National Anti-Racism Strategy Launched

There is a number of government departments that serve limited genuine useful purpose in making a worthwhile contribution to our society. The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is one of them.

Today the AHRC, an Australian Government agency, launched it's National Anti-Racism Strategy that will no doubt chew up millions of taxpayers money under control of a government that has racked up a deficit of staggering proportions.

After decades of governments imposing a multicultural society upon us, without our permission and thereby generating racial separation and division, they are now desperately trying to remediate the problems they have caused.

Until Muslims began immigrating to Australia from Lebanon in the Seventies, multiculturalism seemed to work reasonably well. Although enclaves sprung up with peoples from Greece, Lebanon, Asia etc, those immigrants integrated because we shared common values. Most Australians accepted and are accepting of the different races and ethnicities that have come to share this once great country with us.

Unfortunately, multiculturalism has also created increases in crime in some quarters and resentment in others and ill feelings towards some of the other races persists. I really don't know that it is as bad as some people suggest. I do know that I have been called a "white c*&t" on numerous occasions but I have never called anyone else by a racist name.

My view has always been that if a person is worthy of respect, I respect him/her. If people are not worthy of respect than I don't respect them, but I see no point in being nasty to them. I simply choose alternative company.

The term racism is so all-encompassing, it's probably true to say that we are all racist to some degree. Wouldn't you prefer to live in a street surrounded by people of your common race? I know I would. If I wanted to be surrounded by Somalis, I'd move to Somalia.

By definition, I am a racist. Would I hurt someone or treat them differently because they are of a different race? Definitely not.

What really galls me in the whole argument about racism and Australia is that the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments ALL have legislation and policies that are race based. They provide for a raft of services, grants and opportunities for people of Aboriginal race and exclude everyone else in Australia.

How can a government that perpetuates race-based legislation, policies and practices have the gall to implement a National Anti-Racism Strategy?

It beats me.

Dark Horse

The Language of Separation

Reading a newspaper recently, I noticed an advertisement for a leadership program for "Aboriginal and non-aboriginal leaders". I wondered how different Aboriginal leaders were to perhaps Asian leaders, Caucasian or perhaps African leaders. Why was it necessary to make this difference?

It's this habitual and invariable use of labelling and classification that affects the national sub-conscious. It exacerbates the idea of them, descendents of First Australians and us, descendents of the other four races. If you must know what race I am to provide me with a service, instead of writing on your forms "Are you indigenous or non-indigenous?" why not "What is your race?"

While governments spend millions on so-called reconciliation programs, they defeat themselves (and the people) by perpetuating a system of entrenched apartheid ... racist programs for a small minority of our population; separate schools, birthing units, health centres, job programs etc.

As long as we continue to tell people they are special, different and disadvantaged, they will remain special, different and disadvantaged and never become equal with mainstream Australia. As Governor General Sir Paul Hasluck said perhaps 30 years ago, "We've homogenised the milk, but not the people."

We need to eradicate this language of separation, racist policies and laws and use inclusive language that demonstrates a united Australian. Who really gives a rat's if someone's ancestors 30,000 years ago lived on the plains of Mongolia when there is so much to do today?

Until we begin to treat all Australians as Australians and provide help to people based on need and not genes, Australia will remain a country of division struggling to free itself from its history. The first step is to use language of inclusion and unity instead of language of separation.

Is Australia a Racist Country?

I've been asked this question several times while overseas and today when departed Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo accused Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of being racist, I decided to explain it the way I see it and encourage others to join the debate.

Unfortunately, the cry, "racist" has become hackneyed and is now used for anything that has to do with immigrants, Australian aborigines and frequently (and incorrectly), issues relating to different cultural or religious groups. Where I live indigenes describe anything that doesn't suit them as being racist (against them), but never call the racially positive programs (for them) racist. There's a lot of contradictions.

When someone asks me if I am a racist or if Australians are racist, I always ask what is their definition of racism. Here's what The MacQuarie Dictionary says:

1. "The belief that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate the others.
2. Offensive or aggressive behaviour to members of another race stemming from such a belief
3. A policy or system of government and society based on race"

Here's my answer. By definition I AM a racist because I believe that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective cultures. (See endnote)

Do I believe that my Caucasian race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate others? Definitely not. That each of the races is different is an undeniable fact.

Would I be offensive or aggressive to members of another race? Definitely not. I believe in the worth and right to dignity of every living thing.

Do I believe Australia is a racist country? Yes, with qualification.

Australian has policies and a system of government and society based on race. To make it sweet, governments have passed legislation to say their policies and system of government are NOT racist. That doesn't change the facts that they are, it simply protects them from prosecution. Australia remains a country that is racist.

Now for the people.

I believe with all my heart that most Australians have a similar perspective to mine. What is often misconstrued as racism is actually disagreement with such government policy as the refugee policy; allowing people to immigrate here and then sit around on welfare; whining by religious groups for rights that aren't congruent with Australian society eg, like implementation of Sharia Law, people who want to take from Australia but not contribute, and other peripheral matters. Australians will accept anyone who makes an effort to integrate, doesn't try to change our culture, values etc to suit them, and who contributes. There are millions of immigrants here today who can attest to that.

Endnote: There are five identified races:

1. Caucasoid
2. Negroid
3. Capoid
4. Mongolian
5. Australoid

Some races have people with different coloured skin or slightly different features. For example, Indians are generally part of the Caucasoid group which also has people with stark white skin.

Are you a racist? What race are you? Want to share your views? Please do.