I am wondering why we trivialise indigenous racism in Australia?

[i-need-a-martini]

Adam Goodes has copped it twice this week - once from a kid and then by an adult who should know better.

I feel so ashamed of this country at this moment. I am sick of hearing a sentence start with "I am not racist but..." before the person launches into a race based attack on indigenous people (or Asians. Or Muslims).

What I have found the most interesting about the Goodes incident is how many people made excuses that made him look like the antagonist. Almost as if making racist remarks about indigenous people is no big deal. Treating him as if his feelings, his views (and everything about him) is unimportant. And I am staggered at how many people know so little about the history of racism a history that so many generations of indigenous people have had to go through.

And now Eddie Mcquire has shown us that racist comments against indigenous people is lurking just on the tips of our tongues waiting to be blurted out without refrain. 

I can't help but agree with this: One of the most savage responses to McGuire came from Magpies backman Harry O'Brien, who admonished his president, declaring he was ''extremely disappointed''. ''In my opinion race relations in this country is systematically a national disgrace,'' he said. 
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/eddie-offers-to-stand-aside-20130529-2nc63.html

I agree with that last line - it is a national disgrace.

[donnashuggy]

I agree with you Crikey it is good to hear hawk speak up, he has indigenous grandchildren so must have a bit of an idea with some close family connections.

You need to be able to speak openly and honestly about the reality of what goes on around us.

[donnashuggy]

I don't remember discrimination at all at school either hawk, but I guess it all depends on where you come from, I loved learning from them, we used to be shown how to throw boomerangs in the playground.

Has the government created this us and them monster?

[rabbitearbandicoot]

"Some probably do want to live as their forefathers lived, but regardless are forced to adapt to a totally foreign culture than what they have known for generations. Simply because mainstream society values their way of life, decide that what they do is better and is therefore the expected norm for EVERYBODY."

WHO is forcing them? WHO will stop them if they want to live a wandering lifestyle - living off the land like their forefathers?

No, I think it is more that they have become addicted to their comforts (such as they are), houses, local store, TV, Dole and in some cases booze etc and they don't want to forgo those things.

I would even go as far as saying that SOME, and I stress SOME (both black and white) would rather just drop out and then blame everyone else for their situations.

[katydidthat]

I think we're all pretty much the same.  But we obviously have differences, too.  

We have differences of personality and we have differences of circumstances.  

I was born into a lower-middle class family in London ... and I had an abusive mother.  Both experiences have affected me ... Did I rise above the abuse?  Maybe ... it's difficult to tell some days 🙂

I'm a single mother ... we all know the stereotypes there ... no, I have one child, born to the same father ... he's doing fine (my son).  

When I first settled in Australia, I went into a shop and was surprised and shocked to hear that "Pommies only wash once a week".  

I lived in Darwin for a while.  I saw many taxis drive through the taxi rank when Indigenous Australians were waiting at the front of the queue.  

There are no "one size fits all" solutions as there are no "one size fits all" problems.  

BUT, the stats make clear that in terms of Indigenous health, education, and housing, we as Australians are failing.  We are not only failing Indigenous Australians, we are failing ourselves.  

When Indigenous kids are not provided with health care and education, it's pretty difficult to "rise above it" without the resources to do that.  

My lower-middle class background gave me the resources to be able to educate myself.  

We don't all have that opportunity.  

It's a complex thing, this "rising above it".  

[*crikey*mate*]

I agree with you Crikey it is good to hear hawk speak up, he has indigenous grandchildren so must have a bit of an idea with some close family connections.

You need to be able to speak openly and honestly about the reality of what goes on around us.

I thought this needed to be repeated

(and not just because you agreed with me LOL)

It is good to hear Hawk speak up, and if his experiences and beliefs are not devalued, then perhaps many m0ore people will too.

Communication is a two way street.

I have no indigenous connections and I wasn't here at settlement, but I am doing my best to learn why things are as they are, to learn how the values and beliefs of both sides of this cultural wall have developed.

[donnashuggy]

My husband is English Katy, his mother and grandmother born in India. When I was in England the whole street was talking about me because I had a bath every day so there must be some truth in it lol! I thought the expression was a bath once a week whether you need it or not.

Missing peoples humour in this thread though.

It is very complex.

[izabsmiling]

.

I like this line crikey

and if his experiences and beliefs are not devalued, then perhaps many more people will too.

it should be applied to everyone 🙂 

Adam Goode's spoke up and some have devalued that 

[*crikey*mate*]

"Some probably do want to live as their forefathers lived, but regardless are forced to adapt to a totally foreign culture than what they have known for generations. Simply because mainstream society values their way of life, decide that what they do is better and is therefore the expected norm for EVERYBODY."

WHO is forcing them? WHO will stop them if they want to live a wandering lifestyle - living off the land like their forefathers?

Australian Law is stopping them. Australian Law is forcing them. Trust me, when a school aged child does not turn up to school, there are consequences.

Whilst I was in bedourie for example, the kids were expected to go to school. However the older generation would go walk about. Over the years they have taken their kids with them, as that is the cultural "norm", but then the Gov. stepped in and demanded the kids attend school. So then the kids were left at home, so that they could go to school, but then criticized for leaving their kids unattended.

Now, going to school and wearing appropriate clothing costs money. Not being able to collect food in the traditional manner costs money. So this is where a hand from the Gov comes in, they are given some money ir they are unable to earn it (remember a paying job is very different to how they have grown up by living off the land) So then after making the parents dependent on this money, they stop this money if the kids don't go to school.

One example - I'll save the welfare quarantining for another day.

No, I think it is more that they have become addicted to their comforts (such as they are), houses, local store, TV, Dole and in some cases booze etc and they don't want to forgo those things.

Addicted? Hmmmm - Think back to those crocdile dundee movies I was talking about earlier,,,

People do what they know how to do. People do what they have been trained HOW to do.

I would even go as far as saying that SOME, and I stress SOME (both black and white) would rather just drop out and then blame everyone else for their situations.

Well yes, that is not a culture or a race issue, that attitude is present in every society. But just because some are like that, it doesn't mean the whole of society is.

[the_hawk*]

I don't remember discrimination at all at school either hawk, but I guess it all depends on where you come from, I loved learning from them, we used to be shown how to throw boomerangs in the playground.

Has the government created this us and them monster?

I think it may depend where one grows up, as a child we lived in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide.

I had friends in school and out side of school that were from all ethnic backgrounds and it was never a problem, from memory I started to notice differences and agro as an older teen when I started to venture further from home and started to hang around in town where different groups hung around in groups/gangs 

Where we live now was mainly Greek when we moved in and we were lepers.

We now have a mix of Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese and us and I have never had an issue with anyone and couldn't think of a better place to live in peace.     

[*mrswormwood*]

Yothu Yindi is my favourite...and Goanna too (though not strictly indigenous).  I traveled down the west coast from Fitzroy crossing to Perth, stopping in every town they played in.....great fun...danced my bum off.

There's a wonderful group called Reconciliation who make fusion music with Irish/Indigenous influences. Lots of didgerdoos, bodhrans and ancient celtic horns

http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Jiggery+Didj/1RctXu?src=5