Sweet sweat

What an insidious thing racism is.

Yesterday, while attending a management course, the facilitator was talking about a national survey their group did in 2000, 2001, 2003 and again this year. He was explaining trends in results and mentioned that there was a big shift in attitudes between 2001 and 2003 which could be explained by world events - "such as September 11," he said. Then he said they didn't expect such a big swing this year because no such serious world events had occurred in the interim - "Oh, there was the war in Iraq, of course," he said "but nothing on the scale of September 11!" - Excuse me - am I missing something here? I would have thought casualties as a result of the Iraq war were somewhat higher than September 11, but as one pissed off left-wing friend said -"yes but if they are yellow or brown they don't count in western thinking." I'm afraid she is right.

Another disappointment came in the form of a disgusting forwarded email from a dear friend who once upon a time would have known better and ranted against anyone who passed on such blatant racist tripe.

Then today a work-mate told me how he'd watched a local shop-keeper putting toy guns on display. The shop-keeper had casually remarked that he had to get something in for the local muslim kids!

F A R O U T!!!!! What happened to the spirit embodied in the words of that great patriotic song:
We are one,
but we are many,
and from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream, and sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian!

Speak up readers -Comment against racism here!