Is Australia A Racist Country

[Booney]

Are gingers a race? If yes, then I am racist.

It's ok. The Sun prevents them from attempting any kind of take over of the rest of us.







Morning Gingernuts.

[Gingernuts]

Are gingers a race? If yes, then I am racist.

It's ok. The Sun prevents them from attempting any kind of take over of the rest of us.







Morning Gingernuts.

Just make sure you watch your back after dark though big fella. I'm spreadin the word......

[therisingblues]

Crikey Yetti, reading some of your post I thought you lived in Germany in Nazi times. It's scarey how not that long ago in this country we had similar ideals to Hitler but it is also very encouraging how far we've come and so quickly.
Personally I'd like to see a new flag and Australia Day moved to January 1. It's funny that the only date we celebrate Australia day is the anniversary of when the only non peaceful folk came to our great country and how the only other flag on our flag is that of the only country who came here using force.
Australia is a multi cultural country represented by people from all over the world. It's time we celebrated our country and not that of the only one that invaded our country by force IMHO. Until we grow up as a country and do that we will probably be seen as immature and racist by others and who could blame them?
Just my opinion and not a pom bashing exercise as in the poms favour when they invaded our country it was the accepted way of aquiring new land by most European nations.

I'm not so sure that they were the only non-peaceful folk to have arrived in Australia. I remember reading stories that the indigenous population did from time to time have wars between themselves, long before the English of even the Dutch arrived in Australia. This is the same as any group of people whether they be Celts, Aztecs, Arabs, Romans, Japanese, Tongans or whatever.
Invasion wasn't confined to Europeans either. In fact if the Mongol Khan hadn't died while part of his army was wiping out Hungary it is a real possibility that Europe would have been completely sacked by the Mongol empire. Zulu history was the story of a small tribe that overwhelmed everyone around them in a very short, blood-thirsty period of time. Obviously there were many cultures outside of Europe that believed that invasion was an acceptable way to acquire land.
I am not saying that any of this justifies what transpired in Australia, but it is better to keep it in perspective. Invasion and war is a human thing, not a specifically white thing. The wrongs committed against the Aboriginal people were inflicted by a group that was no different than any other group on Earth, white, black or yellow, save that they were more advanced.
Apart from all that, I quite agree that the Australian flag should represent more of Australia than a Union Jack sitting next to the Southern Cross. Australia Day should also be moved away from January 26th, as I am sure that it is a day to be mourned by the aboriginal peoples of Australia. Perhaps it could be moved to March 19th (currently Canberra Day)?

[Mr66]

I've always loved the phrase, "I'm not a racist but..."

[Wedgie]

Crikey Yetti, reading some of your post I thought you lived in Germany in Nazi times. It's scarey how not that long ago in this country we had similar ideals to Hitler but it is also very encouraging how far we've come and so quickly.
Personally I'd like to see a new flag and Australia Day moved to January 1. It's funny that the only date we celebrate Australia day is the anniversary of when the only non peaceful folk came to our great country and how the only other flag on our flag is that of the only country who came here using force.
Australia is a multi cultural country represented by people from all over the world. It's time we celebrated our country and not that of the only one that invaded our country by force IMHO. Until we grow up as a country and do that we will probably be seen as immature and racist by others and who could blame them?
Just my opinion and not a pom bashing exercise as in the poms favour when they invaded our country it was the accepted way of aquiring new land by most European nations.

I'm not so sure that they were the only non-peaceful folk to have arrived in Australia. I remember reading stories that the indigenous population did from time to time have wars between themselves, long before the English of even the Dutch arrived in Australia. This is the same as any group of people whether they be Celts, Aztecs, Arabs, Romans, Japanese, Tongans or whatever.
Invasion wasn't confined to Europeans either. In fact if the Mongol Khan hadn't died while part of his army was wiping out Hungary it is a real possibility that Europe would have been completely sacked by the Mongol empire. Zulu history was the story of a small tribe that overwhelmed everyone around them in a very short, blood-thirsty period of time. Obviously there were many cultures outside of Europe that believed that invasion was an acceptable way to acquire land.
I am not saying that any of this justifies what transpired in Australia, but it is better to keep it in perspective. Invasion and war is a human thing, not a specifically white thing. The wrongs committed against the Aboriginal people were inflicted by a group that was no different than any other group on Earth, white, black or yellow, save that they were more advanced.
Apart from all that, I quite agree that the Australian flag should represent more of Australia than a Union Jack sitting next to the Southern Cross. Australia Day should also be moved away from January 26th, as I am sure that it is a day to be mourned by the aboriginal peoples of Australia. Perhaps it could be moved to March 19th (currently Canberra Day)?

My point was they were the only mob to invade Australia violently, when the Aboriginals came here noone else was here and relatively speaking they are one of the most peaceful races in the world, plus I don't think the Mongols or Zulu's quite made it here either!
The Aboriginals came here when no other race was here, those who came out in the 50s and onwards (and before) were all invited. Only mob to invade this country violently and who were unwelcome were the mob we celebrate on our flag and the day we choose for Australia Day, seems the last mob we should be celebrating, not the first. Crikey, have a look at the way we treat peaceful boat people and the paranoia, that's nothing compared to a whole country violently invading and taking over our country! The country will always seem immature to others and racist from many whilst we continue this practice.

[Punk Rooster]

My point was they were the only mob to invade Australia violently, when the Aboriginals came here noone else was here and relatively speaking they are one of the most peaceful races in the world.
Crikey, have a look at the way we treat peaceful boat people and the paranoia,

ah yes, but the White Settlers knew what could happen if the "peaceful" boat people where to lamd on our shores- they could slaughter us!

[therisingblues]

Crikey Yetti, reading some of your post I thought you lived in Germany in Nazi times. It's scarey how not that long ago in this country we had similar ideals to Hitler but it is also very encouraging how far we've come and so quickly.
Personally I'd like to see a new flag and Australia Day moved to January 1. It's funny that the only date we celebrate Australia day is the anniversary of when the only non peaceful folk came to our great country and how the only other flag on our flag is that of the only country who came here using force.
Australia is a multi cultural country represented by people from all over the world. It's time we celebrated our country and not that of the only one that invaded our country by force IMHO. Until we grow up as a country and do that we will probably be seen as immature and racist by others and who could blame them?
Just my opinion and not a pom bashing exercise as in the poms favour when they invaded our country it was the accepted way of aquiring new land by most European nations.

I'm not so sure that they were the only non-peaceful folk to have arrived in Australia. I remember reading stories that the indigenous population did from time to time have wars between themselves, long before the English of even the Dutch arrived in Australia. This is the same as any group of people whether they be Celts, Aztecs, Arabs, Romans, Japanese, Tongans or whatever.
Invasion wasn't confined to Europeans either. In fact if the Mongol Khan hadn't died while part of his army was wiping out Hungary it is a real possibility that Europe would have been completely sacked by the Mongol empire. Zulu history was the story of a small tribe that overwhelmed everyone around them in a very short, blood-thirsty period of time. Obviously there were many cultures outside of Europe that believed that invasion was an acceptable way to acquire land.
I am not saying that any of this justifies what transpired in Australia, but it is better to keep it in perspective. Invasion and war is a human thing, not a specifically white thing. The wrongs committed against the Aboriginal people were inflicted by a group that was no different than any other group on Earth, white, black or yellow, save that they were more advanced.
Apart from all that, I quite agree that the Australian flag should represent more of Australia than a Union Jack sitting next to the Southern Cross. Australia Day should also be moved away from January 26th, as I am sure that it is a day to be mourned by the aboriginal peoples of Australia. Perhaps it could be moved to March 19th (currently Canberra Day)?

My point was they were the only mob to invade Australia violently, when the Aboriginals came here noone else was here and relatively speaking they are one of the most peaceful races in the world, plus I don't think the Mongols or Zulu's quite made it here either!
The Aboriginals came here when no other race was here, those who came out in the 50s and onwards (and before) were all invited. Only mob to invade this country violently and who were unwelcome were the mob we celebrate on our flag and the day we choose for Australia Day, seems the last mob we should be celebrating, not the first. Crikey, have a look at the way we treat peaceful boat people and the paranoia, that's nothing compared to a whole country violently invading and taking over our country! The country will always seem immature to others and racist from many whilst we continue this practice.

Sorry, I was replying to a couple of points in your original post that were phrased more generally.

Just a question relating to your last point. What do you think we should do with boat people?

[Wedgie]

Just a question relating to your last point. What do you think we should do with boat people?

Wow, really good question, a bit late at night and a few too many beers and bundys under my belt to answer intelligently, I'll have to seriously consider that one before replying.
Let's just say Im sure my stance (and my point) is I have more sympathy for the current day "boat people" than I do for the "boat people" around 1770!
Despite being a do-gooder on this thread I was a John Howard voter!
I'm a bit torn at times as I'm 5/8ths anglo aussie, 1/4 irish and 1/8th aboriginal!
(Christ I hope that adds up to 1! )

[Barto]

My point was they were the only mob to invade Australia violently, when the Aboriginals came here noone else was here and relatively speaking they are one of the most peaceful races in the world, plus I don't think the Mongols or Zulu's quite made it here either!
The Aboriginals came here when no other race was here, those who came out in the 50s and onwards (and before) were all invited. Only mob to invade this country violently and who were unwelcome were the mob we celebrate on our flag and the day we choose for Australia Day, seems the last mob we should be celebrating, not the first. Crikey, have a look at the way we treat peaceful boat people and the paranoia, that's nothing compared to a whole country violently invading and taking over our country! The country will always seem immature to others and racist from many whilst we continue this practice.

This is a pretty good post. I've stopped referring to Australia Day as "Invasion Day" even facetiously because people get extremely fired up about it but it is a strange date to celebrate when you think about it. All that happened was some convicts finally got here. We have no great victory over a foreign invader, no independence from an oppressive regime to celebrate.

I've tried to rationalise how the indigenous population would feel about the day by drawing on a hypothetical Japanese victory in WW2. Would we put a smile on our face as we waved a rising sun flag on the date that they won? Probably not.

[mick]

I think it is accepted that the original occupation of Australia occurred in waves and the later arrivals had better weaponry were bigger etc than the earlier arrivals and the earlier people were pushed into Tasmania. I think it is drawing a long bow to suggest that aboriginal people did not go to war against other aboriginal people for land/women/game etc. They are human beings afflicted with the same shortcomings as the rest of the human race. Humans are an aggressive species that's why they dominate the globe.

[Psyber]

I think it is accepted that the original occupation of Australia occurred in waves and the later arrivals had better weaponry were bigger etc than the earlier arrivals and the earlier people were pushed into Tasmania. I think it is drawing a long bow to suggest that aboriginal people did not go to war against other aboriginal people for land/women/game etc. They are human beings afflicted with the same shortcomings as the rest of the human race. Humans are an aggressive species that's why they dominate the globe.

While I support the view that we should do more about the health and welfare of our "aborigines", I think there are certain PC myths about about their allegedly peaceful nature and their alleged role as "Custodians of the Land" that need challenging, if only because those myths cause antagonism and impair the process of reconciliation. I am sympathetic to the idea of moving the Australia Day celebrations to a date other than "Invasion Day", as a gesture of good will, but I don't think that in doing so we should allow it to imply this was the only ever "invasion" of this continent.

Our present aborigines were not here "ab origine" [literally "from the beginning"] but arrived after others and displaced them, and, in bringing their use of fire for clearing and hunting, and the Dingo, with them they presided over the destruction of our older non-fire-dependent flora and forests, and the loss of our mega-fauna - the biggest series of extinctions in Australia's history.

They are not really greatly different from the wicked white guys who came later, and admittedly finished off the genocide of the remnants of one earlier group of "aborigines" in Tasmania.
If we can dispense with the propaganda and blame war, perhaps we can all move forward and live together, accepting that we are all much the same, a blend of good and bad, and not divided into good and the evil races.

[(S)aintbackline]

Well i think its pretty obvious we are Racist, just look at that KFC Ad that got pulled! who knew that West Indians didnt like free fried chicken!
Dam do-gooders ruin everything, like the Black Face Sketch it was just harmless fun, maybe us Whiteys should have made a fuss about the movie White Chicks.
Its the same for Black Comics they say N**ger every 2 seconds and thats ok its, but if a White Person said it there would be hell to pay (except Eminem), Black people can call us whatever they want is a ******* double standard.

[therisingblues]

Well i think its pretty obvious we are Racist, just look at that KFC Ad that got pulled! who knew that West Indians didnt like free fried chicken!
Dam do-gooders ruin everything, like the Black Face Sketch it was just harmless fun, maybe us Whiteys should have made a fuss about the movie White Chicks.
Its the same for Black Comics they say N**ger every 2 seconds and thats ok its, but if a White Person said it there would be hell to pay (except Eminem), Black people can call us whatever they want is a ******* double standard.

What words do they call us that you don't like?
Unless there was a word which was derogatory to anyone I can't think of anything. For example white dick head or white shit for brains would go down just as badly if you tacked the word black on the front of it, they are universal insults. Without resorting to one of those I don't think I'd get offended.
The "N" word is so sensitive because that's what they got called by their white masters when they were slaves (so I am told). To put it in perspective, if you had a maths teacher that constantly told you that the size of your ears was the cause of your bad grades and constantly made remarks about it, then years later when someone calls you wingnut you'd be twice as ready to clock them one due to the memories associated with that term.
P.S I don't have big ears nor was I bad at maths.

[Bum Crack]

I heard some bird on the news today having a go at us for not accepting a certain group of people who entered Australia ILLEGALLY. She said that we should be accepting this group of people because THEY HAVE CHOSEN OUR COUNTRY TO LIVE. Pigs arse. You do it the proper way, or no way. I know some people will go off at me for that, but that's my view.

[Barto]

I heard some bird on the news today having a go at us for not accepting a certain group of people who entered Australia ILLEGALLY. She said that we should be accepting this group of people because THEY HAVE CHOSEN OUR COUNTRY TO LIVE. Pigs arse. You do it the proper way, or no way. I know some people will go off at me for that, but that's my view.

I've often heard of these 'queue jumpers', does anyone actually know where this 'queue' is that people can get on the back of?

[Bum Crack]

I heard some bird on the news today having a go at us for not accepting a certain group of people who entered Australia ILLEGALLY. She said that we should be accepting this group of people because THEY HAVE CHOSEN OUR COUNTRY TO LIVE. Pigs arse. You do it the proper way, or no way. I know some people will go off at me for that, but that's my view.

I've often heard of these 'queue jumpers', does anyone actually know where this 'queue' is that people can get on the back of?

It would be the same queue that the rest of the immigrants are on that do it the proper way.

[dedja]

I think it's called the far queue ...

[cripple]

I heard some bird on the news today having a go at us for not accepting a certain group of people who entered Australia ILLEGALLY. She said that we should be accepting this group of people because THEY HAVE CHOSEN OUR COUNTRY TO LIVE. Pigs arse. You do it the proper way, or no way. I know some people will go off at me for that, but that's my view.

I've often heard of these 'queue jumpers', does anyone actually know where this 'queue' is that people can get on the back of?

It would be the same queue that the rest of the immigrants are on that do it the proper way.

Is that the same queue that thousands of european backpackers and tourists who visit on a visa join when they decide not to go home. Most people only care about the boat people because the news and pollies make a big deal of it. the rate of illegal immigrants coming into australia as tourists far outweighs the numbers coming in boats

[dedja]

Is that the same queue that thousands of european backpackers and tourists who visit on a visa join when they decide not to go home. Most people only care about the boat people because the news and pollies make a big deal of it. the rate of illegal immigrants coming into australia as tourists far outweighs the numbers coming in boats

Totally correct ...

[Leaping Lindner]

As was mentioned in the news recently the "illegal immigrants" arriving by boat is a trickle compared to the torrent that arrive by plane.