Stuff
A friend shared a link to this story. A story that's contents I find slightly outrageous.
Because it's a cut and dry issue, racism is not ok. Yet some way, some how, significant enough numbers of our community think it is.
Surely, where you want your society to get to, is a point where somebody aged 60 perhaps without the benefits of a completed high-school education knows enough to tell themselves 'paying out the Lebanese is not a good thing to do to a complete stranger.'
That's not an unreasonable nor unobtainable idea. Those twitters in the twittersphere that seemed pleased by the Australian stitch up are understandable, and perhaps pleased because our country has a policy debate on an issue that is plainly and purely racist - refugees arriving by ship - or better known as 'boat people'.
I know, the comedian has generalised Australian culture. He's lumped us intogether with Bogans, he doesn't understand, bogan's aren't the real Australians. Except that they are real Australians. And they and many others are encouraged by highly educated people know as the opposition party. And they are not suitably chastized by the government whom fears losing their vote.
So what I would ask you, if you aren't a racist, and you abhore racism, is don't speak up. Don't defend the country's honour. Because ultimately you are merely blocking us from actually purging this idea from our national psyche.
The innocent have to stop defending the guilty.
Here's the thing, it's just about even money that any visitor to Australia will hear something to the effect of a racist statement. Unsolicited too. I think for a visitor to our country, to come across anti-Lebanese sentiments in a brief visit to Sydney is a valid reason to criticise the prevailing culture of Australia.
But another said: "John Oliver visits western Sydney and meets racist people – shocking I know."
Other tweets included: "I'm pretty sure John Oliver could find just as many racist people anywhere he went in the world" and "Where did you go in Aus? On the Bugle it sounded like you only met bogans and John Howard. No wonder you think we're racists!"
Because it's a cut and dry issue, racism is not ok. Yet some way, some how, significant enough numbers of our community think it is.
Surely, where you want your society to get to, is a point where somebody aged 60 perhaps without the benefits of a completed high-school education knows enough to tell themselves 'paying out the Lebanese is not a good thing to do to a complete stranger.'
That's not an unreasonable nor unobtainable idea. Those twitters in the twittersphere that seemed pleased by the Australian stitch up are understandable, and perhaps pleased because our country has a policy debate on an issue that is plainly and purely racist - refugees arriving by ship - or better known as 'boat people'.
I know, the comedian has generalised Australian culture. He's lumped us intogether with Bogans, he doesn't understand, bogan's aren't the real Australians. Except that they are real Australians. And they and many others are encouraged by highly educated people know as the opposition party. And they are not suitably chastized by the government whom fears losing their vote.
So what I would ask you, if you aren't a racist, and you abhore racism, is don't speak up. Don't defend the country's honour. Because ultimately you are merely blocking us from actually purging this idea from our national psyche.
The innocent have to stop defending the guilty.
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