Hiya CJ: Yes, yes I see what you mean and of course you're correct. I was being quite parochial in considering racism only in the Australian context.

However, as Anglo-Aussie is the dominant culture here and where power resides, any charge of racism (as the KKK cartoon demonstrates) is going to be held against Anglo-Australians.

We don't know that these attacks aren't the result of some imported inter-ethnic conflict. I don't see how we can address it successfully as a community if we are not addressing the actual source of the problem.

Herman - I am pro affirmative action for the reasons stated.

Rusty catheter, an excellent response to the Runner from your last post!(Where did you get that name?!)

I agree with Pynchme that the KKK cartoons do represent a racist attack against Anglo- Australians. Our Government should and has taken exception to the cartoons and registered their displeasure with the Indian Government/media.

For the most part, Anglo-Australians will not resort to mass violence and anger towards such depictions of our police force. I wonder what would have happened in India if the situation was reversed?

However, there is nothing to be gained from causing an international incident between Australia and India. We have enough problems with other countries to add any more supposed enemies to our list.
We should try hard to promote peace at all costs.

Suzeonline,

I don't understand you. It's my real name.

Rusty is a traditional north american causacian name, with deep roots in both history and folklore. My family name became eponymous in the time of my great granfather with his invention, a coal-fuelled cat-Heater (trade name cat-heter) which he successfully marketed to the shut-in-octagenarian-pet-incapable-of-maintaining-thermostasis-cat-fancier market. GGdad was an early adopter of the niche-market approach.

Despite unfortunate corporate buy-outs of the 1980's, the marketing-relations department of the out-sourced manufacturing subsidiary that supplies the packing crates for the more modern electrical equivalent proudly retains the founder's family name and traditions. This remains an article of pride for myself and my only other two relatives, a pair of incestuous gay gun-enthusiasts who live outside Reno, Nevada and run a small drive thru wedding chapel three days a week. We all look forward to the corporate christmas card each year.

Hope this clears up any misconceptions.

Rusty.

Well said Andrew - very good article. There was a marvellous moment on the news last week where a senior copper (Simon Overland i think) made a statement to the cameras re the KKK cartoon, making the point that it was neither witty nor insightful.

The fact that he could not see just how insightful it was in the face of his own continued self delusion on this issue was just stunning.

The Australian media has also played a corrosive role in this latest episode, with only this morning, ABC National radio describing the indian reaction as "hysterical". Fancy that, getting hysterical at losing your 21 year old son to a needless & violent attack in a foreign country!

The problem with the whole debate is that it is based on the notion of “race”. The term is highly ambiguous, and so the participants in the discussions just confuse each other and themselves. In the biological sense, “race” does not exist. Sometimes people seem to be referring to cultural differences and sometimes to the country of origin. Sometimes there is some other unclear idea or attitude behind the word.

We should all do ourselves a favour and stop using the words “race”, “racial”, “racist” and “racism” at all in this debate. Look for other words that say more accurately what we observe, think and feel.

Anyone who believes they themselves belong to a “race” or assigns others to a “race” is a “racist”.

For further understanding of my view, see my article on this site:
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=4108

I agree crabsy - at least to the extent that, as a biological term, 'race' is meaningless when applied to humans. However, it certainly exists as an ideological construct in the minds and actions of racists, which is why you're completely wrong to try and avoid the issue in this debate.

Racists do things to people who have a different skin colour to them and/or are culturally different to them because they regard the objects of their racism as being lesser himan beings than they are. They don't know and/or care that the concept of 'race' is biologically nonsense when used about humans.

Just read comments about 'racial' issues here at OLO for confirmation of my point.