Cronulla: Mass Psychology and Violence

[tcpip]

As violence rocks Sydney and shock-jocks claim responsibility (He assured his huge audience he "understood" why that famous text message went out and he read it right through again on air. "Come to Cronulla this weekend to take revenge. This Sunday every Aussie in the Shire get down to North Cronulla to support the Leb and wog bashing day …")

An ethnic gang beats up some life-savers because they are the wrong "colour". Five thousand thug descend on the area and pelt innocent women with beer bottles because they "look mid-eastern". More violence continues overnight. I find myself arguing with people (and I use that term loosely) on usenet who claim that this is the beginnings of the "White Revolution" against multiculturalism.

What is the problem here? The problem is about assigning group characteristics to individual actions. The problem is seeking group membership to the violent exclusion of others. Beating up lifesavers because they are not Lebanese is the same idiotic violence as pelting women with beer-bottles because they look like they might be.

Of course, because he is a racist, the Prime Minister won't call it racism.

Interestingly, the Redfern riots were marked by their lack of racism even if they were carried out by one ethnic group - their target were the forces of authority ("You could interview every Aboriginal kid down there that comes from The Block, and the majority will tell you to your face... that they've all been bashed by the police," said Lyle Munro.)

I'm sick to death of this stupid country.

EDIT

An eye-witness account, why Melbourne doesn't have this problem. On the question of "ethnic rapes". The cause? Monoculturalism.

Comments

[lula-neith.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it means anything, but it's no better anywhere else. There was a riot in Ohio a bit ago. No one talks about it now, of course. It didn't last as long as Paris. There've been deaths of exchange students in Russia. It's sad. What is it? A virus? Are all nations catching it now?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The world political situation, thanks to fundamentalists and neoconservatives (same thing really), and the world economic situation (the dissolution of the post-WWII social contract) are major contributors to sense of violent dislocation, imo.

[blot.livejournal.com]

In the city where lula and I live someone was running around murdering any cab driver they thought could be Somali after 9-11.

[blot.livejournal.com]

and remember when David Duke (KKK) ran for president? I was shocked how much support he had. Nope. The States arent any better.

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

Jones: "I tell you who we want to encourage, Charlie, all the Pacific Island people because, you want to know something, they don't take any nonsense. They are proud to be here — all those Samoans and Fijians.

Am I being excessively cynical in translating this as "let's have a riot, and why don't we see if we can get the blacks to do the heavy lifting"?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it to me.

[luciusmalfoy.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy I'm out. I really am.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I understand that sentiment entirely.

I'm quite happy to argue to the nth degree about "race" issues (I recently objected to the el-jay anarchist community expelling someone for this very reason), but when people start bashing others that's when I've had enough.

The question is what will the supposed forces of law and order do now?

[dcrisp.livejournal.com]

Im so tempted to excercise my hereditory right to obtain a kiwi citizenship and then move to a quiet city and live peacfully. Dunedin is looking nice.

This came after the 4 evil bills of disinfranchising were passed.. *whinges and avoids politics*

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

You know my feelings on peaceful and civilised Dunedin ;-)

Shocking week in politics. Absolutely bloody awful.

[belegdel.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Jones' comments qualify as sedition?

Little Johnny is just, as always, playing the "everything is OK on my watch" card. It's such a pro-forma for him I don't even listen to his responses anymore - I can even predit his expression and tone of voice. He's a programmed robot, I swear.

I doubt he even thought about the issue enough to link it to his own beliefs.

How's that NZ plan coming along? :)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Jones may have actually engaged in sedition. It was certainly borderline.

As for little Johnny, I don't think there is much doubt that he enjoys a little bit of racially-motivated violence every now and then. After all, if he can divide working people and distract them from his agenda that's all well and good.

I don't think we've had a PM as racist as him since Stanley Bruce.

New Zealand plan is moving along very quickly. Up a notch one may say.

[ironed_orchid]

I'm sick of the stupidity in this country.

I'm also realising how easy it is to shut myself off from things, it feels a bit like the first time Pauline Hanson got elected. I don't listen to shock jocks because they are bigots, I rarely watch any news or current affairs that is not on SBS or ABC, and so I miss out on both the media spin from certain angles and the callers who like to call up Jones and his ilk. In fact, the closest I come to any awareness of this is to watch Media Watch.

People may be dismissive of ivory towers, but we do seem to have pretty well established that racism and sexism are not to be tolerated, and we impress that upon on our students, which I think can only be a good thing.

Howard has probably convinced himself that his version of racism is completely acceptable and perfectly logical. It's not.

The solid towers of ivory

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Interesting isn't it? For those who claim that racism is "natural" and "inevitable" there really isn't that much of it on a university campus, is there?

Sure, in some instances it is ham-fisted (such as bans on racist/sexist speech) but in the main, I find that because one must mix in tutorials etc and confront the issues in an intelligent manner, that any proir prejudices eventually dissipitate.

In a nutshell, education and intermingling does seem to work. I didn't see too many people with degrees engaged in either incident.

[curufea.livejournal.com]

We reap what we sow.

We voted in a government that thinks fear is a valuable marketting tool.


(and by we, I mean not myself, but whoever the majority was)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I rather suspect that JHo is quite happy with these events. A little bit of racial division among working people serves his political agenda quite nicely.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nightflower_/]

I think anyone who lives in Australia (whether you migrate or are born here) needs to be educated that racism is unacceptable, regardless of colour, sex, religion etc. It needs to come from the top down...and sadly while J-ho bumbles around swinging the lead baton of power, nothing will change.

But if change were to happen, everyone would need to come to the party. Attempting to educate the yobbos and not the gangs wouldn't achieve much; a broader aspect of the community would need to be involved, from parents to religious leaders to journalists etc.

But is change on this scale possible, or is it purely a Utopian vision not viable in today's political climate?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Education (when combined with intermingling) does work. When people don't confront their racist prejudices they don't change.

JHo however won't encourage it however because he is such a political animal; this working-class interracial stoush is good for his agenda.

[devilgirly.livejournal.com]

I've had enough of this country too... *sigh* :(

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Come to Dunedin with us, I'm sure we can fit you in!

[gothsuck.livejournal.com]

Johnny was laughing behind his facade of lies. Right up his alley.

It is a sad day & marrying my Dutchy & getting out of here is looking more appealing each day.

And in regards to the Redfern riots - OF COURSE that isnt racially based they are Aboriginals & in Johnnys eyes dont count as a race let alone human.

He is a feral bastard.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

John Howard is one of those interesting people who has managed to create a situation where 51% of the population are prepared to tolerate him (and probably a few of those really admire him) and the other 49% hate him with a passion.

His naked ambition for power is pathetic, the sign of an extraordinarily fragile ego and his quiet encouragement of racism for political purposes is perhaps one of the most immoral acts ever conducted by an Australian leader.

[caseopaya.livejournal.com]

I still can't believe that Howard says it is not "racism"!

racism

1: the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races 2: discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race [syn: racialism, racial discrimination]

Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

Yay Dunedin, here we come.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Howard wasn't saying the attack weren't racist he was saying there isn't a problem racism "in general" in Australia i.e.,

'Attacking people on the basis of their race, their appearance, their ethnicity, is totally unacceptable and should be repudiated by all Australians irrespective of their own background and their politics,' he said.

'I believe yesterday's behaviour was completely unacceptable but I'm not going to put a general tag (of) racism on the Australian community.'

Of course, he would say that because that might mean he should do something about it. After all, who do they racists vote for?

[nightcity.livejournal.com]

I honestly cannot form one coherent sentence. I've tried. I just can't.

[darkstardeity.livejournal.com]

Same, which is why I haven't posted about it on my own LJ.

[elzia.livejournal.com]

When I was at the WTO 2 years ago, I made out with an Australian that told me that he thought that Australia was the only place he had been to that was more racist than the USA. Can't make a call on that, never having been to Australia. But I'd be pretty disgusted if that was going on in my country.

Anyhow, I came up with a great idea for how to go to East Timor without paying for it and without scamming a NGO. I am going to apply after I get advanced to candidacy for a travel grant my school gives to grads for $$ to go to Australia to talk to Australian Irish dancers and dressmakers. And then I can just hop on over to East Timor. Sound feasible and cheap? I may have to ask you in a few years if we both still are on livejournal for your advice on how to go.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Does sound feasible and I may be able to get you in contact with some Timorese dressmakers (well, tais makers) as well... They run a coop of women who are widows, orphans and/or clandestine or former guerrilla fighters ..

Moving to other countries.

[splodgenoodles.livejournal.com]

We need good people here.

Re: Moving to other countries.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I know. I understand that all too well.

Just for a while I'd like to live in a mostly sensible place where one could initiative positive improvements rather than having to constantly swim against the great tide of destruction this country is heading down.

[luthien.livejournal.com]

I'm sick to death of this stupid country.

Yeah. :-(

My partner keeps saying that it feels like the late '70s, in the sense that we have this paternalistic government that feels as though it's going to be there for ever. *sigh*

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Despite his extraordinary born-to-rule arrogance at least Fraser wasn't a racist.

We have a lot to learn in this country. Grim days lay ahead.

pre-fascist

[paula-angela.livejournal.com]

Certain people have been saying for the last couple of years that this Howard Government is a "Pre-Fascist" regime. That is, it's not actually fascist yet, but they were cultivating all the elements characteristic of a slide into fascism.

I thought they were a bit loony, but it doesn't look so far fetched any more!

Re: pre-fascist

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Given the events of the past few weeks not at all.

Smash the unions, break up the intellectuals and let the racist mobs have the hour in the sun without acknowledging there's a general problem.

[shorxrore.livejournal.com]

the new world order is here.

since i was 5 years old i told people to pay attention to scifi writers. in 10 years there's gonna be a goddamn apocalypse. if it happens, i totally called it.

this planet is soooooooooooooooo fucked.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

December 22, 2013 according to the Mayans (and Shadowrun).

I believe the Age of Kali is supposed to end soon as well. The sooner the fucken' better. I'm tired of this shit.

[catsidhe.livejournal.com]

What paula_angela said, plus...

I have said before that Ratbastard Johnny is gearing up for a Kristallnacht.
Cronulla is not it. Cronulla is the brownshirts getting the go-ahead.

Our Kristallnacht is going to be so, so much worse.


('Not racism', fah. 'No racism in this country' my arse. No-one voted for One Nation, or votes for the CEC either. Nor this is not my nose, neither. Nothing that is so, is so.)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I don't think Howard wants a kristallnacht.. But I'm sure he wouldn't mind the Reichstag burning.

[dcrisp.livejournal.com]

Are you going on the UNIMELB tour tonight with Sage-VIC?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Nah, not tonight... Quite honestly I'd forgotten it's on... I have to finish an article for the SAGE journal..

Gandi said...

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

"An eye for an eye" means we all end up blind.



        (saw it on a John Lennon DVD today)

Although...

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

...last week in Melbourne spencerkaiden's friend was murdered by a taxi driver, who ran him down after an argument over smoking. Sometime's it's a sad world, but that's humans for you.

[bellaforte.livejournal.com]

It's better than here... but that's got to break your heart. Wanna come spend the holidays here? We can pretend this state isn't run by Bush's brother for a little while ;)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.. could travel from Melbourne, VIC to Melbourne, FL or Dunedin, Ot to Dunedin, FL...

Actually, I've had a bit on an interest in the Keys for a while.

[evil-genius.livejournal.com]

If the powers that be wish to continue to draw breath here in Finland. They should make avoiding a similar situation thier top priority. I would truly hate to have to start 8mm justice at 800 yards.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

What is the cultural mix in Finland these days?