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 Racism Down Under and BeyondPosted on Oct 21, 2009
One country’s taking the piss is another’s bigotry. A blackface sketch on an Australian variety show has exposed what the Global Post calls “an ugly side of the Australian character.” Add in some race riots, attacks on Indian students and a pretty troubled history where race is concerned, and the “snippets,” as one Aussie called them, “add up to a terrible picture.” Aussies have their issues, but this is not a unique problem. What about that judge in Louisiana who still thinks interracial marriage will lead to damaged children? Across Asia, skin-whitening creams fly off the shelves of grocery stores. And there are other examples where the lines aren’t so clear but questions arise. The American president, for instance, has made a habit of telling black audiences they need to take more responsibility for the care of their children. Racism is alive and well in the age of Obama. —PZS Via Global Post: Advertisement Previous item: Daffy Ducks Peck at Corrupt Politicians Next item: Afghanistan Prepares for Election Runoff Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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By Virginia777, October 23 at 10:58 pm #
this is sick
Report thisBy Gmonst, October 23 at 6:44 pm #
My wife is Australian, and I have to say I heard and saw a lot of what I took to be racist ideas when I was there. Wog, gook, chink, lebo, abo, black bastards, curry muncher, were heard many times in the course of ordinary conversation. Beyond that many people expressed ideas of racial superiority. Not the white power Nazi kind, but a general attitude that people of color, especially Asians and aborigines are inferior. I know its a place of thick skin, but the white people do seem to feel free to put down people of not of Northern European decent. In my opinion in terms of racial awareness and sensitivity white Australians are where white Americans were 40 years ago.
Report thisBy may, October 23 at 4:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
racist attitudes against local indiginous and non local indiginous and recent arrivals and non recent arrivals and every body in between.
as an australian with family connections to (from the imd heading west)
Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Italia,Somewhere in Scandinavia,Brittany,Cornwall,Scotland,Wales and last but not least,Ireland.(of course).
That’s just the known connections.
this ancestral spread is not unusual in this part of the world,it is,after all a country built on immigration and while racists do tend to try the racial purity outcry,mostly they get laughed at,ignored or listened to with bemusement.
Report thisVilification laws have bite.
at the same time,this is not a country for thin skinned delicate flowers.
By mike112769, October 22 at 8:44 pm #
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Report thisBy thebathroomguy, October 22 at 12:46 pm #
We should unite in these very trying times.
Report thisBy Howie Bledsoe, October 22 at 6:37 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
How do you tie Obama into this skit?
Report thisJust wondering…
By may, October 21 at 10:21 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
fast twitch reflex test?
what would be the reaction of a melanin rich person layering on a cream of white zinc and singing
“We’ll Meet Again”?
Report thisBy Leefeller, October 21 at 9:35 pm #
My memory of the Gong show in the USA, I like two skits which got Gonged, one was “Greasy Lee” and the other I always found funny was the Unknown comic, who wore a paper bag over his head. “Hey! You know beer did not make Budwiser”?
This skit sucked and should have been gonged, my feeling is the Australians may still have racist attitudes toward the local aborigines, so differences continue to be divisive in the minds of bigots, whats new?
Report this