MGK : Bad Day for Australian Nazis

Full Post A bad day to be a nazi in Sydney
FightDemBack has discovered that Andrew Sanders, one of the five young European men arrested at Brighton-le-Sands with a police scanner and two-way CB radios, 25 litres of petrol and equipment to make molot…

I think that most people INTEND to do the right thing — and then there are a few rabble rousers. I also think that there is an unconscious racism on the part of many. It is not ideological nor is it intentional, but it comes about on the basis of cultural expectations which are not understood as such. People get hurt or affronted when their cultural expectations are not met, and consider themselves to have been treated in a hostile fashion. Such misunderstandings are the seed for racial hostility.

Jennifer, the real test comes when you encounter ‘casual’ or ‘armchair’ racism from friends or co-workers.

Do you remain silent- or raise objection when friends think that John Howard’s DIMIA & terror policies actually protect Australia?

If you’re stronger than casual peer pressure, with no fear of being derided as a ‘bleeding heart leftie,’ you’re probably not a racist.

The notion among many Australians that the plight of Aboriginals isn’t their problem is just such a case. I’d buy the ‘not my problem, before my time’ excuse if the present day lifespan of Aboriginals wasn’t the very shortest in any developed ‘1st world’ nation.

Hi W,
As a victim of racism myself — and as it seems as a continual victim of it — I always denounce racism. And yep — I am pretty tough! Battle-hardened. Read my blog.

Oh yes and I am married to a fucking communist. I have no choice but to oppose racism, in all of its manifestations… 😉

Well, I’d much rather be married to a fucking communist as opposed to the non-fucking type. 😉

he is a pleasure to be around.

Jenifers post reminds me of this old one, from earlier this year.

Indeed, racism is usually taught to children- not a single one is born a racist. Active consideration of one’s own prejudices is something everyone should do from time to time.

Actually, it’s way more complicated than just teaching kids not to be racist. Once again, racism is often unconscious. See my recent post on the “cultural unconscious” on my site.

Also see this blog entry.

I will never forget that I was the victim of self righteous Australians posturing quite nicely as if they were anti-racist, but actually acting upon nothing more than the motive provided by their self-conceived racist stereotypes.

Hiya Jennifer, thanks for the links to your well considered entries. I’ve polished up your links a bit; long URLs tend to push the width of the column, making display erratic in some web browsers.

While I’m sure that there is one somewhere, I have yet to meet a well-travelled, well educated racist. Racism really is the domain of the small mind and limited of experience. These half-wits all have the same parochial songs. Wogs this, abos that, etc.

You don’t even have to be brown to be a victim of stereotyping. I’ve been in Australia long enough to recognise the most criticised stereotypical behaviour of Americans- speaking too loudly, for one. Thus, after nearly 10 years here, I may not speak an Australian accent, but you won’t ever overhear me in a restaurant.

The downside of speaking more quietly is you can hear the mindless jerkoff at the next table idly bagging out Americans… plainly not realising there’s one just 5 feet away from him.

Yes anti-americanism is common here, but tragically the opposite is true in the US where they just lerv australians.
I should know my ex is one, in fact he is the absolute epitome of that awful stereotype [and then some!] but that said his mom is an angel, and the americans in my community are really considerate of the community and pro-active in volunteering – so another type of american personality is also very/more predominant in this country. But Weezil you have to understand that loud people are always going to make an impression before the quiet ones, american or otherwise.

Yeah I’ve come across the anti-American stereotyping. Thanks for tidying up my urls…

Yeah, I’ve seen so much hate and racism. Having lived in many places be assured others are much worse than Oz. But that doesnt excuse anything does it? I know we’ve are sometimes too sensitive but we need to deal with it if this world has any chance of making it to the next millenium. Let Oz be an example and show the way, then others can follow.

Si, do you make a habit of commenting on two-year-old blog posts?