Comments on: Race? Riot? Whatever happened to getting both sides of the story?

By: Michael de Angelos

Michael de Angelos — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Great article Margaret an prety spot on Tom McLoughin although the present NSW Labor party is racially tolerant ( as I expect the Libs are as well) that didn’t apply to the loathsome previous premier Bob Carr who thought nothing off whipping up a racial storm by indentifying ethnic gangs and upon seeing this was heartily endorsed by the Daily Telegraph and the likes of Jones, stepped up his headline grabbing tactcs, combined as always with his Laura Norder attacks (but never actually managing to get things like trains to run on time). Sadly that is all it takes..a politician ( even if he personaly doesn’t believe it) or media “comentator” on the make to stir up hatred.

By: Tom McL

Tom McL — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Oh, and I really wanted to acknowledge David Penberthy in all this from a Sydney perspective I mean. Putting other stuff aside. As tabloid editor at the Sydney Daily Telegraph he took a new line on Cronulla when it mattered in the time. It was in his picture choice. It was in his front pagers on say Australia Day. Well done David. Some of us got it. That’s for free.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

What I find amazing is that John Hartigan is the one leading the charge for the publics right to know the truth yet he still employs racist, hate mongers like Bolt, Akerman and others to sell more papers to the redneck racist shits who are determined to hate everyone.

If anyone ever feels like a stick their fingers down their throats moment read their blogs.

We had a situation where two 14 year old boys had a fight, one was stabbed and died.

The SA media for once treated this as a tragedy instead of a race riot. The real tragedy is that these are "real" refugees as defined by Philip Ruddock yet we pay their airfares here, supply a few months of English and then leave them to cope or rot.

It's pretty disgraceful.

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Nice one Marg. If Sydney and Cronulla is any precedent I would be quite wary of the old One Nation political model ramping up for the trog conservatives wanting to bring their opposition rivals down by any wedge style political means. Here in Sydney despite a quite loathed Iemma Govt most people could see that we were being offered an Opposition playing footsies with white supremacism. It was Alan Jones, shoot one the rest will run, and a whole range of other ratbags. It almost generated its own little vortex of tit for tat hatred.

But something beautiful happened in very multicultural Sydney. People showed their class and across many levels of society repudiated the hateful xenophobia and intolerance of human difference as any basis for oppression. Sure it meant we got the ALP again as cynical and sneaky as they come, but not racist. They didn't go there. From the doco about the Bra Boys to local councils convening harmony negotiation forums to all kinds of stuff people just rejected that sick racialism stuff. It was the Iraq war, it was kids overboard, it was kids behind razor wire. It was common decency.

Which is why it was good to see Coalition ethnics as strong candidates in the last few byelections. They seem to get it under OFarrell. They can't win that way. Folks won't tolerate intolerance. Now there is BHO as president elect it's obvious it's a coffee coloured future with all the hybrid vigour of that. Strength in diversity.

By: Danu Poyner

Danu Poyner — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome back Margaret - we missed you! I was asking only the other day where you had got to.

Notwithstanding the sorry story itself, I really enjoy this sort of article. It's the kind of well-researched, objective reporting that we could do with more of. It's why I subscribe to Crikey.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

By: bev

bev — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I guess relationships and communications can be difficult in some areas where people have different beliefs, to others, it must be difficult for the police who have to keep law and order, But in the meantime if a person feel right in their thinking and are judged for it I guess for them its hard to find peace, because they are hurting, and some may feel they are not understood in their society