STRAYA DAY Racism - as predicted.

[thejester]

The first bit of legislation passed in Australia after Federation was the White Australia act, and it was only in the postwar period (ie lat 40s) that non-English speaking whites - mainly Greeks and Italians - were allowed in in numbers. Throughout the '60s this was gradually broken down through measures such as the Colombo plan but mass non-white immigration didn't really begin till after the Vietnam War.

Racist violence in Australia has been brought up by two intertwined issues - asylum seekers and terrorism. A lot of the extreme violence has been directed against Muslims because of both terrorism and some of the more inflammatory remarks made by some of the loonier clerics. Is it bad? Yeah, but from anecdotal evidence our race issues (with the exception of the indigenous population, 'cause that's a whole nother can of worms) remain less profound than in the states of even the UK.

[loomer]

Yep, like I said. Ugly, ugly history, and the refusal you mentioned (under the Howard government) is not helping.

[mr friendly guy]

I've seen 'Like it or leave it' shirts as well. But hey, I can like the country and not like you.

I don't even get why it's called Australia Day. We're celebrating the British landing here, setting a British flag on our shores, establishing British Prisons

Corrected.

Yeah, well at least we can hit under arm deliveries.

Hey I heard that would always get a Kiwi riled up, so I thought I would try it.

Oh dear, you're talking about the more vocul Daily Mail readers, aren't you? I really hope that the reasons most British people who came to Australia came mainly due to economic reasons with supposedly more jobs, infrastructure in better repair, and more efficient public services. Not to set up a British Isle theme park on the other side of the world because they thought 'the darkies' supposedly ruined the real one.

Some do, but I have read at least 2 letters where they outright stated that was one of the reasons they came to Australia (actually I don't recall them giving another). If thats true it just means that they are a racist wanker. If its false, it means they are both a liar and a racist. Either way it doesn't reflect highly on them.

Funny enough I was just talking to my co-worker about the word "pom" the other day (she's an Aussie). I originally thought it was some sort of slur against the Brits too, but she said that for them it doesn't have that sort of connotation at all.

Most of the time it isn't. There are some somewhat derogatory use of the word like Whinging Pom. The funny thing is when Prince Harry refered to a Pakistani soldier as a "Paki" people, ie idiots tried to ask whats the difference between using the terms "Paki" and Pom. Well the answer is the same as if I refered to those people as donkey fucking idiots vs calling them really cool and awesome people. Words have meaning, and "Paki" isn't just a short form for Pakistani but has negative connotations. Too bad these people are too goddamn stupid to realise it.

It's a bit of both. We've got an ugly history when it comes to racial matters, but the level of blatant violent antiminority sentiment is more of a recent trend. I blame the Howard administration for a significant part of it.

Yeah, who could forgot Mr "I don't want THOSE people in my country" Howard.

Lets not forget Philip "Aborigines didn't invent the wheel" Ruddock. And the subsequent idiots who said yeah but its true. Yeah, but technological know how has nothing to do with human rights morons.

Who could forget Tony "Greeks, Vietnamese aren't true Australians" Abbott. The man remains a fine argument for legalising abortion. Fifty years ago.

And last, Ross "Aborigines are the lowest people on the colour spectrum" Lightfoot and those wankers who asked on radio, how is it racist.

Remember folks, the Howard regime is not really racist. Even when Ross Lightfoot wants to invite persecuted WHITE ZIMBABWEANS into the country as refugees but refuses to extend the same for persecuted BLACK ZIMBABWEANS. No sirree, the Liberals aren't racist. So speaks our resident professor of economics.

[TithonusSyndrome]

It's a bit of both. We've got an ugly history when it comes to racial matters, but the level of blatant violent antiminority sentiment is more of a recent trend. I blame the Howard administration for a significant part of it.

Well I think it doesn't help that the Australian government in the 60s and 50s(?) encouraged migration from Britain and S. Africa to suppress the natives? You have a whole generation of racism, and given the refusal to confront it for much of the last decade or so, it will take ages to get rid of it.

Fuck migration to suppress natives, at one point I believe it was lawful to purchase licenses to hunt and kill aborigines. We've done some rotten things to the natives on occasion here in Canada, but Australia really takes it to a whole other level.

[Ypoknons]

I used to be an Aussie and I can't help but notice that a lot of ambitious, educated Aussies are working im Dubai or Hong Kong due to oppurtunity. Do you current Aussies think theres a culling effect there?

[weemadando]

Just look at the incentives for the welfare dependant low income under-educated masses AUSSIE BATTLERS to breed at a massive rate v the disincentives for anyone you know, WITH A JOB, to do it. Not only is there a culling effect by many highly educated people getting o/s jobs, but there's a serious Idiocracy thing going on too.

I know it sounds jaded, but you just have to look at the figures to realise that not having a job and just picking a welfare payment you can get away with for the rest of your life is a far nicer proposition than it is in many other countries.

[Darth Wong]

The most annoying thing is that the people who hate immigration most are the people who themselves are most useless to society: the layabouts, generational welfare bums, trailer trash, etc. It's as if they're saying "don't try to get in on our scam".

[weemadando]

The most annoying thing is that the people who hate immigration most are the people who themselves are most useless to society: the layabouts, generational welfare bums, trailer trash, etc. It's as if they're saying "don't try to get in on our scam".

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Not to mention that these are the people who go on welfare instead of taking the jobs that they are qualified for as year 9 and 10 school drop-outs which means that, gee whiz, all these immigrants can come in - get jobs and make something of their lives and encourage their children...

[mr friendly guy]

Another thing has been our need to identify ourselves by a certain way. Beats me what that way is, but John Howard in his infinite wisdom thought we should answer a few questions which the average Australian can't get. It someone magically ensures that the person who can master trivia will be more likely to adapt to our ways or something. Hey, maybe we should encourage migration from quiz show winners. No doubt this promotes the "us and them" mentality.

This brings me to this to awesome piece of journalism by that paragon of integrity, and the whipping boy of Stark's commentary, otherwise known as
Today tonight

Yes, intrepid reporter Brian Seymour shows us what being Australian is all about. Being able to say what a New Zealand dish is, of all things is and to recognise some of our famous sportsmen. To top it all off he askes these questions to Asians who DON'T want to be Australian citizens (they are only permanent residents).

A more accurate assessment can found here, courtesy of the Chaser. Granted, its mainly on what a dickhead Brian Seymour is, but hey, its true.

On another note, the comments (in the Today Tonight video) include several by whiteaus87. He seems to have some nice quotes from politicians, which include some contemporaries and others from way back, so we can explain (but not excuse) their racism. Maybe he should add this quote

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands,
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands,
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share,
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

The second verse of the National anthem. Since these jingoistic fuckwits are supposedly so patriotic I expect them to know it inside out. Funny thing is, I have been living here 24 years, and I have only really met one white australian who knew the second verse.

[bobalot]

Is this some kind of social trend in Australia or is this just a reflection of a longstanding attitude in the Australian population?

It was a long standing thing that was slowly dissipating like most western societies, but there has been a great upsurge recently for reasons I don't really understand. The ex conservative government subtly was egging it on for political gain, but the underlying reasons? I don't really know.

[weemadando]

Is this some kind of social trend in Australia or is this just a reflection of a longstanding attitude in the Australian population?

It was a long standing thing that was slowly dissipating like most western societies, but there has been a great upsurge recently for reasons I don't really understand. The ex conservative government subtly was egging it on for political gain, but the underlying reasons? I don't really know.

The underlying reason is that the gov't, media and much of society has actively encouraged it. I really hate the fact that the White Australia policy, Pauline Hanson and her myriad of negative effects on the nation and her showing that racism as a political platform is quite fine in this country, the continuing ill-treatment of immigrants and the general anti-everyone not white and christian bullshit is seen as a good thing by a large percentage of the population.

As for the Today Tonight thing - and this ties into why this country is circling the bowl, people thing that TT and ACA are news. People in the offices where I've worked talk about these shows as if they actually contained journalism. They don't actually watch any real news, or read anything not headlined on News.com.au under "entertainment", but damnit - they don't miss an episode of Pulitzer Prize worthy TT.

[Stark]

Australia is a country where crypto-racism (if that's the right term for something so ubiquitous but disorganised) is so prevalent, people honestly don't think John Howard had racist attitudes.

It's such a hilarious situation that when they were giving out stupid plastic Australian flags to stick out your car window (I'm not making this up) they started offering one to my girlfriend, then stopped and looked sheepish.

Because she's asian.

Dirty slanties.

[weemadando]

Australia is a country where crypto-racism (if that's the right term for something so ubiquitous but disorganised) is so prevalent, people honestly don't think John Howard had racist attitudes.

It's such a hilarious situation that when they were giving out stupid plastic Australian flags to stick out your car window (I'm not making this up) they started offering one to my girlfriend, then stopped and looked sheepish.

Because she's asian.

Dirty slanties.

It gets funnier, my brother in law espouses some amazingly racist stuff (and I genuinely believe he doesn't understand half of his arguments he regurgitates), much of it against the dirty slanties.

PRO-TIP: You're half asian. Perhaps you need to sit back and think about this for the moment.

[mr friendly guy]

Australia is a country where crypto-racism (if that's the right term for something so ubiquitous but disorganised) is so prevalent, people honestly don't think John Howard had racist attitudes.

It's such a hilarious situation that when they were giving out stupid plastic Australian flags to stick out your car window (I'm not making this up) they started offering one to my girlfriend, then stopped and looked sheepish.

Because she's asian.

Dirty slanties.

I bet you the flag was most probably made in China. Ah, the irony.

[Big Orange]

Pseudo-racist?

Isn't the accepted origin of 'pom' from the pom-poms decorating Royal Navy uniform caps, when the term was coined?

Doesn't seem particularly racist, pseudo- or otherwise...

Derogatory terms have pretty innocuous origins and are even innocuous in of themselves - 'nigger' probably originated from the River Niger and 'Paki' is merely an abbreviation of Pakistani, just like 'Brit', but I certainly wouldn't use those words in any context. The national term 'Chinaman' is objectively no different to national terms such as 'Frenchman' or 'Englishman', but has still gained very negative connotations and is at best an anachronistic term like 'Negro'.

I agree with Stark that white British people are pretty low on the Australian bigotry spectrum, with the Chinese/Koreans/Japanese in the middle, the SE Asians and Indians a little further up, then Westernised blacks, African blacks, and finally the hapless Aboriginese at peak of Australia's racist, asshole abuse meter. But the festering contempt against Britain (England in particular) is still there, is certainly expressed by international embarrassments like the Gibsons, and could feasibly grow with Australia's growing hypernationalism.

[thejester]

Do you have any examples of this 'festering contempt'?

[Stark]

I can't believe he's harping on how horribly the english are treated here in a thread about actual racism and discrimination. I've certainly never experienced racism with an Anglo girlfriend. LOL.

[mr friendly guy]

Supposedly under Paul Keating who wanted Australia to become a republic there was some anti English sentiment. 60 minutes showed them mocking the Australian anthem by singing it in the tune of "Mary had a little Lamb", (hey , I had to write an essay on Australia becoming a republic back in high school). One wonders what nationalistic white racists would make of that, although they would most probably make excuses.

In this day and age the best insults labelled against the English seem to be the "whinging pom" stereotype, in that every few years Aussie television would make a show about English immigrants who whine. In fact I saw one a few years ago where the English complained about our weather being nicer than theirs (hence the yearly trip back to the UK) and how Australian they don't like the sounds Australian birds make (to which she promptly demonstrated that sound and then did an imitation of a native English bird). I like to see racists telling these guys to leave the country if they don't like it so much, but it ain't going to happen.

Which reminds me, whenever you see a self proclaim ex pat British who left his (and it usually is a bloke) old country because the "Paki's" came and whine about Australia's multiculturalism, point out the old whinging pom stereotype is alive and well.
Spoiler

How do you a know a bunch of British people have arrived in Australia
Answer - when the plane lands down, the whinging starts.

Old Australian joke

[Molyneux]

...how the hell do these people feel entitled to say "No more immigrants" to Australia? The place wasn't even discovered by Europeans until the 1600s. It was inhabited for forty thousand fucking years before they got there. Now they're pissed off about people coming in just over a hundred years after their state was formed?

[Lusankya]

...how the hell do these people feel entitled to say "No more immigrants" to Australia? The place wasn't even discovered by Europeans until the 1600s. It was inhabited for forty thousand fucking years before they got there. Now they're pissed off about people coming in just over a hundred years after their state was formed?

Remember, these people are bogans and are thus a)stupid, b)ignorant and c) wilfully so. The irony probably doesn't occur to them, assuming that they'd even listened to the bit in school where they said that it was only discovered by Europeans recently. Sure, I could explain to them that while Sydney's been around for over 200 years, there are cities in China which are over 20 times older but they wouldn't understand, because they don't have enough fingers to know how big a number 20 is.

Besides, those slanties will bring in horrible un-australian things like ... I dunno. Dumplings and Kung Fu movies or something. Clearly they must be stopped.

[weemadando]

It's quite hilarious. Every time I've confronted one of these idiots about their views, the best excuse they can come up with is "Because they don't fit in." - which, unsurprisingly for bogans, when further pressed on it usually relates to them not playing or getting as involved in sport or some perceived notion that they want to destroy STRAYAN VALUES, whatever they are. Sure, a lot of them don't get involved in sport and most of them have interests beyond the next XXXX and Commodore - but lets face it, I'd much rather have one more Victor Chang than 1,000,000 more STRAYANS.

[mr friendly guy]

...how the hell do these people feel entitled to say "No more immigrants" to Australia? The place wasn't even discovered by Europeans until the 1600s. It was inhabited for forty thousand fucking years before they got there. Now they're pissed off about people coming in just over a hundred years after their state was formed?

There are usually a few arguments, if you can call them arguments for this

1) They flew here, I was born here.
One wonders so what? Whats the betting I have lived here longer than most of these bogans any way. Maybe they are jealous because they are too god damn poor to afford plane tickets so they need to compensate for something.

2) <insert Asian country here> wouldn't let me migrate there, so why should we let these people migrate here?

Ignoring the obvious, if they (ie an Asian government) did it, a) why should a citizen of that country be punished and b) assuming its wrong, why should we do the same thing here?

Of course, naturally they don't say why they were rejected from immigrating to that country ( I am going to be nice and assume they actually applied and didn't just pull it out of their arse), but presumably like us, those countries are looking for skilled workers. I guess lining up all day at centre link awaiting welfare payments isn't a sought after skill in Asia. I wonder why.

3) <insert ethnic group> didn't contribute to the building / defense of this country. WE did. By we, the racist doesn't mean himself, he means his ancestors. The bogan lives off the achievements of his ancestors because he has none of his own.

Its quite funny, because when you ask them what they contributed, its obviously nothing, and their excuse is, they are too young to serve in our armed forces / get a job etc. I guess they expect me somehow to time travel and fight in WWII or something, since I wasn't born then. Of course, the claim that there were NO non whites serving in our armed forces in these world wars is blatantly untrue, but the true bogan doesn't let the facts stand in his way.

4) they are taking over our jobs.
Somehow I don't think lining up for welfare payments constitutes a job, but what would I know? I mean I only earn over 6 figures with overtime and penalties.

5) We are full.
Then don't breed then. The country would be better off that way.
Correction, we are only full if you aren't a white immigrant.

Lets be generous, and assume what they really mean is that the country cannot sustain a higher population, either ecologically or economically. Actually thats being too generous for the bogans, but I digress. Its clearly contradicted by our previous government's attempt to increase the population, by paying couples to have kids, ie we want a bigger population.

As that song goes, "But I got a great plan, Australia lets make babies, make a smooth 4 grand".

6) WHITE POWER. Its diluting our WHITE culture.
Really, does this even need to be addressed?

7) We can't let Africans in, because they are too dumb and will commit crimes.
We can't Asians in, because they are too smart and will displace Australians.

No, I kid you not. This was actually an argument used by a professor (I believe this was posted on the board a few years ago). To top it all off, this professor whats his name was a migrant himself from.... Canada. Obviously he doesn't grasp irony.

It's quite hilarious. Every time I've confronted one of these idiots about their views, the best excuse they can come up with is "Because they don't fit in." - which, unsurprisingly for bogans, when further pressed on it usually relates to them not playing or getting as involved in sport or some perceived notion that they want to destroy STRAYAN VALUES, whatever they are.

Bogans play sport? I thought they just watch sport in front of the television drinking cans of Fosters while becoming over weight and obese, before finally needing a hepatologist to sort out their liver cirrhosis and alcoholism, an endocrinologist to sort out their inevitable type II diabetes and a surgeon to do bariatric surgery to help them lose weight. All at tax payers' expense of course.

[Lusankya]

3) <insert ethnic group> didn't contribute to the building / defense of this country. WE did. By we, the racist doesn't mean himself, he means his ancestors. The bogan lives off the achievements of his ancestors because he has none of his own.

Not to mention that it's full of crap. There are lots of 'chinaman's wells' on the way from Adelaide to the Victorian gold fields because lots of Chinese people went via Adelaide (Adelaide lacked the other states' 30 pound "being Chinese" immigration tax, you see, which was enough to make trekking 80 miles along the Coorong an attractive proposition), and while the Europeans who travelled along the route just winged it, the Chinese prospectors built proper wells along the way to make it easier for future prospectors. My mum's friend has one on his property, and he's restored it so it is still serviceable some 150+ years after was first built. Not to mention that there are people of Asian heritage who served in the Australian armed forces in WWII, despite the racism they endured at the time. It's hardly the Asians' fault that they weren't allowed to migrate in significant numbers prior to the 1970s, otherwise their contribution would probably be much greater.

As for Muslims, here's a hint: there's a reason that the Adelaide-Darwin railroad is called "The Ghan". It's related to the camel drivers from a certain central Asian country who helped explore central Australia.

Bogans play sport? I thought they just watch sport in front of the television drinking cans of Fosters while becoming over weight and obese, before finally needing a hepatologist to sort out their liver cirrhosis and alcoholism, an endocrinologist to sort out their inevitable type II diabetes and a surgeon to do bariatric surgery to help them lose weight. All at tax payers' expense of course.

Ah, but the bogans still care about the sport, unlike those immigrants who seem more likely to care about unaustralian things like "education" and "literacy".

Of course, I also want immigrants to care about the footy. I dealt with the issue by taking my Korean friend to a footy match. Unfortunately, it was only a Port match, because at the time it was easy to borrow my dad's Port tickets, so he became a fucking Port supporter, so that backfired spectacularly.

[weemadando]

Bogans play sport? I thought they just watch sport in front of the television drinking cans of Fosters while becoming over weight and obese, before finally needing a hepatologist to sort out their liver cirrhosis and alcoholism, an endocrinologist to sort out their inevitable type II diabetes and a surgeon to do bariatric surgery to help them lose weight. All at tax payers' expense of course.

Ah, but the bogans still care about the sport, unlike those immigrants who seem more likely to care about unaustralian things like "education" and "literacy".

Of course, I also want immigrants to care about the footy. I dealt with the issue by taking my Korean friend to a footy match. Unfortunately, it was only a Port match, because at the time it was easy to borrow my dad's Port tickets, so he became a fucking Port supporter, so that backfired spectacularly.

Actually I'd say you just made the greatest step in race relations ever by creating the first non-white-bogan-fuckhead Port supporter.

[Lusankya]

Actually I'd say you just made the greatest step in race relations ever by creating the first non-white-bogan-fuckhead Port supporter.

Actually, my dad's a Port supporter, and he's not a bogan - just a fuckhead (and white, not that he looks it).