I must begin by congratulating Murdoch’s news media and the Australian Conservative political parties for their successful long-term character assassination of those who are different. Meaning First Nations people.
Whilst I am primarily concerned with racism, it is essential to acknowledge that several factors influenced the referendum result.
The first and most vital was the lack of bipartisanship. We can now conclude that no matter how beneficial, referendums won’t pass without it from now on. This includes any move to become a republic.
Secondly, lying, misinformation, and deception are legitimate propaganda tools that create a smokescreen that people cannot see.
Thirdly, ignorance was a substantial contributor to the NO vote. Many no voters, particularly new citizens, knew very little of Aboriginal history or their aspirations. Let alone our Constitution.
The new chairman of Newscorp, Lachlan Murdoch, will, no doubt, through all his media outlets, convince the masses that they did the right thing in voting NO. He won’t tell them how many lies, lies by omission or other deceptions were used to convince even good people that a NO vote was best for the country.
Of course, a percentage of people voted No with good intentions. Others voted No to uphold their conservative viewpoint. They would be older folk with a dislike for change. Others voted negatively because they were adherents of Peter Dutton and his negativity. Yet others voted NO because they were racists and wanted Aboriginals to “know their place” in Australian society.
They had grown up with it through their fathers or the influence of other ignorant people. Yet others voted NO, utterly unaware of what the referendum was all about.
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My favourite word is ‘observation’ because it covers a multitude of experiences. With minimal formal education, observation became integral to my private classroom. When I was about 13-14, I became a keen observer. Nothing escaped my scrutiny or sensory surveillance. I watched people, nature and life in general. I carefully examined and evaluated it. It was a habit that never left me.
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One such observation was a long weekend when I was watching my grandsons playing basketball. One of the boys in the team was from Somalia. Several families with African heritage have moved to our area. I observed the mateship of their winning endeavours and the generous enthusiasm of their play.
The fun, friendship and frivolity of their connectedness was a delight. The dark lad was of enormous talent with a generous smile, a face as black as night and a gregarious nature.
I also observed the total unabashed acceptance by children of different races at school and at the local swimming pool, where mature judgement was made by children unhindered by the prejudicial ignorance of adults.
My thoughts often drifted to my youth, and I wondered what causes people to be racist. As a small boy, I recalled being told what side of the street to walk to school because Jews lived on the other side.
I lived through the post-war era of the immigration period when Australians belittled and sneered at Italians and Greeks.
Then, later, with a bi-partisan agreement, we accepted the Vietnamese who came by boat. But not before debasing them with the worst part of our uniquely Australian prejudice and profanity.
Memories whilst a young man came back to me of a pub where I used to have a couple of drinks on my way home from work. The beer garden attracted a cohort of Aussie builders who subcontracted concreting work to a group of Italians. I would observe how the Aussie fellows would run them down with the foulest of language behind their backs and then drink with them without a hint of condemnation when they arrived.
There was a time when a relation travelling by caravan around Australia rang me from some remote area highly populated by Indigenous people. After the usual greeting, the following words were advanced.
“I’m not a racist, but … “. I had learned by my observation that when you hear someone say those words, they generally are. A tirade of critical comments followed about every aspect of Aboriginal culture and living standards.
I have no doubt that much of what she told me was true. However, every situation could be replicated in white city society. I could have taken her to a suburb where this is aptly demonstrated. And, of course, we are at the top of the world in domestic violence.
Her comments were, therefore, racist. The singling out of any group due to drawing attention to colour is racist and thus abhorrent to me.
More recently, I have experienced racism where I live. Regarding Indigenous folk, I have two neighbours who, in conversation, described Aboriginals as taking up too much space.
At a junior football final a few years ago, a teenage boy stood behind me, verbalising a young Aboriginal player of immense talent. I allowed the insults to insinuate themselves into the minds around me before I had had enough.
The Aboriginal boy had heard the remarks and was obviously distressed. I turned and said to the boy of uncouth mouth: “So yours is what a racist’s face looks like.”
The teenager slunk away, probably not used to having his racism confronted. In the unnatural silence that invaded the group where I was standing, I received a couple of congratulatory slaps on the shoulder.
I hate all forms of racism in a way that even someone like me, who loves to mould words as disciples for good, could not find the ones to use as a rebuttal. I intrepidly did what I did because I am getting on in years, and a bit of bravado seems to come with it, and everyone is obliged to confront it.
In watching the antics of children of different races in their play, we can witness the absence of race as an issue. It is the adults who are the abusers of decency.
Some cannot concede that we were all black once. And some believe that superiority is determined by a chemical compound. They are the racists.
Children celebrate differences and prove that racism is not a part of the human condition. It is taught or acquired. You have to learn it; those who tutor and preach it are to be pitied for their ignorance and imbecility. No one is born a racist, but we are born into racist societies.
I have had many other experiences of racism. It stems from ignorance and runs through families because they harbour confined hatred that occasionally erupts with disastrous consequences.
How much of it flared during this referendum is unknown, but we can safely assume that a high percentage of the aged vote believed that our Indigenous folk have been receiving too much for too long.
They, of course, never stopped to think that it was white people who devised how it was spent, not them.
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My thought for the day
The wisest people I know are the ones who apply reason and logic and leave room for doubt. The most unwise are the fools and fanatics who don’t.
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