What happens to towns when the main employer goes under?

itsnever2lateisit?

Generali wrote: »

It's what Australia is like.

There are many fantastic things about Australia but don't be fooled into thinking it's paradise. Nowhere is perfect.

I find the racism to be very annoying but it's a part of the culture here. All I can do is keep my integrity - I'm not going to persuade 22,000,000 people to change their ways but I can tell people they're wrong if they look to me to approve of their position.

The racism here (for the most part) doesn't have the same undercurrent of violence that it does in other countries (like British racists for example). It's hard to explain really.

I think British people think that they understand Australia because they speak the same language and watch Neighbours. They don't for the most part.

They certainly call a spade a spade down under

A bill for a low alcohol beer http://carcino.gen.nz/images/index.php/00b9a680/3eb90db7

Generali

itsnever2lateisit? wrote: »

They certainly call a spade a spade down under

A bill for a low alcohol beer http://carcino.gen.nz/images/index.php/00b9a680/3eb90db7

TBH, a lot of the stuff is genuinely seen as banter, especially amongst young contemporaries - it's just a way to lark around. The Aussies didn't really see what the fuss was about with the Prince Harry Pakigate thing for example as it seemed to be mates having a laugh together.

There is often a more serious sentiment underlying things which is when it is nasty.

Unfortunately the world is a complex place. Just because someone uses a certain word, it doesn't make them a bad person. When Spike Lee litters his films with the word nig ger nobody says a word. What about if Quentin Tarrantino does it? What about a BNP Party Political broadcast? It's all about context.

On a more positive note, the Australians are more comfortable about discussing race than the British. I think a lot of British white (liberal middle class???) people feel that even a discussion of race must mean you're racist in some way. Certainly any joke that refers to race must be racist.

Mary_Hartnell

FungusFighter wrote: »

Shurely we are better off now with our loverly clean nuclear power stations?;)

Wot, like this one:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.west-mersea.co.uk/images/Bradwell%2520Small.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.west-mersea.co.uk/Mersea_Island_Bradwell_Meeting_110308.htm&usg=__4gZQft1DnpHpDczp4Z-l1eqVVYE=&h=938&w=1183&sz=186&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=ZXjddIcWNMYK3M:&tbnh=119&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522Bradwell%2Bpower%2Bstation%2522%26hl%3Den%26cr%3DcountryUK%257CcountryGB%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1

Mary_Hartnell

Generali wrote: »

PS Interesting piece of history about NZ. I want to find out more about Kiwiland but I need to find out about my new home first.

1/3rd convict in Tasmania ?

Generali

Mary_Hartnell wrote: »

1/3rd convict in Tasmania ?

Sorry, I don't understand.

Mary_Hartnell

On my visit to Tasmania, including Port Arthur, I seem to remember that in the run up to the end of the 19th century, the population was 40+K Prisoners of Her Majesty and 90+K Free Settlers.
A great "little" island by the way, go off season.

ninky_2

Generali wrote: »

TBH, a lot of the stuff is genuinely seen as banter, especially amongst young contemporaries - it's just a way to lark around. The Aussies didn't really see what the fuss was about with the Prince Harry Pakigate thing for example as it seemed to be mates having a laugh together.

when i was ten we moved to rural oxfordshire. it was a very white area. my mum is anglo-indian, came here when she was fifteen and looks quite asian. i used to get called paki by the other schoolkids (although i don't look asian myself). they probably thought it was larking around. to me it wasn't larking around. and i suspect the recipient of harry's remark didn't like it either - but what was he gonig to say? he was hardly going to turn round to a royal prince and say "shut up you racist". i'm sure he valued his career more than that.

i vividly remember one particular day no one letting me sit next to them on the schoolbus and names like paki being used. eventually one girl offered the seat next to her. she said, "anyway, you're not really a paki, are you?" i said, "well, it wouldn't matter if i was", to which she replied "yes it would".

when i was about thirteen a good friend of mine, from a nice middle class family with ponies and a big house, said "i don't mind black people but i don't like asians".

these kids were basically picking these attitudes up from their families at home. not bnp or national front bovver boys but "nice" quiet law-abiding people.

i'm sure they didn't see themselves as racist either. but they absolutely were.

put them in positions of power (as an employer or a teacher or a policeman) and their prejudice will have an effect.

insidious racism is as bad as bnp racism.

lostinrates

ninky wrote: »

i'm sure they didn't see themselves as racist either. but they absolutely were.
.

I agree with you. But I think its important to highlight that racism is something that is not restricted to the white comunity, even in this country.

ninky_2

lostinrates wrote: »

I agree with you. But I think its important to highlight that racism is something that is not restricted to the white comunity, even in this country.

absolutely. in fact, the anglo-indian community in india was on the receiving end of racism from both the indians and the white british. and they had their own racist views too.

vivatifosi

I don't think racism fits into neat boxes. There's black on black racism, Asian on Asian racism and white on white racism in addition to all of the other types explored so far. I'm a quarter Romany. There are many people who find it totally acceptable to refer to "thieving gypsy b*stards" even when they claim not to be racist in any other way. When I try and pull them up on it the reply is generally "well, you aren't really one of them are you, you live in a house and you have a job". Actually, I'm not related to anyone who tarmacs drives or sells heather, but we are what we are and my Nan was still born in a caravan in a field (per her birth certificate).