Racism row in Australia

One guy waited at the hatch to be served. You could see the waitress chatting to one of the truckers. After maybe 3 minutes of waiting this fella went around to the main bar only to be told to get back to where he came from (meaning the breeze block room) otherwise he wouldn’t be served at all. The look on the fellas face said it all… Anger and sadness.

Come on mike/zokes – tell us about the time something like that happened in the uk. I think you’ll have to make it up.

Alpin, that sounds very similar to my experience it contrated starkly with the experience in NZ. Racism was stark and obvious in Aus. Other places I’ve been to abd back here its more closeted.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/30/i-can-tell-you-how-adam-goodes-feels-every-indigenous-person-has-felt-it

But Shane Warne says the booing has nothing to do with racism, so that’s cleared that up.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/30/shane-warne-denies-adam-goodes-booing-is-racist-and-twitter-reacts

A lot of Ausism going on here. Some of my best friends are Aussies… 😉

Birds of a feather…

You know your earlier joke DD……

Shouldn’t be too hard.

This was the first time I had any real contact with an aborigine other than being pestered for a dollar.

…as far as you know (unless of course everyone you had real contact with declared their identity to you).

my opinion is just based on being married to an Asian who lived in Australia for a bit … your experience …being white is probably a very cushy one in Aussie land.

Well, I lolled, even if no-one else did.

I’m off to see the Roosters play the Bulldogs tonight – it’s NRL rather than AFL, but I will let you know if anyone calls me an ape.

Rooooooooooooooosters!

You were engaging in whatabouttery again by mentioning that the rest of Europe has a problem with racism.

If we’re going to ignore that the insinuation throughout this thread that been that all Aussies are racists, and instead climb down to an argument that Australia has more of a race problem that country xyz, then it’s hardly whataboutery. Neither is my link to a thread about Cameron’s derogatory and possibly racist comments, and the fact that at the time of posting, most people seemed quite happy with the PM of their country referring to other races as “swarms”. Branding it whataboutery just further highlights how close perhaps you need to look at yourself.

Nobody here is arguing that a) racism doesn’t happen in Oz, or b) that racism in any form is a good thing. What Mike, I, and one or two others who have more than anecdotal experience of living both in the UK and in Australia have repeatedly stated is that racism isn’t noticeably worse here than in the UK.

Other places I’ve been to abd back here its more closeted.

Oh, that’s alright then 🙄

These guys had looked out for me and treated me as a friend, yet one of me had treated him like a c-u-next-Tuesday.

One of you?

It’s just skin! It’s what’s between the ears you should be associating with!?

What Mike, I, and one or two others who have more than anecdotal experience of living both in the UK and in Australia have repeatedly stated is that racism isn’t noticeably worse here than in the UK…

But you’re white, you dummy, and therefore highly unlikely to be on the receiving end of racial abuse in either country. Is what i’d like to type, but wont because i’ve no idea what colour your skin is.

Is it white???? ….I **** knew it you conkey, flat-assed flourbag 😀

Mike, of course the extent of the problem is being overplayed. This is an Internet forum. You take liberal apication of facts and reality as read. It’s the headline syndrome….

Australia has a moustache problem too. Whataboutery that?

Australia has a moustache problem too

You’re not kidding!

Zokes, last time I checked…Britain nor any country within the EU had constitutional legislation similar to this gem, still on the books.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_25_of_the_Constitution_of_Australia

Taken a long time to get round to repealing it, haven’t they?

Adrian, you should well know the the UK famously doesn’t have a constitution.

It’s a pity you’re more towards the Cappuccino Years than aged 13 3/4. For one, you were definitely more amusing as an angst-ridden teenager, and it would also excuse your inability to comprehend pretty simple arguments.

What, the fact that the UK doesn’t have a hard Constitution somehow negates the fact that we nor any country within the EU have laws still on the books that approach what you still have in Australia? And again, you imply I/my other half or none of our friends have experience with racism.

My wife has experienced maybe 3 incidents over the 5 years she has been here in the UK, in Melbourne it was every week…with her friends it was every week….etc etc.

But keep up with the ad hom and deluding yourself that Australia does not have an acute problem surrounding race.

deluding yourself that Australia does not have an acute problem surrounding race.

Perhaps it does, but no more so than many other countries, the UK included. You are pretty ignorant of the facts if you think otherwise.

Its weird, I dont follow AFL so only have a vague idea who adam goodes is, but I have lived in oz for the past 4 years. I don’t think australians are more racist than the brits, but that maybe people are much more comfortable being racist. I know more overtly racist Australians than I do Brits, but i’m not sure if that means much. I do know a frightening amount of very normal very nice people I know and work with really hate aboriginal australians and are pretty comfortable telling you.

Perhaps it does, but no more so than many other countries, the UK included. You are pretty ignorant of the facts if you think otherwise.

What facts would those be Zokes? The almost complete lack of racial remarks said in the street towards my wife in the uk? That our most racist party with any seats in parliament makes Abbots government look like the BNP? That someone like John Pilger hasn’t labelled us an apartheid state? That we don’t have legislation that discriminates on a racial basis?

I know more overtly racist Australians than I do Brits, but i’m not sure if that means much.

Some others have mentioned aussies are just more overt in their racism. It makes a lot of difference if it’s overt as opposed to kept to oneself, overt racism makes people feel threatened and unsafe.

my opinion is just based on being married to an Asian who lived in Australia for a bit … your experience …being white is probably a very cushy one in Aussie land.

Well, I lolled, even if no-one else did.

Yup, I lolled too. I got called out for being white on an anti-racism thread 🙂 My bad. Would have replied earlier but was busy at work in an Australian company where, funnily enough, there are people of all nationalities and from all walks of life. 2000 people. One building. One company. No one gives a toss about where you’re from as long as you get the job done and you’re not a dick, Still, bunch of sheep-shagging racists, eh?

Pretty sure its kiwis who shag sheep not the aussies :p

Keep in mind that this is coming from an…American expat of all things.

I’ve lived in Australia for ten years now as an American expat. One thing I’ve learned about my adopted home is that its problem with racism is similar in many ways to America’s problem with guns: it is so endemic and culturally ingrained that its perpetrators and propagators can’t even see that it’s a problem. Whereas histrionic Americans rage that there are all sorts of reasons for the thousands of American gun-related deaths every year except guns, Australians so vehemently deny that racism affects its national character. This is the root of the Adam Goodes controversy.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/an-american-expat-explains-the-adam-goodes-controversy-and-australias-problem-with-racism-2015-7

So Australia has even managed to shock someone who’s from a country where they shoot black people for sport.

Yup, I lolled too. I got called out for being white on an anti-racism thread My bad.

Enjoy.

^ blah blah blah… stuff which happened 200 years ago. Not a lot I can do about that. Other than be a decent enough bloke, not be a racist idiot and – in my case – run a company with 20 staff, half of whom are “white boy” euro expats, a quarter Oz (white and indigenous, or however I should refer to, for example, Kyle, though I dont really know the right terminology as IDGAS so just call him Kyle. I think he’s alright with that) and one quarter Asian. So sorry for not sharing your collective guilt about what the Euro settlers did to the indigebous people up until fairly recently, or what a group of idiots continue to do nowadays, but I am too busy getting on with life.

^ blah blah blah… stuff which happened 200 years ago. Not a lot I can do about that.

It’s not stuff that happened 200 years ago. This was still going on until the 70s and arguably still goes on now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Generations

Your casual blindness to this and dismissal of this as a historical issue is again, a major part of the problem.

Perhaps it does, but no more so than many other countries, the UK included. You are pretty ignorant of the facts if you think otherwise.

Have you managed to make up a story about the UK equivalent to Alpin’s recounting of the apartheid system in an Australian bar yet, or are you still just conveniently ignoring that one? And keeping on repeating that people are claiming ‘all Australians are racist’ just makes you look increasingly stupid.

But it’s ok, you’re just showing you’ve got a greater tolerance for racism than we do – maybe in the end that makes you a better person eh?

Thanks for outing yourself Neil.

Pretty sure its kiwis who shag sheep not the aussies :p

Depends whether you ask a Kiwi or an Aussie, or a Wels…….. 😉

No, no, really they’ve given them their land back, paid reparations and compensation, opened up social and economic mobility and everything . Haven’t you Neil?

Two things…

1. That video is about stuff that happened 200 years ago. Not that relevant to the current discussiobn which is worried about stuff happening now.

2. Outing myself? What as? Someone who is more concerned with getting on with life rather than collective hand-wringing and crying sympathy tears over the past. Yuip, spot on,

Other than be a decent enough bloke, not be a racist idiot

Seems like you need to work on that TBH.

But it’s ok, you’re just showing you’ve got a greater tolerance for racism than we do – maybe in the end that makes you a better person eh?

Must…resist….ad hom….must….not descend…to Zokes level……

…..

………*cough* I wouldn’t expect any better from a Bangor graduate anyway. *cough*

1. That video is about stuff that happened 200 years ago. Not that relevant to the current discussiobn which is worried about stuff happening now.

Yes it is, it perfectly explains why calling someone out for being white on an anti-racism thread is okay.

No, no, really they’ve given them their land back, paid reparations and compensation, opened up social and economic mobility and everything . Haven’t you Neil?

Opened up economic mobility? Yes.

Opened up economic mobility? Yes.

By employing mostly white europeans and a token indigenous aussie?

Other than be a decent enough bloke, not be a racist idiot
Seems like you need to work on that TBH.

Fair enough, that’s quite funny.

http://caepr.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/cck_indigenous_outcomes/2013/10/2011CensusPaper_13_Socioeconomic%20Outcomes.pdf

Page 8 fig 3.

Opened up economic mobility? Yes.
By employing mostly white europeans and a token indigenous aussie?

Nothing token about it. I could employ 100% indigenous aussies or I could employ none, I really don’t GAS. My basis for emploiying people is whether they have the skills I need, I can present them to clients and ultimately can I make money on them. That’s the difference between me and a lot of you – my thinking isn’t biased by race, religion or background. You can knock capitalism for many things, but in this case, it’s a pretty good leveller.

At the end of the day, we have several people who have either briefly visited or lived in Oz who are convinced most of us are racist yet seem curiously blind to racism in their own country, and a few of us who do live in Oz who know that mostly we’re not.

For an added irony bonus of course there’s also the fact that most of the ills in Australia stem from British rule before final (near) complete independence.

At the end of the day, we have several people who have either briefly visited or lived in Oz who are convinced most of us are racist

Not me. But you’re own centre for policy research in this area seems to think there’s a problem. But you probably know best. DOn’t you?

For an added irony bonus of course there’s also the fact that most of the ills in Australia stem from British rule before final (near) complete independence.

Yeah we have something to apologize for – but you can’t blame it on us to deflect Australia’s responsibility. Your more civilized neighbors (the Kiwis) did a far better job of being nice to the locals than you guys did.

Nothing token about it. I could employ 100% indigenous aussies or I could employ none, I really don’t GAS. My basis for emploiying people is whether they have the skills I need, I can present them to clients and ultimately can I make money on them. That’s the difference between me and a lot of you – my thinking isn’t biased by race, religion or background. You can knock capitalism for many things, but in this case, it’s a pretty good leveller.

Ahhhh you’re one of my favorite subtypes, the colorblind racist.

Oz who are convinced most of us are racist yet seem curiously blind to racism in their own country, and a few of us who do live in Oz who know that mostly we’re not.

This guy in OZ seems pretty sure that you are.