Hi Paul,

I've also met all sorts of people both overseas and in this
country. I take people as I find them. On the whole - I've
found that I can learn from most people - even if it's how
not to be, from some cases. While others have challenged me
to re-think some things.

My upbringing influenced me a lot. When you're raised
Catholic - it last a lifetime.

mhaze,

That surprises me, I thought you were one of the good old'e boys from Alabama, given your attitudes. You can have racists people, even racists governments, but to apply an all encompassing blanket of racism to a all within a society is unfair. During the white regime in South Africa, were all whites racist against the black majority, no, was the apartheid government racists, yes. On that bases one might have declared South Africa a racists country.

Like drawing teeth....Tingle said we ARE a racist country. Does having a subsection of the population being racist makes us a racist country?

"That surprises me,"

I suspect you go through life being constantly surprised about what you misunderstood.

mhaze,

I've been reading some of what you've said, including about a 'not a majority' etc. in terms of a racist Australia, well the figures are in from this online poll and it shows:

1. Australia an inclusive country - 40% disagree and only 21% agree
2. Racism a significant issue in Australia - 60% agree.
3. Racism a barrier to social cohesion - 59% agree
4. Racism downplayed/ignored in Australia - 67% agree.

http://nationalpoll.com.au/?section=results-page#pbi-trending-results

Whilst I do feel Laura Tingle has impacted negatively on her reputation and that of the ABC, with the poll there are four other questions, all with similar results highlighting racism is an issue in Australia. You can't deny these figures particularly when there are plenty of people willing to admit racism is an issue here in Australia.

Well Nathan, my point was more about what would make us a racist country not a definitive yes/no. Would having some racists make us a racist country or do we need to see a majority as racist to make us a racist country? Would having some racist policies make us a racist country and do we have said racist policies?

No one seems to want to face that. They just want to exonerate Tingle by declaring we are a racist country without defining what that means.

As to the poll you site:
1. NationalPoll is an adjunct of the ABC so is hardly unbiased.
2. Its an online, self-selecting poll which is about as bad as it gets in terms of polling.
3. By their own numbers the polling is skewed with only 18% saying they are Liberal Voters while over 50% are Lab/Green. So again hardly a representative poll.
4. And the poll itself doesn't address the issue as to whether people are indeed racist.

there are plenty of people willing to admit racism is an issue here in Australia.
NathanJ,
Plenty only refers to those successfully indoctrinated, most people living here not racist, they're simply tired of being accused being racist by the racists !