Suzeonline I went back and read that post by TZ, and re-read it and re-read it. In no way at all did he say or imply you were racist. Racism is when one has a prejudice based on another person's skin colour. TZ suggested nothing of the sort.

Suzeonline you were the first person within this topic to bring up the subject of racism. Yes, you. The charming term you wrote "nasty racists" came from your pen, and no one else. Please Suzeonline keep racism out of this topic. It's got nothing to do with the topic, and by playing the "nasty racists" card you only reflect badly on yourself.

Smithy456, you might need to read your dictionary- the definition of racism is
"The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
Discrimination or prejudice based on race."

It doesn't mention skin colour at all. You have no idea what my skin colour is either. So please don't assume you know my beliefs.

You are very naive if you believe that the outcry by many Australians about the asylum seekers has nothing to do with racism. It does.

Just because I dared to bring racism up in this debate, it doesn't prove anything at all about my own beliefs.

The opposition cannot think of a policy regarding the current asylum seeker controversy because they just can't find any answers, like the rest of us.

In todays news we now have 11 people apparently drowned from a boat near the Cocos Islands.
How many more people have to die before our Government can come up with an effective policy to stop people trying to come by boat and putting their lives in danger?

Bazz, how do you feel about this recent disaster after your earlier comments about these boats?

Thanks smithy, but I think when anyone tries to bring racism up in a topic like this it's best to ignore them. From my reading of the posts here it's pretty clear that those who oppose boat people are NOT doing it because of peoples' complexions.

Ok now, someone from an earlier page (I've forgotten who) suggested that I was wrong when I said many more asylum seekers arrive by plane rather than by boat. That's a problem with discussions like this, some people base their "opinions" on how they feel rather than the actual facts.

Here's just a little quick link (there's a million of similar ones, but this'll do) that shows asylum seekers arriving by plane FAR outnumber asylum seekers arriving by leaky boat. For example between Sept. 2008 and April 2009 just over 600 boat people were intercepted on their way to here, while 2,887 "plane people" claimed asylum during the same period.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/822830/plane-people-eclipse-illegal-boat-arrivals

"Plane" people have almost always outnumbered "leaky boat" people.

YET, "ONLY" boat people are demonised.

Why?

They're soft, easy targets.

The complainers would do EXACTLY the same thing if they were in the same situation, and if they were faced with up to 15 years of languishing in virtual concentration camps (some of them at least ...... the conditions can be horrific), with no "queue", no clear way out, no future...... only despair. Yes, those complainers should look into their hearts and ask "would I let "my" family languish in despair with no way out or would I take desperate action?"

"ALL" genuine refugees and asylum seekers need the world's help .... ALL of them. Whether they are in camps in their own country, in camps in foreign countries, in planes or on leaky boats.

They are human beings for God's sake. The world needs to show more humanity.

Umm suzeonline now we're making progress. You've finally admitted that you brought up racism. You seem to strangely think that you have been called a racist. Nobody has implied you are racist, not one person. However, you have directly accused someone of implying you are a "nasty racist"; those are two words that only you used. It's obvious you made that false charge in an effort to lessen the credibility of TZ. Why you felt the need to do it, I don't know. Personally I think he deserves an apology from you, despite the fact that he seems quite happy to ignore you and your rather nasty "nasty racist" comment.

By the way, prejudice against someone because of their skin colour is racism, even though judging by your last post you seem to not think so. The definition I gave at the top of this page was just a small part of the broad definition of racism, just like the definition you gave in your last post was just a small part of the broad definition of racism. And I repeat, you have not been called a racist by anyone here. It has been pointed out to you by both TZ and I that you have introduced the topic of racism into this thread; that does not mean anyone is accusing you of racism. I say this with all due respect, but maybe you just need to pay a little bit more attention to your reading skills.

You also wrote "You are very naive if you believe that the outcry by many Australians about the asylum seekers has nothing to do with racism". Well suzeonline, of course racism comes into it with a minority of people. When I wrote "it's got nothing to do with the topic" I was referring to the "topic", duh. What is the topic? It's the opposition's policy, and I believe both the opposition and the government do not base their refugee policies on racism.

For the benefit of those who have faith in our -stringent processing procedures- ala CJ Morgan [2 November 2009 8:34:31 PM - below]

“It seems to me that you focus exclusively on those you allege are economic immigrants. In fact, I can't recall you ever acknowledging that the vast majority of 'boat people' are found to be bona fide refugees - as opposed to economic immigrants.”

Here’s an interesting piece from a parallel thread posted by Franklin

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=9648#154510

Suzieonline wrote;

Bazz, how do you feel about this recent disaster after your earlier
comments about these boats?

Doesn't change anything about the boats.
I guess you would be happy if they had boarded the Titanic ?
There is always a risk in going to sea. This applies whether you are
on a large ship or a small sailing dinghy.
However what I said stands, these boats are used in their thousands
around Indonesia, it is the crews responsibility to ensure it is
seaworthy. Perhaps there will be a marine inquest and we may learn
something about its history.