It doesn’t have to be against the rules to count as racism.

Just one more story about Adam Goodes. Though I shouldn’t feel bad about telling it in case everyone is fed up by it, because this issue needs to stay at the forefront. It has generated so much discussion already and some of it must have been beneficial rather than just straight hate, surely.

Firstly, for anyone who is reading this from a country other than Australia, you may not be aware of what has been going on in Australia for the past couple of months with regards to racism. Here is an article to fill you in:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-30/indigenous-affairs-minister-slams-booing-of-goodes-as-ignorant/6661424

A few months ago, back when the Adam Goodes story was definitely at the forefront of every news program, and at least every A.F.L news program, I attended a Sydney Swans game at the SCG (as I have done every home game for the last 15 years). It was against Collingwood, and one of the last games of the season after which Adam Goodes would almost certainly be retiring. It was after Goodes had played against West Coast, and after he had taken leave and then made his return, hoping to put all of the previous issues behind him. Though it had been obvious since his return that the booing had not and would not stop, he was getting on with it, and the rest of his supporters were trying to as well, not helped by the certain number among his critics that felt the need to keep on bringing this issue up along with the argument of “is it or isn’t it racist” and reminding everyone that “I just don’t like him”. Good for you, you could still keep that to yourself. Unfortunately it seems, whatever the reason for their hate, and even after the mountain of racial abuse Adam Goodes has received (because, yes, he has no matter which way you look at it) people feel like they cannot just keep it to themselves.

I enjoyed the game up until the second half when we were joined by an opposition supporter taking up a seat behind us and proceeding to abuse Goodes every time he got the ball. No, he didn’t boo. No, he didn’t shout racial abuse (though I was waiting for him to do just that to give me the chance to get him thrown out). The only things he actually did were shout things like “Why don’t you just bugger off and retire Goodes you’re old and slow” and “Get out of it Goodes” and, effectively “I want to make it known that I don’t like you Goodes”. No, these weren’t racist comments. But it was still beyond me how anyone could want to disrespect him and make their hate for him clear when it has been associated with racism. If this man had wanted to take a stand against racism he would have done so by keeping his mouth shut. Yes, many would argue that it’s his right to say whatever he wants at the football and so on but this was not a normal situation. He knew full well that abuse towards Adam Goodes had been associated with racism, that Adam Goodes himself had said he sees it as racist, that many people had come out online and made racist comments about him, but he chose to go along with it anyway. Unfortunately, despite my fury, all I could manage were a few dirty looks his way because I was scared. Had he said something outwardly racist, I would have confronted him and gotten security. Though underhandedly racist in supporting and providing cover for the people that were, he hadn’t done or said anything against the rules. Though I do not doubt he would have gladly entered into a hate filled argument about exactly why he wasn’t racist, while at the same time proving exactly how he was, I couldn’t bring myself to confront someone who was not being outwardly racist.

After the final siren went signalling a Swans victory, it was my mum who came to the rescue and I have to say it’s one of the proudest moments I have had as a daughter. She turned round in her seat, looked the guy square in the face and said sternly “Now you can bugger off and retire”.

It doesn’t have to be against the rules to count as racism.

P.F.

A trip to the Outback.

Coming from a small country town in New South Wales, the different groups of people you are exposed to can be fairly limited. The simple fact is that it is very rare to encounter anyone other than a Caucasian person, and this is something you can get used to easily, especially if travel to Sydney is infrequent. When I went on a trip to the outback of Australia organised by the high school I attended a story comes to mind of the realisation of how little of other cultures I had been exposed to. After travelling for a week and having travelled some length of the Oodnadatta track (a 620km stretch of unsealed road which is pretty much straight shooting the entire way) we arrived at the town of Oodnadatta. It has a one store, the Pink Road House, and population of 277, 103 of which are Indigenous Australians.

I can see for miles and miles

A lonely shop

Coming from a small (but not THIS small) country town, this was something completely new to us. We setup tents on a patch of grass opposite a basketball court, got out some balls and started to play on it. We had been playing a few minutes when we started to notice a small group of Indigenous kids a bit younger than us gathering to watch. We kept on playing a little self-consciously, not really what to do, how to act. A couple of minutes later, one of the crowd watching gathered the courage to come and talk to us and shyly asked us if she could play. Of course, we said yes and I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief that someone had broken the ice. A few minutes after that, another came up and joined in, then another, and another. After finding some common ground there was no awkwardness anymore. It was clear that our lives were very different. A group of 60 Caucasian high school kids from New South Wales setting up camp opposite their basketball courts was undoubtedly just as strange to them as it was to us and I am very grateful to the first girl who approached us for creating one of the most simple, yet memorable moments of the trip. Though I do see the encounter for what it was, a simple and fun moment shared among us all, if this indicates one thing about the cause of anti-racism it is that this is surely how easy it could be.

P.F.

From Someone Who Would Know.

For this post, I asked for the help of an ex-high school teacher of mine, Philip Hall, who has lived in the remote community of Borroloola in Australia’s Northern Territory for a number of years as a teacher. In asking him about his experiences in working with Indigenous communities and if there were any stories he could share about racism, I did not expect the story I got, but it’s one that shows a systemic racism so ingrained yet totally ignored that it brings a whole new understanding to the issue of telling someone they “shouldn’t play the race card”. This is because it doesn’t argue with racist people, it doesn’t contradict them, try to set them right or explain how wrong they are. What it does do is give an insight into the lives of remote Indigenous communities that many people, including myself, have a complete lack of understanding of because quite simply, we have not lived that experience, and probably never will. Here is an excerpt:

“More than a dozen young adults have passed away by suicide or violent death during my time of residency in Borroloola. Substance abuse is rife – especially of tobacco, ganja and alcohol – and too many young people have criminal convictions for petty violence and property misdemeanors. But the town has poor access to mental health care with specialist services usually provided in Katherine (700 km distance) or Darwin (960 km). Borroloola is ‘out of sight and out of mind’: a place where immense community need is too often met with disengaged and inconsistent government service. Borroloola’s health clinic, I am told by indigenous family, is infamous for making indigenous clients wait while non-indigenous people are prioritised.”

A long road to help

The closest mental health clinic is 700km away. SEVEN HUNDRED KILOMETRES. It is straight facts such as these that illustrate the inarguable disadvantage experienced by remote, indigenous communities that make telling people to “get over it” and “stop being a sook” when it comes to racism, inexcusable. The “Out of site and out of mind” mindset is something that has been prevalent in the media over the past few months, and something people obviously wanted to maintain with high profile people such as Adam Goodes and Miranda Tapsell making stands against racism and expressing the desire to help indigenous communities, and being absolutely shut down and abused for it. These people, would rather have the issues not talked about and therefore dismiss them as something other than racism because it is the easiest way to deal with it. And that brings me to the next excerpt from the essay:

“Borroloola is located on Yanyuwa Country. The town is also shared with members of the Garawa, Mara and Gudanji peoples, now, after more than a hundred years of massacre and dispossession. Borroloola’s indigenous people have been forced to hold much of their shocking frontier contact history locked away inside of themselves.”

Again, a demonstration of just how difficult it can be to understand the depth of another person’s cultural heritage. Dealing with a heritage that is surrounded by massacre and dispossession and having to lock this away inside is something the white population of Australia will never have to deal with. So telling someone they should be grateful for the opportunities Australia has given them and to stop complaining about racism (which is a sentiment repeated over and over in the Adam Goodes debate), again, is something so unfair and something that shows such a lack of empathy and understanding of other cultures that means it is inherently racist. Many people, myself included, do not think of these problems when we are talking about racist issues because it is so far removed from our lives that it doesn’t seem relevant. But maybe, when we are entering into discussions about race, we should start considering the history, the things people have had to deal with and the things they still deal with today, before we dismiss it and call it irrelevant, attention seeking, being a sook or one of the many things it has been called. These stories show that racism is not a black and white issue but about culture and history and the ignoring of the past that makes people like Adam Goodes need to remind us of it. The flat rejection of it by so many shows that someone needs to.

P.F.

Essay: http://cordite.org.au/essays/my-intervention-in-cowdy/

Phillip Hall is an essayist and poet working as an editor with Verity La’s ‘Emerging Indigenous Writers’ Project’. In 2014 he published Sweetened in Coals. He is currently working on a collection of place-based poetry called Fume. This project celebrates, and responds to, Indigenous Culture in the Northern Territory’s Gulf of Carpentaria. In November 2015 Black Rune Press will publish a chapbook of Phillip’s collaborative work with Diwurruwurru: The Borroloola Poetry Club.

Dismissal.

It’s comforting to see that there is so much content circulating online surrounding race, and in particular surrounding the complexity of racism issues and how easy it is for white people to dismiss their racism as something else. This at least shows that racism issues such as the ones surfacing over the past year aren’t exclusive to Australia, as they have definitely seemed. One of the most difficult things about the discussions of racism online are a simple lack of understanding towards the sufferance of other people, and a tendency to dismiss racist claims because they are too uncomfortable and confronting to admit to. This is encapsulated so perfectly in a YouTube video made by Everyday Feminism and Vlogger Celia Edell that it’s tempting to just drop the whole transcript down here, say “discuss” and walk away. Because what else can I say that hasn’t already been said by so many people? The problem is, the people that need to be, aren’t listening, and it’s very difficult to find a way to make them do so. Could we go back to the simple, primary school saying “Think about what it’s like to walk in their shoes.” It really is as simple as that, as Celia says in her video:

“White people don’t bare the social burden of race, so we don’t have to think about it all the time in order to move through society. We can sort of forget about our racial identity and it doesn’t really come up as much. When people of color bring up race, it’s easy for white people to dismiss it, like “Oh, that’s irrelevant here. You’re playing the race card.” Or, “Oh, that’s a personal issue, not a race thing….But, this is really to dismiss their reality as a racialized person, whose race is always present and relevant to them. Instead, correct yourself. Think, just because this is not an issue of race for me, it does not mean it’s not a racial issue for someone else.”

The key: Race is not always present and relevant to white people. So what would give someone the right to tell another when and when not something is an issue of race? How can someone possibly say to another person “that’s irrelevant, stop playing the race card” when the “race card” is something they have never, ever, ever……..ever, had to deal with in their life, as opposed to someone who has possibly dealt with it every single day of their life? It really is, understandably, a difficult thing to comprehend, but it is something worth thinking about every time we go to deny something as a racial issue. Before you go to rebut someone in an online argument by saying “it’s a personality thing, not a race thing” just stop, and try and think of something that’s been a big part of your life, but not necessarily for anyone elses, whether it be a parent that has passed away, or a friend that is ill and think how it would feel for someone to tell you to “stop playing the sympathy card” when you tell your story about it. Because that’s what happens an overwhelming amount when Indigenous Australians have come out and shared their story with racism and the grief and trauma it has caused them throughout their life. And that needs to change.

P.F.

Yes, you are.

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.

More Disappointment.

Well, I’m angry. I’m angry that it has come to this and I’m angry in anticipation of what the “I’m not racist buts..” are going to be saying to defend themselves now, because no doubt they will rise up again with the words ‘sook’, ‘attention seeker’, ‘flog’, ‘victim’ and ‘whinger’.  Adam Goodes has requested not to be considered for the AFL Players Association Madden Medal, an honour given to retiring players in recognition of contribution to the A.F.L. and the community, and an award he surely would have won had he been considered.[1] Is this because he’s a “bad” person, as so many of his critics seem to claim? Doubtful. Does it seem like this is him seeking attention? No, not really. Is this another stand for Indigenous issues that so many seem to take such serious issue with? No, again, race does not seem to have been mentioned by Adam. Does it seem like he’s doing his best to stay away from anything that might earn him more incredibly unjust disrespect and abuse from those who have bullied him into submission? Mm yes, yes it does. For those calling for the champion to “harden up” and cop his incessant abuse differently, (i.e. ignore it, pretend it’s not happening and act like the well behaved, non-confrontational indigenous man we want you to be) some words of wisdom from Adam Goodes’ and the Sydney Swans’ coach may cause an ounce of self-reflection in the wake of what this man has gone through:

“To those keyboard warriors out there who hide behind their computers to attack players, or those who choose to hide their spiteful voices amongst the crowd. To all those who shamefully kick players when they are down or vulnerable – before you act next time, please ask yourself – if this was my son, or my brother, or partner this abuse was being directed to – would it change the way I’m about to act?”

It’s easy enough for these Keyboard Warriors to give advice to a 35 year old man dealing with racial abuse, (and from many, yes, it has been racial abuse) from thousands and thousands of people, but even easier to forget that this issue will affect him in the same way it would affect your family or friends. In case anyone missed it, here is a sample of the reactions of keyboard warriors to Goodes’ quiet request not to be considered for the Madden Medal last week:

“Great footballer. But needs to get over himself. The victim card doesn’t get anyone anywhere”

“Who said they were even going to consider him anyway? Imagine an actor announcing that they don’t want to be considered for a gold logie.they’d have tickets on themself.”

“What an absolute sook – he’s milking this booing bullshit for as long as he can because its keeping him on the front page.”

“Actually the reality of the situation is that some people, just flat out don’t like Adam. Not helped by his ‘Jesus nailed at the cross, aren’t I the martyr?’ demeanour.”

“Your final award from the AFL should be ” sook of the year””

Yep….Racism is alive and well today. Whether or not we want to admit it. And it’s a guarantee we do not.

P.F.

[1] http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/oct/07/adam-goodes-asks-not-to-be-considered-for-afls-prestigious-madden-medal

It Was Only a Joke..

A Post on Twitter from Cayden’s mother, Sydney

A big part of the idea that Racism is Not Black and White is the perception of racist jokes. There seems to be a strong belief, especially amongst the online community, that because the intentions of these jokes were harmless that this does not make the joker racist. This perception was highlighted in the recent incident involving a man being sacked for racist jokes made on his profile picture featuring his boss’s son. They involved allusions to slavery and comments about him being poor and hungry. Not only were they incredibly racist comments, they were also directed at a child, and were somehow deemed appropriate by the commenters, no doubt because of the separation social media creates from real life situations. One thing has been made abundantly clear throughout this story. Our intentions do not change the impact of our actions for everyone, and one need only watch the footage of Cayden’s mother in tears, explaining how she has tried her best to give her son a good life, to understand this. The commenters knew they were being racist. They knew what they were saying so publicly was wrong, but under the pretence of humour these jokes were made, and now we see the consequences before us. Something that this boy and his mother will remember as a moment where they experienced racism. The initial poster has been given the chance to defend himself and he claims not to have made any of the racist comments himself, however at no point has he tried to correct or call out his friends, or even express much sympathy or mortification about the event. Instead, he tries to paint himself as another victim and claims the one comment he made about the child being “feral” was taken out of context. Unfortunately for him, this notion would have been more believable had he made an attempt to call out his friends’ appalling behaviour, but, as is often the case, it takes more courage than it should to call out racist behaviour, particularly from those closest to you. The easier route, and a route many of us have undoubtedly taken before, is to sit back and quietly watch it happen and hope it will stop. Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate this position, and find a voice for people who don’t have one, such as a 3 year old boy and his mother bewildered and upset about the comments someone assumed would never reach them, and were thought to be okay because of the pretense under which they were made.

Man fired after #HisNameIsCayden Facebook post says he's a 'victim' too

P.F.

It’s Still a Cup of Tea

This photo was designed by Joanne Marie Davey, and features a selection of comments made by self-proclaimed “not racist” people on the internet. They all have the classic start that warns of any forthcoming underhanded racist comment: “I’m not a racist, but…” These commenters are just an example of the masses of people who openly share these opinions across the internet, whether they are just “keyboard warriors” trying to get a reaction, or people who genuinely believe in what they are saying. It is far too widespread to simply ignore. A message must be sent to the people convinced they are not being racist by preceding a comment with “I’m not racist”, “I’m not trying to be racist”, “Not to be racist or anything”, or a similarly flimsy cover up for a racist comment, and I ask all those as disgusted as me that this prejudice still exists, hiding behind an extremely thin veil, not to put up with it. Because as much as they may try and convince you otherwise, “no matter how much milk you add it’s still a cup of tea.” Whenever you see comments such as these do not let them slip and pass it off as ignorance or trouble making because someone, somewhere will be affected by these comments in a way that we may not understand. I admit that sometimes I am worried about the negative reaction certain posts such as this will receive, and it is for that reason that the discussion is essential, so we overcome the fear of calling out racism. Call it out, or send it to this website, Facebook page or Twitter page with the hashtag #racismstopswithme or #notaracistbut. No matter how much the person vehemently claims they are not intending to be racist, don’t be a bystander to those hiding from a label. Stand up and say that Racism Stops With You.P.F.