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The Forum > Article Comments > True colours > Comments

True colours : Comments

By Nazeem Hussain, published 11/2/2010

Time and again, when it comes to race, white people dominate the conversation: the view from the other side of the colour barrier.

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Back to the article ... yes we do need much more racial variety on TV. Compared to US and UK programs, ours is embarrassingly vanilla and not in the slightest representative of the mix of people we see walking down the street each day. Trouble is, our television writers seem to be at full stretch writing for white people. Not sure they could handle the extra challenge. Though we have had one Aboriginal doctor, on MDA, but he was shockingly stereotyped.

What irks me is that we rarely comment on the blatant racial bias on TV, but when someone suggests something sensible, like testing overseas students to make sure they can speak English well enough to study, we are labelled racists. Has anyone spoken to an Indian, Pakistani or Sri Lankan? Many of them can speak much better English than us.
Posted by Candide, Thursday, 11 February 2010 11:15:13 PM
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Leigh: << There will always be Australians – meaning white Australians – and ‘others’. >>

I don't think I've read many more succinct expressions of Aussie racism. We don't need a straw man in this debate - Leigh's volunteered for the role.

<< Stuff the rest of the world! >>

Not to mention good old Aussie insular xenophobia!

On the article, I think that Nazeem Hussain makes some valid - if humorous - observations about Australian society. I watch very little commercial TV, but I have spent plenty of time in Australian hospitals where, as Hussain says, there always seem to be numerous doctors of 'brown' or 'yellow' complexion. If they are not represented on 'All Saints' then that could well indicate a racist bias on the part of whoever it is that creates the show.

Cheryl - I don't think Malaysia is a very good example of the humane and equitable treatment of asylum seekers. Even the appalling Tampa incident wasn't as bad as the treatment meted out to asylum seekers by the Malaysian government - which operates by virtue of a blatantly racist constitution.

Joe Lane and David Jennings - well said. David, it's one of Cornflower's standard rhetorical ploys to try and steer discussions off on tangents where she can engage in ill-informed or outright mendacious ad hominem attacks on others. You're right though, it is an attempt to avoid the issues raised in Hussain's article.

Keith's comment is the typically disingenuous racist dross we've come to expect from him. He doesn't want to answer for racist 'white' Australians because he's one of them.

Thanks for a stimulating and amusing article, Nazeeem.
Posted by CJ Morgan, Friday, 12 February 2010 8:34:22 AM
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David Jennings

It was Nazeem who introduced the topic of Islam into this discussion. I responed to that by then pointing to his own great deficiency. That doesn't make me racist.

I think you missed the point though. I'll spell it out for you. Nazeem is Muslim Australian who does't share entirely our viewpoint on civil liberties for woman yet he dares to lecture us on what he sees as our racist society. What's that adage about the kettle and the pot ... I dare not use the word black or you'll go into a real tizz about racist remarks won't you Divad.

My point is entirely valid and not racist.

Please re-read my observation about Joe's remarks. Then apologise. You are attributing an attitude to me I don't hold and haven't expressed.

Those who didn't apologise to Andrew Symons included the entire Indian Cricket Board, all the Indian TV Channels, the Indian Eleven... and the Indin cricketer involved. But sure there are bound to be a few non-racists in India who would have apologised for racist attitude on display.

Why do you lack the decency to behave appropriately in these forums?

CJ
You are entirely free to feel guilt about your own hate of others,

but leave me out of that meanspirited attitude and go to hell.
Posted by keith, Friday, 12 February 2010 10:32:08 AM
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Now Keith it takes a remarkable lack of self awareness, to request an apology for being criticised for remarks that are clearly racist. Its even more remarkable when you back it up in the same post with some further racist remarks.

Keith wrote:

"Nazeem is Muslim Australian who does't share entirely our viewpoint on civil liberties for woman yet he dares to lecture us on what he sees as our racist society."

You have no evidence that Nazeem holds views on women or anything else that are out of step with those of other Australians. You then go even further to say - and this is priceless - "Why do you lack the decency to behave appropriately in these forums?" Uh huh. So you make racist statements about Muslims and Indians and thats not inappropriate? Well, maybe its appropriate given some of the racist tripe that gets posted on Online Opinion. But whats even funnier is that after your comment about appropriate behaviour you then told CJ Morgan to "go to hell." Shameful - especially since CJ is always polite and thoughtful.

Since I'm a cricket fan I take issue with this pearler of a quote:

"Those who didn't apologise to Andrew Symons included the entire Indian Cricket Board, all the Indian TV Channels, the Indian Eleven... ..sure there are bound to be a few non-racists in India who would have apologised..."

That's a wrong-un because some of the Indians who apologised privately came from the afore-mentioned groups. But where you are completely leg-before is in your admission that there were Indians who apologised to Symonds but you seemed to tar all Indians in your first post. You can't get that one past Hawkeye.

Leigh, get over it. Some of us who were born in Gen X are perfectly used to mixing with people of other races and we like it. Diversity is great.

CJ Morgan, thanks for an excellent summation of the thread and for your insights. Lucy, Cheryl, Joe, Candide, Unique - well said as well
Posted by David Jennings, Friday, 12 February 2010 2:23:39 PM
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Hi Nazeem. I responded last night and lost the post after spending 15 minutes writing then another 20 minutes editing. Perhaps for the best it did not make it as I intend now to be short and concise.

1. Many families and their children these days either view Foxtel, sit and play playstation games, spend spare time on Facebook or the internet, play sport, study, socialise with friends and the many families I am friends with of all different origins, generally view one or two commercial tv programs that are favourites; Neighbours definitely not one of them. Neighbours was made well over 15 years ago from memory [didnt Kylie Minogue star as Charlene back then]? There may not have been many Australian Actors and Actresses from Indian or MiddleEastern origins around to be cast into a role. Although, I do recall an Aust man of Middle Eastern origins featuring in Neighbours years ago and another woman as his wife. Perhaps you could highlight your viewpoints to the Australian Television Industry to find out the reasons based upon your claims.

2. The Aust Film and TV Industry has suffered fierce competition over the past 20 yrs as a result of Foxtel and other television viewing alternatives. Many Aust families view Foxtel programs; many of which are being produced o/s. Therefore I would not be too concerned about Australians of all origins feeling "upset or excluded" from not viewing "brown skinned" Australians of Indian or Middle Eastern origins on commercial television soapies or programs such as Win Ten etc. I have not viewed any programs for well over ten years with the exception of Foxtel and the News on TV occasionally.
Posted by we are unique, Friday, 12 February 2010 5:29:13 PM
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"Shameful - especially since CJ is always polite and thoughtful."
Cripes CJ I hope you will correct Mr Jenning's erroneous view.
Posted by blairbar, Friday, 12 February 2010 7:42:57 PM
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