By Andrew Bolt ~
Charles Teo and all the other Australia Day “celebrants” mentioned are right – racism exists here and racism is bad:
Dr Charles Teo, the son of Chinese immigrants, who prolonged the life of Jane McGrath and has saved the lives of hundreds of Australians, said it was wrong to deny there was racism.
At a launch of Australia Day Council celebrations yesterday, Dr Teo said that racism was still “very much alive in Australia”…
Former premier Jeff Kennett, former Australian Medical Association president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, singer Kamahl and ex-police commissioner Christine Nixon have all said that racism exists.
But two things.
First, racism exists everywhere, and I doubt anyone denies it. But in few countries is it less of a problem than it is here.
Second, we have not just racists here, but people who are stingy, stupid, mean, selfish, oafish, drugged, violent, careless, irresponsible and rotten parents. Every variety of evil exists here as it does everywhere, yet – to our great good fortune – this remains a vastly more civil country than most.
The question is whether we should single out any particular one of our sins for Australia Day and wail and rail at the sinners. Is that an effective way to mark the day and to build the sense of community that inspires more courtesy and generosity? Is this really the most fitting and accurate tribute to to a country that still attracts so many of the migrants we’re said to be mean to?
But if Australia Day is indeed to be marked by a competition to denounce our wickedness, can we at least stop calling the event a “celebration”? That is not an accurate description of the event.
UPDATE
Racism is the most fashionable and safest sin to denounce, but surely the growth of so many feral parents causes far more misery – and to people far more defenceless:
A DRUNKEN mum who flipped her car with her daughter, 9, inside has been prohibited from letting her travel with banned drivers…
But a court has now imposed an extraordinary ban that forbids either parent from allowing her to travel with a disqualified driver.
They have also been ordered not to expose her to drug paraphernalia or violence. And they are banned from being under the influence of alcohol in her presence, taking drugs, or bringing her into contact with anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol…
The girl’s parents were in court fighting over where she should live.
Magistrate Thomas Altobelli said he had concerns about both parents, who were both immature and grossly irresponsible.
The case was not really about the child’s best interests but about deciding which parent’s proposal would expose her to the least risk of harm, he said.… Mr Altobelli determined that the mother, who has mental health problems and is on prescription medication, still cannot control her alcohol consumption and that the father has a propensity for violence, having been abusive to the mother.
This kind of parenting is causing far more harm to the helpless, in my opinion, and causing far more societal damage, too.
But, of course, it’s much less fashionable to denounce, probably because to address it properly means taking positions that are, you know, too conservative.
Andrew Bolt is a journalist and columnist writing for The Herald Sun in Melbourne Victoria Australia.
Andrew Bolt’s columns appear in Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Sydney’s Daily Telegraph and Adelaide’s Advertiser. He runs the most-read political blog in Australia and hosts Channel 10’s The Bolt Report each Sunday at 10am. He is also heard from Monday to Friday at 8am on the breakfast show of radio station MTR 1377, and his book Still Not Sorry remains very widely read.
Read more excellent articles from Andrew Bolt’s Blog . http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/
papundits
Ditzy Dee
Grumpy Old Man
T Lee Humphrey
marlin6
Annie Apple
TonyfromOz
Carl
Turtle
steevesna
Doc'
Joe from PA
mjmotley
sosUSA
Aussie
patpacer
Guest Contributor
Posted on 01/19/2012 by papundits
0