Accusations of racist behavior have stemmed from several sources.
I will start with the KFC advertisement.
The Americans see it as racist. One complaint is that we should have known that African Americans ate fried chicken when they were enslaved. The people in the advertisement were West Indian. So- first they assume we understand the stereotypes that they have created!? Then they apply these stereotypes to a different culture; a culture that may look on fried chicken favorably. LOL
The other instance I can think of is the black face incident.
Now this probably was insensitive (even I knew that was racially inappropriate in American culture).
We are not the US.
Must we import the stereotypes and cultural faux pas along with the spate of other American crap we are forced to swallow.
In the end I (perhaps naively) believe that Australia is the Kid who walks in on his parents having sex and asks them why they are wrestling.
When it comes down to semantics, the very idea of racism is racist.
Defining stereotypes based on race and then assigning them levels of social acceptability is fundamentally racist.

Bit like the idiocy of Atheism too.

The septics dont seem to understand the aussie sense of humour.

They are the weirdest bunch of people on the planet. They bomb and destroy any number of countries but then wonder why everyone hates them. They give guns to virtually everybody and then wonder why so many get shot. They call themselves christians but are the home of porn, gambling and decadence. They decry illegal immigrants but then employ them as maids and cleaners and farm labour. They have comedians like Eddie Murphy, George Carlin and Robin Williams but they cant get a joke on hey hey.

Australia is a racist country but not because of Hey Hey its Saturday or a KFC ad. It is because a young black kid cant get a job or a black family that keeps getting knocked back for a place to rent. It because a black lady with a limp gets asked to leave a club for being drunk when her two white companions, who were drunk, are ignored. Its when the media shock jocks spout about "lebanese gangs" or "men of middle eastern appearance". Its when dog whistlers like johnny howard or pauline hanson spout about "asian hordes". Its when white people like us turn our backs on the degradation and poverty of our indegenous folk. Its when white leaders enforce draconian, authoritarian "interventions" to supposedly "save the children" (where have we heard that one before? hmmmm). This is racist australia and we had better do something about it soon before the rest of the world notices that rather than a KFC ad.

Well said mikk. I'd only add to your comment that most Australians are in denial about it.

All this racism hoolaballoo is becoming pretty tiresome. Why not accept that there're morons out there en-masse who will always object to other's reference to complexion because it gives their mindless attitude an excuse to stir crap. Keep in mind also that there're even more decent people of all complexion who don't give a hoot about what we were born as. What the incessant bleaters of racism either don't comprehend or more than likely exploit is the fact that if I say blue & someone else insists it is red then no matter how deep a blue it is the stirrer will alway dispute it because it is dispute & disharmony that the stirrer seeks & thrives on. As long as people can deny facts & make deliberate misinterpretation without impunity then we continue to have a problem of great magnitude. I can only speak about racism from personal experience & I am 101 % convinced that the bleaters of racism are in fact the real racists. Until they come to grips with their miserable existence & get a real life well..?

I do understand that there is disadvantage among indigenous Austral9ias. For less than 2percent of Australia they receive a disgustingly low percentage of govt support. But I am not aiming at the national subject of race. I am speaking of the fallacy that is racism. In a perfect world we might be blind. But in the end, yes there are racists in Australia. But I will not label an Australian a racist using an American construct of racism. Their stereotypes are meaningless to me.

Hey col. I have not seen many of CJ posts. He may be an idiot. But in several of the thread i have posted he has spoken sense so I dont think it is fair to dismiss him

Well, originally I was going to compliment mikke on his wonderful expansion a very good post by the cat.

So will I too get the scathing attach that CJ Morgan received from Col.

He said no more than one line, it only agreed with the original post.

Of course I am racist, I am also friutist, vegetableist etc.

Yes I would say "He was of middle eastern apperance" but does that make the statement "They had red hair" hairist, or "they had a fair complexion" also wrong.

Col, does:

"only because their numbers are so insignificant that an event of “One” measures as an event in the total Indian population numbers"

mean that it is OK to call you an idiot because ..

their numbers are so insignificant that an event of “One” measures as an event in the total numbers of idiots on OLO

Americans like many of us -
usually tend to see the world through
our own experiences. And, of course, we
don't always get it right.

The history of American race relations - is a long
and complicated one. However,
the strong hostilities that originally existed against
Japanese, Irish, Italian, and other immigrants gradually
lessened as these groups have gained entry to the broad
American middle class, where they are now seen as equals
rather than as rivals. Antipathy is greatest against
those groups who remain relatively impoverished, such as
blacks or Chicanos. This semtiment is strongest among
low-status whites, who feel most threatened by the economic
progress and comptetition of the minorities.

The evidence from other countries, including Australia, also
shows a consistent pattern of racial intolerance among
low-status members of the dominant white group.

Many people tend to judge other cultures by the standards of
one's own. To many, it's self-evident that their own norms,
religion, attitudes, values, and cultural practices are
right and proper, while those of other groups may seem
inappropriate, peculiar, bizarre, or even immoral.

These attitudes ensure its members' solidarity and cohesion.
The difficulty is, of course, that under certain conditions
these attitudes can lead to the exploitation and oppression
of other groups.

We have to remember that in the long run, racial and ethnic
inequality will always tend to be dysfunctional for society,
partly because it prevents the society from making full use
of the talents of all its members, and partly because,
sooner or later, it inevitably generates hostility and even
violence.

Questioning issues such s racism on
Public Forums such as this is a good thing. And may
possibly lead to a better understanding of the problems
involved.

disgustingly low percentage of govt support.
thecat,
no offence intended to anyone & I realise that there are always some individuals who get the short end of the stick but the statement above is plain & simply way out & utterly unjustified. I am always on about the huge %age of public funding being syphoned into Bureaucrat pockets & hopefully one day we get a sincere Government which knocks that abuse on the head. However, what is commonly referred to as neglect or insufficient funding & support is nothing more than the unwillingness of people to simply cough up some initiative & do something positive for themselves & their community. Believe me, I get told this by many indigenous themselves everyday. There is only so far a group of people can go to help others if they have no intention of helping themselves. You could throw unlimited support at some people & it will not change the situation. That, thecat, is the crux of the dilemma.

Actually Foxy… recalling Rwanda (among many atrocities across Africa and around the globe)

“a consistent pattern of racial intolerance among low-status members of the dominant white group”

Should be corrected to read

“a consistent pattern of racial intolerance among low-status members of any ethnic any group” (dominant or otherwise)

Fiji for instance (Fijian versus again, Indian) and

Sri Lanka would be another non-white example too

I recall a forceful resistance to intermarriage which exists in many traditionally “non white” parts of the world and the ostracizing of children and the mothers of mixed-race children in Asia, along with the issues of why the legislation known as “the Half Caste Act” was, rightly or wrongly, introduced in Australia

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-caste_act)

I suggest you do not particularize a negative aspect of behavior as being specifically “white”

when such intolerance is endemic among people of just about every race or ethnic subgroup and has been so since the dawn of time.

You see, it is not because people are white,

it is because those who feel “power-deficient” (for whatever reason and by whatever measure),

see competition for the lowest level of resource, in any field of human need, by someone of an identifiably different group,

as a threat to their own best interests.

Obviously, the most “marginal” in any society tend to be

1 the newest arrivals (except where “arrival” was determined by force of arms… eg the Roman and Norman invasion of UK).

2 those who feel deprived by the “cards they were dealt” in life.

The solution

Assimilation

Where “These attitudes ensure its members' solidarity and cohesion.”

But it does take several generations at least for newcomers to “assimilate”

And silly notions like “multiculturalism” just perpetuate divisions and work against

What you state as “solidarity and cohesion”

Thecat,

I think Martin Luther King Jr .Said it best when he said " we will remain racist untill we can meet a man in the street, talk a bit, then 10 minutes later not remember his colour(but what he said)"

It's a bit like saying "some of my friends are black" that in itself notes the 'difference' and is racist.

Put another way a friend of mine used to say "I'm not a homosexual but I slept (had sex) with quite a few who were."

Despite my my up bringing in two cultures and as I discovered yesterday, I have a 1/2 niece who is indigenous (long lost, never met, birth family i.e. half brother.), I too note the differences. The difference is, do I roll around in the lesser side of my European centric culture, claiming it as my birth right to be racist/boorish (the attitude proffered by Col) or do I work to change an emotional flaw in me?

This boils down to do we try and overcome our lessor emotional baggage or remain a captive to it.

TC, I think the issue is a matter of sensitivity to the people involved.
i.e. The blackface routine was insensitive as an american was involved.
in the case of the KFC it was a case of Yanks projecting their arrogance and insensitivity. If the complaint had come from a W Indian then it may have been a case of insensitivity.

This isn't a black armband or sense of inferiority, just a mature confident recognition of our innate racism and a WIP desire to grow.... common sense.

Dear Col,

Most human groups tend to display ethnocentrism,
the tendency to judge other cultures by the
standards of one's own. Some measure of ethnocentrism
is almost unavaoidable in any racial or ethnic group.
To most people, it is self evident that their own
norms, religion,
attitudes, values, and cultural practices are right and
proper, while those of other groups may seem inappropriate,
peculiar, bizarre, or even immoral.

Within limits, such ethnocentrism
can be functional for the group's survival, for these
attitudes ensure its members' solidarity and cohesion.
People who believe that their group and its way of life
are 'best' will have faith and confidence in their own
cultural tradition, will discourage penetration by outsiders,
and will unite to work for their common goals.

The difficulty is of course,
that under certain conditions,
ethnocentric attitudes can lead to the
exploitation and
oppression of other groups.

Looking at it from the same source as any other form of
social stratification - racial and ethnic inequality stems
from competition among different groups for the same scarce
resources - wealth, power, prestige.
The victorious group in this conflict
becomes the dominant group, while any
other contenders become minority groups.
The more the groups
compete, the more negatively they view one another.

As I state in my previous post -
if the subordinate group
is able to gain greater equality with the
dominant group - hostilities may subside. The history of
American race relations supports this view.
As the various immigrant groups
(Japanese, Irish, Italian) have gained
entry to the broad American middle class, where they are
seen as equals rather than as rivals - Antipathy now is
greatest against black or Chicanos, who remain relatively
impoverished - and this sentiment is strongest among
low-status whites (in the US) who feel most threatened by the
economic progress and competition of the minorities.

The evidence from other countries also shows a consistent
pattern of racial intolerance among low-status members of
the dominant group.

I question the assertion (sorry foxy) that it is mostly lower class people that are racist. The actual concrete racism, the type that really effects peoples lives and not just their self esteem, the type that I mentioned before is practiced by the management and ruling classes. It is not the poor who discriminate jobs wise and when renting a house. It wasnt the poor who sent the army to the NT. By their deeds shall ye know them.

The poor and uneducated may be more willing to be honest about their feelings when polled but at least they are being honest and not hypocrites like the wealthy and powerful who deny their racism and pretend they dont do it.

The right has dog whistling racism down to a fine art and what better way to divert anger than onto a scapegoat. Anger about bad housing, no housing, boring work, no work, bad wages and conditions, job insecurity, no future, and so on. Instead of attacking the real causes of these (and other) problems, people are encouraged to direct their anger against people who face the same problems just because they have a different skin color or come from a different part of the world! Politicians and their rich backers like to play the racist card because it diverts attention away from them and the system they run (i.e. the real causes of our problems).

bad housing, no housing, boring work, no work, bad wages and conditions, job insecurity, no future, and so on.
Mikk,
You ask why don't we address the real problem. Well, you just stated some of the causes of these problem so what are your solutions fore the above.
My solution is if people want a house then get a loan like most people & build a house. If they want a job then go to work. If they want job security then don't vote Labor, if they want a future then don't vote Labor. Remember that under the democratic system people get the Government they voted for. So who is to blame ?

what beats me that if we are so racist which some obviously want to believe so badly, how dumb must the multi cultural policy makers (social engineers) be?

Yes Runner, & how much more dumb must all the so-called refugees be, who are so desperate to come here, rather than somewhere else.

Yes dumb like a fox.

If you lot could bottle it, you'd make a fortune, selling it as fertiliser.

runner i dont WANT to believe Australia is racist but the evidence is overwhelming that it is. I WANT to believe Australia is a fair and even handed, non xenophobic place but its not.

Individual you say that we get the government we voted for but that is BS isnt it. I and about 12% of my fellow Australians voted for the greens last election but I dont see the greens with 12% of the power do you? Indeed only a fraction of a percent voted for Senator Fielding yet he holds almost complete 100% power in some situations. We only get to choose between labour and the coalition in reality. Hardly a good choice imho. Bit like the mugger saying give me your wallet or ill shoot you. He still gave you a choice.

I dont have the answers to all the worlds problems. People need to solve problems for themselves. I dont remember job security rising under serfchoices. I dont remember buying a house(with a loan or otherwise) getting anything but further out of reach for most.

As for the real problem that is the racism of the both upper and lower classes driven by the ruling elites desire to distract and divide their opponents. That is my beef in this thread and you ignored it completely. So I take it you found it too difficult to debunk my argument? Was it too complicated to understand? Or was it too close to the bone so you decided to obfuscate and talk about something else?

Mikk,
just in case you not aware of it, a vote for the greens is a vote for the left. No ifs'n buts. Labor is left. The greatest interference to conservative government comes from the left. True or not ? Imagine you trying to focus on a job but some moron is constantly disturbing you. You think your performance is as good then as would be without interference ? I bet you not ! Is it really so hard to understand that if you want something you work for it. Why do you believe that one group of people should work its butt off so that another group can get funding for nil effort. I don't feel it right that I have to work 8 hrs a day to build a 6 bedroom house for a bloke & his family who literally do nothing all day. Fair system you think ? If you do then start building a house for me please. I'll throw in the beer.
Ok, the gist is that too many people get more for nothing than others get for working. It's no wonder the working ones get pi..ed off. Now when they get pi..ed off the dumbar$ed lefties call that racism. Its rather dumb don't you think so ?

Individual,
A vote for the green is a vote for the left....Bollocks.
Clearly there are multiple options.

"The left"(?) more pejorative labeling nonsense in leu of an argument or proof....left of what?
____________________________________

mikk

The majority of Australians voted for Labor.
As I keep saying our votes are as usefull as choosing between tweedle dum and tweedle dumber.

It's the system that is wrong, firstly as you pointed out the vote isn't representative. Only a non party, multi representative, proportional voting system will do that.

The current system is stacked in favour of the status quo power groups and facilitates corruption (pollution)by disproportional non voting entities i.e. business.

Clearly by this bias those with power can disregard/manipulate the less powerful resulting in the inequitable distribution of wealth and power.

NB for the politically conservative readers: this is NOT socialism, I said equity i.e. Fairness not Equality (all the same)

Dear mikk,

My apologies. I didn't mean to assert that it's
mostly low-status people that are racist.

What I was referring to was that antipathy
against groups such as blacks or Chicanos
in the US (who remain relatively impoverished)
was STRONGEST among low-status whites who
felt most threatened by the economic progress and
competition of the minorities.

Sorry that I didn't clarify that.

Of course racism is found among different people
in societies all over the world. As we know only
too well prejudiced thought is - irrational,
illogical, and inconsistent.

Prejudiced people often believe mutually
contradictory statements about groups they
dislike. For example, those who dislike Jews
for keeping to themselves, also dislike them
for intruding too much. Similarly those who
disliked them for being too capitalistic and
for controlling business also disliked them
for being too communistic and subversive of
business. Those who disliked them for being
too miserly also disliked them for giving
money to charity as a means of gaining prestige,
and so on and so on.

Clearly prejudiced people are not concerned
about genuine characteristics; they simply
accept any negative statement that feeds their
existing hostility. The thread on Islamic
fundamentalism recently, was a real eye-opener.

Another factor that contributes to prejudice
is scapegoating.

People's personalities - including their
thoughts and feelings develop in, and are
shaped by, their social context.

I believe that if groups interact regularly
on terms of co-operation and equality there
is likely to be little prejudice among their
members. Alternatively. if there is inequality,
competition, and minimal contact between
groups, prejudice can developed unchecked -
especially under parental influence.
Education is the key for the removal of
stereotypes.

Foxy
"The evidence from other countries, including Australia, also
shows a consistent pattern of racial intolerance among
low-status members of the dominant white group."

I am so damn angry when I read this total load of crap I did not read any further.

What you think the mindless drible of some rich wally starting a thread about how they spoke to a person of African descent is not racist, nice? Like a cute museum exotic artifact?

Wow so angry when I read such tripe.

Australia has recently shown itself racist?

Not recent, always. You have multi racial society you have racism. Do not want it then live in a mono racial culture.

We have two genders so we have sex crimes. Do not want it live in a single gender society.

Dear TM,

Oh dear.

I wish that you would have read my
posts including the explanation that I gave to
mikk. Then you would have possibly better
understood what I was talking about.

The problem is that many posters don't read
the post to which they're responding - and
they come up with a response that
is totally unnecessary.

"A load of crap?"

Really?

Re-read what I said.

What I was referring to was that antipathy
against groups such as blacks or Chicanos
in the US (who remain relatively impoverished)
was STRONGEST among low-status whites who
felt most threatened by the economic progress and
competition of the minorities.

YES CRAP.

Why are they low status, from choice?
Why are property values devalued when ethnic people live there? because of working class?
Why are education options lower, because of working class?
Why are integration problems an issue, because of working class when they are the only ones to even suggest they speak english or pull their weight (racist for saying so, silly)
Why is their labour exploited, because of working class?

Maybe you should ask why there is a low class in a rich society and perhaps one day realise they have far more class than you give them credit. Most of the time they are the only ones that are actually colour blind. Easier to blame working class than re-distribute wealth I guess. Sick.

TM
I understand your concern, however, I think you are being a little unfair on foxy. She was using academic terms not passing judgement, or putting anyone down.

It means in this context poor people who have menial jobs or low paying jobs. In short the most vulnerable i.e. if there is a down turn or change in the market they are the ones who feel it first and have the biggest effect on their lives.

Of course there are a multitude of reasons why this comes about.In some southern rural states there is little regular work and it is appallingly paid. Poverty, poor education, lousy health care etc.
The condition of a lot of these people is appalling.

Keep in mind that the USA is the land of more profits and extremes in wealth.

These people live in constant fear of one type or another, they have no power. In this environment the biggest fear is that migrants might take their jobs.
In truth there are several reasons why such poverty is so common there, however, people respond to what they see this is not always the full story.

Terms like low status means all this. foxy was as I said not passing judgement on the people as individuals. Of course some have more class than some pollies or Drs I know.

Statistics show that racist views, actions etc are more common in these states and areas that suffer these problems.

The trick is how do we fix it? common sense says raise the standard of living but how?

Look at any community then watch what happens when outside forces threaten its livelihood e.g. go to a forestry community and mention conservation, and duck. The people are so concerned with their lives etc they don't want to know about the wider truth. Even if it's roll gold reality.The people will blame everybody else other than themselves, city folks, pollies, greenies scientists etc.
Simply human nature.

Missus,

'What you think the mindless drible of some rich wally starting a thread about how they spoke to a person of African descent is not racist, nice? Like a cute museum exotic artifact?'

I thought I was alone on that one. Geez I like a lot of your posts.

Missus and Houellebecq

Do not judge everyone by your standards, firstly, the last thing I am is wealthy. I rent a house in Mt Druitt because the rent is low, and like a lot of the self centered people on here I take a genuine interest in everyone and would even talk to you if you had been there. He volunteered the story, and I was genuinely interested.

Keep on believing anything that makes you feel better about yourself. I know who I am, and I have a completely clear conscious.

But I am glad you have been following my posts Houellebecq, the more criticism I receive the better, it means I am hitting a nerve. Pity you weren't reading them though.

Wbong,

Be aware Houellebecq like Col labours under the delusion that it is clever and or funny to stir. In reality the subtlety, timing ,wit, humour, originality, sensitivity or delicate touch that satire requires are sadly absent.

in the words of Houellebecq "OLO is a graffiti wall...on which he has fun"

"The left"(?) more pejorative labeling nonsense in leu of an argument or proof....left of what?
Examinator are you trying to tell us you don't know ? Half past common sense, quarter past logic, ten minutes to stupidity, totally useless to the hour, that's what the "Left" means. Of course as an insider you wouldn't notice but I assure you for an outside observer it's clearer than daylight.
Left, wrong, same thing.

individual: "Left, wrong, same thing" talk about stereo typing.
examinator: to use Don McLean's beautiful lyrics:
"They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now."
Ah but they should know now
"They would not listen, they're not listening still.
Perhaps they never will".
Back to individual's intelligent response.
They remind me of when I was young. I worked at the Aberdeen Abattoirs.
I was on the lamb board, and the first one on the chain.
Do you know how they get the sheep to walk into the slaughter house, they lead in a goat and the sheep follow.

So if left is wrong, then right is right, ah, therein lies the substance of there argument.

We are not wrong because we lie, and I would be the last one to say figures are not fudged sometimes in science.

But to call us all liers, cheats etc based purely on the fact that left is wrong proves that they are running out of gibberish and telling the truth, blind faith in their god the dollar bill, or they believe that the "end days" will be on us before too much damage and they will have been able to wallow in their greed and gluttony.

They are right, because they are right, they are right, right?

Why have you all left!

"I want to talk about words.
About loving, touching, reaching out
and grabbing words.
Words that spread smooth like picnic butter.
And words that jab hard and suddenly,
leaving your lips stinging and your head ringing.
Words with big round, soft, open vowels.
And words with tight, hurtful little orifices -
like 'sneak,' or ugly, crude words like 'crap.'

If you love your words,
If you try to use them well and
treat them right,
If you respect their function,
If you can see their colour
and feel their Australian textures,
the harsh sun, wide brown land of them,
If you understand their constraints,
If you know their weakness and
are aware of their strength,
There is simply no way you will mis-use them."
(Bryce Courtenay).

Wybong,
You may think yourself into being right by being left. I don't just think so, I know from daily experience of working with half-wit academic engineers & bureaucrats that the conservative is the more efficient, logic & harmonious way. I can assure you that the so-called lefties & Labor supporters who I work with are the far less competent & relaistic than those with a conservative mentality. You say that I say that the right is right. That is a typical response from a leftie. I never have nor will I ever say the right is right because it isn't. I am saying again, from experience that a conservative is the more responsible person. Lefties on the whole do mean well but as the old proven saying goes, meaning well isn't good enough. The problem I personally find with so-called lefties is the attitude of "better a bad one than none at all" or if you don't like it leave. There's no room set aside for caution & that's why the 95% Labor supporter dominated Public Service is such a useless & hardly affordable gang. I know many decent people who as victims of indoctrination by the Labor dominated education system have became unwitting supporters of the inequality & rort that is our Public Service. To me, that is an unnecessarily not good situation.

Individual,
There is a propensity on OLO to Label anything that isn't hard core
Capitalism (as practiced today) as pejoratively "left". A vague term at best. In reality many non 'left' attributes are mislabeled thus making the point unclear.
e.g. there is a difference between socialism,communism, communitarianism et al although they share attributes but are not necessarily 'left'

I was trying to pin down exactly what aspect you were referring to.
Referring to the above what you determine as left may not be exclusively so, therefore, is your point about something specific if so what if not how can I be sure you aren't simply miss labeling it.

Dear individual,

I don't know many people these days who
are firmly entrenched in being -
"left" or "right." Most people I know -
tend to be somewhere in the middle - and
vote on policies and issues.

Many nowadays shy away from the strictly
conservative side of politics as it represents
the concept of money and power and the ideology of greed
- which leaves no room for social equity, compassion,
or the idea of a fair go for all. Don't forget also
that we have an aging population - that would be
severely affected if things like Medicare - were to
disappear - as well as their other benefits and
support. Many like my mother - would be in dire
straights.

That uniquely Australian quality of, "We're-in-this-
together-and-no-one-should-be-considered-to-be-anything-
other-than-equal," I think is still strongly felt by most
people. Most can't support the politics that believes that
people either sink or swim, and if they sink, well
that's too bad - because welfare is not good for
business.

You criticize Labor - but I've seen the damage done
in Victoria under the Liberal Premier - Jeff Kennett.
Schools were closed and sold off - hospitals were
shut down - libraries re-structured with CEO's
appointed (jobs for the boys) who knew nothing about
libraries at humungous salaries - they did nothing
but sign the paperwork and reap the benefits...

It's easy to criticize and condemn - but we need to
look at the policies and track records - before
making judgements

Racism is a different thing for different people.My grandson 15 is not a racist because he has aboriginal kids at his school who are in a sort of "gang" that is not his "gang"- he is just ignorant! My father was not a racist because he was for the " White Australia Policy".His actions in teaching the indigenous children at his school with the equalness and compassion for their lives in the 40's and 50's that he always displayed proved that, despite his support for the Government policy of the day.

Points taken re left vs right,
We've strayed from the thread's topic a little but even the silly racist debate has a left vs right side. My observations & experiences over three decades in Far North Qld have shown an increase of corruption, neglect & incompetence by Public Servants when Labor is in power. I have also noticed that there is in indigenous matters an ignorance of pronounced magnitude when so-called left orientated Public Servants visit & hang around in the communities. This ignorance is heavily exploited & stalls or even prevents find solutions to any problem that may present itself. It is very, very seldom to see this ignorance in blue collar personnel but very common among the bureaucrats. It also does not help the communities one iota to further themselves when academic (largely left) idealists want to save the "wilderness" of Cape York by interfering with the daily lives of the people living there. A handful of successfully indoctrinated indigenous are lifted onto the pedestals of policy making by the manipulators & when things go haywire then it's always the innocent european bystanders who cop the blame & is gleefully exploited as racist.

Recently shown itself racist? Who writes this stuff?

The problem started as early as day one, with the arrival of Phillip's First Fleet. His mongrel of a batman M'Entire was killed by someone. He was equally hated by whites and blacks. Despite being ordered by King George III to avoid the usual problems with natives by the usual European contempt for darkies and savages, Phillip made the mistake of doing what the Nazis did in occupied France.

After making up his mind that it was an native that did the crime, he ordered multiple hangings in reprisal. Twelve Aborigines for one white fulla. He thought that was about the extent of the damage. He never went through with it, but the damage had been done. The Aborigines found out who they'd been invaded by, and relations never got back on track - all thanks to Captain Phillip and his merry men.

The murderous carnage that followed says all anyone needs to know about racist genes in our blood. Most of us are in denial about it, but then our society lives on myths and self-delusion. We'd have to, the way we tolerate the Rudds and Abbots in charge of our communal destiny. It's a miracle that our genocide didn't work. It shows what a resilient race the Aborigines are.

I can't help feeling that in due course - not all that far off - we're going to go through the same Hell we put them through. The situation only looks good to those totally embedded in smug self-satisfaction and self-delusion. The Aborigines will get the last laugh. Trust me. Justice always prevails sooner or later.

Sock Ratteez:
WOW Thats the way to reconciliation, some of us on both sides are trying constructively though. Ever thought of that?

Individual gets it.

I think the problem is that so many do not. If you accuse people of such an evil crime you are evil yourself if no real proof exists for your claims.

I threatened on another thread to expose a certain race for it's abuse of women. It was not because I wanted to do that, only wanted to show how easily it can be done. I was pressured into doing it but never did becasue that was not my point. My point was how easy one can take a few select stories to criminalise a whole race of people. Then I read a whole socio-economic group was labelled racist. Please people practise what you preach.

Individuals commit acts of racism. Police should investigate the complaint and take it seriously. Same as a sex crime. I do not see whole countries being labelled Pedophiles because some commit that crime. I do not see a whole race labelled arsonist because some start fires.

Those that obssess about it are causing more problems, creating division and inciting hate in the process. Race has become a mental illness in many, they do not realise how way off mark they are. Plus it is fueling it which is even sadder.

Sock rateez
I don’t think your post has any relevance to this thread. It is about the racism of this day and age. I do not call my German friends anti-Semites, nor am I expecting the Jewish people to overthrow the German people. So I offer you an “apology” lol

On the topic of the OP - the other night I nearly fell out of my chair watching "Two and a Half Men" when the nephew wanted Charlie's character to take them to some chicken place to eat - Charlie's character wasn't happy about it and the reason becomes apparent when we're presented with the situation where Charlie and his nephew are the only whites in the place....

On a note more specific to "racism" here in Aus: We're never going to get anywhere with all this until we actually drop the term and notion of RACISM entirely and shift instead to the more realistic, flexible and broader concept of PREJUDICE....

Think about that - go back, read it again and THINK about it...

Racism is too selective and actually exclusive in it's application - not to mention devisive - ie. whites would argue that only they are apparently racist - the same kind of behaviour from the other direction is.... something else and seemingly not as bad or at least accepted/ignored. And in between, because racism between/amongst other ethnic groups doesn't fit the "black and white" clear definition of racism it's ignored. The fact is that such behaviour / attitude on ANY side and in ANY direction is simply a type of PREJUDICE so being looked at as such results in the flexibility to be more even handed than the selective notion of "racism".

Racism is very SUBJECTIVE whereas PREJUDICE is OBJECTIVE. IMO the term racism should be officially removed from use.

Prejudice as a concept is actually so flexible that it's virtually infinite in scope and degree - indeed some prejudice is positive: ie. being prejudiced against child abuse is not a bad thing...

Viewing things in terms of prejudice rather than racism allows us to examine the behaviour of ALL parties toward each other in ALL sorts of areas - not just issues of race - and allows us to recognise there are different degrees and combinations - from actually positive to totally harmless thru distasteful to downright unacceptable and ultimately criminal.

Again, as long as we limit ourselves to looking at things in terms of black and white - figuratively speaking - and no shades of grey - such that the issues by definition can only be looked at in terms of completely right or completely wrong and only applying in certain contexts and arguably in certain directions, we limit ourselves badly in terms of having room and flexibility to deal with the issues.

Spinner makes a good point

Spinner,

I agree. The idea of prejudice is much more useful because it opens up all the nuances in everyday life.

For example, a white person's actions might come across as racist when all they are motivated by is the desire to not get sucked into a lifestyle or culture that they are not comfortable with. Quite a lot of people do this, but it's not that they have an innate hatred of others. All people have interests and if the interests of two parties that come into contact with one another differ, a certain repulsive force is generated and they consequently put their energies elsewhere. This happens within white society just as much as anywhere else. It happens between elites and plebs, between Croats and Serbs, between lefties and capitalists and between the go-getters and Mr Average.

Spinner is right

I have prejudice against me because I am white middle aged women. I know it and I doubt anyone could mount an argument against it. Apparently I should be an accounts payable clerk or something. Like right, that just suits my skills and experience lol.

So we then have white man beating out Chinese Aussie who beats out me. It is not simply about race at all. There are so many layers including age, weight, sex and if anything culture rather than race. For example a Lebanese origin businessman has no obstacle but a Lebanese origin female muslim wearing a veil would. So not racial very often. I have had many bosses from so called minorities so seems odd they have special status when they are buying investment houses left and right while wearing designer suits. Oh gosh they are so DEPRIVED lol.

So eprhaps should move on except for Indigenous Australians but even for them we need a re-write. The authours of the story to date have been self indulgent twits.

We really have two cultures, western and Indigenous and racism exists between Westerners and Indigenous. In western culture there is prejudice..Spinner is correct along with individual. Creating too many problems where none exist.