I know racism is common in almost all cultures. Government laws in Malaysia deliberately discriminate in favour of Malays against Chinese and Indians. Japanese laws discriminate against foreigners. All foreigners in many Arab countries are discriminated against.
but we Australians have our own special type of ugly racism.
Two ugly and quite shocking incidents were related to me today by one of my students,a young Latin American student Miss X who is currently in adelaide for a few months assisting her Aunt in her Research laboratory. This is official work (although unpaid).
She told me that when she was in a shop yesterday she was looking at some clothes when a white Australian shop assistant stepped into the clothes rack and viciously snatched all the clothes away form Ms X with a sweep of her arm saying..
'None of the clothes you want to see are here!!'
Miss X was shocked and swept off balance, nearly completely off her feet
She just managed to hold back tears.
She also told me that last week that the Australian colleague (with a PHD) of her Aunt in the laboratory had complained to her that Miss X was 'in the way'-even though they had never even spoken. In fact, they had never exchanged greetings even though Miss X had greeted him on many occasions.
This type of casual brutality towards foreigners is common in the Australian workplace.
Yes, we don't have discriminatory laws -but we do have bullies who do discriminate.
Who is going to protect Miss X?
No-one
So...we should not congratulate ourselves on our non-discriminatory laws until we stop behaving as racist thugs (with or without our PhD) in the workplace.
I'm not holding my breath.
Retirement, Kota Kinabalu
This is where I would like to be after I have robbed the bank
Winners and Losers
Debate 2008 Winners and Losers Editor at left.
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