We’re not as racist as people think

iansand says:

06:33am | 14/11/09

I think the national self-excoriation over things like the Cronulla riots show that, although we are occasionally racist, racism is a matter of real shame for the vast majority of Australians.  We are not saying, by and large, that Indian students deserve to be attacked.  We are beating ourselves up over the attacks. 

When we are caught out we hate our racism.

Eric says:

07:04am | 14/11/09

The people who make accusations of racism against Australians are usually the biggest racists of all. They think all white people are evil, and all other people are good.

WHR says:

07:36am | 14/11/09

Hear hear!

Brindle says:

08:31am | 14/11/09

The calling of Australia as racist is essentially hate speech. Bullies were caught out being racist so now they feel they can take their hate out on who they perceive to be thier own race. I am ashamed to be Australian etc. just the same as racist, a desire to belittle someone. The sorry part is that may actually incite racism. I heard some employers will not hire people on racial difference as they are afraid to be called racist if the employee is not up to scratch.

Martin says:

08:35am | 14/11/09

The NT intervention

The shocking gap in education, health and living standards between indigenous Australians and the rest of the population.

The Cronulla riots

Black deaths in custody, and the fact that no one has ever been convicted in connection to them.

Demonstrations against Muslim schools.

The demonising of refugees by politicians and the media

The almost daily attacks on Black and Asian people, like this one -  http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26344927-3102,00.html - on an Indian taxi driver in Brisbane. But that is hardly surprising when an MP can stand up in the Queensland Parliament and say that all overseas taxi drivers “look the same”.
Is this enough “practical examples”? Or should I go on?

Ricky says:

08:49am | 14/11/09

The great failed multicultural experiment has only been around for the last twenty years or so, but in that time Australians have had to watch their way of life & culture be threatened by certain minority groups who have migrated to this country with no intention of integrating or respecting our way of life.There are parts of sydney now where anglo saxon Australians are abused for being Australian(i have seen this first hand), but cant speak out for fear of being branded rascist.It is good to see Australians finally speaking up.

danj says:

08:55am | 14/11/09

Yeah well said Neer. Actually saw that episode of Q&A and couldn’t believe what an idiot that Todd Sampson was. He didn’t listen to anyone’s opinion and spoke over the other guests so I give him no credibility.

Sally says:

09:15am | 14/11/09

Here is a practical example: I am a 24 year old, university student (white) and I am racist. I don’t want to be, but I know that I am:

I am aware that if I walk up to a train station late at night I feel scared if there are only indigenous people on the platform.

If an Indian person is rude & abrupt with me, I attribute this rudeness to their Indian identity. If a white person is rude to me then I attribute it to their poor upbrining.

This is the real racism of Australia - it is implicit and works at a preverbal level. I vote labor & consider myself left-wing. I also have the insight to realise that I am racist. Since I have realised this I have grown increasingly sympathetic to the plight of ethnic minorities. If more people would admit that they have implicit negative attitudes, and fewer public figures go on about how “we are not racist because we are not Nazi’s” then we might be able to achieve a more tolerant, intergrated society.

John A Neve says:

09:58am | 14/11/09

Sorry Neer, but we are all racist. There are degrees of racism but there is a little bit of it in all of us. Many migrants move into areas populated by like nationalities, why?

People object to certain schools being built in their abourhood, why?

people frown on certain religions, why?

Each migrant intake mocks those who come later, just look at some of the common usage words to describe different migrants.

Very sorry Neer, but you are not in the same country I am.

Richard says:

11:20am | 14/11/09

Gee, what a pleasant change this article is from the usual misery guts proclaiming how racist we are without significant evidence.  Australia has in the last 40 years accepted more immigrants from all backgrounds per head of population than any other country in the world, except Israel. This has been achieved with out serious discord.  So much for generalised racism.

Steve of Cornubia says:

11:31am | 14/11/09

Racist? Maybe, maybe not. Over sensitive? Absolutely. Y’know, all countries from time to time are criticised by others, sometimes fairly, sometimes not. However, one thing is for sure, even the most light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek dig at Australia from overseas is rabidly attacked and robustly defended, usually giving the original remark much more dignity than it deserved and giving other nations a giggle about the age-old ‘chip on the shoulder’ Aussie.

If Australia truly is going to ‘grow up’ as a nation, we need to be a lot less sensitive to criticism or, at the very least, learn to take what we all too often dish out ourselves, particularly to Brits, a.k.a. The Poms (no insult intended of course) and New Zealanders.

tamz says:

12:41pm | 14/11/09

We’re very accepting of migrants who seem to ‘assimilate’ easily. I think life is harder for recent migrants who are still setlling in.

Second generation migrants generally speak good English, do better at school, dress and eat like ‘typical Australians’. An ‘assimilated’ migrant is bascially just like us, but with an exotic name. They’re not so different any more. We understand them, they’re not threatening to us.

Compare that to the story of a more recent migrant - Sudanese kids being blamed for starting riots at shopping malls, Muslim girls being teased for wearing the hijab, Lebanese communities being told they have a ‘culture of rape’, Indian students feeling threatened on trains, Asian students being told in class not to speak their own language because it’s rude to those around them.

And if you go back, you’ve got 50 year-old Italian-Australians who can’t speak Italian coz they were ashamed at school, Greek kids who ate Vegemite sandwiches even though he couldn’t stand the stuff.

Not to mention the instant assumptions many people make about Aboriginal Australians - like this ad campaign showed:
http://www.reconciliation.org.au/home/reconciliation-resources/advertising-campaign-portraits/which-one-of-these-men-is-unemployed

I’m not trying to say that we’re all racist bigots - clearly these are all one-off examples. But there’s a lot of work to do before we can call ourselves a genuinely tolerant society.

Jolanda says:

01:49pm | 14/11/09

People from every single country are to a degree racist and just about everybody carries on about aspects of every other culture and race - that is life.  It is not whether you think you are more superior or better than another that is the problem it is whether we treat each other with all due respect that is the determining factor as your thoughts are your ownand you are entitled to them. 

Education - Keeping them Honest
http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/
Our children deserve better

Chase Stevens says:

02:37pm | 14/11/09

Well we did have ill will towards minorities. The White Australia Policy for example and the immigration tests where people would be tested in any european language. Your article makes it sound as though we’ve never been a racist country and yes thankfully the younger generations are less intolerant as the older ones.

AT says:

02:38pm | 14/11/09

What unmitigated crap.

This article has as much analytical depth and ingenuity as the Qantas choir.

You talk about us ‘loving diversity at the workplace and the shops’—I can’t think of a single expression, apart from the most superficial, of this supposed great Aussie affection.

You talk about us ‘celebrating tolerance, delighting at the ethnic diversity of audiences and seeking out and praising media that transcends tokenism and gets our ethnic mix right’—Really? Apart from cheesy sentimental govt fetes and disingenuous corporate sponsored events, I can’t think of a single incident of this imagined Aussie trait being genuinely eulogised.

I’ve just had my passport renewed. It has pictures in it. Surely holding an Australian passport is an unequivocal, uncomplicated ecumenical validation that you are “Australian”? Surely the images in the passport would reflect and celebrate the character of all passport holders, in all their diversity?

Well, let’s see. Ignoring the images of native critters, there’s female surf lifesavers competing, tourists riding a camel train on a beach, an outstation with windmill and water tank, what looks like the Birdsville races, a stockman whipping cattle, blokes playing cricket, Great Barrier Reef scuba divers, sunbathers at the beach, a generic country dirt road, a caravan being driven through the outback, more female surf lifesavers, a bloke surfing, what looks like the Birdsville pub with an FJ Holden and a ute out front, a roadtrain teararsing down a dirt road, girls playing netball, yachts sailing on a bucolic lake and a bushie wearing his Akubra and Drizabone majestically walking the land.

Yep, there you go, cobber. Straya typified in 32 small pages.

I don’t know what possessed the passport office to compile such a ridiculous hackneyed tourist-brochure-like gallery, but as a snapshot of the nation it carries somewhat greater credibility than a piece in The Punch. There’s no tolerance celebrating, no diversity being delighted at, no expression of love for exotic foodstuffs in the supermarket aisles; in fact, nothing that isn’t associated almost exclusively with Anglo-Celtic Australia.

Watching the conga line of banality unfold turning the pages of our passport is a dispiriting affair, “damaging to our national spirit”, even. Not because of its sickeningly anodyne and clichéd content, but because of its crimes of omission. Because of the overbearing implication that despite the diversity and complexity of Australian society, only the included “cultures” are the ones to be revered. Because of the easy acquiescence to the notion of nation that was probably always a myth.

The Australian passport and your article, Neer, are the reverse sides of the same coin. They’re both anecdotal, folkloric and overweening.

I trust that Todd Sampson will be given the right of reply on this site. Hopefully there will be more substance to his argument.

Eric says:

03:51pm | 14/11/09

AT, that has to be one of the most trivial comments I’ve ever seen.

Fergus says:

05:05pm | 14/11/09

Wow that’s so wrong.

The younger generation are, if anything, the worst of them all. I should know, I’m in it. There’s an unbelievable amount of racism. Cronulla riots, the popular catchphrase “F*** off, we’re full”, and so much derogatory language, so much animosity towards Aborigines.

This stuff makes me so angry, this denial. If these problems are going to be solves, people like Neer Korn need to face the facts.

Utter rubbish.

Steve Smith says:

05:29pm | 14/11/09

This article is of course.. common sense. The majority of Australians are not racist. However the last sentence undoes alot of good work…
“Next time you hear an Australian proclaim our racist nature ask them for practical examples”

White Australia Policy… that’s pretty pracitical. It even has it’s own wikipedia page!

Brindle says:

05:47pm | 14/11/09

Chase Stevens, you say the younger generation are more tolerant than the older ones but we never had this issue when I was younger. There was more integration, mixed marriage and few enclaves. Never ever heard of race hate crime. No claims of racism left, right and centre. I thinks things are getting worse. I think PC made it worse, afterall led to the cronulla riots with society and police truning a blind eye to race hate crimes against whites. I do nto see how yunger are more tolerant at all. in fact the opposite is true. I saw some awful gang violence in Sydney I though would only ever happen in America.

Seth says:

06:59pm | 14/11/09

I’d say someone like Todd Sampson, who’s job is to be perceptive, is going to be the correct one.

old fart! says:

07:35pm | 14/11/09

Rick i agree with you, Sally, spot on, and A.T absolutely! we all make mealy mouth platitudes about our tolerant society,  but seriously Neer “the odd yobbo screaming late at night!!” mate, what city do you live in, certainly not my city of Blacktown, and employment in the inner city. and ” the younger the person the more the acceptance and tolerance??  Cronulla???  young 2nd. gen ethnic people bashing Indian students at Harris Par?? and yes, lets not forget all the Lovely Restaurants and cafes and the diversity of supermarket shelves; what a wank!!! “I love Indian food, but I don’t have any Indian friends to bring home, donner kebab!! beautiful!! but “oh those awfull Leb boys!
Sorry mate , but as an old fart of 61 who speaks 3 languages has travelled more than most, my “City of Sydney” is a city has become a place “Tribes” each living in their own suburbs distrustful of of other tribes in their districts. Sadly I think inbuilt racism is part of the human psych no matter what our ethnic background, we are ALL guilty of a certain degree of racism.

davido says:

07:44pm | 14/11/09

I live in India and I can tell you that compared to Indians, Australians are not racist. The very fact that racism is recognised and treated as a problem is a credit to Australia.

Everyone in India is discriminated on the basis of their skin, values, gender and parents. The discrimination occurs in every facet of your existance.

Here is just one example… a pale white european friend of mine recently married an Indian guy. The first thing his Indian friends said to here was they couldnt believe she had married someone so brown!

I have a million more examples of racism that occurs here.

What i will say is that Australia has a PR problem more than it has a Racism problem.

davido says:

09:37pm | 14/11/09

The PC in Australia has to stop. It is time to recognise that Australians are politically naive and are being played like fools.

I am Australian but I live in Bangalore India. I read the local press and i can tell you they are crucifying us every single day. Today, the news was that four indians had been burnt alive in a car. People believe that crap over here. Seriously.

The Australian government has to stop playing around and do something to counter this Indian propaganda. And now. My life is at risk.

marley says:

10:17pm | 14/11/09

Well, now, I’ve lived in a lot fo countries - and Australia does certainly have racism issues- but so do all the other countries (on 5 continents) that I’ve spent time in, and believe you me, there are lots of places which are far more racist than here.  This is a country of immigrants, most of whom have managed to tolerate one another and rub along, albeit sometimes uneasily.  Mosques, churches, synagogues and gurdwaras all have their place, as do ethnic markets and restaurants, newspapers and community centres.  More importantly, non Anglo-Celtics have the possiblity of migrating here, working, building businesses, sending their kids to school, and accomplishing whatever they are capable of achieving.  They’re not treated as “gastarbeiter” who can never become Australian.

Sure, there are problems - be it Cronulla riots or, more seriously, indigenous disadvantage.  However, if you want real racism, visit eastern Europe or large swathes of Asia or Africa, where the wrong colour or tone of skin, the wrong religion or the wrong tribal background, can be fatal.  Look at racism among Indians within India, or consider the Chinese attitude to Tibetans.  Think about how South Americans treat their indigenous people, or how Iranians treat B’ahais.  At least here we have rule of law and an educational system which tries to address racism in all its variations.

No, Australia isn’t perfect.  I’ve encountered lots of racist attitudes here (and by no means were all of them from white people).  But “White Australia” was a long time ago and a different world.  No one assesses China today on what it was 50 years ago; Australia shouldn’t be judged only on what it was in the 50s, but what it has become in the noughties.

stephen says:

01:21am | 15/11/09

I think AT was overwhelmed on the 21st arrondissment.

Michael says:

11:27am | 15/11/09

I was brought up not to be racist, when I was younger if I heard someone say something racist I’d call them on it, now after living and working in Sydney, I am saying and thinking the things I used to hate, I avoid looking at or talking to people of other races and the more I hear my race put down the more my heart hardens against other races. I’m not going to defend my views but I will say I was being called a racist long before I started to hate non-whites.

Vicki PS says:

01:57pm | 15/11/09

Cripes, AT, I don’t think this piece is a realistic barometer of national attitudes to race—or national attitudes to anything, come to that.

There’s racism and racism.  Yes, many Australians feel discomfort dealing face to face with someone from a different racial or ethnic background, but I believe this is a universal phenomenon.  It occurs in every society, and isn’t confined to race or ethnicity.

The racism that matters is in how people, and governments, act.  Our present government and opposition both have much to answer for.  Their harsh policies on and practices toward asylum seekers, persistent use of terms like “illegal immigrant” and “queue jumper” etc, give permission to scapegoat ethnic minorities.

Vicki PS says:

02:02pm | 15/11/09

@Martin: Not to detract from the rest of your examples, but the attack on an Indian taxi-driver in Brisbane doesn’t typify racially-motivated crimes.  Taxi drivers are attacked on a sadly regular basis, although this incident was worse than most.

Jasper says:

02:17pm | 15/11/09

The first great tragedy of discrimination, be it based on race, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status or what-not, is that is based on an accident of birth. Even religiouns are subject to this, even though in the post-Enlightenment age we consider it an issue of concience the old Jesuit adage of “show me child of seven and I’ll show you the man” comes into play here.

There but for the grace of God go I…

The second is how insidious it is, as Sally notes above many of the ways we interpret the actions of others are influenced by the stereotypes we carry around with us, even if we believe they are wrong.

Discrimination is present whenever you use the word “them” in a way that implies thet “they” are all an homogeneous group or some sort of hive-mind. Any anglo-saxon Australian knows that anglos come in all shapes and sizes, with all the range of behaviour that goes with it, but we rarely allow for the same variance of opinion amongst “them”.

Oh no, “they” are all the same but “we” are all individuals.

danj says:

03:53pm | 15/11/09

Indian taxi drivers aren’t beat up because they’re Indian, they’re beat up because they’re taxi drivers. Its just a coincidence that so many Indians drive taxis. Violent drunks/druggos would have beat the taxi driver up whether he was black, white, yellow or whatever.

And as for the aboriginies you couldn’t say we’re not trying. I’d bet London to a brick that more government money per capita is directed to aboriginies over others, because we all want to help them get out of their various situations. Whether or not it is working is another thing, but I don’t see any better ideas being suggested above.

Rosalee says:

04:45pm | 15/11/09

Your comment: I agree with Sally, we are all ‘racist’ - a better word is ethnocentric - and it takes an impossibly constant effort of the imagination to self-reflexively deal with our ethnocentrism.
We are born into a discourse which is innately racist - such cultural discourses inhabit us as we inhabit our culture.
There is of course no such thing as ‘race’, ‘race being a pseudo-scientific construct belonging to the late 19th Century.
As for the word ‘tolerance’ used in regards to cultural diversity - what a giveaway. We ‘tolerate’ difference! Isn’t that big of us? Lol.

AT says:

06:49pm | 15/11/09

Vicki PS says: 01:57pm | 15/11/09
  Cripes, AT, I don’t think this piece is a realistic barometer of national attitudes to race—or national attitudes to anything, come to that.
========
Strewth, Vicki, I agree it’s not at all realistic. A market researcher taking issue with the comments of an ad agency exec should never be deemed realistic, but it pretends to be. And that’s the problem.

Neer describes a fantasy Australia of tolerance and celebration of diversity without citing any concrete examples and ignoring the obvious examples of the opposite. There’s nothing objectionable about expressing (what I believe are) inaccurate views, but I don’t think it’s as inconsequential as you imply.

This little item along with a million others reinforce a delusional conviction that everything’s sweet and gives licence, in the same way you note politicians do, to, if not discriminate, at the very least dismiss the reality of diversity and through that denial suppress and stifle any potential of a genuinely tolerant society flourishing.

It’s quite insulting, this sentiment I reckon. It’s the same sentiment behind the passport imagery, which I think is equally offensive. Despite experiencing or participating in half the activities depicted, the Australia it portrays is something quite foreign to me and, I suspect, to the vast majority of a ALL Australians.

It’s the multitude of little articles like Neer’s that bolster the illusion and help entrench the cheerless and mediocre status-quo. It and every other one merit hearty challenge.

Babak says:

08:05pm | 15/11/09

Racism is pretty much dead in developed countries. Yes we do not see segregation and apartheid is gone. There is no systematic discrimination anymore.- So we can all sleep well tonight because we do not burn or gas people because of their religion any more neither we drink from separarte water fountains according to our complexion. There is no practical example for racism .So is that all?  Practical example? do you want see burning corpses or people hanging from tree. Of course Australia is far from a racist country ( I really mean it) but does lack of hatred necessarily mean acceptance ?
Look at channles 7 9 and 10, the popular main stream media? how many non-white TV figure can you name? how many are in the parliament? How many high rank political figure from a non-European back ground?Cricket?  I would not call it racism either, seriously, help to find a word.

Mark says:

09:45pm | 15/11/09

I dont think Australians are racist at all. I believe Australians are driven by ones ideology rather than race.

The brow beating Aussies cop from people pulling the race card is incredible. Ive never been to a place where it happens so often.

Possibly the most racist nation Ive been to is Malaysia. Indian Malaysians are treated second class and Chinese Malaysians just as bad. Try voicing your opinion there about equality.

dan says:

10:03pm | 15/11/09

@Babak. You would have to conceed that the vast majority of Australia’s population are white. Therefore this is always going to be reflected in TV, parliament and cricket teams. Nothing necessarily unaccepting about that, just simple statistical probability mathematics.

Lucy says:

10:57pm | 15/11/09

I think it is important to distinguish between racism and simply not wanting to be friends. I don’t have any problems being friends with someone who is muslim or asian, but I do have a problem being friends with someone who has absolutely nothing in common with me. I don’t think there is anything wrong with having a society with different cultures that are largely segregated from one another, and a lot of the time those cultures go along with race. That’s fine. There is a difference between that and thinking that someone is inferior on the basis of race, or hating someone purely due to their ethnicity. I don’t see why people should need to “assimilate” and lose a large part of their culture, nor do I see why I need to be friends with people I have nothing in common with. It isnt racism, and it isn’t a problem.

Z says:

12:50am | 16/11/09

I am racist,
I love the Eagles and hate the Dockers
I know i should love all equally, but it was forced on me as a child.
To be part of a team, to work as a team, to be there for the team
Also, to be againsed the other team.
To disagree with ppl who like and work for the other team.
So Imm sorry but I have to admit i’mm racist.
But it was my parents fault.
P.S. my Dad likes the Dockers (Silly old fart)  ;p

Rocksteady says:

10:57am | 16/11/09

“Next time you hear an Australian proclaim our racist nature ask them for practical examples.”
As a former resident of Camden for 20 years, i can tell for certain that behind the well dressed, well spoken councilors saying it was a “traffic planning ” matter was a lot racism and outrage in thousands of homes across the district. It had nothing to do traffic, it was a rural piece of land far out of town, the local public school was 700m up the road, the district also had 3 christian schools and it’s also by chance the whitest suburb in Sydney. When was the last time you saw thousands of residents protest over “traffic management” even though 95% lived nowhere near the actual land and would not be affected at all???  Or maybe the severed pigs head left on the fence is a better example?

Though at the same time, I agree with the many other comments about Australia being less racist than many other countries, especially in Europe. I laugh quite a bit of the irony of India calling us Racists when their Caste system is the most discriminatory social structure I have personally ever seen. Of course no politician would raise this objection and rightly so as the $$$ involved is worth much more to Australia than taking the moral highground on such an issue.
So as far as it goes, Racism is a worldwide problem and you could find a lot more racist places to live than Australia.
But to defend racism in this country just because it isn’t as bad as other nations is fundamentally wrong.
What if every other country in the world tortured many innocent civilians and in Australia we torture a few less. Could you justify the torture of those people just because its not as bad as is another country??
Most here seem to be happy to put up with the lesser of 2 evils.

Garry says:

11:47am | 16/11/09

Me, I was born in London, I think everything north of Watford is marshland. I hate the French because they are the french, I hate the scots because Hadrian did not build the wall high enough, I hate the Irish for so many reasons but I like the guiness, I hate the Welsh - well the singing anyway. So am I racist? Hell no, its part of that fun UK humour and I defy any Englishman, Scots, Welsh or even Frenchman not to have the same friendly opposites as I have. How far we take it defines our ‘fun’ or ‘racism’.

Then twenty years ago I come to Australia, get in a cab (even today) and get asked, ‘when did you arrive’ or, I get ‘whinging Pom, go home if you don’t like it’

I know plenty of migrants who have tried to settle in, be a part of the community and are insulted through colour or religion.

Yet do I consider Australian’s racist? On the whole no, I just think the old jokes are taken a little too far and are used to demean someone who does not like or does not understand. Then the joke is no joke, the sayer becomes an insulter and does not think to temper their joke because they are not wrong - ever.

Racism is used too often to create anger. I would simply ask all Australian’s new and old, We really are a multi-cultural land, so unlike many and that in itself has made us a better nation remember that.

Carl Palmer says:

02:35pm | 16/11/09

A definition of racism is “prejudiced against all people who belong to other races” and another “somebody who hates others who are not of his or her own race”.

If an Aussie who has duel citizenship dislikes another Aussie is he racists? If I dislike Minh but like Chau am I racist? If I like Luigi but dislike Silvio am I racist? If I dislike George the Greek but like his brother Theo does that make me racist?

I have a friend who has an intense dislike for a particular country but also has a number of friends from the same country, is she racist?

Neer I agree with you wholeheartedly and I firmly believe that we are **fundamentally** NOT a racist country or nationality - however there are pockets of Aussies who are racist.

One final observation – anyone who suggests that the Cronulla riots were rationally motivated are completely ill-informed and are NOT aware of the events – over MANY previous YEARS that culminated in that dreadful day. Yes there were racist people there that day (only Aussies - doubt it) but it wasn’t the cause.

Steve says:

11:40pm | 16/11/09

@Martin. Explain to me how the NT Intervention is racist? This is going to be hilarious.

Carl Palmer says:

09:57am | 17/11/09

I cringe whenever I hear Todd Sampson express his view on anything outside of marketing.

I didn’t see this one but the ones that I have seen surprisingly demonstrated a lack of thought, facts and the inability to express a coherent and balanced view. He maybe an excellent marketer but that’s where he should stay.  There are many others who will make a far more useful contribution to our society in relation to these topics. Get him off because if he is on a panel then I change the channel real quick.

Clover says:

05:44pm | 17/11/09

Practical example: I work in an office where a team of 4 of us take calls from people all around Australia. Regularly, REGULARLY, people will hang up on my colleague who has a strong Malaysian accent and call back and say they spoke to someone with ‘broken English’. He’s lived in Oz for years and speaks perfect English, just with a strong accent.
These bastards get terrible service from me, because I am not inclined to treat someone kindly who a) is racist and prejudiced, and b) thinks it’s acceptable to share these views.
To be fair though, it is a government agency, and lots of the people who call us are not the brightest sparks anyway.

Max says:

10:29pm | 17/11/09

While I can appreciate people will have different views, I suspect Mr Korn’s “We’re not as racist” view would be a different one had he experienced life in Australia as an Asian, Muslim, South African or any non-Anglo race.

Not to say the rest of the world isn’t racist (they are) but as annoying as he can be, Todd Sampson was right. Anyone thinking there’s not elements of racism in Australia is kidding themselves.

dee says:

09:11am | 18/11/09

what? we’re not a racist country, because you asked a few ethnic people about it, and they told you no, they haven’t directly been subjected to much racism…
you’re kidding, aren’t you?
i work in an environment with mostly anglo-saxon, middle-to-upper class people. They make racist remarks on a daily basis, about “lebs” about “jews” about “chings” “muzzies” and whatever else - but they’re things they’d NEVER say outside a safe circle of anglo-saxon people.
They’re all two-faced racists who wear a facade of acceptance, and then complain about asian drivers, tight-arsed jewish businessmen and make crude jokes about all Lebanese men being criminals, and aboriginals being petrol sniffers.

Todd Sampson is absolutely right, and this article is proof.

Rebecca says:

11:27am | 18/11/09

dan says: 10:03pm | 15/11/09
@Babak. You would have to conceed that the vast majority of Australia’s population are white. Therefore this is always going to be reflected in TV, parliament and cricket teams. Nothing necessarily unaccepting about that, just simple statistical probability mathematics.

Lol to the white male supremacy that sees nothing wrong in half the population being women, ethnically diverse and underrepresented in “T.V., parliament and cricket teams” not to mention, of course, the current disparity in pay across the board - and growing larger by the minute!

Half-caste says:

03:52pm | 18/11/09

Nice, @AT, @Oldfart, @Max. Neer and many of you other writers, pause for a moment and think. Look around you, even.

Born and bred in this fine country, the only time I ever remember I’m not white is when another Australian points it out to me. That’s several times a week, for nearly 40 years now.

My workplace is a national organisation with several thousand employees and a very thorough EEO policy. The gender balance is great, but in my branch of around 100 there’s only two people who aren’t white.

Australia is my home, and I’m happy here. I’m not foolish enough to suggest other peoples or countries are not racist. But please don’t be foolish enough to think it doesn’t happen here, just because you don’t see it.

And if you do see it, or you’re the one out there thinking you’re justified in your racist expressions for whatever odd reasoning, remember: real people are hurt by you.

Mark says:

04:26pm | 18/11/09

This guy has his head up his arse we are shocking racist, go to the football, cricket, visit work sites, pubs ect, and get into a real conversation with a majority of people over 25 years of age and mention another race and check the response, don’t just ask are you a racist, go out to the burbs and ask someone if they would like to have a family of aboriginies move in next door.