Ok so here we go again. Another moment that, with any luck, Australia will look back on in a few years and say “I can’t believe this used to happen”. You probably saw the video that has been circulating over the last few days of an interview between Karl Stefanovic and Miranda Tapsell giving details of the racism the indigenous actor has experienced throughout her life. Unfortunately, this aspect of the story is not the most disturbing part. What is shocking… yet somehow not even surprising… is the outrageously racist response this story got from those pesky “keyboard warriors” everyone has heard so much about but would perhaps prefer to ignore. Those ones claiming to be the victims in all this because of the offense caused to THEM when an Indigenous Australian discusses their inability to participate in Australia Day celebrations. What about THEIR feelings when someone is calling THEM racist? The ones that say “I’m not racist, how dare you call me racist that’s just so racist of you”. Has anyone stopped a moment to sympathise with THEM!? The people feeling such outrage at someone actually talking about what it feels like to be called things like “nigger” and “gin bag”, I mean, why don’t they just quit playing the victim already, right? Really, it’s not everyone else’s fault for racially abusing people. It’s their fault for being such a “sook” about it, right?
…The list could go on. And as tempting as it is to laugh it off and accuse these people of “trolling”, it’s clear that most, if not all of the commenters are not simply stating these things to get a reaction out of people or for the “lolz”. They are doing it because they are genuinely passionate about, and really do believe in, the views they are stating. And this is a problem. Because no matter how much people try and convince them otherwise, in their view it will always be the victim’s fault. They will refuse to admit one, very important thing; they are racist.
For a small selection of some of the comments made regarding Miranda’s interview, check out this buzzfeed article. Warning: It’s shocking…
http://www.buzzfeed.com/allanclarke/miranda-tapsell-talks-racism-and-is-abused-for-it#.rgEJv4J6M
P.F.
racism is not black and white 