Citizenship.
That's a fun new buzzword isn't it? Along with 'mateship' and 'fairness'... concepts that apparently are what Australian society is all about.
You could have fooled me.
I've been feeling cranky and irritable at current events and they're all snowballing into one big festering ball of frustration and shame and anger... They're all connected and conspiring to ruin my (not particularly expansive in the first place) festive spirit.
a) David Hicks, Phillip Ruddock, habeas Corpus, promises, a 'fair go'
b) Citizenship tests, language tests, Australian society, 'mateship', a 'fair go'
c) Cronulla, one year on... Manipulative and sensationalist reporting from my beloved ABC.
Firstly - David Hicks. It doesn't matter where he was captured, who he was captured with, what the people he associated did at any point before or after he was captured.... He has been confined for 5 years in legal limbo. This is not right. This is how civilised countries treat people. This is not how Australia should treat it's citizens. It is not a 'fair go'. And none of the accusations made against Hicks have been tested in a court of law, and therefore no-one should be judging him based on these allegations. It's not how we do things here, and it's not how we should allow our citizens to be treated by our allies. What does this say about Australian Citizenship? That the rights entailed by citizenship are something that can be overlooked if circumstances dictate?
Secondly - Citizenship tests... Y'know, I think I'm coming down on the side of a citizenship test. And basic language testing. As long as the applicants for citizenship are given everything they need to learn English. That means more classes. More accessible classes. Free classes. The same goes for citizenship tests.
In fact, I'll go one further.... I think everyone should be tested for citizenship. I don't think it's only migrants who should be tested. I think even those who were lucky enough to be born here should be tested on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. I think it would be a real eye-opener for a lot of people to suddenly realise that, despite living their entire lives here, they actually don't know squat about out society. I think that we should all be tested at 18, before we're allowed to vote. It might mean that people take their citizenship seriously. Maybe... Perhaps... I live in hope...
Thirdly - Cronulla. I watched the 7:30 Report segment on Cronulla yesterday and it made me seethe. Not particularly silently either. I was yelling and swearing and alarming MrB something shocking. I don't think I've seen something so totally manipulated and tabloid-esque on my ABC. The crux of it was: nothing has changed. All the Shireies are still racist bigots. All the muslims are still afraid for their lives. They even interviewed one of the Lebanese girls who is now training to be a lifeguard at Cronulla (one of the major initiatives post Dec 11) and she was saying, 'oh, I'll always be uneasy here... nothing's really changed...'
I call 'Bullshit' on the whole damn thing. I say to the media, keep your meddling fucking stories out of it, and let everyone try and work things out amicably and intelligently. There's been lots of dialogue going on for the last year, and this stories are not helping anyone. And they're just pandering to the more extreme elements in both camps. And there shouldn't even be camps. In fact I still feel so strongly that I've gone all inarticulate.
So. In short: Aussie values are whatever we need to fix on in order to demonise people. There's something there for everyone - we can use them for unions, or against them... for racists or for refugees... they mean everything and nothing. They are at once recognisable in the people around us, and at the same time completely non-existent. But whatever they are, they still provoke the strongest feelings in all of us. I am proud to be an Australian, but I'm one of the lucky ones who've been able to make a choice. And to stand up and pledge an allegiance to this place. It's empowering. I am, you are, we are etc etc etc...
That's a fun new buzzword isn't it? Along with 'mateship' and 'fairness'... concepts that apparently are what Australian society is all about.
You could have fooled me.
I've been feeling cranky and irritable at current events and they're all snowballing into one big festering ball of frustration and shame and anger... They're all connected and conspiring to ruin my (not particularly expansive in the first place) festive spirit.
a) David Hicks, Phillip Ruddock, habeas Corpus, promises, a 'fair go'
b) Citizenship tests, language tests, Australian society, 'mateship', a 'fair go'
c) Cronulla, one year on... Manipulative and sensationalist reporting from my beloved ABC.
Firstly - David Hicks. It doesn't matter where he was captured, who he was captured with, what the people he associated did at any point before or after he was captured.... He has been confined for 5 years in legal limbo. This is not right. This is how civilised countries treat people. This is not how Australia should treat it's citizens. It is not a 'fair go'. And none of the accusations made against Hicks have been tested in a court of law, and therefore no-one should be judging him based on these allegations. It's not how we do things here, and it's not how we should allow our citizens to be treated by our allies. What does this say about Australian Citizenship? That the rights entailed by citizenship are something that can be overlooked if circumstances dictate?
Secondly - Citizenship tests... Y'know, I think I'm coming down on the side of a citizenship test. And basic language testing. As long as the applicants for citizenship are given everything they need to learn English. That means more classes. More accessible classes. Free classes. The same goes for citizenship tests.
In fact, I'll go one further.... I think everyone should be tested for citizenship. I don't think it's only migrants who should be tested. I think even those who were lucky enough to be born here should be tested on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. I think it would be a real eye-opener for a lot of people to suddenly realise that, despite living their entire lives here, they actually don't know squat about out society. I think that we should all be tested at 18, before we're allowed to vote. It might mean that people take their citizenship seriously. Maybe... Perhaps... I live in hope...
Thirdly - Cronulla. I watched the 7:30 Report segment on Cronulla yesterday and it made me seethe. Not particularly silently either. I was yelling and swearing and alarming MrB something shocking. I don't think I've seen something so totally manipulated and tabloid-esque on my ABC. The crux of it was: nothing has changed. All the Shireies are still racist bigots. All the muslims are still afraid for their lives. They even interviewed one of the Lebanese girls who is now training to be a lifeguard at Cronulla (one of the major initiatives post Dec 11) and she was saying, 'oh, I'll always be uneasy here... nothing's really changed...'
I call 'Bullshit' on the whole damn thing. I say to the media, keep your meddling fucking stories out of it, and let everyone try and work things out amicably and intelligently. There's been lots of dialogue going on for the last year, and this stories are not helping anyone. And they're just pandering to the more extreme elements in both camps. And there shouldn't even be camps. In fact I still feel so strongly that I've gone all inarticulate.
So. In short: Aussie values are whatever we need to fix on in order to demonise people. There's something there for everyone - we can use them for unions, or against them... for racists or for refugees... they mean everything and nothing. They are at once recognisable in the people around us, and at the same time completely non-existent. But whatever they are, they still provoke the strongest feelings in all of us. I am proud to be an Australian, but I'm one of the lucky ones who've been able to make a choice. And to stand up and pledge an allegiance to this place. It's empowering. I am, you are, we are etc etc etc...
posted by actonb at 10:37 am
1 Comments:
This is the most Un-australian post I've ever read. Hand yourself in to the local police station, terrorist.
I actually mean, right on sister!
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