I'm sure we can all recall raciest incidents. Recently I was at Woolworths, in a 12 items or less queue, There was an Indian woman about 50 and another about 30 both well dressed in traditional Indian clothing, I think they were mother and daughter. There were being served, unfortunately for them, they had more than the 12 items. This bloke next in line, who was "Australian" about 25, with a young boy about 7 or 8, most likely his son. This fella had something to say, the older woman apologized in very good English "Sorry we didn't see the sign, sorry." You would think that would be the end of the matter, but not for this bloke, he then launched into to torrid of racial abuse, the women were obviously embarrassed, and didn't know what to say. I got involved, telling this mug to cut it out, so he turned on me, I told him if he's not careful the police would be called with his racial vilification being illegal, and I meant it, the woman didn't want trouble. One of the ugliest aspects of this was it all took place in front of this blokes young son. I'm not saying he was typical but he certainly needed educating if nothing else, I pity his son to have an 'old man' like him. Probably told the kid what a hero he was!

Dear Individual,

It isn't only just the few who exhibit these kind
of attitudes. Look at your own posts and those of others
on this thread - who are totally trying to negate or
justify of excuse - what
others experience on a daily basis. That is predictable
and unfortunately very common. The only people who can
speak about racism in this country are those who experience
it and their experiences cannot and should not be brushed
aside or negated. It they are - then our society will be
the poorer for it.

"Beyond Blue," is simply trying to raise our awareness and the
awareness of the problems that do exist and they are
encouraging us to change our attitudes and how we can
better our society. I for one see nothing wrong with that.
But then I and my family have many experiences that
I could relate. And there were many. Many Australians,
back then, and now, were not delighted with the large numbers
of migrants competing with them for jobs and housing.
Many, then and now, objected to the migrants' languages,
manner of dress and many other characteristics.

Often, as we can see from this forum these "old" Australians
were, and are, often offended by any criticisms of Australia
made by migrants and were/are quick to label "new"
Australians "whingers" and worse - if they complained of the
hardships of re-settling in another country. Migrants were/are
"primitive" if they shared their income and expenses and
lived/live in big family groups and they were "taking over,"
if they were lucky enough to become prosperous.

And so it goes.

Dear Suse,

Thank You for your comments and I look forward to seeing
you on other threads.

Foxy,
I have experiences from when I was still in Europe when we had the eastern europeans come in & our welfare funds got depleted. I then migrated to Australia where I got work instantly because I wasn't fussy.
Then, I was again obliged to share my tax dollars with migrants who did not like most of us migrants look for work straight away but choose to lean on the welfare system instead. Now, this welfare system too is depleted just like the one in Europe.
Yes, you can always find an amiable example to support your argument but I'm looking at the broader side of it.
This depletion of resources originally provided by working people as a retirement fund for australian pensioners invariably causes resentment but not racism. The racism comes from those who resent the resentment.
Beyond Blue is asking Australian Pensioners to disregard the negatvie impacts on them.

Is Mise, what is the Peanut Bush theory?
I've never heard this term before.

Suseonline "Too many Australians (41%) have a narrow view of who belongs in Australia"

Too many Tibetans have a narrow view of who belongs in Tibet.
Too many Palestinians have a narrow view of who belongs in Palestine.
Too many Zulus have a narrow view of who can be Zulu (Blacks only!).

Without a "narrow view" of who belongs, NONE of the diverse ethnic groups you claim to love would exist.

For "Tibetans" to exist, there must be "non-Tibetans".
For "Zulus" to exist, there must be "non-Zulus".

And for "Australians" to exist, there must be "non-Australians".

"a large majority of Australians are positive about living in a multicultural country"

Depends how you define "multicultural".

When we had immigrants from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England?

When that was expanded to other *related* Europeans (Italians, Greeks, Poles, etc)?

When that includes *every and any* of the 6000+ ethnic groups in the world, with assimilation discouraged?

These are not the same "question", are they?

"I don't care what they think in Western Europe"

We are part of a larger history/civilisation.
"Australia" wouldn't exist without that foundation.

There is no all-inclusive "world" civilisation.
People who talk of universal values are actually talking about Western ones.

well if the evolution myth is swallowed it makes sense that some races are more advanced and superior to others. If we were made in God's image then there is no place for racism. Somehow people want to push the line that we are all equal (which I totally agree with) but then insist that some are less developed. Just another inconvenient truth for god deniers.

Dear Individual,

Unlike the "guest workers" in Europe, the migrants
arriving in Australia after the Second World War
(my parents) were expected by the Australian Government
to settle permanently and to assimilate. This explicit
policy was highlighted by the creation in 1947 of the
Assimilation Branch of the Australian Department of
Immigration. Assimilation meant blending into the
Australian monoculture, "with everyone living in the
same way...and sharing the same aspirations."

Most post-war immigrants came to Australia as
indentured labour, that is, every migrants over the
age of 18 had to enter into a two year contract with the
Australian government which obliged the migrant to work
wherever directed. And the contracts were strictly
enforced. These two year work contracts were the migrants'
first major contribution to Australia. They helped to solve
an acute labour shortage in the country, especially in
outlying areas. History acknowledges that the migrants
contributed tgreatly to the rebuilding of Australia's
major structures (Snowy Mountains Scheme, etc) that wee to
serve the nation for many decades to come.

Later on - my parents worked at whatever jobs they could get.
They never went on "welfare" and most migrants of those times
were a self-sufficient group. Long before the principle of
"User must pay" became fasionable in Australia, these
people financed al their own ethnic interests out of their
own pockets. They acquired houses, halls, and museums.
And they are still footing the costs of publishing their own
newspapers in Australia without any state of philanthropic
subsidies.

In any case. I'm done here.

You can believe whatever you want.