'It is not right to racially abuse someone else, no matter what. '
and who said it wasn't? Good that you believe in some absolutes. I would also say it is not right to murder the unborn no matter what.

I think if we are saying we definitely shouldn't be racially abusing others, then there should be laws about it........why not?

I agree the unborn shouldn't be murdered too Runner.
It isn't murder if it is a legally obtained abortion though.
Get it right Runner
And ...this thread isn't about abortion!

Suseonline, you seem to base morality on what's legal or illegal.
Wrong way around.

Everything considered immoral/unethical *must* be made illegal?

As far as the racial "abuse" under discussion, we are just referring to *words* here, not violence.

Should people really face fines or prison merely for "offensive" words?

It's not like they're ripping them to pieces with sharp implements (like your beloved abortionists do).

Ok then Shockadelic, if words are no problem to others then we should be allowed to swear extensively at others in public then?

We can scream verbal abuse at each other because these words won't physically hurt us, ok?

What happened to the great book's famous words:
"Thou shalt not swear" and "Love thy neighbour"?

Many people equate racial abuse to swearing.
I agree with them.

<the federal Attorney-General, Senator George Brandis, pledged during the election that he would amend or repeal Section 18C because, in his view, it violates freedom of speech>

Fair enough! It would be undemocratic to frustrate a government that is implementing a major plank of its electoral platform.

What about the Galaxy Poll which found that 82 per cent of Australians believed a right to freedom of speech is more important than the right to not be offended?

Egalitarian Lisa Singh has written this article where she seriously compares the hurling of racial insults to respected journalist Andrew Bolt's article in a newspaper where he commented upon a matter of serious public concern.

Look Lisa, if you don't like the western concept of free speech then what are you doing in my country? Perhaps you would be better of returning to the Punjab where freedom of speech is entirely limited and where raping females appears to be the national pastime? As an Australian I am insulted that a person of obviously Indian descent should come to my country and start telling Australians how freedom of speech is so bad it should be curtailed. You have just confirmed to those Australians who you accuse of racism that people like yourself have no place in an advanced society.

And if you want to get all antsy about racism, why not write something about the glaring racism always hurled at white people who are customarily blamed for the condition of every dysfunctional race and ethnicity in the world?