Prime Minister John Howard has condemned the race-based attacks in Sydney, but says they don’t mean Australia is a racist nation. “I do not accept there is underlying racism in this country,” Mr Howard said today following yesterday’s race riots at Cronulla Beach. “I have always taken a more optimistic view of the character of the Australian people.” SMH. Monday 12th December 2005.
How can John Howard be so blind? His can he make these utterances? His government has promoted a campaign based upon politics of fear. Howard’s government, like that of Bush and Blair, have over-emphasised the theat of terrorism across the world. The immigration and foreign policies of John Howard’s government smack of jingoism and nationalism. Howard says there is no underlying racism in this country! The policies of John Howard’s government breed jingoistic views that lead in turn to racism.
During John Howard’s watch we have had Pauline Hanson’s unbridled racist pronouncements, the Tampa incident, illegal deportations, appaling immigration detention centres, the Cronulla race riots and blind adherence to the insane foreign policies of the USA. Australia’s image abroad has deteriorated during this time. We are perceived as racist by people overseas.
How can Howard deny there is underlying racism in this country? His government is promoting the environment that nurtures jingoism and racism. One only has to look at the sickening increase in the number of Australian flags fluttering in the front yards of Australian homes… misplaced nationalism. Pauline Hanson is now an accepted televsion personality… how appalling is that!? She should be in prison. She did more to tarnish the image of our country abroad than any other single individual in our history.
John Howard has an optimistic view of the character of the Australian people. Does he not realise that many people overseas have a dim view of the character of the Australian people due to his arrogance, jingoistic foreign policies and retrograde immigration policies?