bassnation
the abyss
bassnation said:
actually, i take it all back. just realised from that last paragraph i'm sounding like tony blair. and nothing is worth that, is it?
Australians: what the f*ck is going on?
- Thread starter ripley
- Start date
actually, i take it all back. just realised from that last paragraph i'm sounding like tony blair. and nothing is worth that, is it?
D
droid
Guest
bassnation said:
Bassnation in 'third way' shocker!
I've been out of the country for 18 months but from what I've read the Australian media has been doing a great job in helping the govt maintain that lovely climate of fear and ignorance that makes it easy to justify draconian laws, increased police powers and more discrimination. Racism is always there under the surface in Australia... and the mainstream news services always blatantly sensationalize stories about crimes by certain minority groups.
A story I saw a couple of years back about a gang of lebanese boys who pack raped a caucasian girl in a van was doubly disturbing both because of the horrific nature of the crime, and the exploitative way the commercial networks handled the story. It was given way too much coverage and they presented these kind of unrepentant interviews with the accused boys saying "yeah and we'll do it again" kind of statements that seemed designed to provoke this kind of ignorance and violence.
I am an Australian of *bluggh* white descent and for me the multicultural makeup of Australia is a blessing but between the myth of the "real aussie bloke who loves footy and beer" that the media still keep alive somehow and the reality of many diverse cultures trying to co-exist, is a great big void of ignorance and misunderstanding.
I have often heard stories of the problems in Sydney and melbourne with inter-racial violence... it happens in brisbane, where I'm from too but (perhaps) to a lesser extent. One of my friends (An intelligent, well balanced, open-minded pacifist) was telling me about how he almost participated (or rather, was dragged into) in a kind of racial gangfight between his fellow vietnamese classmates and another ethnic group in highschool... inter-racial violence occurs between many cultures including anglo ones. It's not a problem that's just going to dissapear in a hurry and John Howard's denial of Australia's racist problem is incredibly dissapointing. Not to mention the pathetic history of the Australian governments treatment of the Aboriginal people.
To me patriotism is just another form of fascism... the whole "our great land" concept just reeks of nazi-ism and should be abandoned. I can't Imagine what it must feel like for non-white australians to see that white australian sterotype prepetuated constantly. Way to alienate 70% of the population. "Our great diversity" is what should be celebrated but why would the media use its propoganda machines to promote harmony and equal rights?? Where's the fun in that?
F*&k you Murdoch, F*^k you Packer and F*&k you if you think you have more of a right to live in your country than anybody else. Wherever you are from.
(0_0; )
sorry... this kind of stuff leaves me feeling nautious and naiive.
A story I saw a couple of years back about a gang of lebanese boys who pack raped a caucasian girl in a van was doubly disturbing both because of the horrific nature of the crime, and the exploitative way the commercial networks handled the story. It was given way too much coverage and they presented these kind of unrepentant interviews with the accused boys saying "yeah and we'll do it again" kind of statements that seemed designed to provoke this kind of ignorance and violence.
I am an Australian of *bluggh* white descent and for me the multicultural makeup of Australia is a blessing but between the myth of the "real aussie bloke who loves footy and beer" that the media still keep alive somehow and the reality of many diverse cultures trying to co-exist, is a great big void of ignorance and misunderstanding.
I have often heard stories of the problems in Sydney and melbourne with inter-racial violence... it happens in brisbane, where I'm from too but (perhaps) to a lesser extent. One of my friends (An intelligent, well balanced, open-minded pacifist) was telling me about how he almost participated (or rather, was dragged into) in a kind of racial gangfight between his fellow vietnamese classmates and another ethnic group in highschool... inter-racial violence occurs between many cultures including anglo ones. It's not a problem that's just going to dissapear in a hurry and John Howard's denial of Australia's racist problem is incredibly dissapointing. Not to mention the pathetic history of the Australian governments treatment of the Aboriginal people.
To me patriotism is just another form of fascism... the whole "our great land" concept just reeks of nazi-ism and should be abandoned. I can't Imagine what it must feel like for non-white australians to see that white australian sterotype prepetuated constantly. Way to alienate 70% of the population. "Our great diversity" is what should be celebrated but why would the media use its propoganda machines to promote harmony and equal rights?? Where's the fun in that?
F*&k you Murdoch, F*^k you Packer and F*&k you if you think you have more of a right to live in your country than anybody else. Wherever you are from.
(0_0; )
sorry... this kind of stuff leaves me feeling nautious and naiive.
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bassnation
the abyss
Pearsall said:don't really have much time at the moment to respond (was very busy yesterday during the day and was at the pub all evening haha) but just quickly: yeah, Marc, the Punch and Judy stuff is not very illuminating (although it's fun!). apologies for lowering the tone.
lol, don't worry - was a bit tounge in cheek anyway just like most of my mutterings.
hope your hangovers not biting too hard today
i'm sick of drinking and its not even offically xmas yet - not sure how that happened so quickly.I do believe that the two of you are over intellectualizing an incident that I found very disturbing and posted an off the top of the dome emotional response to after half waking up from a rough nights sleep at 5:30am. My point was just that John Howard's denial of racism in australia is an outright lie and that this kind of ignorant lynch mob scenario physically sickens me to my stomach. And for the record in the REAL WORLD multiculturalism is a situation, not an ideology. I'm just saying the stereotype of the typical australian is out of date. I wasn't using this post to pump up my ego as a leftist political warrior.
get a life guys... like, REALLY. Or you could form an intellectual lynch mob and verbally bash the inarticulate.
get a life guys... like, REALLY. Or you could form an intellectual lynch mob and verbally bash the inarticulate.
and again, I was posting half asleep (dissensus for breakfast... perhaps I should get a life) and over emotionally...and I completely misread melchoir's response! by guys I meant pearsall and consider myself officially baited hook line and sinker, hanging by my lower lip over the sea of politics on the end of a fishing line pearsall is holding on the deck of the HMS RIGHT STUFF. unfortunately for you I am not a 900 pound marxist marlin... just an intellectual tennis shoe that was tring to answer ripleys question.
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D
droid
Guest
dsp13 said:
Humble words to be coming from the guy who wrote the best post of the thread...
It was my Australian relatives who told me that "Australia was the most racist country in the world besides South Africa" back in the 80's - which I scarcely believed at the time... reading up a bit on the specifics of Australian history, and in particular John Pilgers 'A secret country' over the years has changed my opinion somewhat.
Not that I know any openly racist Ozzies - any Ive met have been sound enough...
What I find interesting (and depressing) is the lack of a solid, outspoken response from anyone in a politically important position. Shouldn't the Liberal party or the opposition have taken a strong position condemning the violence immediately after the event happened?
Most of what seems to come from the two camps is nitpicking over the fine details of each others policies - eg the amount spent on advertizing or why it says so and so on page 38 of a certain document when you clearly said something else another time. When the new workplace relations shizzle was being debated, I watched question time one evening and was shocked by weakness of the opposition's argument. The Liberals had clearly done their homework, and had supporting evidence that what they proposed would help the economy to grow, and the opposition resorted to calling the propsed changes 'draconian' and 'unjust' etc. . . . all well and good, but without any evidence to support their views....
Is it just me or does this read a little like a monthy python skit?
Reporter: "Do you think anything the Government said over the last few years has set the tone for the actions on the weekend?"
PM: "Which Government?"
Reporter: "Your Government."
PM: "My Government?"
Reporter: “Yes.”
PM: "Certainly not. What do you have in mind?"
Reporter: "Your position on Iraq."
PM: "My position on Iraq?"
Reporter: "Do you think that’s had any influence on people feeling alienated?"
PM: "My position on Iraq? You’ve got to be joking."
Most of what seems to come from the two camps is nitpicking over the fine details of each others policies - eg the amount spent on advertizing or why it says so and so on page 38 of a certain document when you clearly said something else another time. When the new workplace relations shizzle was being debated, I watched question time one evening and was shocked by weakness of the opposition's argument. The Liberals had clearly done their homework, and had supporting evidence that what they proposed would help the economy to grow, and the opposition resorted to calling the propsed changes 'draconian' and 'unjust' etc. . . . all well and good, but without any evidence to support their views....
Is it just me or does this read a little like a monthy python skit?
Reporter: "Do you think anything the Government said over the last few years has set the tone for the actions on the weekend?"
PM: "Which Government?"
Reporter: "Your Government."
PM: "My Government?"
Reporter: “Yes.”
PM: "Certainly not. What do you have in mind?"
Reporter: "Your position on Iraq."
PM: "My position on Iraq?"
Reporter: "Do you think that’s had any influence on people feeling alienated?"
PM: "My position on Iraq? You’ve got to be joking."