Racism is alive and well.
Watching Glory Road,
a story about a basketball team in the US who play predominantly African
Americans, the first team to do so made me stop and think. It caused me to
reflect on racism in Australia; more specifically racism against Aboriginal
people. Over the last week or so we have seen two separate racist incidents
direct at Adam Goodes; one by a child the other a well-known TV presenter and
football CEO. While the incidents are of course upsetting for Adam Goodes, the
timing cannot be better. I increasingly hear, that Australia is not a racist
country. That there is no racism against Aboriginal people, that “I am not
racist”. These statements cannot be true in the wake of the incidents against
Adam Goodes. These two incidents were covered heavily in the media but what
about the incidents that are not covered. Almost everyday I hear that someone I
know who has been the subject of racism. And the days that I do not, it doesn’t
mean it has not occurred.
As an individual I can do very little about it, however that
does not stop me from doing and saying what ever I can to counter the racism.
On a personal level, I live my life in a way that shows that Aboriginal people
are not the stereotypes that continued to be maintained. I am well educated,
well spoken and career orientated, yet I am still Aboriginal. I work for an
Aboriginal organisation, I respect elders, my land and my people. I believe
that Aboriginal people are strong and proud, as I am a strong proud Aboriginal
woman. I believe the little bits that individuals make contribute to a bigger
movement.
Beyond defying the stereotype’s, I look to work toward a
future where Aboriginal people can just “be”.
The career path I have chosen is not about the money I could make but
working to promote a future where Aboriginal people are afforded all the
opportunities this “lucky country” has to offer. This country has and sometimes
continues to, deny Aboriginal people opportunity. There is nothing “lucky”
about that. Therefore I fight for the people who cannot fight for themselves.
The people who have suffered more than they can handle and their ability to
fight has been extinguished. I fight for those who do not know how to fight and
for those who are too young to fight. I fight for those who are too tired to
fight. I fight because things do not change on their own. We need to be the
agents of our own change, because no one will hand it to us.
We live in a time when racism is more covert. Where people
hide their racism because racism is no longer PC. Where people who do not
experience racism believe it does not exist. Complacency will only hurt us,
which is why even though Adam Goodes is hurting, the racism he has suffered is
what we all suffer as Aboriginal people and now Australia has not choice but to
see.
So when people question me on why I fight for Aboriginal
people. That is why I fight. Because if those of us who can fight do not we
will continue to live under the cloud of racism. And the gains the generations
before us made will slip quietly away.
Summer May Finlay
Well put Summer, I often say to participants in my workshoips that racism is not something we as Aboriginal peoples or peoplesof many other minority groups in this nation, have the right to think abouteach morning, we know it is there and we know if it doesn't smack us in the face today it sure will tomorrow. Racism is something that the majority population have the basic right to consider each morning as they roll out of bed and continue on with their days. They can choose whether to take part in the abuse, or to sit on the 'fence' and let things be (which is in essence no different to being personally involved) or they can chose to stand up and fight against such issues. It is only with the support and the voice of the majority that racism will subside and discontinue having the detrimental impact it does on minority gorups throughout Australia.
ReplyDeleteThanx Clinton, I think sometimes Aboriginal people choose to site on the fence as well which compounds the issue.
DeleteThough you are right, Aboriginal people can not do this alone, the majority need to be also stand up against racism toward Aboriginal people before things will start to move in the right direction.The issue is that the rcasism is no longer as obvious as it once was making it harder to put your finger on at times.
Nice blog Summer! Racism is alive and well. I find myself continually outraged, especially across social media. Some of it is ignorance but most of it is malicious. Although it feels like an uphill battle, I do believe as a nation we are making progress. Although there have been setbacks such as the rise of Hansonism in the late 90s and the ongoing and shameful asylum seeker debate, I think there is cause to be optimistic.
ReplyDeleteWe can all make a difference in our own small way.
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ReplyDeleteFor what it is worth (probably not much) here's my blog on racism in Aus.
ReplyDeletehttp://clibrig.blogspot.com/2016/08/xenophobia-and-racism.html