Keep Australia ugly: No way

S.P. Seth, Sydney

The widely reported race riots in Sydney have, in some ways, shaken Australia. A large mob at the sea-side suburb of Cronulla had gathered last Sunday to bash the "Lebs" (people of Lebanese/Arab descent) and "Wogs" (non-white migrants), following a text message doing the rounds. The message was given wide circulation (according to press reports) by being read out on his program by a prominent radio personality, urging people to mobilize on the Cronulla beach to show their solidarity and anger at an earlier attack by some Lebanese youth on two lifesavers at the beach.

The mob that gathered on the beach was thus in an ugly mood, further fueled by the booze they had imbibed in generous quantity. Though they were all set to attack the so-called enemy, there weren't many "Lebs" around. And the few they could spot, they went after them like a lynch mob. The crowd of white males out to avenge long-simmering resentment and hostility against Arab youth visiting Cronulla beach from nearby suburbs, and allegedly misbehaving, probably thought that this would teach them a lesson.

But it didn't. It simply proved counter-productive, as the Lebanese youth went on a retaliatory rampage attacking people and wrecking cars. There are even reports of arson and attacks on some churches. How this will pan out eventually is anybody's guess!

The Muslims of Lebanese origin (there are more Christian Lebanese in Australia than Muslims, but they all look alike to the majority here) are a small minority, though appearing larger than life because of their concentration in a few suburbs. The problem, however, tends to become magnified, when it is viewed by many Muslims here as part of the targeting of the people of their faith.

The passing of Australia's new anti-terrorist legislation, and jailing of some suspected terrorists, has made the Muslim community even more jittery and defensive. They have had a terrible image problem, starting with the boat people arriving from the Middle East, the bombing of the New York Trade Center, the Bali bombings and a host of other terrorist attacks.

All the terrorist attacks are horrible crimes. The problem, though, is that the despicable acts of a few tend to tar entire communities and people of a race/religion as potential terrorists; thus creating a "them" and "us" dichotomy. As a Sydney Morning Herald journalist ( a young man of Lebanese origin) has written, "It is well known that there are clubs and bars in Sydney that do their best to keep Middle Eastern (specifically Lebs) out..."

Recounting his own personal experience, he said, "It leaves a foul taste in your mouth. It is no wonder that people feel bitter, resentful and angry." He then goes on to quote a friend of his as saying, "We're dogs in this country."

It is safe to assume that they are also discriminated in jobs, and their socio-economic situation is not too good.

It is, therefore, a bigger problem of race, religion and socio-economic divide. The Cronulla beach and the subsequent retaliatory violence looks more like a symptom of a deeper malady.

One would hope that the violence unleashed in Sydney will not spread elsewhere in Australia. Already, there are reports of stray incidents of racial abuse in other parts of Australia, and text messages and e-mails are doing the rounds to incite people to further violence. It is reported that: "Text messages targeting ethnic groups are calling for people to start 'cracking skulls' at a beach demonstration on the Gold Coast", a popular holiday destination in Queensland.

The violence in Sydney seems to be even energizing Pauline Hanson, the discredited political queen of racism in this country. She reportedly has condemned violence from all sides, but has maintained that some migrants fueled tensions by refusing to adapt to "the Australian way of life."

Some commentators seem to think that it is a case of chickens coming home to roost in the wake of John Howard's race politics, ever since he came to power in 1996. According to Father Roy J. O'Neill, "How can John Howard blatantly deny any responsibility for the emergence of racial tensions and riots in Sydney? He has provided the type of leadership that leads logically to this type of behavior. His xenophobic policies on immigration and his racial profiling disguised as 'anti-terrorism' fed the emergence of this ugly aspect of extreme right-wing politics."

The Sydney Morning Herald cartoonist, Moir, is even more scathing with a play on Howard's electioneering campaign against Middle Eastern boat refugees when he said that, "we" will determine who comes to "our" country and the manner in which they come. In his cartoon, Moir has depicted a frightening-looking male wrapped in an Australian flag mouthing the slogan: "We shall determine who comes to our suburb and the manner in which they come...!" And his T-shirt bears the slogan: "Keep Australia Ugly".

It is hoped that Moir is wrong.

The writer is a freelance writer based in Sydney and can be reached at SushilPSeth@aol.com.