Andrew Bolt has a new column addressing this "Australia is racist" media beat-up. Read it here: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25578055-5000117,00.html

Bolt makes some very important points:

"IF we weren't so scared of seeming racist, we wouldn't now seem so, er, racist that even India is giving us lectures.

Amazing, that. India, which perfected the caste system and is plagued by Hindu-Muslim bloodfests, is telling us we're too prejudiced?

But we have only our own stupidity and grovelling self-hatred to blame.

After all, which nation has spent so much apologetic cash and sweat to persuade the world we are vomiting with racism, and which has been, on the other hand, too militantly anti-racist to point out who is actually bashing many of these Indian students?"

And, no, these attacks aren't being committed by European Australians.

Crikey. I think the most apt word I could use for this thread would be... 'hooraw.'

It's an underused word. High time somebody resurrected it.

Anyhow, here's my thoughts in basic dot-point form.

1) Whilst India clearly has racism issues of its own, we really can't blame them for going crazy about this. Regardless of intent, Indians are clearly over-represented in these crime statistics. Pointing the finger back at them may be satisfying, but I don't think it'll change their cultural system. They need to do that themselves. What we CAN do is focus on our own system.

2) What we can ask of India, is to place things in perspective, and consider that the motive isn't racism. As far as that goes, I'm in agreement with Col and Leigh. This is opportunism, not racism.

3) We need to make a more concerted effort to point out that Indian students have been prone to choosing more dangerous lifestyles.

4) My last point is that there are serious things we should question in relation to the way we run our foreign-student programs. Is it actually a serious education program, or an immigration lottery? I'm guessing a little from both columns. It's pretty clear to me that our education system is becoming over reliant on funding from foreign students.
I can objectively say we do indeed have a good education system. Compare it to overseas institutions and tell me which country trumps us, I think you'd find it difficult - but somewhere along the way, we allowed ourselves to use foreign student numbers as a crutch, which we'd now be crippled without.

This strikes me as a much more productive topic for discussion... but hey, that's just me. I guess it doesn't quite have the same potency as these allegedly racist attacks.

TurnRightThenLeft,
"I'm in agreement with Col and Leigh" You are a good patriot!

Efranke
"And, no, these attacks aren't being committed by European Australians"
Of cause! European Australians are from good races! We are holy men!
Do you mean that only africans and asians can attack innocent people?
Only a simple question.
What is racism?
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

I've just come across something that
the writer Bryce Courtenay wrote
a few years ago that may be of interest:

He wrote:

"I have a theory that when we
are stopped by law from openly telling racial
jokes we risk becoming racist.
Laughing, the each about the other, seems
a splendid way to clear the air.

Hiding our fear of foreigners is
the best way I know to nurture the darker
side of jingoism."

Antonios

I dunno what you mean about me being a good patriot, usually I'm accused of being some lefty pinko. I've been in disagreement with the aforementioned people more times than agreement, but here they make good points - regardless of a person's identity, you oughta listen to the arguments they make.

I don't think these attacks were racist. Opportunist, yes, and heinous, undoubtedly. What's more, I can certainly understand why India is getting a tad tetchy about them.

But I don't think Australia's a racist country. In fact, we're pretty damn accepting, something that I'm proud of and wouldn't want to change.

TurnRightThenLeft
Probably you are not migrant!
Read my posts, mainly the last 7-8 posts, to find many proofs if Australians are racists or not. I do not say the others are not racists,or less racists, probably they are more racists BUT Australia needs some centuries to become NO RACIST COUNTRY.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide