A lot of talk about racism lately and I am going to put my two cents worth in. Actually I am probably up to about $199 by now.
Lets start easy. Racism is a about race. It is a hate of a race, not a religion, or sex.
Here is Uncle google’s definition:
-
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.
Bigotry is about everything, sex, race, religion, locality, any one who has a different ideal than you.
Uncle google says:
intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Now we have that out of the way, let me express that I have seen racism get worse, but not outright racism, this new racism, it is spoken softly and quietly almost like the voice of reason. for example the people who declared that the cartoon in the Australian, wasn’t racist, it was a way of showing the problems in Aboriginal Communities. The people who couldn’t watch 4Corners because it was distressing. Really? It was distressing, but more reason to watch it to see what was happening to Aboriginal kids. The voice that says the cartoon opened up discussion and was the driving force behind the #Indigenousdads. No his racist cartoon was not something to be applauded as a way of opening up discussion. All that did was reinforce the outdated stereotypes of Aboriginal people.
I see the racism on social media. When Aboriginal people are posting for a Royal Commission into the Northern Territory Detention Centres (which is happening) and others are using the image to push their own agenda. I know there are problems with detention on Manus and Nauru, but don’t use our misfortune to push for a RC into those. That is a soft racism, a way of saying that others are more important than us. The better way is to say that both situations are pretty crap.
I have seen people on twitter saying horrible things about Aboriginal people, but they are not racists, because they want to bring the detainees from Manus here. I want the detainees out of what I consider a prison. But you cannot say you are not a racist if you don’t stand by us as well. That is racism.
It is bigotry if you stand with us and want to be an Aboriginal ally and yet disparage Muslim people. It is racism if you are our ally and dislike Asians. The terms lately have been blurred and a lot of this is because of the subversive racism or subversive bigotry.
Every time someone does something to an Aboriginal person, it is an attack that we all as Aboriginal people feel. To say it’s not racist is then belittling our feelings. I have heard politicians say that it’s only offensive if you take offense. Yet, every time I use the term white, I get accused of being a racist. When I point out they use black, they say it’s not racist because that’s what I am. Go figure that one!
Every day I face racism and hate because I am an Aboriginal. I also cop flack because I am a woman, a woman raising kids alone ( yep I am a dirty disgraceful bludging single mum). I have a disabiltiy, a brain tumour and injuries caused from treatment ( cripple, get to the nursing home). So I have heard it all. But even though I have heard it all I still get hurt by it. I am saddened for the state of this country. I wonder about what my parents and grandparents fought for? Have things changed enough? My kids have dealt with the hate. My son studies criminology and has been doing a unit on profiling, yep he covered racial profiling and how it is used by our police and health departments. But any person who isn’t white middle class will tell you that they aren’t surprised. You are automatically locked into a box by your colour, race, religion and suburb. I know some might not think that suburb is relevant, but it is if you come from the poor and suburbs, look at “Struggle Street”, that was purposely set in a low socio economic area.
Racism and bigotry are becoming the norm in Australia, and if you don’t believe me just listen to talk back radio or check out social media.
Ramblings... 
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