Racism in Australia
#33
Re: Racism in Australia
Spot on Grayling.... Sometimes you do have to respond in heated banter in that way... make sure the tounge is well in the cheek though.
#34
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,821
Re: Racism in Australia
My kids have probably had the most dealings with racism (??).. they are called Pommies all the time (neither child is bothered.. as my 10 year old wisely said to me "but we ARE pommies?!"..) but my son's friend gets very angry over it (he is a pom.. and his name is Jonnie).. poor kid.. Jonnie the pommie!
They have had run ins and so forth, but a lot of it is said tongue in cheek according to them.. but some is said pretty nastily and often said to provoke a reaction.. it seems that me and OH have drummed some sense into them and neither of my children are bothered by nor react to that sort of behaviour.. thankfully they have pretty healthy self-esteems so it seems..
I have had a shop keeper say to me once "but I thought all you lot always move to Sydney first?"... assume she meant English... did make me laugh as Noosa/Peregian has so many English accents I often wonder if I am back in Blighty! Told her no.. didnt want to live in Sydney as The Sunny Coast has stolen my heart..
OH hasnt encountered any problems.. quite the reverse..
Em x
PS I heart the Aussies and Australia!
They have had run ins and so forth, but a lot of it is said tongue in cheek according to them.. but some is said pretty nastily and often said to provoke a reaction.. it seems that me and OH have drummed some sense into them and neither of my children are bothered by nor react to that sort of behaviour.. thankfully they have pretty healthy self-esteems so it seems..
I have had a shop keeper say to me once "but I thought all you lot always move to Sydney first?"... assume she meant English... did make me laugh as Noosa/Peregian has so many English accents I often wonder if I am back in Blighty! Told her no.. didnt want to live in Sydney as The Sunny Coast has stolen my heart..
OH hasnt encountered any problems.. quite the reverse..
Em x
PS I heart the Aussies and Australia!
#36
Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Orlando,Florida,living in Buckinghamshire for next 6 weeks.
Posts: 1,416
Re: Racism in Australia
Saw Youtube and the riot in Australia was very disturbing.I have met several Aussies,partied with them broke bread with them some of the kindest people I have met.It does shock me how many Aussie people on the Youtube videos were quick to say they don't like Muslim people,they especially mentioned their hatred for Lebanese.Makes me sad.As a African American my guard would be up if I were to visit one of my buddies in Australia.Wish I had not seen these videos.Blows my image of the Aussies as being easy going folk.Many seem more like the if you're not Australian I might reject and kick your ass type!
Last edited by YankeemovingAbroad; Nov 21st 2008 at 3:40 am.
#37
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Racism in Australia
That then kick-started an attack on him, and it all then spread.
Maybe if the threat to blow up Australians hadn't happened, maybe it would have stayed a peaceful day.
But it seems that Australians don't like being threated by bomb attacks.
#38
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 823
Re: Racism in Australia
Aussies are generally not racist, it's one of the most multicultural countries on earth and everyone gets along just fine most of the time, no one should worry because they may be of a different culture
#40
Re: Racism in Australia
Here in Australia I have found that people are quite happy to talk about their ethnic background, whether they are 1st,2nd,3rd etc.generation.
unlike the UK where alot of people have a chip on their shoulder and you are scared of getting a torrent of abuse from even suggesting that someone with dark skin would be anything but British!!
I'm called a Pom several times a day,I take it as a term of endearment....
one guy asked me which part of Ireland i was from.....I wasn't offended!! i just laughed and in my best irish accent told him i was English...we both had a good laugh about it.
How ridiculous would that have been if i'd gone and complained to the police about him ?
If everyone just grew slightly thicker skin (no matter what colour it is) we would all get on a lot better
anyway your leaving the small minded island and the Daily Wale behind , welcome to the big country and expand your mind...
unlike the UK where alot of people have a chip on their shoulder and you are scared of getting a torrent of abuse from even suggesting that someone with dark skin would be anything but British!!
I'm called a Pom several times a day,I take it as a term of endearment....
one guy asked me which part of Ireland i was from.....I wasn't offended!! i just laughed and in my best irish accent told him i was English...we both had a good laugh about it.
How ridiculous would that have been if i'd gone and complained to the police about him ?
If everyone just grew slightly thicker skin (no matter what colour it is) we would all get on a lot better
anyway your leaving the small minded island and the Daily Wale behind , welcome to the big country and expand your mind...
#42
Re: Racism in Australia
man-called-horse im from the other side of gods country rostrevor now that is gods country lol. Cullyhanna is south armagh is`nt it we have friends living here from camlough beside cullyhanna .
#43
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,765
Re: Racism in Australia
Its interesting what is racism because if you don't experience it yourself how do you know what it is like. For example I am English but now an Australian and talk like an Australian so I fit in very well and no-one takes any notice of me.
However if I was of different appearance with a different accent I do not know what it would be like.
People say there is no racism and they like to believe that but there is.
My daughter has Chinese friends and worked in their restaurant for quite a few years whilst at uni and they experienced it because my daughter told me the things people used to say when they came into the restaurant and not nice I can tell you.
Also I have a friend who is Thai and has a restaurant in Brisbane and she tells of the things people say to her and how she is treat sometimes.
So we can't really judge just because I am not racist, I cannot be sure that someone who was not a wasp would not experience racism here.
Country people are called racist all the time but country people are just honest ask questions call a spade a spade and actually if they like you whoever people are they are accepted very well.
People like to say its the working class or lower class people who are racist and that is wrong its right accross the board, people play lip service to it.
Personally I feel laws against it promote it and make people different.
As my grandma used to say "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.".
wasp = white anglo saxon protestant
However if I was of different appearance with a different accent I do not know what it would be like.
People say there is no racism and they like to believe that but there is.
My daughter has Chinese friends and worked in their restaurant for quite a few years whilst at uni and they experienced it because my daughter told me the things people used to say when they came into the restaurant and not nice I can tell you.
Also I have a friend who is Thai and has a restaurant in Brisbane and she tells of the things people say to her and how she is treat sometimes.
So we can't really judge just because I am not racist, I cannot be sure that someone who was not a wasp would not experience racism here.
Country people are called racist all the time but country people are just honest ask questions call a spade a spade and actually if they like you whoever people are they are accepted very well.
People like to say its the working class or lower class people who are racist and that is wrong its right accross the board, people play lip service to it.
Personally I feel laws against it promote it and make people different.
As my grandma used to say "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.".
wasp = white anglo saxon protestant
But one thing i can state with certainty has improved out of all recognition from two and a half decades ago.Then a number of Australians where not at all inhibited in telling often in very offensive ways that the person should not be in the country ,perhaps a little difficult to imagine these days ,but can assure it did happed and not on a too infrequent basis.
#44
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,765
Re: Racism in Australia
I was going to say the exact thing myself...As some of you guys know my oh is black ( born n bred in UK) and this is one of the reasons why hes unsure about the move to Aus.He dosen't experience racisim like he did when he was a kid in the 70s (eg:being spat upon at the aged of 7 by white male teens) so is quite comfortable in our small town, though that said, hes a plumber and many a time hes been round to peoples houses give quotes people have gasped at the sight of him lol (hes got a great personality and soon wins them over).So I guess we'll have to embark on a reccie first $$$ before we make our decision).
Hope you both make it over for a reccie
#45
Re: Racism in Australia
A question specifically about Cronulla. Was Cronulla the centre of the racial unrest in 2005 for a reason, or could it have been at any Sydney beach?
I've heard a lot of good things about Cronulla from people on these forums, but why was it the location of the disputes? Does that area of Sydney typically have more racial unrest than say the northern suburbs or the northern beaches? I'm wondering whether it being the closest beach to all the south Sydney suburbs meant that it was the natural location, if the southern suburbs have a more diverse ethnic population?
I've heard a lot of good things about Cronulla from people on these forums, but why was it the location of the disputes? Does that area of Sydney typically have more racial unrest than say the northern suburbs or the northern beaches? I'm wondering whether it being the closest beach to all the south Sydney suburbs meant that it was the natural location, if the southern suburbs have a more diverse ethnic population?