Is there much racism in Oz?

iamstop

I've heard the Australians are quite racist. How bad is it? Would is be just snubbing, not talking to someone or would it ever get violent?

rebel10

Well when I was over there I was shocked to see how they treated the natives of the continent. The divide between the two races, living side by side, but not mixing in any way. They are completely ignored, unless of course they are being harassed by the police.
Other than that, I didn't any other obvious forms of racism.

chughes

They don't like Poms, especially whinging ones.

ballooba

There are assholes, like anywhere else, but I wouldn't describe Australians as endemically racist. Understandably the county is a little bit insular given it's remote geography, so sometimes you find people aren't used to dealing with foreigners and don't make an effort to understand different accents. I don't have a particularly strong accent.

The Sweeper

You need to understand that the racism isn't quite of the KKK flaming-crucifix-wielding variety.

It crops up most often in speech - 'wog' is a term used casually and often, for instance. (Even by people of Meditteranean origin in reference to themselves. I have a workmate who refuses to come to a party at someone's house without bearing a gift of some variety, and when pressed on the matter responds 'It's the wog in me'. She's of Macedonian extraction.)

However Australia would not be alone in western society when it comes to the ignorance and lack of understanding around migrant workers versus refugees and asylum seekers. There are the same bullshit emails that do the rounds - you know, the ones that claim that migrants are here illegally, and in the same breath claim that they're entitled to more payouts from the government than the pensioners are. (Good luck with that, illegal migrant person, I look forward to hearing the story of how you presented at a government office demanding social welfare money.)

You're much less likely to be reacted to by a room of horrified faces over here if you start ranting about the curry munchers you have to deal with in work, for instance. I remember clearly about two years ago, close friends of my husband's family were over from Dublin - nice people, in their early sixties. They came to our house and were having a discussion about all the building work and one of husband's local relatives pipes up that 'The building work is because of all the wogs with money, they build those big wog houses (meaning houses with ostentatious columns and plaster work) but it puts a lot of money into the industry in the area.'

I had to step in quickly and address the look of total and complete horror on the faces of the nice Dublin couple by explaining that wog is a casually used term down here.

The best way I can describe it is as casual and unthinking racism. It's not necessarily backed by a conscious feeling of superiority and an active racial hatred, but it's present in the lack of thought behind the words and messages everyday people spout.

ballooba

As has been discused here before I think people's definition of racism and the degree and intent of language or behaviour varies. Personally I don't think it's black and white if you'll excuse the pun. Before working and living in an integrated multi-cultural environment I think I would have pussy-footed around issues of multi-culturalism. I think I'd be much less tense in such situations now and I think that's beneficial for everyone concerned.

jank

I think that they are generally more ignorant than other countries but you wont see or hear anything too bad. There are more than their fair shares of idiots though who jump on stupid ideas.

amybabes

100% most racist people I have encountered!!
Was actually really shocked as what is an Australian after all? The heritage of the country is so varied.

I have heard unbelievable things said by grown men and women in the workplace as well as the pub/on the street etc.

Its quite sad actually.
The lebanese seem to get quite a hard time. I really dislike the term wog also even if its not meant to be offensive.
I've heard the label "muslim" been put on people alot lately esp in Southern Sydney, i think that's ridiculous. I mean, you surely can't class people as a certain type of religion due to outward appearance/colour of skin.

I love Australia but the level of racism here really is shocking.
One old b**tch in work loves to send around those emails about the irish.
Got a bit old after the first time. Love being the only irish person in my company!

The Sweeper

Yeah I get the 'Irish' thing a lot. Used to get it worse until I sat down and had a serious conversation with my workmates over it. Pointed out to them that the point is not that I should 'be able to take a joke'. The point is I've told you I don't find it funny, I don't like it when you do it, it pisses me off and distracts me and then I can't focus on my work.

Yet you're still doing it.

I had to really push them to look at their own behaviour and address the question of 'why, when I have been asked not to do something because it upsets someone, am I still doing it?' They were very resistant - told me it was just a joke, I needed to get over it, I should loosen up, they didn't mean anything badly by it, but again and again I came back to 'I've told you it upsets me to be singled out like that and made fun of, and I've asked you not to do it, but you keep doing it.'

Then we had to go a bit further and I had to ask far more direct questions like 'Do you not like me' and 'Do you have any respect for me', to which they were like of COURSE we like you, of course, and respect, god that's a bit serious isn't it, but yeah, of course we do...

To which I had to push back AGAIN and say well, if you like me and you respect me, why do you keep trying to make me angry and upset, even though I've told you what makes me angry and upset?

Seriously we went around in circles like that for weeks and weeks until finally they realised it's really not up to me to simply 'get over it'.

Now, interestingly, I'll still get 'Morning, Irish' in the corridors, but people actually - get this - phone me up and ask me if they can send me an irish joke on email because they think it's funny but I might be offended and please don't be offended but it's really funny and can I send it on.

What can I say - babysteps when changing the mindset of a country, babysteps...

jank

amybabes wrote: »

The Lebanese seem to get quite a hard time.
!

To be fair they seem to bring a lot of those problems on to themselves. When you see a group of 20 teenagers walking down the street, shouting, intimidating by-standers and basically being dicks then you realise why many Australians have issues with them. They need to take a chill pill. Very defensive nationality. Time will tell if it gets better or worse as the newer generations grow up to becoming more Australian.

amybabes wrote: »

One old b**tch in work loves to send around those emails about the Irish.
Got a bit old after the first time. Love being the only Irish person in my company!

TBH, you should report that to HR. That would NEVER be tolerated in my company.

jank

Never really had any Irish jokes directed at me in Australia or NZ for that matter.

I did meet the biggest wanker of all time in HK where he was cracking Irish jokes to some Swedish backpackers...like WTF...

Anyway, he didn't know that I was listening and when we were leaving I said it in a few words that it wasn't appreciated.. he went ballistic.. the first thing he said to me was "have you ever been to Australia?" To which I replied..."I live there!" Anyway basically he wanted to fight me right there in that pub, like the man was about 50 out with his wife, I just smiled and laughed at him telling him to grow up, the he started with old Jewish jokes but instead of using the word Jew, he put in the word Irish... he had serious issues to deal with id say...mental case. His wife had to drag him back a few times. Must be a common thing with him.

Naturally his new Swedish friends were mortified so I got the last laugh in a way. I disgraced him in front of the whole bar. Made me quite sad actually to learn who stupid and ignorant people are. But I don't equate him to be an Australian, he just happened to be one. About 30 minutes later we met a young Australian couple that were A1.

So yea never had Irish jokes directed at me in OZ/NZ but I do work in a big multinational and hang around with different nationalities not exclusively Australian/Irish, that must have a baring on things.

amybabes

I have seen both sides of the aussie/lebanese ongoing struggle.
Some of the lebanese films are an eye opener.

From my dealings with lebanese male employees in my last job, they had no respect for me as a female manager. One of them spat at me once :rolleyes: They refused to talk to me unless there was nobody else in the office to help them.

Any lebanese female I have met has been nice though, got to know a few of them through my gym/bootcamp.

I have watched a couple of films about the lebanese in australia, one of them had the guy who played john ibrahim in underbelly in it. Really showed the other side of the story.
I got here and immediately heard from everyone about the lebanese, they really have a bad reputation here/people seem to hate them without ever having any reason to - its just the way it is.

I hate the haircuts though!! Awful!!!

Yeah i wouldnt mind but this woman is only 2nd generation Aussie, her family emmigrated here from Greece! And she's the most racist person ive met!
The irish emails are the least offensive. if i find an old one in my deleted folder i'll post it to show you exactly how bad it is. She has been cautioned already so theyve dried up a bit. Thankfully

jank

amybabes wrote: »

I have seen both sides of the aussie/lebanese ongoing struggle.
Some of the lebanese films are an eye opener.

From my dealings with lebanese male employees in my last job, they had no respect for me as a female manager. One of them spat at me once :rolleyes: They refused to talk to me unless there was nobody else in the office to help them.

Any lebanese female I have met has been nice though, got to know a few of them through my gym/bootcamp.

I have watched a couple of films about the lebanese in australia, one of them had the guy who played john ibrahim in underbelly in it. Really showed the other side of the story.
I got here and immediately heard from everyone about the lebanese, they really have a bad reputation here/people seem to hate them without ever having any reason to - its just the way it is.

I hate the haircuts though!! Awful!!!

Yea. I must admit I dont know a huge amount of this conflict. I have always heard that they were never liked and wondered why. 18 months on living here you start to see why. I am sure though there are instances where there is unfair judgement from Australians towards the Lebanse community.

A lot more outreach is needed though.

hussey

Thread closed, can't see this thread ending well