a certain age. For some reason, they favour bus-stations to indulge. Bigger audience, I guess.

You want TB and swine flu stopped?

No bloody spitting. Anywhere. By anyone.

stephen says:

05:49am | 27/01/10

Mmmm… moved to Ashfield, huh ?
Three weeks ago, I moved to Boondall - up north- and I gotta tell yer, the fruit and veg here is worse. The meat looks older than me. Haven’t seen any spit-hoons yet, though I seen some doggy-do nuggets outside the dry-cleaners.
Tell yer what : I’ll go tell these folk to smarten up, if you tell your folk to smarten up, and I won’t call you a racist if you won’t call me a racist.
PS all my folk got red hair and freckles, and good luck.

Brad Coward says:

08:48am | 27/01/10

You can’t get organic truffle oil pasta or a babychino ?  Bet you can get a great curry if you enjoy playing culinary Russian roulette !  Oh no, I’ve upset the Indians and the Russians in just one sentence !

JJJ says:

05:55am | 27/01/10

Wow Carrie. You just went out and said it. Great article (that really seems to hit the heart of racial issues. No one likes’difference’ [yet we are all different!]).

I myself am not racist, I am ‘personist’. I don’t think my race is better than anyone else’s, but I think I am better than a lot of individuals!

Wayne Hutchins says:

05:57am | 27/01/10

Oh my god, you said Bombay…...You bloody racist!

Bill says:

07:06am | 27/01/10

I’m not racist, I don’t like anybody.

Erg says:

07:23am | 27/01/10

Interested to know which is ‘the right political party’? The greens don’t have the numbers, The Libs are dead in the water due to their policies and Kev’s gang aren’t delivering fast enough on Dental and Health care,Indigenous housing and the dying Murray.So which is it?
Other cultures have different habits if we believe it’s right to have high immigration this is how it will be, we get used to it, accept or don’t have immigration.Lee legislated on spitting in Singapore with big fines..we do the same?

Joe Stephens says:

07:41am | 27/01/10

Great article, so much truth in it. However, may I suggest to save even more money, you can move to Campbelltown and feel right at home.

T.Chong says:

08:15am | 27/01/10

“Nasty little Racist” hope youre been ironic, if not , on behalf of all Right Punchers: “Welcome Home !!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Just kidding folks , the breadth of open minded debate here is truly inspiring.  ; )

Evie says:

08:21am | 27/01/10

I’m shocked, Carrie. Absolutely shocked. You can rent a 2-bed apt for just $330 a week in Sydney? Bloody outrageous.

Danni says:

08:25am | 27/01/10

What? Books on leftist political theory are touchy-feely and divorced from human reality? Who’d have thunk it?
Have you traveleld through Asia and the subcontinent Carrie? Daily habits aren’t like those preferred by most people in Australia, so it’s not surprising that when we preach multiculturalism - the seperate retention of foreign cultures - rather than preaching unity and togetherness, that you end up with the situation you confronted…. and you’re a human, it’s OK to not love absolutely everyone and everything.

jack says:

08:44am | 27/01/10

well - this isnt really so much a social issue as a law enforcement issue then. there are laws that butcher shops meet certain standards of hygiene, ( goat is much like lamb anyway isnt it? gotta be better then fox too! ) and littering is also illegal.  why not ask the local shop if theyd stock your favourite bickies?

i went to a city once, didnt like it. dunno why anyone would want to live in one.  i wouldnt mind crowds so much if it wasnt for all the people. but ive always been intolerant.

Micko says:

08:49am | 27/01/10

Reminds me of the Chaser sketch where they set up a model of a Mosque on public display…one very proper old lady says “no….not here not in Mosman” when asked where such a development would be appropriate her definite retort was “in the Western Suburbs of Sydney”.  All very well to preach tolerance from the battlements of the North Shore, Eastern suburbs and inncer city, but the reality is very different down in the dungeons of Bankstown and Campsie.

Jo Will says:

08:57am | 27/01/10

Sounds like this ‘article’ is an excuse to air feelings that you have always had - ‘uneducated wogs downstairs’.  I live above indian students (who at various times have caused me no end of trouble) but I’ve never thought of them as anything other than kids acting up rather than ‘wog’ indians (why would you? Seriously, explain the mentality that ‘leaps’ from observing a behaviour that irritates you to labelling people as ‘wogs’ - it’s utterly pathetic).  Maybe you’ve just found your niche at last, you’ve really just become the person you always really were (superior-race, ethnic hating white Australian etc).

JHJ says:

09:38am | 27/01/10

Carrie, why, at 41, would you still be concered with the books and theroy about racism etc. At this age, must of us accept that we ALL make judegments against others and assign these to ethnic differiences. It doesn’t make it right, but it is non the less true in every country in the world. I am more concered why the council does not treat the area you discribe the same as others, eg sanitary requirements etc

COF says:

10:17am | 27/01/10

Nice article.

JHJ, council sanitation efforts would (more or less) match their rate returns I would imagine, and I would be pretty certain that rates in the city of Bankstown are much less per acre than they are at Waverley council.

In my view Carrie, intolerance is intolerance, regardless of the target. It is a negative reaction to difference. Whether it be (in my case yesterday) the white kid across the road parking over my driveway all afternoon, or the local ethnic kids spitting in the street, it is the clash of two worldviews not willing to compromise. Is it the worldview at fault or the lack of compromise?

If you can’t compromise, I think you’ve made the wrong life choice. Move back to Balmain for your own sanity and happiness.

Jezza says:

10:27am | 27/01/10

I live in Coburg in Melbourne & we had similar problems here…..but suddenly Coburg properties are being snapped up by yuppies & things are changing fast. The government needs to set up compulsory classes for overseas arrivals about our laws, customs & health expectations. This would go a long way to helping the new arrivals settle in & also help Aussies accept them.

David V. says:

10:35am | 27/01/10

Clearly you’ve not had to deal with being around Gypsies in Eastern Europe. Nobody in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, etc has a good word about those types- and hopefully we’ll never get an influx of them here!

Carl Palmer says:

10:35am | 27/01/10

I’ve take a guess of where you are based on the ‘Quit the Spit’ campaign. I’m sure the next “major” suburb down the railway line has an even bigger challenge than your suburb. You suburb ain’t that bad though there are parts that are “suss” and like most suburbs, each has their own – not so nice spots.

It seems to me that cleanliness and hygiene in these areas are the first to suffer as “foreigners” bring their old practices into this country.

The website below gives you an indication of where and the type of business / proprietor that are typically not adhering to basic health standards and cleanliness. If restaurants / food outlets aren’t up to scratch, then their behaviour within the community won’t change. Pity, even trying to hit their hip pocket seems to makes no difference.

http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notices/default.aspx?template=results

PS I suggest you go to the Coles / Woolies down the road, they should be a lot cleaner and so is the Deli.

PSS I don’t think you are racist, you have a reasonable expectation of basic standards which are not in step with “home grown Aussies”. Streets that look like Bombay in Sydney is not acceptable.

Mandy St.Clair says:

11:03am | 27/01/10

Haha - Outer western suburbs also has a influx of immigrants from varying countries.  The problem of “spitting” has long been an issue.  It’s disgusting and should if witnessed incurr a fine.  I migrated to Australia in 1971.  I speak fluent English because I was made by my parents to accept our new home and fit in.  Im all for immigration but the deal should be accept the Australian way of life, blend and learn new customs and traditions.  Afterall, if there is something about this country you don’t like - DONT COME HERE, it’s that easy.  Im over the BS and the racism talks etc, stop pandering to Whingers , send them home if they don’t want to fit in with Australia and it’s people.

Hohum says:

11:38am | 27/01/10

Margaret, you realise that by using the word “cracker” you have just used a racial slur? During a debate on racism no less. I bet you were being satirical weren’t you? Or ironic? Or witty?

That was me being sarcastic at the end there. Just wanted to be clear.

Don’t worry I’m not terribly offended at being called a cracker. I do get upset when people accuse me of being a racist and a redneck because I voice my objection to basic standards dropping in the name of tolerance.

I hold everyone to the same standard. For instance the hijab/burkha issue. I have no problem with women covering themselves. As a modern Western woman I uphold the rights of any woman wearing whatever she is comfortable with (within reason, no nuddies in the office please)

But I challenge any one of you who believe me to be intolerant, uneducated and unenlightened to walk down a Lakemba street with your hair flowing. Feel that unease and then tell me that as a white person I have no reason to want to uphold my right to wear what I like, the way I uphold their right to wear what they feel is appropriate. That my fear has no foundation.

You might find then that the subjects of acceptance and tolerance need to be a two way street for it to ever work. We need to require everyone, not just the white people. Or is that racist, to want to include everyone?

Schmavo says:

11:48am | 27/01/10

@Bruce Williams….....looks like your racist problems could all be dealt with just as all racist problems are dealt with. You obviously need education and training on the finer aspects of Horse Races, Car Races, Dog Races, foot Races, Bike Races, Air Races and Ball Races.

nic says:

11:53am | 27/01/10

Ha, I enjoyed that more than the original piece, well done.

Joe says:

12:03pm | 27/01/10

Yeah, so what’s with the ‘uneducated wogs’ bit?

‘What happened to you?” Seems you have lived your life by values you read or heard, rather than values you felt. And even having realised this, you haven’t been able to figure out why, and what you want/need to change.

Once you do this, you then can have a look at some of the behaviours you ‘don’t like’, align them to your new set of values, and see if they match up.

Other people thinking you’re racist shouldn’t be your driving force to change, because let’s face it, other people are generally stupid. What you need to be able to do at the end of the day, is sleep at night.

Lucy says:

12:08pm | 27/01/10

Hobart bus mall, Australia Day 2010:
a group of 5 white anglo saxon youths, one draped in an Australian flag, the others wearing various articles of clothing with flags or boxing kangaroos walk through the mall, spitting between sentences.  They stop to swear at some Asian tourists (apprarently its ‘their day’) before arguing with the bus driver about paying their fare.  Just saying…

Jason says:

12:40pm | 27/01/10

“And I don’t like it.” all a bit 1996 pauline hanson style isn’t it? Racism has no place in Australia so all you racists leave australia because after all.. all our decendents are immigrants.

adam macleod says:

01:12pm | 27/01/10

Have you started wearing the Australian flag as a cape, yet?

Bitten says:

02:01pm | 27/01/10

People want to migrate to Australia because of the high levels of health and quality of the standard of living enjoyed by Australians (*the state of health of the indigenous population obviously a glaring disparity but separate for current purposes). They want to come here and enjoy clean safe streets, no TB etc. They fail however to understand it seems, that the reason standards of health and living are so high in Australia is because Australians, that is, the public average citizen, does things like: throw rubbish in rubbish bins, wear shoes, wash hands, wash food, don’t spit. In other words, the standard of living is maintained by the effort of every citizen. It takes effort by all of us - I for one do not appreciate people coming here and stupidly assuming that they can spit all over the place and it will be fine. We have great sanitation because as a population we insist upon it and we all contribute to maintain it. Don’t come here and bring your filthy habits with you - if you want your standard of living and health to improve, it’s actually you that has to make the most effort.

TB says:

02:07pm | 27/01/10

“I’m stumped as to how the culturally specific conventions by which I live my life have come to be immutable, universal laws of nature in my mind? “

So, you’re saying it’s taken you 41 years to realise that humans are, on some level, programmed machines - the product of both nurture and nature? Mind you, I’m not much better - I was 26 when I was struck by the same revelation. Many have thrown around the old aphorism “You can take the person out of X, but you can’t take the X out of the person,” although I’m developing the opinion that it is possible to take the ‘X’ out - it’s just rather difficult to do so.

qiong says:

02:08pm | 27/01/10

great article and you make me reflect my own behavious. Even though i strongely believe in equality and believe human being are pretty much the same, i think i felt in heart i have some intorlerance, like i had problems with people speak loud in foreign langauge in public transport esp when i am busy or tired. I will learn to torlerant and maybe enjoy that. 

Tolerance should not just about tolerance of a different race that simple thats just condescending but rather tolerance of other people behavious, habits and as long as its legal.

Turner Garfield says:

02:17pm | 27/01/10

” I’m stumped as to how the culturally specific conventions by which I live my life have come to be immutable, universal laws of nature in my mind? What’s happened to me? I’ve become the type of person I was always most intolerant of: an intolerant person. It’s positively unAustralian.” Don’t look now folks, but this could just be satire… you remember satire; that subtle, gentlre form of humour we all seemed to understand before eleven & a half years of myopic, jingoistic, literal mindedness & cynical manipulation destroyed comedy as we once knew it? A form of humour once prevalent before criticising or… God forbid!.. Ridiculing the government became acts of ‘sedition’? So much for the ‘humourless left’! It seems the entire country (or at least significant sectors of it) still blissfully labour under the delusion that it is the responsibility of governments to determine… well, no to DICTATE what ‘Australian’ IS or MEANS or even that the distinction itself is at all relevant in an increasingly ‘globalised’ world (a tip of the hat to ‘Dubbya’ for that phrase). ‘Multiculturalism’ (like post modernism… I can hear the right-wing teeth grinding from here) is a condition in which we live; not a phenomenon to be in favour of or opposed to. Oh! Before I forget; Jack Thomas- people laugh at christians because people who maintain imaginary freindships are really weird.

James says:

03:47pm | 27/01/10

Society is never going to eliminate racism, anymore than they are going to eliminate fear or lust.  Racism comes about I suspect, because it is much easier for your brain to put things i.e. humans, into catagories that it is to completely assess each human on a case by case basis, as the lowest energy solution it will win every time, with everyone.

You are entitlled not to like a person or a group of people, but if you are logical you have to limit your dislike to actions that negatively impact you.  It would also be preferable if you actually talked to the people you have a problem with and sorted it out by communicating. 

Like genetic diversity, cultural diversity on the whole makes a society stronger.  But like “bad” genes certain cultural practices (i.e. spitting in the street) are not beneficial to society overall.  The trick is to modify only the cultural practices that are offensive, not slag off and dismiss the entire culture wholesale.

If we all stick to playing the ball not the man/woman, I think we should all get along just fine.  What’s more with an exchange of different points of view and ideas not only will society be more innovative and strong it will be more interesting to live in.

haha says:

03:51pm | 27/01/10

soon enough, we’ll all be the same, slightly brown skinned, race.. well have interbred and intermingled and traditions and customs will become so blurred, well all just be… human.  then what will we whinge about?

Andrew says:

05:21pm | 27/01/10

Are you kidding?? $330pw in Fairfield gets you the penthouse in a new building. You could probably get a 2br in one of the dodgier, older unit blocks for barely half that.

S.L says:

05:42pm | 27/01/10

Is this a beat up? A (confessed) left leaning journo who grew up in and around the inner west and eastern suburbs of Sydney decides to rent a flat in the south western suburbs of said city?
I can’t fathom that I’m sorry. With her natural and professional curiosity she would’ve sussed out the area first you would think. Not thinking she would’ve come accross negative stories about that part of town all her profesional life.
I think this story is fanciful rubbish designed to get agreeable comments from Bogans and White Anglo Rednecks.
Carrie try harder….........

DON'T GOLLY says:

06:37pm | 27/01/10

It has nothing to do with being racist and all to do about general hygiene.  It may be O.K is some countries to spit, burp or even brake-wind but please, please, if you may PLEASE do not spit your golly out onto/into/around/in a public place, and have a bit of consideration for other people and public health.

brett says:

10:17pm | 27/01/10

Of all the comments I’ve ever read on this site, I never read as much useless text before. It seems to come from people trying to avoid the real issue and blame social circumstances rather than genetic and cultural norms of the races out there.
Auburn does look like the middle east, Richmond does look like Viet Nam, and Noble Park is becoming a little machete wielding Africa. 
Micro ethnic suburbs that isolate people and highlight differences are the problem. Even now it’s Asian VS Middle Eastern and Indian VS Islander. It’s Muslim VS all others.
Integration was the better solution, that’s why we have school uniforms.

Catharine Lumby says:

10:29pm | 27/01/10

Hilarious. Wonderful to see that satire still has bite. We’ll know the genre is dead when people stop biting back.

boiragi says:

10:54pm | 27/01/10

I think the suburb is Dulwich Hills, and the halal goat meat shop as yucky as it can be. Well from Subcontinental culture.

I am from Sub-Continent but how about me joining the one nationa. Recently they said that they are to accept all race under the sun.

There you go.

Jacquie Butterfield says:

11:55pm | 27/01/10

Carrie is just a decent woman who has obviously bent over backward to be fair-minded and magnanimous to others and has finally had enough.  What the Councils do in those areas who knows, but they are not working to good traditional Australian standards of decorum and decency.  I think she went overboard to be politically correct and has finally seen that leniency will not achieve reasonable results.  All those decrying her should see that from her background she has been over-lenient and now the locale is overbearingly un-Australian and Ango/Irish/Scottish/Welsh/Europeans and many Asians and South Americans, North Americans, Canadians, Africans, Middle Easterners have had ENOUGH of garbage, litter, spitting morning and afternoon in backyards where neighbours heave and want to vomit when they hear it (unlike me who lived in South East Asia for a long time long ago)....how about those decrying this lady be reasonable and stop yourselves bending over backwards, or one day you may be bending over forwards!!!! The fact that she is a creative / artist signified to me very clearly that she is a live-and-let-live kind of person and loves all people who are artists or performers no matter the background as her peers.  WAKE UP AUSTRALIA BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE…..DIE ZEIT GEHT SCHNELL, LE TEMPS PASSE RAPIDEMENT, EL TIEMPO MARCHA RAPIDAMENTE!!!!

vic says:

10:16am | 28/01/10

stephen, just moved to Ashfield form Bondi. Food is better and fresher, and people are friendlier. Don’t know what your problem is, it must be you…..

Josh Doherty says:

11:30am | 28/01/10

So…. Bring back assimilation????

Peter says:

02:44pm | 28/01/10

It would be hilarious to see Gypsies coming to Australia. If Anglo Australia feels confronted with the current non-anglo migrants that are here, imagine how they would react to the Gypsies. I think it would be good for a laugh.. I remember seeing them in Greece and despite their fancy cars and money, they loved living in tents on road sides etc. It would be so funny if that happened here..

Catharine Lumby says:

08:48pm | 28/01/10

Good to see that race is no longer an issue for most respondents here. Clearly we’re all good liberals - particularly those of us who studied the right subjects at uni. Thankfully none of us ever have secret desires to punch out someone who cuts us off in traffic, smack our children or report people next door to the police when they play their weird ass foreign music after midnight. Education - as Carrie Miller reports tongue in cheek-  is the ultimate antidote to incivility. Just ask anyone who was lucky enough to be colonised by a more civilised society.

thomas vesely says:

10:35pm | 28/01/10

get your skills out,leaflet your neighbours,clean up day, and every one bring a plate/barbie,talk with the folks,local is where it begins….......

Common Sense agenda says:

06:30am | 29/01/10

You have just realises the socialist agenda is a curse on the western world, and will wreck our civilisation. The do gooders (you were one) don’t understand these people live as they live in the native country, they have little hygiene, or respect for anyone outside their tribe. They will drag you down staying there, you cannot change them, the socialists did not tell you the suburb would be look like a tip and you may get TB. This is part of a bigger agenda the politicians have not been honest about, as your local pollie why these guys spitting all over the suburb are on a 60k pa pension while your mum and dad if retired are on 20k. Why are we bringing in wefare cases when good workers from Ireland and UK cannot get in? Don’t get sucked in by the Racism word that is a cover for a much bigger agenda, trawl the net for the truth, it will frighten you.

Paul says:

06:15pm | 29/01/10

Now you know.  Of course its only we Anglos that are ever racist.  Everyone else is just so sweet and tolerant (mind the spit…)

Puh-lease says:

09:14am | 03/05/10

Instead of reading the ‘right’ books, you could real ‘all’ books, lest you remain wantonly ignorant.

Spitting, shouting, rotting food and littering are not culturally specific conventions; they’re universally bad things. They are shared by low class, undereducated bogans from all cultures. HongKong has LOTS of litter bins with stickers, begging people to dispose of their rubbish and please don’t spit, because it spreads disease. Over the years, as the people have become more educated (essentially, more classy), spitting and littering rates have dropped dramatically. The same goes for the streets of Mumbai, that have seen amazing civilisation advances. Most of the world’s codes for civilised behaviour greatly overlap. It just happens that we take a lot of the world’s flotsam and jetsam. Nobody wakes up and thinks: “My life is going really well at the moment, perhaps I should leave that behind and move to Oz”

Kaufmann says:

12:41pm | 04/05/10

Australia is a country that isnt ready for the new world.
when they are ready 100 years later…....then only will it progress…..
meanwhile everyones living in a slum or pretending their shed is worth $10 mil.

Shockadelic says:

08:39pm | 06/05/10

It’s so pathetic how many respondents here are attempting to write this off as satire. Oh no, she couldn’t possible MEAN what she said!

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