By RomeoCharlie
Writing in Crikey today, First Nations woman and well-credentialled writer, Aileen Moreton-Robinson, said it was telling that those who advocate No to the Voice are usually old white men who grew up under the White Australia Policy.
She goes on to name a group of men she calls ‘white patriarchs who wield enormous influence’ including John Howard, Rupert Murdoch, Gary Johns and Peter Dutton.
It is probably cold comfort to her given the prevailing opinion about the likely success or failure of the Voice Referendum that not all elderly white men are opposed to the voice.
I am part of a group of such men ranging in age from mid 60s to 86 who meet regularly for Friday lunch (Thursday if Friday is a public holiday) and have done so for more than 40 years.
Of this group of nine, I believe all support the concept of the Voice and intend to vote that way. We believe in the proposition that this is a relatively simple change to the constitution carrying none of the threats that are propagated by opponents using disinformation, misinformation and outright lies to generate fear in an uninformed element of the population.
Some of us abhor the position taken by the Federal Opposition’s Indigenous spokesperson, Jacinta Jampijinpa Price not because she’s an Indigenous person, or a woman but because she represents a political party with a long history of opposition to Indigenous advancement and aspirations in her home territory, and which like the Liberals and Nationals opposes the Voice.
I cannot speak for my lunch companions but my own feeling is that the Voice referendum offers us two very positive outcomes if successful: it will give First Nations people some of the justice they are very politely seeking and undoubtedly deserve but, more importantly for me, it will show those opposing the voice – the fearful whites, the craven Opposition politicians, the lie-promulgating hate-mongering Murdoch media and Sky-after-dark spite spitters – that they do not have the influence they believe they have.
The decline in their influence began with the failure of their opposition to the Same Sex Marriage Legislation and was cemented in the election of a Labor Government despite a sustained campaign of half-truths and lies.
Those of us disgusted at the Opposition and its sword-carriers have an opportunity now to put what should be the last nail in the coffin of Murdoch influence over political events in Australia. Vote yes.
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I am an 81 year old white male I very much agree with you I get tired of being associated with Racism sexism and a whole heap of other isms Maybe a majority of this group are guilty of this but from my observations there many of us who are not
I’m not quite a Boomer but I’m fed up with all Boomers being labelled as racist, old, selfish pricks who are holding this country back.
All my Boomer friends, btw, vote Labor/Greens/Teal and are voting Yes to the Voice.
So am I.
Roswell,Dutton is a ring leader of rascist selfish pricks who are hellbent on holding the country back, for purely his own political survival.He, and his fellow travellers are a glaring disgraceful embarrassment to this country, as are those moronic media enablers.His behaviour since becoming LOTO demonstrates that he has learned absolutely nothing from the flogging the electorate administered.The Opposition’s performance in Parliament would be regarded as shameful..if only they knew what that meant.
Totally in agreement with RomeoCharlie’s article.Yeah, I’m a grumpy old .Boomer who never followed the crowd.If this referendum doesn’t get up,Boofhead will be largely responsible for setting the entire country back decades.Dutton and his ilk belong in Apartheid South .Africa.
Duttons are droppings, flooring for sties and comfort to piggies with sore feet. Beautifully brown, but malodorous to the nose, soul, intellect, Duttons offer some alternative uses, for roses needing nourishment. And the famous B Joyce, a glowing brown dropping from ale and freeby B B q’s, remains the choice of many rural desperates, who need unrecyclable rubbish in their desperation to avoid facing a future of assisting in killing us all by obstinate stupidity in matters of fatal climate change facts. Buggered, so we are…and the cynical parasites who live on decaying flesh of orthodox exploitation, profiteering, robbery, subsidies, donations and graft, will lead the way to glorious extinction, for all of us, even the grubs at the wheel of the runaway vehicle of self destruction. We are cursed and doomed by these country party types, blobs of excrement from a past of guaranteed obliteration, for they know no sense, decency, restraint, educated view, enlightenment, salvation. Hail Joyce, for blessed are the ignorant and selfish…
Dutton reckons he will provide a referendum should the current Voice referendum fail. What he proposes is a meaningless Claytons version, a patronising insult.
I’m a boomer also, but have never supported the no-alition. When National Servicemen returned from Vietnam they received a raw reception on arriving home; they had no support from the Coalition who sent them to Vietnam.
Something that popped up earlier today:
https://www.livescience.com/18132-intelligence-social-conservatism-racism.html?fbclid=IwAR3BcQnAs-GCQHhGRN0gfo42dNUs4WjFe3bJR512my22mh5kjrBBf3waP8o
So many young people – on Twitter particularly – are already convinced that every Boomer is voting No.
Unlikely to find boomers and/or oldies here against The Voice, but…. in general society those rusted onto RW media cartel for corrupt white nativist authoritarian agitprop, are more willing to accept the No vote, by bogus arguments and BS; the regions have been especially targeted a la US mid western strategy in past years (IMO why the ABC, viewed as ‘trusted’, is being nobbled to make space for RW radio/tv in regions).
If one wants to go deeper and focus on the past of some ‘No’ proponents, it’s basically channelling old white Australia tropes to encourage belief, or create opposition and mischief, much like Brexit and Trump which continues…..to stop any progress into the 21stC.
Positively, there could be (many former) NP voters in the bush for ‘Yes’, but they are very coy about publicly opposing issues promoted by the LNP and RW MSM, for fears of kick back and the right’s top people’s innate authoritarianism; see the UK Tories/Brexit & US GOP/Trump.
Finally, there are too many contradictions in the No campaign includes indigenous, but then a former Labor MP promoting eugenics (wft!), so as to be absolutely confusing to many suboptimally informed voters, yet even Joyce was allegedly in tears after the ‘Apology’ speech by Rudd; but rather than a conscience vote Gina, IPA, Murdoch, media, Howard, Abbott et al. are demanding obedience to their authority.
Suppose ‘Yes’ voters can later claim that they were only ‘following orders’?
Accusations of racism against “No” voters are actually coming from the “No” side – not the “Yes” group.
It’s just another ploy by a bunch of people with a fetish for outrage, persecution and martyrdom – like the religious zealots who are rising and controlling the Right – and in the end it’s really just about uniting the Right and scoring a political victory against the Government.
There are some who want to see he return of the White Australia Policy and have a nostalgia for the Fifties, when women and blacks knew their place but hopefully the younger generations will cancel much of that negativity,
I am 71 and have been a Leftie, Labor person all my life.
I despise the Liberal National born to rule types and find it chilling that people born into generational great wealth like John Anderson (family made millions farming over generations on land taken from Indigenous owners) and Tony Abbott (father owned the largest dental practice in Australia), who have never wanted for anything, are opposed to this simple request from our most disadvantaged group in the country and call those that have overcome personal hardship and discrimination to become well-educated and qualified leaders of their communities “elites” when these real elitist bastards and their ilk have always controlled this country.
#NotAll*insert personal demographic
sigh
If it’s not about you, then it’s not about you. Don’t make it about you.
Three things:
First, the “old, straight, white cis men” group has benefited the most from the ongoing dispossession and disadvantage of Aboriginal Australians (and the oppression of all other subgroups, but that’s another story).
Second, the “old, straight, white, cis men” group is the majority of the naysayers.
Third, from most peoples’ observations, the majority of “old, straight, white, cis men” are naysayers.
You don’t need to have complete 100% accuracy for a generalisation to have widespread appplicability. Don’t take it personally if it doesn’t apply personally. You’re just derailing the conversation.
You don’t need to have complete 100% accuracy for a generalisation to have widespread appplicability.
What an odd statement or is it a generalisation ?
There’s an excellent summary in today’s New Daily, by Alan Patience, of the state of play in this country’s politics.It certainly nails what I’ve been thinking for some years now.Well worth a read.
Terrence:
I said widespread applicability, not universal. Consider the difference.
Also consider the actual words that set RC off on his piece: ” … it was telling that those who advocate No to the Voice are usually old white men who grew up under the White Australia Policy.” (my emphasis) Moreton-Robinson didn’t say that all old white men were in the No camp, nor that all those in the No camp were old white men. She just pointed out the prevalence.
It’s not just old white men – there is a partisan dimension :
“I have apologised to Corey for what I said and would not like to make public comment at the risk of causing him further hurt.”
Amanda VanstoneThe former senator apologises for describing Kamilaroi science educator Corey Tutt as a “fuckwit” while her mic was still live after a radio interview. Once a Howard-era immigration minister, always a Howard-era immigration minister.
I note that Amanda will be ‘counselled’ – good luck with that !
This is what Stan Grant was talking about : she should just be sacked.
Johnny fuckwit Howard’s legacy is strong and palpable, even after leaving government . This is the way he envisaged Australia, the so-called white middle class rulers and the rest of the population consisting of anyone who doesn’t fit in with his chosen demographic, as water carriers and laborers, only there to serve and follow orders. Dutton and his sidekick Littlebrain are just following in fuckwit’s footsteps..
And it all stems from Johnny fuckwits’ ‘black arm band view of history’ That will be the epitaph on the lying rodent’s grave.
Leefe,
I know, and have no axe to grind with, LGBTQI+ or the language associated, nor do I have an axe to grind with CIS gendered men or women. Language, thankfully, shifts with the wind. Let them / us all have free expression. As for obtaining influence or actions all would prefer, surely that’s an endless conundrum.
It seems reasonable to have the freedom for one to decide whether something is about oneself, whether it is about ‘others’ or not. Especially in a discursive sense.
“… old, straight, white cis men” group has benefited the most from the ongoing dispossession and disadvantage of Aboriginal Australians And, for example, their spouses, relatives & progeny, whether LGBTQI+ or CIS?
… “old, straight, white, cis men” group is the majority of the naysayers Might be, but, it’s not necessarily an observation that I can find any evidence for.
… from most peoples’ observations, the majority of “old, straight, white, cis men” are naysayers Just who are these ‘most people’?
As for categorisation of ‘others’, it seems to be a human predilection since dot. Understandable, but perhaps ought be used with much forethought and caution. I assume at this time I am anold, straight, white cis man, yet sometimes I ponder that I have the mind of a 16 year old, and as for the body, well let’s not just go there. Needless to say that things could change at any time.
I have enjoyed this article and the comments, from both an informative and amusement point of view. And on the matter of the current referendum, whilst I observe some idiosyncrasies, I am a ‘YES’.
Go well …. 🙂
PS: Much enjoyed Terence’s ‘Vanstone’ observation.
The no, in my circle, are old white men and women who believe the old Aboriginal prejudices of too dumb to be equal, %billions already wasted on them, some are whiter than tlob. there are too many in parliament already, they are the cause of the break ins and theft, they don’t attend school. they don’t work, they are alcoholics and cause family violence.
Good one Leefe there was 40% of anti gay which hopefully is a long way from 50%
let’s keep it simple
Aboriginal people should have a say before Aboriginal laws are passed!!!