Dear Max,

You're right.

The website I quoted is only one man's opinion.

However, it's not the only opinion giving that point
of view. If you were to google -
'Racism in Australia,' you'd find a very wide array
of many more backing up what Bruce Haigh says.

Bruce Haigh speaks from a historical perspective:

"The first identified threat by white settlers was from
thieving, dispossessed Aborigines, who were placed in
the same category as Australian fauna; and then Asians,
who apparently constituted a threat to the wage structure
and racial purity..."

"The Union Movement and 'The Bulletin' magazine urged
maintenance of a white Australia policy and it wasn't
difficult to bring the Squatters and members of the
professional middle class along with them. Keeping
Australia free for the white man was one of the catch
cries for recruitment to the 'First Australian Imperial
Force. The 'White Australia Policy' 'officially' died
with the election of the Labor Whitlam government in 1972;
but it didn't."

"Attitudes in the white macho middle class didn't change.
It was a badge of honour among the emotionally and
intellectually beleaguered (and challenged) conservatives in
the middle class to oppose anything the Whitlam government
instituted."

And, for your information - there are valuable resource
books that contain hundreds of analysis questions
that provide for the fostering of debate and investigation
within the classroom for year ten students dealing with
the subject of racism in Australia - not one denies the
fact that it existed and exists in this country.

In this current educational environment teachers are
constantly expected to address issues in the classroom
which extend a student's own 'world view.' To ask
questions as to 'Why' things were and are occuring -
and to try to find solutions to the problem.

It's not a question of condemnation, finger-pointing,
or accusations - its a question of education - and
how to make things better for the next generations.

ASymeonakis, you wrote that I 'worry from muslims or asians or other migrants,' and ' see them as competitors, as opponents, as a threat'
Where did I write that?
You want to ' bring closer the nationalists (you <you mean me here>) with new migrants'. Here's news for you, a few years ago I was a new migrant. Difference is, I assimilated.

Foxy, 'It was a badge of honour among the emotionally and
intellectually beleaguered (and challenged) conservatives in
the middle class to oppose anything the Whitlam government
instituted' does that mean that to be in opposition to the government of the day somehow reduces ones intellectual capability? Does that mean that, when little Johnny was PM, most Labour members were idiots?

Despite being born here, I’m was child of post-WW2 European immigrants and so I grew up as a “wog” during the sixties so I know what racism looks like, sounds like - and even tastes like- from the victims point of view.

It was the turn of the Vietnamese during the seventies, the Lebanese in the eighties and the Asians (generally) during the nineties and each time the previous victims found acceptance by joining in with the campaign against the current target group.

It’s entirely true that it’s based on a perceived threat but also on jealousy if the new group appear to be more successful that the others.

Some groups benefit economically from having strong family associations and this usually provides economic benefits that other groups may not have.("Nothing wrong with me - there must be something wrong with them").

The threat may be the fear of having your culture “swamped” or seeing them “taking our jobs”. It’s all the same thing.

You can debate it from any angle but it’s a fact that it exists – mainly as a form of tribalism that exists universally to varying degrees.

What I’ve found is that those who make the most noise about it aren’t the victims but those who constantly try to justify reasons for their own intolerance.

Foxx, i don't give a rat's posterior if there are 50,000 people saying it, they used to say the world was flat too, and man would never fly etc, doesn't make them right.The only reason there's so much of that side in schools is it's PC, no-one else is allowed on the curriculum, so that proves nothing.
I'm not claiming there is no predjudice in Oz, I just don't believe PC statistics, or any stat's come to that. too amenable to confirming the beliefs of the gatherers,IMHO.
To my mind there's a world of difference to normal human tribal xenophobia and Racism. People have negative emotional responses to the stranger, the in-comer, the "auslander", that's normal, and is exacerbated by different language or dress or customs, and easily dealt with through education and exposure. Racism is the belief that one particular race is superior or inferior, not the same thing at all

Dear Max,

It is racism that we're talking about on this
thread. Not the fear of the 'auslander.'

And the problem not only exists - its huge!

I've got an article here that was reprinted from
The Age, 27/2/1982 - entitled - "Our Society
getting the right racial mix."

In it Bruce Ruxton (remember him?) was asked,
"What kind of society do you want to see in this
country?"

Ruxton replied:

"...I believe that Australia should remain
predominantly European. Over the years, the
European content is going to be watered down
so much that it just doesn't exist..."

The journalist says:

"There are 15 million people in Australia made
up of 140 different ethnic backgrounds. We speak
90 different languages at home, including Scottish,
Gaelic and Welsh, and we also practice 80 different
religions. Now when you talk about the preservations
of a race. I have to prop a bit. Which race?"

Ruxton replies: "I think Caucasian might cover it."

That attitude is still very much a part of today's
Australia.

Max - You said that you don't give "a Rats..." about
all the various opinions, surveys, reports, media
comments, et cetera - Fair enough. You can deny or
ignore the facts - that doesn't change their existence,
or the need to challenge students to explore and
understand the complex social issues which will confront
them both now and in the future.

We need to provide, as I've stated previously - programs
both at the school and university levels on this topic.
Only by providing thought-provoking material,
accompanied by questions that encourage comprehension
and invite reflection - will
the next generation be able to emerge as thinking individuals
rather than simply inherit the opinion of the group.
Hopefully they will be better informed to
take responsibility for their decisions.
Hopefully they will consider
what they can do for their fellow man,
rather than what they can do for themselves.

Austin Powerless
SORRY! I thought you are a nationalist! Usualy nationalists are worried from new migrants and according to the STUDIES of australian Universities they are worried mainly from muslims, middle east people and asians
THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD NEWS! WHO TELL YOU THAT I DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES? I AM VERY SORRY FOR MY MISTAKE ABOUT YOU!

Banjo
In my opinion no one care for the low income australians who lose their job of cause the foreign student's right to work. Most of low income australians work part time or as casuals. usualy they are migrants, or former farmers or sole parents etc. THESE PERSONS DO NOT HAVE THE POWER, THE WIEGHT TO PRESS THE GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR HUGE PROBLEMS. Usualy they are not member of the Unions and no one care for them.
Banjo
I HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH YOU! My english is not good and I can not use the right words BUT I THINK YOU DO NOT TRY TO UNDERSTAND ME!
I asume you have right, that Lebanese people are not so good as the rest of australians. Tell me how we can solve this problem? how we can bring Lebanese australians closer to the other australians?
Have you got any suggestion, any solusion to the problem?
My suggestion about Australian Lebanese people is very simple
1. Most of Lebanese people, muslims or Christians are exelent persons as most of australians.
2. There are some bad Lebanese people as there are some bad people from any other australian ethnic group.
When we have a problem with any ethnic group we try to encarouge them to come closer to other australians, we try to show them that we are friends of them and we care for them, that their problems hurt not only them BUT all australians and that the solusion of their problem will not benefit only them but it will benefit ALL AUSTRALIANS.
WE HURT WHEN THEY HURT AND WE ARE HAPPY WHEN THEY ARE HAPPY!
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide