[YOUTUBE]ZBdYvN49eRU[/YOUTUBE] Ya know, unlike most racially ignorant videos like Asians in the Library and Reasons why I don't want to be Asian where I found those to be 90% funny, this video was just painfully disgusting. However, I still managed to laugh because she got humiliated on YouTube. To me, this is just totally out of the ordinary since my experience in Australia wasn't really racist at all. But I did go to Cabramatta, which is mainly Vietnamese over there, so my experience may not be the big picture.
This Honestly makes me really angry. She's only embarssing herself. Probably out of jealousy. Envious of her looks, or her clothes, or something. You don't just attack people like that in public unless you're really messed up
That was months and months ago, so very old news now.. But the woman was just in a minority group.. The majority of Australians were extremely upset at what she did as well, even so much as setting up a hate page for her on fb, so please I hope this one woman doesn't taint your opinion of the rest of Australians.
I was actually surprised to hear how common sexism and racism were in Australia, since I've always considered them one of the "progressives", along with places like Canada and Sweden. That, and the right wing politics going on. Even so, I know better to assume the rare crazy is representative of an entire population...
I think the point here is that Canada, Sweden, and Australia are all very guilty of it, usually in subtle ways. Having lived in Australia and spent time in Sweden, I know that there are still a lot of problems in those societies. Canada and Australia are roughly equal on that matter, though Sweden is better in some regards (laws and representation).
Yes, gravechild, one incident tells us absolutely nothing about a country. But I think Australia is definitely not progressive in the mould of Canada or Sweden. The stereotype would suggest that it's much more macho than either of those countries, with a harsher and much more hegemonic right wing.
Maybe some Australians have no filter and are very blunt. This doesn't change my perspective on Australia. I love the country since a lot of my relatives live there. It's just one bad apple.
I don't think you've met a Swedish right-winger. Neo-Nazism and more moderate forms of right-wing extremism aren't entirely rare in Sweden.
Do you guys think there has been an increase in right wing views in Australia and NW Europe recently, due to economic reasons? Also, I'm not entirely sure why Aus would be more conservative than Canada or other Commonwealth countries, since they share a similar past and culture. Any insight would be welcomed.
Sure, Sweden has a scarily active and unusually large neo-Nazi minority, as do many countries in Scandinavian-Germanic Northern Europe. But what I meant by hegemonic was that the general culture, diffused through society, and sets of assumptions are progressive. I think that is less the case with Australia.
Australia had no recession when the 2008 crisis hit, so you might have to think of that. Also, our racial policies were extremely horrific until the 70s; there was still a technical genocidal policy until the Whitlam government came to power in 1972. Despite the fact that Aboriginals were recognised as citizens in the 60s, and the White Australia Policy abolished over the decades following, there are a lot of white Australians who are essentially relics of that society. I'm not entirely sure that Australia does have a more conservative culture, just that the conservatives have come across more bluntly than they have in Canada.
Alright, but my question is still "why?" Along with the stereotypes of being tough, party animals, and laid back. Geography? :lol:
Compared to people from the UK and even Canada, some Australians are very direct. It's probably the weather. It's much like that in the U.S. if you think about about it, with a few exceptions. ---------- Post added 2nd Oct 2014 at 10:41 PM ---------- I'd agree with you. It's sort of like the resentment and discrimination some Turkish people experience(d) in Germany. I read a Brazilian's complaint about how he felt his fellow immigrants were treated in Oslo, Norway. The culture and way of life is very different in Scandinavia, so people with a very different M.O. (personal style) could really rock the apple cart and not exactly feel welcome.
Outer-suburban and rural Australians have a reputation for that; it gets to the point where city residents can't get along with them in some cases. The lifestyles are very different, and that bluntness can be accompanied by a rather contradictory aversion to unpleasant truths (such as the presence of racism in Australia). You could say that people like that are blunt but not honest.
Proudly Un-Australian. When I say this normally I get more hate then an airbus (<3) fan at a Boeing convention but Australia is a dump. So much racism, stupid stupid government, homophobic environment (at least where I live) and did I mention the government. I'm willing to bet that that train was bound for Penrith, Richmond or somewhere like that. Take my advice. Get the f*ck away from this dump.
This guy behind the "crazy" lady is pinging my gaydar, for some strange reason. Also he's somewhat cute. Australians have such a funny accent, i swear, you can never tell when they are happy or angry, it's like... whatever they say, always seems like they are having a blast. As for the "crazy" lady, she is obviously seeking confrontation to "mix" up her boring daily life. Also who wears a pink phone protector, how cliche can you get...
I feel really sad that you would advice people to not come here.. I really do.. I don't know what else to say really.
Ugh, that is so embarrassing...anyway, this silly woman is the exception and not the rule here. Most of us are neither that racist, nor that stupid.