Is Australia a racist country?

pfffffft “Probably” …a few examples of countries more tolerant and as mutlticultural as Australia would be nice to see Agile.

“Never argue with an idiot, as they will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience”

Superted:

I am not well travelled but one comparable example (as Mini mentioned) could be NZ. I do not know for sure as I have only ever briefly visited this country.

On the surface it seems that the population in NZ is more integrated than in Australia and that the country has gone ahead and dealt with land rights issues in a fair and mature way.

More power to them.

Regards,
Tim.

No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. (1 Corinthians 13:3b – The Message)

Superted:

This will be my last response to you on this particular topic.

I find it sad that you cannot accept (note i did not say agree) with differing arguments from your own.

Another reason I do not wish to discuss this further with you is that I find that you continually make this into a personal attack. For example when have I ever trash talked Australia?

I love this country and its people and it is for that reason that I speak up on issues that I think affect our way of life in Australia. I would not live long term anywhere else in the world.

Would you rather I said nothing because my view is different from yours. This to me goes against the Australian ideal of ‘the fair go’ and that everyone has a right to be respectfully heard.

Having said that I wish you well and hope that if we ever correspond in future it is in a more amicable way.

Regards,
Tim

No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. (1 Corinthians 13:3b – The Message)

Agile,

My posts arent attempting to be a personal attack. They are for you to back up your fluffy broad statements, which i feel denegrate Australia. And i have no problem if your views are different to mine, but id love to see examples to back up your broad statments.

If you dont see your statements without examples as trash talking Australia…..then we can agree to disagree on that

When you do actually find that country/s that are as multicultural and as tolerant as Australia (THAT IS MY POINT).
..Id love to go and see it

We dont have a differing opinion in the area that racism exists here (and it does everywhere) so there is no reason to “feel sad” that we dont agree on points.

WayneL youve missed the point. Racism articles in papers exist in many countries, thats not my point with agile. It is good that a country like ours can put these artilces in the paper so that racsim can be stamped out.

“Never argue with an idiot, as they will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience”

I seem to do that a lot

I’m a bitsa myself – bit of this bit of that, my brother had a poem …

My brother lay over the ocean
my sister lay over the sea
my father laid over my mother
and thats how i came to be

Hope that is not toooo rude sorry, opps[whistle]

Strange idea. Crime is bad for example … and I rather live where there is little crime then where there is a lot.

The ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) defines racism as follows:
“Any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise, on equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, or any other field of public life.”

If the above is a valid definition, we don’t have racism in Australia. In fact if anything we have reverse racism in our legislation. There are councils who forbid displaying Christmas decorations or anything to do with Christmas to avoid “offending” a group of Muslims. Some welfare benefits are exclusive to indigenous people, and some particular jobs are only available to that group. I cannot apply.

The following definition seems to be a more practical one and may encompass the personal dislike some have towards a group of people defined by their genetic make up:

“Racism is prejudice or discrimination based on the belief that race is the primary factor determining human traits and abilities. Racism includes the belief that genetic or inherited differences produce the inherent superiority or inferiority of one race over another. In the name of protecting their race from “contamination,” some racists justify the domination and destruction of races they consider to be either superior or inferior. Institutional racism is racial prejudice supported by institutional power and authority used to the advantage of one race over others.”

Yet racism is a term that is no longer as valid as it was 50 or more years ago. The divisions that are alive today are due to cultural differences, class differences religious differences, place of birth or citizenship differences.

And it is here that we hit the wall. The anti-racism say “we are all equal”, yet when we have and should always have the same rights, we are by no means equal. We are substantially different all of us, I am different from you, that is for sure.

It is this inability to recognise our differences and live with them that produces conflict and by negating our more than obvious differences we will never achieve harmony.

As a last thought and just to prove how different we all really are, all this talk about equality and rights that we consider advanced and unifying, is seen by other cultures as a sign of weakness and a signal that it is time to move the demands once more, a bit further.

In Japan to acquire citizenship you must live in Japan for 3 generations. Then pass a detailed scrutiny and a test to see if you have really become a Japanese. An inspector will come to your house and see what kind of foods you cook, what furniture you use, what cloths. Any smell of foreign food or customs will mean rejection to your application.

Is that racist?
Depends how you look at it. Certainly fulfills a purpose to preserve Japan as Japanese. Wrong?
Perhaps for the applicants ….

May God prosper you always.[biggrin]
Marc

Just burn a few snags on the barbie and wash it down with a cold VB and you’re done.
cheers
r

In most western nations it is legal to disriminate against one particular group – caucasian males. There are laws, precedents, and programs that target particular ethnic groups and women, but no programs for a white aussie.

Isn’t this reverse reacism where a white gut can’t get a job because he’s white and discrimination because he is male?

Hi Aussie, the paragraph about human rights being a sign of weakness does not refer to Japan but good old Australia where some meedle eastern people will consider concession, politness, obeying road rules, trust or welfare payments to name a few, a sign of weakness to be taken advantage off.

May God prosper you always.[biggrin]
Marc