Lebs vs Aussies - some quick thoughts

Wow - Sunday was crazy at Cronulla. 5000 “Whities” coming from all over Sydney to stand unified in their hatred of "men of Middle-Eastern appearance" (actually, and women, if some of the reports can be believed).

The first thing this has done is throw up the age-old argument that Australia is not a multi-cultural society and there are undercurrents of racism that exist, and always will exist, that the mainstream refuses to recognise.

I think this is half right.

Racism, in the sense of discrimination or prejudice based on race is an innate part of the human condition. The key is the degree to which we act in response to these feelings. That's what separates the majority from those that instigated and carried on this nonsense in beachside Sydney this, and last, weekend.

There will always be racism in Australia, but that does not preclude us from being multi-cultural - last Sunday I sat and had lunch with A Lebanese Christian, a Lebanese Muslim, an Indonesian, a Ghanaian, a Filipino and me, a Spanish Australian... and we were eating at an Italian Restaurant in beachside Bondi. Funnily enough it was only when I considered it that I realised our different backgrounds. We were the new Australia, all from different backgrounds but all Aussies in the end.

The second thing is, like in many places around the world, this explicit hatred of a general group of people is often founded on some form of actual facts - blown out of proportion - then developed into a cult-like following.

Middle-Eastern hatred of the US can be linked to the role the US has had in promoting tensions in the region and the political expediency involved in supporting the Israeli cause despite the hypocrisy of taking a People's land to give to another People who had their land taken.

Clearly (actually, almost certainly) most Americans have no idea about what's really going on in the Middle East and they probably don't overtly support the oppression of Middle Eastern people for political gain, but they've been caught up in the fight. As a result, there would appear to be a general hatred and fear of those from the Middle East.

Now, transpose this to beachside Cronulla. There is no doubt that the few Lebs who were minding their own business at Cronulla ought not have been attacked like they were, but this cannot be taken out of context. For far too long Lebanese gangs (I only call them gangs as a descriptor - I realise that its just generally groups of friends and family hanging out) have intimidated and threatened people wherever they go. While out of context (and probably in context) what happened yesterday in Cronulla was unacceptable, it is, in some ways understandable.

Hopefully the tension will die down now for a bit and we will all look back and learn a thing or two. The Anglo-Saxon Aussies involved need to learn that neither beaches, nor Australia in general, is "theirs" - it's yours and mine and the Lebs' and the Asians' and everyone's - either those Anglo-Saxon Aussies can learn to like it or they can go back to where they came from. Secondly, young Leb guys need to realise that you can't go round causing trouble like that - bashing a lifesaver is ridiculous. Don't blame it on culture or origin - blame it on the fact that they think it's funny to attack soft targets. I have nothing against gang on gang violence - it sounds kinda fair and at least everyone there is there for a fight - just leave the rest of society out of it and I guarantee that, miraculously, people will start hating Lebamese Australians in general, a lot less.