Use of the word 'racism' (2 Viewers)

[davin]

why WOULDN'T you join mensa....i'd love to pay some people to tell me how smart i am. wait, no i wouldn't.

 

[coco89]

in a sense i do agree with hiphop because immigrants and such in Australia today do hide behind the word racism as a means of not integrating into society. As a child of migrant parents, i hate that we are all ridiculed by the actions of few and their unwillingness to cooperate and participate in and with the Australian way of life.

 

[HotShot]

in a sence i do agree with hiphop because immigrants and such in Australia today do hide behind the word racism as a means of not integrating into society. As a child of migrant parents, i hate that we are all ridiculed by the actions of few and their unwillingness to cooperate and participate in and with the Australian way of life.

racism is a form of discrimination. Its like telling women to stop saying 'feminism'.

 

[ccc123]

"One ACCURATE stereotype is the 'lebo' stereotype, and don't try to tell me its not; if you think it's not, go get out more you stupid 11th grader and 12th grader Advanced English (omg I'm learning about society LOL i know more than people who have learnt the same shit I'm learning already"

Okay, I'm not going to deny that the Lebanese have a pretty bad reputation collectively, but to say that "one accurate stereotype is the Lebo stereotype, and don't try to tell me its not.." demonstrates a very provincial mindset and a lot of ignorance. There are agitators in all nationalities and cultures, so it isn't fair to generalise and cast all the blame on one particular culture. What's more, remember that the media fuels cultural tensions, and they will often project an inaccurate and/or biased image of the Lebanese, because it is more pragmatic for them to do so, rather then get the full story. Believe what you may, but not all Lebanese conform to the stereotype. One of my closest friends is Lebanese and she is one of the nicest people I know.

"The so-called racism in Cronulla was NOT racism. It was standing up the rights of all Australians. For to long Lebanese and other people have come to Australia and tried to force their vales upon us. We as Australians have been Australian and layed back for too long. We stood up against the people trying to take over the country our fathers and grandfathers fought for so long. "

What are you on about? The Cronulla riots were a consequence of years of racial tension. What do you mean it wasn’t racism?

"People bringing the ideas of gangs to Australia should be attacked. People who try to bring a new culture to Australia should be attacked. People who annoy children should be attacked.
DONT come to Australia unless you are prepared to adopt our values, our culture and our way of life. Your culture has wrecked your home country, we dont want it to wreck the best country in the world.
It is a lot like a bully trying to make someone unhappy just like them. PLEASE stop trying to change australia.
All Australians want is for you to have BBQ's, for you dress Australian, for you to adopt an australian attitude.

I and many other people are not racist, we are just trying to prevent a takeover.

Sydney has already been transformed into China, both structurally and culturally. We dont want the rest of Australia to go the same way. "


Firstly, note that our nation is a unique cultural mosaic- not a replica of China at all. There is no such thing as a ‘true blue’ Aussie these days. Is your background ‘true’ Australian? Probably not. How can you say that “people who try to bring in a new culture to Australia should be attacked”?? You seem totally oblivious to all the good things other cultures have brought into Australia. If we had done as you are suggesting we should do: that is, adhere to our ‘true’ culture and deny the instigation of other cultures, we would all be grinding sticks together to light fire and eating kangaroos; because the ‘true’ Australian culture, is the Aboriginal culture.

"It is a lot like a bully trying to make someone unhappy just because they are"

You can’t just simplify racial tension like that- it’s a complex issue; so its foolish to analogise racial conflict between cultures with a petty schoolyard dispute.
Your argument reflects a lot of ignorance and a very provincial mindset. You’re very foolish to throw your arms up in protest at the notion of cultural diversity; you’re effectively intimating that we ought to rid the nation of what you seem to see as ‘cultural impurities’

Much of our current way of life has been shaped by other cultures, and we will inevitably continue to change and develop as a multicultural nation- thats the way Australia is- if you don't like it, thats your problem.

 

[samerin]

I reckon that bad reputation of one Middle Eastern cultural community will worsen situation for other Middle Eastern people as well. relax guys everything isnt as bad as it sounds.....go to Russia

you have BLACK people killed in Russia in front of other people....authorities dont give a crap

In countires like Ukrain or pos soviet countires (not all of them) the government does not know the meaning of multiculturalis

i DO NOT support multiculturalism and i thing that we are all AUSTRALIANS regardless of our ORIGINS or background

in the end of the day....if were attacked we will have to fight back RIGHT?racism is being eliminated but its legacy will remain.....

 

[ccc123]

Why don't you support multiculturalism Samerin?

 

[ihavenothing]

because it is devisive

 

[Nousiainen]

because it is devisive

How so? I've seen a few Asian girls with caucasian guys at Uni. Actually, I have a Vietnamese-Australian friend with a Portugese-Australian boyfriend.

They're products of multiculturalism, so it can't be all that divisive.

 

[Stott Despoja]

How so? I've seen a few Asian girls with caucasian guys at Uni. Actually, I have a Vietnamese-Australian friend with a Portugese-Australian boyfriend.

They're products of multiculturalism, so it can't be all that divisive.

Though I do disagree with ihavenothing's point of view, I really should say that token examples and personal confessions don't count for much in a debate like this.

 

[ihavenothing]

Yeh but when you have ghettoes with groups not crossing each other living the same way as they would in their home country I do think it is a bit of a cop out.

 

[banco55]

I think with regards to multiculturalism it depends very much how you define the word. If it's for example maintaining culinary traditions, celebrating chinese new year, going to watch brazilian films, speaking greek etc. I don't think anyone has a problem with it. There is much less support for being accomadating of different ethnic/religious practices that have any political content and that's as it should be.

 

[ihavenothing]

exactly it should be more mixed together, people should be encouraged to have mixed race marriages

 

[Nousiainen]

Yeh but when you have ghettoes with groups not crossing each other living the same way as they would in their home country I do think it is a bit of a cop out.

But I think that's sort of an exagerated thing though. There are no actual ghettos in Sydney. Perhaps enclaves, but not ghettos! And I doubt they'll stay enclaves and isolated in the future. Marrickville was once an enclave for Greek immigrants and it was actually quite good for them as it helped them get settled in the communtiy. Marrickville is no longer predominantly a Greek enclave (though there are a sizeable portion still there) which indicates that enclaves are not a long term thing, so they're not going to stay that way forever! Places like Bankstown, apart from having Lebanese, have a lot of people from Balkan countries (Serbians, Macedonians, Croatians), Greeks and Italians, Asians and Anglo-Australians. I haven't been to Bankstown in a while, but I think even Bankstown is a bit exagerated.

If you walk to Uni, you'll see people of different faces that do speak to others. Most immigrants end up in the workforce, and their children in schools, follow the rule of law, and so I think you'll find that integration and multiculturalism actually co-exist. Do you think assimiliation; replacing all these cultures with one standard mono-culture will help make problems any better? The USA is quite monocultural to an extent, and yet, there are still issues with African-Americans. France has always encouraged assimilation and yet the Paris and French riots were an example of a system that has also failed. Again, just cause one grape is sour, doesn't mean the rest are.

Multiculturalism has worked for 40 years, but since Cronulla, there is an idea somewhere that it doesn't work. I don't know how a couple hundred YOBBOS at Cronulla that chant out racist chants and attack any one of Middle Eastern appearance (which is something that is shameful and disturbed the fuck out of me! I had to switch off the TV and practically hide the event from my Grandma so she wouldn't see how facsist and scary that action was) which included even Greeks and Jews made us change our mentality on multiculturalism. If anything, we should have become more tolerant. The few Lebanese dickheads that are responsible for a lot of other shit shouldn't be the face of multiculturalism in my opinion. They should be the face of stupidity though and their actions not tolerated; I am just as annoyed but I'd rather have better crime enforcing in place, and I don't know, more encouragement on education as well some mechanism to make parents raise better children so they don't all turn into arrogant criminal dickheads. Though it's just a pipe dream.

I'm just annoyed that people like me, a Finnish-Australian, or my Greek, Italian, Indonesian, Serbian, Vietnamese and Russian/Ukrainian friends have to be subjected to "multiculturalism is an evil that never works" yet are basically products of a system that has worked, and brought out a lot of good and successful people, some of whom have worked hard, others have survived persecution somehow (like the Holocaust survivors, or Greek Cypriot refugees after the Turkish invasion, or Vietnamese after the civil war), and we all live in a relatively harmonious country! Canada, which is the epitome of a successful multiculturalist country is almost never mentioned though which is a little peculiar given that we have much more in common with Canada than say, France.

Even if people wanted to eradicate multiculturalism, it will be impossible, given that it's now a reality. And personally, I find more benefits with multiculturalism. In Finland, the towns are generally a bit more homogenous but the Government is placing its immigrant intake in certain towns now, and one of these towns is called Kotka. One house which housed a few immigrants from Asia was vandalled by a gang. Another time, a Russian was shot simply because he was speaking Russian on the phone. 1] Do we stereotype all Finns like this? Nope, I consider Finland quite a nice country! So 2] Perhaps the intolerance came from not liking change? Well lucky for us, we're more tolerant and worldly people because we do come in contact with different people.

I don't even know what all the fear is about and I think it's a bit overrated and will die out in year also. Or at least I hope so! Though with a Government that has made it clear that is opposes multiculturalism (and hence, divides the country), and with shows like Today Tonight and A Current Affair, I think even this is a pipe dream.

 

[HotShot]

Yeh but when you have ghettoes with groups not crossing each other living the same way as they would in their home country I do think it is a bit of a cop out.

What makes you think they are no ghettos in their home country?

 

[_dhj_]

because it is devisive

And what's wrong with that?

Sometimes it's better for us all when those of the same kind keep to themselves.

 

[ccc123]

But I think that's sort of an exagerated thing though. There are no actual ghettos in Sydney. Perhaps enclaves, but not ghettos! And I doubt they'll stay enclaves and isolated in the future. Marrickville was once an enclave for Greek immigrants and it was actually quite good for them as it helped them get settled in the communtiy. Marrickville is no longer predominantly a Greek enclave (though there are a sizeable portion still there) which indicates that enclaves are not a long term thing, so they're not going to stay that way forever! Places like Bankstown, apart from having Lebanese, have a lot of people from Balkan countries (Serbians, Macedonians, Croatians), Greeks and Italians, Asians and Anglo-Australians. I haven't been to Bankstown in a while, but I think even Bankstown is a bit exagerated.

If you walk to Uni, you'll see people of different faces that do speak to others. Most immigrants end up in the workforce, and their children in schools, follow the rule of law, and so I think you'll find that integration and multiculturalism actually co-exist. Do you think assimiliation; replacing all these cultures with one standard mono-culture will help make problems any better? The USA is quite monocultural to an extent, and yet, there are still issues with African-Americans. France has always encouraged assimilation and yet the Paris and French riots were an example of a system that has also failed. Again, just cause one grape is sour, doesn't mean the rest are.

Multiculturalism has worked for 40 years, but since Cronulla, there is an idea somewhere that it doesn't work. I don't know how a couple hundred YOBBOS at Cronulla that chant out racist chants and attack any one of Middle Eastern appearance (which is something that is shameful and disturbed the fuck out of me! I had to switch off the TV and practically hide the event from my Grandma so she wouldn't see how facsist and scary that action was) which included even Greeks and Jews made us change our mentality on multiculturalism. If anything, we should have become more tolerant. The few Lebanese dickheads that are responsible for a lot of other shit shouldn't be the face of multiculturalism in my opinion. They should be the face of stupidity though and their actions not tolerated; I am just as annoyed but I'd rather have better crime enforcing in place, and I don't know, more encouragement on education as well some mechanism to make parents raise better children so they don't all turn into arrogant criminal dickheads. Though it's just a pipe dream.

I'm just annoyed that people like me, a Finnish-Australian, or my Greek, Italian, Indonesian, Serbian, Vietnamese and Russian/Ukrainian friends have to be subjected to "multiculturalism is an evil that never works" yet are basically products of a system that has worked, and brought out a lot of good and successful people, some of whom have worked hard, others have survived persecution somehow (like the Holocaust survivors, or Greek Cypriot refugees after the Turkish invasion, or Vietnamese after the civil war), and we all live in a relatively harmonious country! Canada, which is the epitome of a successful multiculturalist country is almost never mentioned though which is a little peculiar given that we have much more in common with Canada than say, France.

Even if people wanted to eradicate multiculturalism, it will be impossible, given that it's now a reality. And personally, I find more benefits with multiculturalism. In Finland, the towns are generally a bit more homogenous but the Government is placing its immigrant intake in certain towns now, and one of these towns is called Kotka. One house which housed a few immigrants from Asia was vandalled by a gang. Another time, a Russian was shot simply because he was speaking Russian on the phone. 1] Do we stereotype all Finns like this? Nope, I consider Finland quite a nice country! So 2] Perhaps the intolerance came from not liking change? Well lucky for us, we're more tolerant and worldly people because we do come in contact with different people.

I don't even know what all the fear is about and I think it's a bit overrated and will die out in year also. Or at least I hope so! Though with a Government that has made it clear that is opposes multiculturalism (and hence, divides the country), and with shows like Today Tonight and A Current Affair, I think even this is a pipe dream.

*Hi 5.

I am in full agreement. The actions of a few Lebanese idiots shouldn't be used as 'evidence' of the failure of muliticulturalism. I too, have a circle of friends from various cultures, and in my area, everyone regardless of their nationality, manage to co-exist peacefully. People are so foolish when they declare "multiculturalism has failed!!", when ironically, they are probably a product of the systems' success themselves.

I am with you on the Crounulla riots as well: the behaviour of a few dickheads that happened to be of Lebanese orietation does not justify the subsequent actons of those impetuous yobbos who foolishly thought the best way to deal with the situation would be to bash up anyone that 'looked lebanese'.

Those riots sickened me to the stomach, and it pisses me off when people try to justify it all by saying that "we had to stand up for ourseves" or something similar. The actions of the Australians were despicable, and that is irrefutable.

 

[ccc123]

And what's wrong with that?

Sometimes it's better for us all when those of the same kind keep to themselves.

Yeah, i agree. As long as the different cultures can co-exist peacefully, there's no problem; they don't have to mingle if they don't want to.

 

[littlewing69]

Re: the word 'racism'

I'm going to get on with my life, graduating high school and such. And celebrating, with the knowledge that an Australian can be any colour, race, nationality, etc.

No. An Australian is an Australian.

 

[Bendent]

Yeah, i agree. As long as the different cultures can co-exist peacefully, there's no problem; they don't have to mingle if they don't want to.

but it looks weird in a multicultural society. if you want to get your way in life you gotta mix with everybody.