how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority

[West Ender]

Terry, having made your statement from a country which is only now coming to terms with, and accepting, the atrocious way it treated its indigenous people and which operated a vicious colour-bar until relatively recently I think you should reconsider your words.

The Aborigines in your adopted homeland were relentlessly persecuted, to the point of extinction in Tasmania, for 3 centuries. It was not until the 1960s that they were recognised as "citizens". Aboriginal children were torn from their homes, before WW2, in an attempt to "civilise" them.

What about the "White Australia" policy? I had personal knowledge of a friend who was Eurasian, born in Singapore and married to an Englishman, who was unable to emigrate to Australia in the 60s because she was dark skinned. Her husband would have been welcomed - alone. She was not.

Now, of course I don't hold you in any way responsible for Australia's past. I'm also sure you are in no way racially prejudiced but it is rather crass to berate the people of Accrington in the way you did without considering the cultural history into which you have migrated.

As a matter of interest, may I ask how many of your neighbours are of Aboriginal ethnicity?

[Flash]

Originally Posted by garinda

Fifteen people killed in racist attack...in Childers, Queensland.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1831507.stm

Just read the link you posted- not quite sure it supports your argument though. The guy concerned had been racial abusive o someone else at the hostel but the piece does not suggest that the aim of his subsequent allegd arson attack was racially motivated.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Flash

Just read the link you posted- not quite sure it supports your argument though. The guy concerned had been racial abusive o someone else at the hostel but the piece does not suggest that the aim of his subsequent allegd arson attack was racially motivated.

Just pointing out hat there isn't a racist free Shangri la anywhere, even in a town of 2,500 in Queensland.

[Flash]

Accepted- its a tragedy but it is true.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by West Ender

As a matter of interest, may I ask how many of your neighbours are of Aboriginal ethnicity?

That's a good point West Ender - come on Terry how many aboriginal Australians do you invite round for tea?

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by garinda

Fifteen people killed in racist attack...in Childers, Queensland.

Queensland isn't that the home of Pauline Hanson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Hanson

Sorry Terry, but I found Australia to be a very racist country, admittedly a lot of it came from 'working class' white flight British migrants who had moved there in the last 30 yrs or so. But I would like to ask you one question .......
Do you think Australia and New Zealand would have changed their 'whites' only immigration policies without the pressure applied by the UN /America/UK due to their (in my opinion) misguided efforts to bring majority rule to Rhodesia and South Africa ?

[claytonender]

Originally Posted by Eric

I would not consider commenting on the "ethnics" of Accy, and how Accringonians handle their presence. When I was growing up in Clayton the nearest thing we had to an ethnic minority was the French onion seller. Oh, and an Italian barber, I forget his name. But whenever I see the area on TV, and we had some footage of Muslims in Blackburn recently, I see that the presence has changed. I don't live in Clayton any more, even tho sometimes I am sorry that I left ... guess that's my roots tugging at me. All I feel able to add are a few comments from a foreign country. And even tho' Canada is a lot like England, a lot more than it is like America, it is still a foreign land, in all senses of the word. What I do see is that there is a lot less racism in Accrington than one would expect, given the size of the minority groups in the area.

The Italian barber was called Bacigalupa (I know the spellings not right ), he had a shop at the corner of Whalley Road and Canal Street (If my memory seves me right). I remember my dad saying he was also a bookie's runner in the days when there weren't any betting shops and off course betting was illegal.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I'm not sure of the spelling either but I think it ended in 'o'

[claytonender]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I'm not sure of the spelling either but I think it ended in 'o'

I think it did as well, but it was late when I posted the message.