Protest - Indian Students Trying to Storm Flinders Street Station, Melbourne, Australia
I have said before, i don't believe Australia to be a racist country. Yes, we do have elements of racism here, just as any country in the world does. Unfortunately, discrimination is a fact of life - you need not look further than the caste system in India for an example of that.
This demonstration by Indian Students in Melbourne turned into a mini riot complete with projectiles and abuse thrown at Victoria Police. The police have done nothing wrong here, they have been working overtime to reduce violence and should be commended. If the students have a problem, it should be with policy not with front line cops.
The problem with this protest is that it will turn much needed public opinion against Indian students. They didnt need that result. Violent protests never win public support in Australia nor will it sway the government and the police from doing their job.
But it gets worse. Acting in a violent way will only bring the racist white trash out to play. Have a look at the white trash tosser in the following video. He says the following "This is us getting bullied out of our own country...F&%k Off." It looks like he came out specifically for this protest.
Ive also stated previously that i remain to be convinced that the recent attacks on Indian students recently were motivated by racism. Robbery of easy targets and random violence seem to me to be the prime reasons.
Now, things could be entirely different. The trash that came out in Cronulla against Lebanese Australians is a prime example. I'm hoping it doesn't happen, but similar groups may now see Indians as targets.
Would this White Trash Tosser be out of place in Cronulla?
About Just Grumpy
11 comments
Y & G - thanx for raising this issue. My take on this is very simple. There is something unique about the particular cohort of Indian students coming into Australia from around 2000 onwards. That uniqueness & it is not a positive thing what is unique about this group - it is this unique aspect which is behind these attacks.
I think the unique character of this group can be summarised as follows:
1. Not Westernised enough to be able to carry off the high profile positions they have - taxi-drivers; 24/7 store attendants
2. Too comfortable and secure in principally Punjabi Indian culture and unwilling to make any adjustments or engage in self-critique, including asking the important question - what part of the total package of Punjabi Indianness has to be adjusted to increase our margin of acceptance in multicultural Australia
To make things a bit clearer - we can higlight the unique nature of this group and the jarring effect their presence has had on Melbourne by asking why it is that Australia's highly visible Sudanese population is not as much under sustained attack as the Indian community? For one thing, they are much more black and much more the classic racist target. And yet after a period of coming under scrutiny & a certain degree of attack the Sudanese community is not that much out on a limb any more - what is the reason for this and are there any lessons to be learnt here - lessons for the Indian groups wanting to be given space; for policy makers; for ordinary folks?
Is there stuff that is being done by the average Indian student of today as well as the taxi-driver and shift-worker which is decreasing the margin of acceptance?
Have the Sudanese done things which despite their visible difference have increased the margin of acceptance, which initially given how different they were, was initially quite limited?
Would proud, lighter-skinned caste-driven Punjabi Indians even bother to take any lessons on how to adjust, shift gear, achieve integration from by definition inferior and dirty black Africans?
The Indian student leaders might have to sit down with other groups managing the issue well + the police to ask - ok - how can we increase the margin of tolerance - reduce the amount of community support for the ostracism that we this new wave of Indians are suffering - what might we do better?
The police must also then go about their task of arresting any racist gangs at work as well as opportunist thieves. As matters stand now, the new wave of Indians in Melbourne are hugely unpopular - some of it is not justified - some of it is and can often be summarised by a single phrase - no sense of the kinds of good manners and etiquette that multicultural Australia requires and no willingness to adapt the norms of the Punjab to the norms of Melbourne
As an African who is frightened by the prospect of the real white supremacists coming out of their hidey-holes, I hope the leadership of the Indian community is capable of some introspection and self-critique - a few simple steps, including basic things like investigating and understanding Australian (not just white) Australian expectations about dress, personal hygeine in public space and a willingness to be less pushy, all this might increase public sympathy - it is the absence of this public sympathy which permits increasing numbers of Indians specifically to be so violently targeted
1st of tell that white sh&# in the above video...that this is not his country...but a facility to hold prisoners by the British...and caste system in India is not like racism...its a division of groups/community....Indians are not blaming everyone and accusing of being racist people...its just few f^%*ing teenagers with less than 6 senses and P-brains who dont knw the diff. between A and B....and their parents who let them off the leash....
and to the anonymous commenter above....i really appreciate the effort to explain the world that as if u know who indians really are....hats off...u knw wat F&^%off....if u dont know sh&^....u shudnt open ur stupid mouth....go to school....learn sh*&...then talk....
Interesting site and Aussies are forgetting, completely forgetting that there are over a million living outside of Australia where they are a tiny minority... and there are over 100Million Indians outside of India. You do the math! These expat Aussies might have to endure worst fate soon if the Australian govt. doesn't step upto the plate and stop this crap....
Watch the start of Slumdog Millionaire to see how Indians treat Muslims in their own country. This was not a dramatisation its real. Discrimination and religious bigotry are both alive and well in India.
well.........all the attacks that have emerged on the stage seemes to be the uneasyness of indians to adapt the culture of host country which maninly
comprises the student community & not any proffesionals.....since clapping cannot be from one hand australians should be open hearted enough to treat them with grace....as indian students are a major part of autrallian community & draw indian currency from their homes to the australlian markets to make their living .....it is the natural responsibility of the australlian govt. to provide better hearings to indian community so that they can feel at home in the frightening roads in day as well in nights......i also appeal to indian students to introspect as there has been voices from australlian locals that indian students creat uneasy environment for local girls.........hope matter is sorted at earliest as every issue has a solution on table only & not on battle fields...
Frankly, I can see the point of view from either side. Do not know what to say... however badly I would like to. Every comment is true. From either side.
You indians are the biggest bunch of greedy hypocritical people ever. All you do is complain and want and want, u take and dont give back! U smell our country up with your unwashed armpits and curry and quite frankly i would love to see the back of you. I am glad people robbed and bashed you and hope it is a more common practice!
There is only one group of people who can call this country home. And they know who they are. They are the one's we have marginalised better than any other group of people. We have all grown into this country. Maybe it's time for all people to grow up and see that we are 1 species living together on a small blue dot in space.
Time to find our common good and put aside our differences. Indian students, learn more about this country you now call home - embrace the new, while carrying your heritage. Australian nationals, embrace what our Indian brothers and sisters have to offer us - let go of fear.
There is a statue of Bunjil looking over the city. Perhaps we can look at him and rememember to take a higher perspective of human life, just as the the spirit of Bunjil has always done.
It's true the Indian caste system isn't racism, but it might as well be.
One of my Indian friends married a man of a higher caste than herself when in australia and when they moved back to india his family ignored her completly even when she was sick with complications from her pregnancy.
The best thing they could do was return back to australia...
Let me say that Australia is not a racist country but it just cannot tolerate people of darker skin color.
It's a hugely immature way of looking at things and I condemn that.
Im not so sure that is right, Australia has tolerated and welcomed people with dark skin for many years. In fact, Indian people who have established lives in this country for many years have been the first to say that Australia isnt racist. They havent experienced it.
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