How does racism work both ways? I hear and read this all the time but never understood a deeper explanation about what racism is or how it works like a two way street.

What I do witness is a variability of explanation about racism is derive from its position of power and privilege vis-á-vis particular nonwhite others. I've never witnessed a white Australian explicitly explain it means to be a white Australian.(besides pointing to the usual artifacts of nationalistic representation, mateship, the flag, etcetera) . Its because of this total absence of explanation about what it means to be a white Australian that we witness this outpouring and accusation. Indeed while Australians cannot tell you who they are, they can and do tell you who they are not, but its not the same thing.

Perhaps because they don't have to, perhaps because they've never really been asked? I sense the shock of seeing a white Australian women is a court administered by non-white people in a country where "charitable works" were performed is most definitely at the heart of current anti-Indonesian sentiment.

I can't help but think that if this was a British court, it would not be called two-way racism. I know that Surya Deva's article did not touch upon this but I also sense he knows this to be a dominant subtext to asking 'us' to respect the rule of law.

Try, as Surya Deva has, It seems clear to me that you will fail in trying to compel people who already have a sense of racial superiority over Indonesians to respect the rule of law in their own nation state.

As reflected in these forums, the Corby case literally embodies the malleable nature of Australia's engagement with Asia. Many of the posters here simply utilise this woman's plight to push their own barrows, whether these be racist, populist, internationalist, legalistic, stereotypical, humanist or whatever orientation.

This is, of course, the nature of 21st-century Australian sociality: we hang our prejudices on media-created factoids, which we deploy creatively as we go about constructing our individual and social 'realities'.

I think that the Schapelle narrative is a work-in-progress - and I for one find it an extremely revealing one. For her sake, I sincerely hope that it has a happy ending.

I am disgusted with the reaction of the Australian people regarding Shapelle Corby, I would like to think that Australians have the capacity to take a step back from the media hype and consider why this case has played out the way that it has, the Indonesian government is not about to commit a "gross miscarriage of justice" in such a powerfull spotlight of passionate Australians nor would the Aus. gov allow it.

To the people in the "know" there is no doubt as to her guilt, are they to release her because the Australian public feels sorry for her because of the way that she has been portrayed.

In usual circumstances, we would commend a country for taking a hard line on drugs, why is this different. If Shapelle DECIDES to smuggle drugs into a foriegn country she deserves to be convicted based on the way that country views drugs and how they are affected by it.

Consider this hypothetical, an Indonesian Smuggles drugs into this country, gets caught and convicted, how would we feel if Indonesians threaten to boycott our country and pull money from much needed charity organisations because they "believe" that this person is innocent. Shapelle has disgraced this country and is promoting hatred towards another through lies and manipulation - no sympathy here.

I would like to apologise to the Indonesians and commend the judges for not being intimidated by thoughtless australians, and pursuing justice.

I am about as patriotic towards this country as you can get but, i'd like to say "pull your head in, Australia

Mind you, if schapelle had been a bloke, he would have been shot immediately.

Rainer, in terms of racism working both ways, it's quite pronounced here and in other countries.

Some fine examples of where racism is a two-way street in the US can be found in Pat Buchanan's book, "Death of the West". In the book he explains how a lot of people see white hating black as the only way racism works. And he does state that indeed, racism against blacks does occur by whites. However, he also explains how racially crimes committed by blacks against whites are significantly higher than those committed by whites.

In terms of Australia, there are often crimes committed by Aboriginals against whites and I know from personal experience, that Aboriginals are just as racist sometimes. My dad works as a government roads engineer and he was out on a road when two young Aboriginal kids came over and started calling him "white trash" and the like. In Adelaide we used to have real problems with Victoria Square. Aboriginals used to use the square to beg for money and this caused a lot of problems - not only because they were begging, but also because they used the money they recieved for buying alcohol. You can get the picture, I'm sure, but basically if you didn't give them money you were screamed at and in some cases, spat on.

And to Cell83 - I think the fact that the judge wouldn't accept any of Chapelle's witnesses nor do any finger printing on the bag speaks for complete and utter corruption. I cannot believe how daft people are in thinking that Indonesia's justice system is so fantastic and that this case should just be accepted like any other. I'm also digusted by Cell83's attack on Corby. I doubt very much that YOU would cope as an innocent person in a Balinese jail cell and so it is with Corby.

Dinhaan,

What does the Indonesian's have to gain from "corrupting" Shapelle's case, you seem quite convinced of her innocents, if you have any information I suggest you give it to the authorities. Shapelle's case has been reviewed extensively by Australian authorities also. i think you'll find that a diplomatic approach to the release of information about her guilt is being considered.