disgusted at 'racist' aussies

[Guest loopylisa]

I recently went on facebook today and read an article by Adelaide now.. the comments were really offensive and upsetting, basically lots of people saying immigration should be banened. A 'poll' they did had 80% of respondents saying immigration should be banned. They were mainly fielding these comments at 'boat people' but were also saying that all types of people were essentially unwelcome.

This is the story here:

 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/the-tide-of-public-opinion-is-turning-against-immigration/story-e6frea8c-1226363049609

 

The facebook post can be found by liking adelaide now- although I have removed it from my wall due to its offensive nature and reported it to facebook, I have also contacted Adelaide now about the issue and am considering writing a formal letter and would be appreciative if anyone else would like to add their name to being disgusted by the way this reflects on immigrants(us) who have come to the country and are contributing- I personally feel very unwelcome and very unappreciated if this does indeed reflect the ideals of the majority of Australians..

 

hot topic...

 

Lisa

[Guest ali]

I recently went on facebook today and read an article by Adelaide now.. the comments were really offensive and upsetting, basically lots of people saying immigration should be banened. A 'poll' they did had 80% of respondents saying immigration should be banned. They were mainly fielding these comments at 'boat people' but were also saying that all types of people were essentially unwelcome.

This is the story here:

 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/the-tide-of-public-opinion-is-turning-against-immigration/story-e6frea8c-1226363049609

 

The facebook post can be found by liking adelaide now- although I have removed it from my wall due to its offensive nature and reported it to facebook, I have also contacted Adelaide now about the issue and am considering writing a formal letter and would be appreciative if anyone else would like to add their name to being disgusted by the way this reflects on immigrants(us) who have come to the country and are contributing- I personally feel very unwelcome and very unappreciated if this does indeed reflect the ideals of the majority of Australians..

 

hot topic...

 

Lisa

 

Hi Lisa,

 

I just posted a thread on the same article I read on facebook. I was disgusted by the comments they had posted there and its got me a little worried about what I've got myself into. Was I right to choose Australia in the first place???

[Diane]

Do bear in mind that the 'Tiser is a pretty low class paper - and those that make racist comments on its articles are probably not typical of the people here in Australia, or Adelaide. Not all Aussies/Adelaidians are racist, and most of the people I have met here have a pretty low opinion of the Advertiser and its articles! Of course, there are some ignorant people here, as there are everywhere - and yes, I've met a few of those too!

[Guest ali]

Do bear in mind that the 'Tiser is a pretty low class paper - and those that make racist comments on its articles are probably not typical of the people here in Australia, or Adelaide. Not all Aussies/Adelaidians are racist, and most of the people I have met here have a pretty low opinion of the Advertiser and its articles! Of course, there are some ignorant people here, as there are everywhere - and yes, I've met a few of those too!

 

Am still on it and reading the comments. Some nice ones are there as well.

[Guest loopylisa]

Yeah my aussie partner has a pretty low view of the tizer. I guess maybe for me it just came at a time when I am quite home sick, got a new baby nephew in the UK who I am missing out seeing growing in the first few months and anything is setting me off atm. That said, I still think that the Advertiser does appear to be stirring this type of ant-immigration propaganda.

[Guest ali]

Yeah my aussie partner has a pretty low view of the tizer. I guess maybe for me it just came at a time when I am quite home sick, got a new baby nephew in the UK who I am missing out seeing growing in the first few months and anything is setting me off atm. That said, I still think that the Advertiser does appear to be stirring this type of ant-immigration propaganda.

 

I guess there are red-necks, neo nazis, skin heads and the sort everywhere in the world. Its funny how uneducated, ignorant and low most of these people are. Its always easy blaming others for your misfortunes.

[jim and adel]

Do bear in mind that the 'Tiser is a pretty low class paper - and those that make racist comments on its articles are probably not typical of the people here in Australia, or Adelaide. Not all Aussies/Adelaidians are racist, and most of the people I have met here have a pretty low opinion of the Advertiser and its articles!

 

It sells. It's on every newsagent and petrol station shelf without any competition. I have a low opinion of it and wouldn't buy it but clearly many do - it's got a daily readership of 350,000+ and a lot more on a Saturday. I'd say it would be unlikely if it wasn't representative of the views of the bulk of its readers. Editors know that if they aren't in sync with the mentality of those who buy then they lose readership; something that newspapers are trying desperately not to do in this day and age.

 

Jim

[bergkamp10]

hear a lot of decent aussies complaining about the African immigrants here for the free lunch.remind you of somewhere?

[scooterdan]

all boat ppl and illegals should be stopped!!

[Guest loopylisa]

I do think that illegal immigration is an issue but it was my understanding that these views and attitudes were about stopping ALL immigration, illegal or otherwise and from any country, race or ethnicity.

[xzibit]

I think we should all go back where we came from.

[Guest smurph]

where!!! back to the womb......i'm all for that over winter.. its getting colder

[Royd]

It needs to be put into perspective.

 

 

Firstly, computing is so easy now that just about anyone can do it (M'lord I'd like to present meself as "Exhibit P1"). That means that just about anyone with an opinion can get online and express it. These are probably the same folks who, in the old days of paper letters to the editor, would sit down at the kitchen table with their crayons and laboriously print out a hate letter of some sort to the editor.

 

Secondly, it used to be a saying among journalists that the letters to the editor pages were the domain of nutters. The online arena has possibly taken over that job.

 

Thirdly, if you don't believe that Australians are capable of being anti-immigrant then you need a reality check. The funny thing about it is that most of them will excuse any immigrant they personally know. This tells me that each rumble of nutterism will pass. I mean many here probably don't remember the racist antics of Michael Brander and his mob, but they seem to have disappeared.

 

Fourthly, I recall the antics of Colin Jordan, the Nazi schoolteacher from Essex and of course nowadays there's the BNP and the slightly smarter but still nasty UKIP. So it isn't just Australia that has its fair share of bigots.

 

It's also said that the various waves of immigrants are greeted coolly at first and then gradually accepted into Australian society. Apparently that's been going on since the Second Fleet arrived in NSW. The people from the First Fleet were lining up to take the mickey out of them! Some things never change eh?

 

Some recent political history on the topic - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Action_(Australia)

[Guest Rosy]

Hello, I've been reading this forum for years and this thread has finally brought me out of my hiding place I am an Australian and I would just like to echo Diane's comments. Please don't worry too much about this article and the foolish replies on Adelaidenow. If you read Adelaidenow regularly you will see that it is the forum where some of Adelaide's most accomplished idiots go to air their views. I am also disappointed by this article, but not surprised. It's happened before and likely will happen again. Please rest assured that for every racist Australian there is another who values our multicultural community and the great benefits that our immigrant populations have given us. I hope you all enjoy Australia very much and thank you for your contributions to our country.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Rosy
missed words on post

[The Monaghans]

It sells. It's on every newsagent and petrol station shelf without any competition. I have a low opinion of it and wouldn't buy it but clearly many do - it's got a daily readership of 350,000+ and a lot more on a Saturday. I'd say it would be unlikely if it wasn't representative of the views of the bulk of its readers. Editors know that if they aren't in sync with the mentality of those who buy then they lose readership; something that newspapers are trying desperately not to do in this day and age.

 

Jim

 

Lol, the only reason it sells more on a Saturday is all the new immigrants rushing to look for jobs and rentals!!! The Advertiser is a rag - I wouldn't line a cat litter box with it...

[Guest katrina.potter]

I'm on Aussie and was disgusted to see the results of that survey - what i read was that 51% of Aussies believe all immigration should be banned! I find that hard to believe. Please don't worry about the idiot comments on that story..... those sort of stories bring them all out and they're certainly not reflective of the attitude of the most Aussies (in my opinion).

[Guest Jo&Phil]

I'm afraid this is on par with the Advertiser's usual diet of halfbaked opinion dressed up as 'reporting' and the rabid views of the noisy minority expressed as 'public opinion'. Immigration is a sensitive issue in Australia - depsite having a long history of it! Sadly where some people come from (generally not the UK) is also an issue that worries some people ... as it does in the UK and in other countries in Europe to be fair.

 

Australia takes a very few immigrants when compared to it's European neighbours but sadly, the level of commentary in both parliament and the press inflames rather than informs. Why let the facts get in the way of a good story. Most Australians I know are pretty tolerant and wouldn't share these views ... but I'm sure we all know some people who do find immigration unpalatable and certainly Australia is constantly worrying about some aspects of it.

 

I think that racist scaremongering thinly disguised as 'public concern' is shameful. Well done to you for removing it from your FB and for being prepared to take a stand.

[Guest Shmaggle]

Pretty shocking. But no more than the more right wing tabloids here in the UK (think Sun and Daily Mail) - it seems this stuff sells to a certain type of person, they are popular papers! They also like these 'polls', in tiny letters you usually find they asked a very small number of people. Will be interested to hear how quick Facebook's response is/what they say to you.

[Guest Shmaggle]

And nice posts from the aussies on here saying not to think it is a general public opinion, thanks for those. Especially as we are still embroiled in the process and not there yet!

[Toni]

There are racists every where you go and there are racists here in Oz too. Personally I don't like being dumped in the same catergory because I am Aussie born, (although parents from a European background). It is only some Aussies that are like that. But there are lots more people who are not racists and if they are like me they don't tend to read that gumph, nor take part in the stupid polls. The ones that do take part are the ones that like to stir and are racists because that's the only way they can get their "point" across.

[Guest Sachertorte]

Pretty shocking. But no more than the more right wing tabloids here in the UK (think Sun and Daily Mail) - it seems this stuff sells to a certain type of person, they are popular papers! They also like these 'polls', in tiny letters you usually find they asked a very small number of people. Will be interested to hear how quick Facebook's response is/what they say to you.

 

Hear hear! I am glad to see how someone acknowledges that this is not only an Australian thing. I would have liked a pound for each time I saw front page insults to Europeans on the Daily Mail. Come on guys!!! Let's be honest and let's be fair. Oh and @Rosy- what a lovely comment- in the UK nobody ever thanked me for having contributed to the country, despite having exploited my skills and underpaid me. And yet I still married a Briton!

I appreciate that being at the receiving end is not nice and offer my empathy to the OP but let's tell it as it is

Edited May 23, 2012 by Sachertorte
spelling

[Guest MrsHills]

When the papers (and I use the term loosely!) says 51% Australians, I am presuming they mean Aboriginals NOT people who are decendants from the convicts or immigrants since those days, otherwise they are obviously including themselves!

[Rachiegarlo]

Actually although the land was here it was not called Australia until the Europeans arrived. The indigenous folks would name themselves by their tribal or lands name. Just like Indigenous folks in America wouldn't have called themselves Americans either. So the term "Australian" would actually apply to citizens of this country.

[Royd]

I think the fuss has died down until the next time some dork has a spray.

[Guest Dennic]

I must say that I do kind of agree with you, it's the same in England. We love the people who enter though the right process but why should people enter illegally be allowed to stay.

We have to pay & do all number of tests just to get a visa.

I have a hard working polish family on my street that work hard and pay taxes & even they are pissed off with the illegals making them look bad, so if you enter though the right channels then you shouldn't have a problem