John Howard needs to get in touch with reality...

[logansrogue]

He was just on "A Current Affair" and the reporter asked him, "Do you agree that these attacks are racially motivated?"

Guess what he said - just guess!

"No, no I don't."

*double take* Uhm, wuh? The wuh? He went on to say that the attacks were a result of too much alcohol. Yeah, alcohol makes me TOTALLY racist. Makes me wear the Australian flag and bash people all the time! Then he went on like Australia doesn't have an undercurrent of racism in it, that we're the most successfully multicultural society in the world.

Yes! And the fluffy bunnies dance with the fuzzy foxes, and the sky is rainbow candy and butterflies kiss our toes!

Denying racism will NOT get rid of it. Pretendnig it's not there will NOT get rid of it. Yet the official 'party line' is that this had nothing to do with racism. "Go HOME LEBS" isn't racist at all, no.

WAKE UP you dickheads! This thing was a smear on everything that Australia says it's trying to be. Those politicians denying the racist elements makes me as sick as the riots to start with. It was the first time in my life that I cheered when I saw a policeman hit someone with their baton. That was when there was a lone policemen on the train, fighting back white supremacist little bastards who were trying to beat the shit out of two injured men of darker appearance. What. A. Hero.

Australia, to me, is more than a flag. It's an ideal. It's a place where *everyone* can come live. It's going to school and seeing a variety of different colours of people in the *same class*. It's growing up and learning to swear in over ten different languages, thanks to your immigrant friends. It's eating cuisine from all over the world in your own town. It's Christmas Pageants with belly-dancers and those cool dancing lion/dragon things from China, all mixed up in the Three Wise Men and the kids being elves. It's that awe you feel when you learn about a different way of life from yours. That difference, that mingling, that transference of ideas and cultures is the very thing that makes humanity special.

I can only hope and pray that this situation resolves quickly. The damage has been done, however. No more pretending that it's not real, though. Racism has to be dealt with, head on, and openly. Just like any other ill in society, and I don't know WHY the government are being so evasive about it. It makes me mad.

Comments

[shimmiwyld.livejournal.com]

I also find it disturbing that people don't do this sort of stuff to the Brits. My dad's side of the family is from the UK and I have never heard of anyone being 'racist' against them. I mean, sure - they're a western civvie too but they're still not 'Australian'. Maybe I'm just being too logical for their small minds... again.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

Why is John Howard saying its not racism?
Because he knows that is he agrees, the next question will be "Do you feel your governments policies have contributed to racism in this country?". And no matter what he says, there will be followup questions about all the xenophobic policies his government has followed, and no one will believe his answers. So, he just denies the obvious instead.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

What a coward. I really hate the man.

[bcp.livejournal.com]

Makes him a damn good politician though.

[hondavidk.livejournal.com]

Yeah, those stupid bastards getting a baton to the back of the head was pretty funny.

[hondavidk.livejournal.com]

Oh, and tell that NOOB Scotty to get on MSN.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

He's X-Boxing. He's playing Battlefront on X-Box.

[hondavidk.livejournal.com]

My xBox is securely bolted onto the table my TV is on. He can't be playing it.

-TGP-

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Oh HO HO! Yours is not the only box in existence, my arrogant Arien! The BOYS in fact have one too, with NEW CONTROLLERS! With FLASHY LIGHTS! HAH!

[hondavidk.livejournal.com]

Le gasp! Doesn't matter, because I have one with no wires. And it's cool.

Oh well, just tell him I'm waiting for Scotty to play Stronghold. Multiplayer.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Jordan says he's going on Stronghold now, and Scotty is all "You're kidding?"

[hondavidk.livejournal.com]

That totally worked out. >_>

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

That copper totally pwned them!! He was hitting them so hard! Was awesome!!

[starfyre01.livejournal.com]

*headdesks at politicians' stupidity*

[didi75.livejournal.com]

I was really sad to hear about the riots in Australia, but not that surprised. I guess that's because as a Lebanese-American with many, many relatives Down Under, I have an idea of the state of things there. I suppose, the Lebanese community in Australia hasn't made things easier for themselves. Some of the people that fled Lebanon to Australia in the 80s were already trouble makers in Lebanon, members of militia groups, addicted to drugs, prone to violence, etc. But many others were like my relatives who worked hard, forged opportunities in their adopted homeland, and raised their children to be honest and hardworking as well. I'm hoping for the best. :/

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I just don't get it. Sure, there are bad elements in any society, but to generalise a whole race for those bad elements - ugh.

My favourite little place to hang out as a teen was a Lebanese restaurant with the best Lebanese coffee in the city, and those rimmed tables and awesome music. It was such a nice little place and the people running it were so nice. *sigh* Pity it's gone.

[nousia.livejournal.com]

Oi. Just...wow.

That was when there was a lone policemen on the train, fighting back white supremacist little bastards who were trying to beat the shit out of two injured men of darker appearance. What. A. Hero.

Word. :/ This sort of thing makes me proud to live in a state that's #1 in the number of hate groups, really.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Uhm - huh?

[nousia.livejournal.com]

Oh crap. Never mind, Nancy!

Just my babbling..

[sugaryfun.livejournal.com]

Bad Prime Minister! No biscuit!

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Damn straight! Ten minutes in the time-out room!