Giving a physical description of an offender is not in itself an act of racism, except where exists NO clear necessity for such distinction to be made.

Most responses about racism are generated not to address any substantive issues raised, rather such accusations are used to cast aside or discredit speakers. or ideas. in order to avoid or minimize need to seriously address issues raised.

Racial tagging of people is irrelevant, indeed a distraction AND a racist action.

IMHO Sol Trujillo has reasonable claim against some over public "three amigos" style comments, they seek to lead our country yet showed poor leadership concerning our purported values.

IMHO Sol Trujillo took on a difficult job in an area of poor political leadership from most elected representatives, he has achieved considerable change in Telstra which admittedly still has some way to go, and leaves some large gaps.

When is our best not good enough ?

.

Are Aussies - narrow minded, prejudiced
and intolerant?

I'd have to answer truthfully that I feel - like
people everywhere, some are, and some aren't.

We've certainly come a long way however, since the
abolishment of the 'White Australia Policy,'
in 1972.

Australia today has many different national
and religious groups. They print their own
newspapers, teach their own cultures in their
own schools, work amongst their own groups and
even often lead an almost segregated life,
keeping themselves apart from people of other
nationalities. This isn't true of all migrants,
and there is a general belief amongst many that
it is a good thing if migrants keep their pride in
their own ways of life.

We've learned that we do have to make provisions
to enable migrants to get a firm footing in
starting a their life in this country.

We now have migrant accommodation, migrant education
centres, full-time and part-time English courses,
settlement services, bilingual officials and
interpreters when necessary, ethnic radio, bilingual
education, and many other services to help new
migrants to adjust to life in this country.

However on the other side of the coin we have many
Australians who don't want any more migrants, according
to the recent polls. There are many arguments for
sustainability. That the country doesn't have enough
resources to sustain more than certain numbers of
people.

The question is still asked by some,
"Do you believe Australia should become
a multi-racial society?"

The reply in to-day's Australia is:
"It doesn't matter what I think,
I can tell you what it is,
which is a society of tremendous diversity!"

I agree with much of what Leigh had to say.
Prejudices will exist no matter where you
live. It's human nature.

Australia has evolved, and is still continuing
to evolve. However, it is a happier land than
most others.

Foxy I'm sorry but I find the implications of your "it's human nature" or Max's "in our genes" comments as being somewhat shallow and illogical. They both smack of the oft quoted "we are the sole product of our genes" which is absolute determinism by default.

Thus far science tends to support the contention that we are effectively MORE than just the sum of those pesky genes.
While seemingly an arcane point it does have relevance in that we CAN alter the degree of the effect of those genes (free will).

Scientists(?) (research psychologists) have shown that the greater proportion of our behaviour is determined by experience namely culture.
The logical extension of this is that We CAN change/modify our 'human nature' by altering/adapting our cultures.
It has been noted that as all 'rights''freedoms' come with social responsibilities/and limitations.
Logic and anthropology/sociology shows that change the culture and you change the above.e.g. or gender status would be immutable when clearly it isn't.

Once upon a time we feared changes in the celestial firmament now we understand it the fear reduces. The same goes with the history of interracial communication.The keys are effort, education starting with tolerance.

In short Yes we are as you describe but the key question is will it be always? Here evolution answers, only the most adaptable will survive, therefore we as a species either change or go extinct.
Mischievously I might suggest that some antediluvian recalcitrant curmudgeons are candidates for the Darwin awards.

Leigh
Me thinks you protesteth too much.

The more insecure people are,the more racist they tend to be.I mean,we cannot possibly blame ourselves for our own inadaquacies,can we?

Part one
The truth is that when I came to Australia I found that there was a problem for migrants in workplaces. This problem became much bigger when the Liberals won federals elections.
Under these bad conditions for the migrants I decided to fight for migrants rights. I knew my fight will not be easy but some one had to fight for it. I put as central point of my life, as my personal mission in Australia the fight for migrants rights.
I wrote nn the top from my web sites "Antonios Symeonakis is a victim of race discrimination in Australia determind to fight for fight for migrants rights" and I tryied to promote migrants rights. For few years the visits to my web sites was hundrends of thousands per year.
7-8 years before Steve Georganas, now federal MP of ALP invited me to an event of ALP where expected to be the federal shadow minister of imigration. I said to Steve that I wanted to meat the shadow minister. It was my first attempt to try to promote migrants rights in high level.
Steve came in my table with a man who sit next to me and spoke to me me mainly about human rights, etc but not many things about migrants. When he finished I tryed to speak for migrants but Steve interrupted me saying that was not the shadow minister but oposition leader in South Australia Mike Run!(now premier of SA) Big embarasment for me , I never watch TV.
Later Kate Ellis, now federal minister, invited me to an other event to meat the federal shadow minister for immigrasion in Enfieald, where I went and I had the opportunity to speak about the migrants rights
These meatings do not play any important role except if back of them there are many votes!
As union representative and later as counselor of the Union I tried for the creation of a committee for migrants but I found that it will not be easy and I stoped from counselor.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide
Continue

Part two
I tried to promote migrants interests from the Green party, some people will remember my try to promote migrants rights, BUT Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will remember me from the seminar in Brighton when while speaking with a federal officcer of the Green Party, I called Sarah Hanson-Young to come there and I said to the federal officer "Sara will become Senator!"
In the Green party we created a committee for migrants, but I was not sure if there was a real interest for migrants rights. May be they was not interested for me as my main interest was the migrants.
As I was working seven days per week plus I had my children I tryed to write about migrants on forums, mainly in a forum from a greek newspaper in Melbourne, or in other forums.
I am planing in few years to start a hard work from TV to TV, from newspaper to newspaper, from organization to organization, from street to street to promote migrants rights.
If you heard that I am candidate for a high position in the Union movement you will know that I try to promote migrants rights to Australian Union Movement.
I try to find new ways, on the internet, to promote migrants rights.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide