Australia: Survey finds many anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic

[Feuer Frei!]

HALF of Australians harbour anti-Muslim sentiments and a quarter are anti-Semitic, according to the biggest survey ever done on racism in this country. One in three also admit some level of racist feelings against indigenous people.

The 12-year-survey, conducted by leading universities, found NSW and QLD to be the most racist states, while Victoria was one of the most tolerant.
Among the 12,512 people surveyed Australia-wide, 48.6 per cent were negative towards Muslims, Asians (23.8), indigenous Australians (27.9), Jews (23.3) and black Africans (27).
According to the survey, racist hotspots in Australia tended to be in areas that had economic hardship, recent immigration and below-average education levels.
He said the high levels of anti-Muslim feelings in Australia were an accumulation of international political events, “poorly-informed public debates” and “sensationalist media treatment”.When it came to immigration, the survey found more than 40 per cent of respondents believed “Australia is weakened by people of different ethnic origins sticking to their old ways".

SOURCE

Firstly, 12 years for a study which only involved 12, 500 people?
What the hell where they doing for the rest of the 11 years?
And to be absolutely honest, this doesn't surprise me one little bit.
All too often the media presents Australia as open to other cultures and the Multicultural welcome mat always out at the front door.
However on the ground things are different, certainly have been for a long time.
People are very unforgiving and judgmental towards Asians and Indigenous people.
Also, i can speak from experience, when i first came to this country back in 1981, i experienced racism to it's truest form, having 'copped it' throughout my schooling years, being called anything from Hitler to Nazi to Jew Killer to mocking me about my ancestry to getting the Hitler salute pretty much daily.
Racism is bred out of ignorance. Pure and simple!
People here are very ignorant to the real facts, believing the media too much in what is written or aired about certain cultures.
Calling a German a Nazi is is a prime example of that.
Australia may be a free country, it may be a beautiful country however there are more serious 'root' issues that need openly addressing.
For too long have the media portrayed us as a welcoming country when in fact surveys like this and the general consensus and personal experiences (me) tend to say otherwise.
People who are ignorant tend to be racist.
Shame on you, racists!

[Freiwillige]

I say, and? Its a free country and people are allowed to feel how ever they wish as long as they keep it to themselves I see no Issue.

I have far more issue with governments telling people how to think.

I know some racists, Some white, Some Hispanic, some black. There are always certain groups that dislike something about other certain groups.

Heck I have even met people Racist against there own groups.

My point is that most civil nations have strong laws to deal with anybody who can't control there urges. The world will never be perfect.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

people are allowed to feel how ever they wish as long as they keep it to themselves

But they don't, and that's the problem, racists, the ones i have experienced don't keep it to themselves, nor do the people that where surveyed here, i agree, if they kept it to themselves we wouldn't have a problem would we?

I have far more issue with governments telling people how to think.

Not the point of this thread.

I know some racists, Some white, Some Hispanic, some black. There are always certain groups that dislike something about other certain groups.

Of course

[Freiwillige]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

But they don't, and that's the problem, racists, the ones i have experienced don't keep it to themselves, nor do the people that where surveyed here, i agree, if they kept it to themselves we wouldn't have a problem would we?

How are they not keeping it to themselves? By expressing an opinion when asked? Answering yes or no on a questionnaire? I mean I will be honest in that Australia is not something I follow closely but is there an epidemic of race crime there? Is it like the U.S. before the civil rights movements?

If its just voicing an opinion then so be it as long as they don't act out to prohibit or hurt anyone based on there opinions.

12 years to question 12500 people from a population of 22+ million...looks more like a case of not finding the answers they they wanted! ,that or there was a really good amount of grant money involved.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

How are they not keeping it to themselves? By expressing an opinion when asked?

Well, what is racism? Expressing an opinion about a culture or another person, based on their belief system or cultural identity.
It is out and out discrimination. Now if that is an acceptable form of offering 'opinion' on someone or someone's belief system or cultural identity then shoot me now.
Calling me a Nazi or Jew killer is acceptable? Just an opinion? Far from it.
Calling a Dark-skinned person the N word and bringing all sorts of slanderous accusations against that person because of their skin colour? Opinion? Or just out and out racism?
In relation to your claims about them keeping it to themselves, they aren't keeping it to themselves, if they were wouldn't this just be a dandy little world we lived in, where all races, classes and cultures could live together forever and ever?

Answering yes or no on a questionnaire? I mean I will be honest in that Australia is not something I follow closely but is there an epidemic of race crime there? Is it like the U.S. before the civil rights movements?

Does it need to be an epidemic or a crysis before it becomes a problem? Or a issue which people of non-ethnic backgrounds have to deal with day in day out?
Violence and aggression come to mind when talking about racism, perfect example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Cronulla_riots

Epidemic enough? Race-motivated, no doubt.

Another example:
http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...921482,00.html

Race-motivated, no doubt.

If its just voicing an opinion then so be it as long as they don't act out to prohibit or hurt anyone based on there opinions.

See above, unfortunately it is not a case of "they are just quietly voicing that they dislike other cultures or the indigenous and no-one is getting hurt", but the thread that i posted is a all too often occurrance in Australia, with racial slurs and undertones of racial abuses and the 'zero tolerance' stance towards other cultures all too familiar all too often in the daily news.
I would like to get the other Aussie members here to chime in with their views.
The point of this thread is 2-pronged:
Firstly to highlight a growing feeling of racism here in Australia, for us Australians who don't consider ourselves racist, we are under the belief that this particular survey just pinpoints once again that this is real and perhaps the word will get out that things aren't as rosy as what our lovely media and promoters make it out to be.
Reality check.
Secondly, that racism breeds violence and ignorance is another factor. So, when i am asked if it's just voicing opinions or quietly sitting down at a cafe sipping a latte and talking to a pimply-faced uni-student on whether you think muslims or asians should get out of the country and that they are not welcome here or that they are taking all our jobs and ie we hate them, or that aboriginal people are lazy black so-and-so's who should just be gotten rid of, well, you see my point.
The survey highlights a feeling that has been present in this country for many many years.

[Gerald]

Feuer Frei! I can understand personal motives in this thread, is it so?

[Freiwillige]

I am sorry but what is your proposition to repair this problem. I understand to you it is frustrating but I am afraid that after all this time with man on this planet it has not and dare I say will probably never be resolved unless you approve of putting racists into camps, See the catch 22 there?

It is there human right to believe what they want right or wrong much like religious choice. I don't agree with any religion yet I respect your right to believe in what ever you wish. It all boils down to laws in you nation, Is it illegal to be racist? If not then what else can you do but worry about your life.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Vendor

Feuer Frei! I can understand personal motives in this thread, is it so?

There are some underlying personal motives, HOWEVER, i was brought up well as well, with morals, and most of all, respect to or of your fellow neighbor, whomever that may be, regardless of background, or belief.
So in a broader sense, i would still feel quiet strongly about this subject, purely for the fact of a good and decent, moral upbringing.

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

I am sorry but what is your proposition to repair this problem.

Educate the masses. Seriously, the media needs to play its part here mostly, the scaremongering and the subliminal messages and oft badly-reported stories are just the start of this. I understand that this is not a simple task however all too often people believe what they read or see, through the media's eyes, and that is a big problem.

I understand to you it is frustrating but I am afraid that after all this time with man on this planet it has not and dare I say will probably never be resolved unless you approve of putting racists into camps, See the catch 22 there?

I do see what you are saying, i am a reasonable person, open to other's viewpoints, i guess i am attempting to make a point here about racism in Australia, and to a broader extent, in general.

It is there human right to believe what they want right or wrong much like religious choice. I don't agree with any religion yet I respect your right to believe in what ever you wish. It all boils down to laws in you nation, Is it illegal to be racist? If not then what else can you do but worry about your life.

No it's not illegal to be racist, and that was never the point of this thread, the point of this thread was to discuss the underlying feelings a lot of us here in Australia have about Racism in this country.
It was also my desire to invite fellow Australians into this discussion to see what their opinions are, a closer to home viewpoint if you will.
That is ofc to say that i welcome outside opinions as well, i guess i come on a bit strong about certain things, my intentions with my feelings about certain subject matter are first and foremost to invite mature discussions and viewpoints, which this has done so far.
Apologies for my abrasive posts.
However, i stand firm, certainly in the context of this thread, and moreso with the topic of Racism.

[Schöneboom]

Ciao Feuer,

I can understand your frustration with the state of your society. I know what it's like to see people treat others badly, when they should know better. I think most of us want to see progress, preferably within our lifetimes -- I often think, "What century are we living in?!"

That said, looking at Australia specifically, I agree it's a very mixed bag -- but I take these factors into consideration:

1) Counting from when the state of Australia was established, it is a "young" country in the community of nations, like an adolescent. In some ways it has made great progress in a very short time, and it is thanks to the people, despite all their faults.

2) Consider Australia's origins: After the original settlers, who remained basically unchanged for centuries, the next inhabitants were sent there as convicts, banished from the United Kingdom. Given that inauspicious combination of people, I would say the country turned out better than I would have expected.

Of course I have had the good fortune of meeting Aussies who have had the benefits of education and city living. They are not to be dismissed lightly, regardless of their numbers, for it is up to such people to move the country forward. The progress will be glacially slow, over many generations. It may be frustrating to our descendants in an entirely new way. But that's life on Earth, isn't it?

Mach's gut,
Wayne

[Bubblehead1980]

People are not racist just because they dislike muslims.I dislike most muslims and it has nothing to do with the color of their skin, it's their culture and how they affect the rest of the world with their ignorance and brutality, in addition to the sense of entitlement MOST seem to have when in other countries such as the US or their refusal to assimilate fully.Fact is, it is a person's right to not like someone, it's their right to express their dislike as long as it does not harm anyone else.For example, you can't beat someone or deny them services, fire them from their job, etc because you don't like them, but there is nothing wrong with not liking someone and expressing it, it's human nature.

I dislike most jews and it has nothing to do with the color of their skin, it's their culture and how they affect the rest of the world with their ignorance and brutality, in addition to the sense of entitlement MOST seem to have when in other countries such as the US or their refusal to assimilate fully.

Would that be racist?

I dislike most Americans and it has nothing to do with the color of their skin, it's their culture and how they affect the rest of the world with their ignorance and brutality, in addition to the sense of entitlement MOST seem to have when in other countries such as Korea or their refusal to assimilate fully.

How about that one?

I dislike most Hmong and it has nothing to do with the color of their skin, it's their culture and how they affect the rest of the world with their ignorance and brutality, in addition to the sense of entitlement MOST seem to have when in other countries such as the US or their refusal to assimilate fully.

Or that?

Pretty clear cut isn't it.
So it appears Bubbles is one of those

Though you have to ask....

I dislike most muslims

....how does he find the time? that must be a full time overtime 24/7 job as there are so many to dislike and they are so widely scattered.
Is it a one man environmental disater racking up the airmiles just to dislike most muslims ....or is that a prime example of what is simply known as small minded bigotry?

[Dowly]

I was under the impression that Finland & Belgium were the 2 top countries when it comes to racism and all that stuff.

[Gerald]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_by_country

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_Europe

http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php

[XabbaRus]

I'm not racist, I hate everybody.