My dad was 82 when he died a few years ago, so he was born in the 1930s. I loved him but there was this...element to him I could never ignore. He was a real ocker sort of Australian, oddly enough compared to me, and he was incapable of telling a story without bringing it back to race. They all went "I was standing behind this Lebanese bloke in the supermarket and..." or "this Asian bird pulled in front of me and..." and I'd be like "is this fact going to be relevant to the story?" Turns out, no.
The thing is he was ocker but he was the most non-aggressive person you could imagine, we had that in common. I don't know if I ever heard him say anything "racist" per se, but he was incapable of not seeing race. As in race was the first and most important thing he noted, unconsciously.
Now...my brother on the other hand...just this week he was ranting about "Asians buying up all the property". I was going to make a point about the free market, then I stopped (then I realised if I was on BB people would complain about me not "being genuine" haha. But I know not to bother with him). It's possible even this comment is not out-and-out racism.
So yes. I think you're right that we don't suffer as much of the violent racism that other nations suffer, but there is an undercurrent there. But I think a lot of it requires generational change to fix.
Excellent post. Your last sentence is the cherry on the cake:
But I think a lot of it requires generational change to fix.
I do see another dimension to this issue. The concept of racism seems to imply superiority of one race over another. I can't put it any simpler but I think many of you will agree.
I reside in Brisbane which is the best city in Queensland, which is the best State in Australia, which is the best country in the world... sound familiar? We have the worlds safest Airline, the worlds best and most affordable public transport, the worlds best schools (God save our children - thank you Tahan), the worlds best climate, the worlds healthiest produce... and so it goes. If you are honest, you will admit that I have barely scratched the surface.
Al right, when our little girls and boys are old enough to understand the basics of this mythology, they will cling to and build on it as they grow because it's just so cool to live in the best country in the world. Is it fair to assume that by the time the kids have grown into young adults they might just feel that little bit superior to other 'races' or 'ethnic groups' considering that only they can lay claim to being pure citizens of the best country in the world?
I have observed this trend not only in Australia, but also in th U.S., New-Zealand and Canada, admittedly to varying degrees, but the underlying principle is the same. I wouldn't claim to know WHY these countries in particular seem to have these traits, maybe it is somehow linked to the once almighty British Empire... this is pure speculation on my part.
On the other side of the coin we have great nations scattered all over the globe, in Europe, Asia, Africa, on every continent, yet none of those claim that they are superior or special because they have God on their side. Well, in the spirit of correctness, there are still a handful of deranged nutters who believe they are special because they have God on their side. But... the principle is the same: I live in the best country or I am a member of a nation that God has chosen to be special - therefore I am superior.
If you think I am making this up, read a bit of history instead of watching ACA on CH9.
This then, this feeling of superiority is what we have to overcome if we want to eradicate racism.
