Do you consider yourself Australian?

reply to post by Jace26


I'll also point out that dot painting was actually given to Aborigines. The concept. Before white man, there was no dot painting.

But who'll care, it's just an interesting factoid, and does not serve any purpose...

I call myself Australian
I hate AFL and any other sport for that matter
I've never owned thongs or tank tops
I don't drink beer
I don't listen to Jimmy Barnes
I rarely do anything for Australia Day
I don't own a flag or cover my car with them on Australia Day
I don't want to ever visit Bali
I cook a BBQ maybe twice a year
I don't have a southern cross tattoo on my shoulder....

However:
I went to school with a diverse group of friends that enriched my life, opened my eyes to many different cultures, languages, religions and above all foods . Their families and my family all became a tight group who spend lots of time together. I was the only "Australian" out of the group and never had problems fitting in in my own country. My friends were Russian, British, Polish, Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Iranian, Dutch, Philipino and a New Zealander. It was a wonderful time at high school and they are still good friends to this day. My Vietnamese mate went on to join the Australian Army full time and has the nick name "Charley" and he thinks it's a cracker.
I am also a volunteer fire fighter for 2 years, a State Emergency Service volunteer for 11 years, lead a community fire safe group and am a professional career man. Its all in your demeaner and openness/friendlyness towards strangers that counts. I'd probably look at you wierdly and not particularly friendly if you looked at my multi-cultural mates with no doubt a look of contept and a lack of an Australian friendly smile.

Next time you walk through a group of "non Australians", do me a favour and crack a big smile and say G'day and see what response you get...... You'd be surprised fella......

PS Didn't Captain Cook get killed by racist Hawiians?

reply to post by Paldr001au


Great post. Hope there's plenty more people with that attitude hiding in this country of ours.

Line 2.

So, I wasn't 'born' in Australia...but have lived here most of my life...
My biggest problem with the 'I'm not a racist, immigration debate' is the language used to define 'Australian'.

MY COUNTRY
MY JOBS
MY SHOPPING CENTRES
MY NEIGHBOURHOOD

The real question, which should be answered before any other questions get asked is...
when, and how did YOU ever claim ownership of Australia?
...considering the land was wrenched from its original caretakers by 'white-bread' Europeans...and any white Australians living in this grand land are merely renting the place!
...and ownership might be 9/10 ths of the law, but I'm sure all You white bread ring-ins would be pissed if another 'culture' invaded all or part of YOUR country...
A

reply to post by akushla99

...considering the land was wrenched from its original caretakers by 'white-bread' Europeans...and any white Australians living in this grand land are merely renting the place!

See, how you are a hypocrite?
You came to Australia and live off the society that was created before, yet you only aknowledge aboriginals, even stating that all other are merely "renting", so in essence anyone born in Australia wgho isn't aboriginal has no place where they can call home, including you.

Do you see where your argument fails?

You suggest that people should never have come here, yet here you are. You speak against racist while making two very racist generalizations AND you dictate who can call themselves Australian, shooting yourself in the foot because it isn't you.

This is what happens when people believe what they want to believe and can't accept the truth.

Yes, you came to Australia to take advantage of what the "white breed" made and if these people left and you were alone with aboriginals you would leave in an instant.

Good luck with living in Australia. You won't make too many friends, I think

Originally posted by squandered
reply to post by akushla99

 

...considering the land was wrenched from its original caretakers by 'white-bread' Europeans...and any white Australians living in this grand land are merely renting the place!

See, how you are a hypocrite?
You came to Australia and live off the society that was created before, yet you only aknowledge aboriginals, even stating that all other are merely "renting", so in essence anyone born in Australia wgho isn't aboriginal has no place where they can call home, including you.

Do you see where your argument fails?

You suggest that people should never have come here, yet here you are. You speak against racist while making two very racist generalizations AND you dictate who can call themselves Australian, shooting yourself in the foot because it isn't you.

This is what happens when people believe what they want to believe and can't accept the truth.

Yes, you came to Australia to take advantage of what the "white breed" made and if these people left and you were alone with aboriginals you would leave in an instant.

Good luck with living in Australia. You won't make too many friends, I think

My 'argument' fails no-where, my friend...
You can surmise anything from what I have written, base an argument and veiled insult upon this surmission and ask me whether I am a hypocrite, or shooting myself in the foot any time you like...and continue the monologue in that vein...

I asked a pertinent question relating to 'Ownership'...and my quoted description reads...'WHITE-BREAD'...know English much?

Read VERY CAREFULLY what I've written, and acquire proper comprehension of it before slinging anything!

discuss...
A ;

I'm a white australian living in New Zealand and it's worse here. We are a disappearing race.

Deal with it.

Originally posted by akushla99

Originally posted by squandered
reply to post by akushla99

 

...considering the land was wrenched from its original caretakers by 'white-bread' Europeans...and any white Australians living in this grand land are merely renting the place!

See, how you are a hypocrite?
You came to Australia and live off the society that was created before, yet you only aknowledge aboriginals, even stating that all other are merely "renting", so in essence anyone born in Australia wgho isn't aboriginal has no place where they can call home, including you.

Do you see where your argument fails?

You suggest that people should never have come here, yet here you are. You speak against racist while making two very racist generalizations AND you dictate who can call themselves Australian, shooting yourself in the foot because it isn't you.

This is what happens when people believe what they want to believe and can't accept the truth.

Yes, you came to Australia to take advantage of what the "white breed" made and if these people left and you were alone with aboriginals you would leave in an instant.

Good luck with living in Australia. You won't make too many friends, I think

My 'argument' fails no-where, my friend...
You can surmise anything from what I have written, base an argument and veiled insult upon this surmission and ask me whether I am a hypocrite, or shooting myself in the foot any time you like...and continue the monologue in that vein...

I asked a pertinent question relating to 'Ownership'...and my quoted description reads...'WHITE-BREAD'...know English much?

Read VERY CAREFULLY what I've written, and acquire proper comprehension of it before slinging anything!

discuss...
A ;

You've proven nothing. I stand by what I have said. If you tell me where I'm wrong I'll not only take notice, I'll thank you for taking the effort.

The thing is, we ordinary Aussies who came here and set up the whole country for which you appear completely ungrateful, get sick and tired of new-comers with a chip on their shoulders telling us that we have no rights.

The exact same type of people who make comments like yours will invariably tell me I must be English, German, Italian etc etc instead of Australian because don't identify themselves as Australian. There is no way to tell these people that you are just an Aussie and all the bits and pieces of genetics from wherever don't make you less Australian. Being Australian is is a state of mind, but these people believe themselves to be outsiders and then decided everyone else is.

I have as much right to be here as an aboriginal. You on the other hand.. not so sure..

reply to post by squandered


You obviously have a chip on your shoulder, my friend...and you have a very poor comprehension of the english language...and following on from that, you deduce (because of this erroneous comprehension) certain assumptions about me and what I have written. The strength of your argument (if there is a strength) is lost in the generalisation about me and my kind...
My original question, which as yet, has not been answered...by you or anyone...is, once again...

By what authority do you or does anyone claim ownership of Australia...and therefore, begin to speak of it as YOUR COUNTRY, YOUR JOBS, YOUR SHOPPING DISTRICTS, YOUR LAND?

It is (as I originally said) the pertinent question which must be answered to continue any further in a discussion about whether someone considers themselves Australian, or not...

If a dynamic of 'Us & Them' is set up (a dynamic which has been played several times in Australian history)...the 'them' is the outside/non-australian/ethnic/invading hordes...

My question is...
Who is the 'US'?
...and what makes US...US?

What does being an Australian feel like?
Is it an exclusive club?
Do I need to wear certain clothes?
Like certain things?
How long does it take to become an Australian?

The O.P. asks..."Do you consider yourself Australian"...

...if you do...why?

A

reply to post by akushla99


I'll take a step back and concede that we are not going to get along and ignore the obvious hypocrisy in your answers.

By what authority do you or does anyone claim ownership of Australia...and therefore, begin to speak of it as YOUR COUNTRY, YOUR JOBS, YOUR SHOPPING DISTRICTS, YOUR LAND?

Simple answer - already stated.

I am Australian because I am not anything else.

I am a citizen of the world, true enough, but my country of origin is Australian and not anything else.

If you keep your original culture in tact, okay. That could mean a number of things both good and bad so I have nothing to add. We all did that. We are all a mix of cultures in an ever changing melting pot. That's how Australia currently is.

If you tell me you are Eg. Indian / Australian you are probably Indian and the degree of Australian is unknown. If you are in Australia for a short stay yet you find yourself telling people how to act, you will quickly become unwelcome. Clearly you have vested interested outside of Australia.

Not sure if I can make myself clearer, yet as you still can't comprehend my initial rebuttal, I'm damn near certain you'll learn nothing at all.... "know it all"

reply to post by mainidh


Wrong. The art was drawn into the sand as storytelling. The Papunya people were convinced to put it onto a material form by art teacher Geoffrey Bardon.

So posturing that 'dot art' was given to the Indigenous people is wrong and incorrect.

Well... Growing up I was always told that you not really an 'Australian' unless you are an Aboriginal, so in a way I guess a little part of me feels guilty for calling myself a true Aussie (strange I know) because I'm white and most of my family is of scottish decent.
I was born here, grew up here, spoke the language, and played some Aussie rules....
But when you're always hearing people say Aboriginals are the true owners of the land, I fell like an outsider... a trespasser... an intruder. Maybe this is me being silly but I don't feel fully Australian.

reply to post by mentaliz


I've never paid attention to that. The only people who say "only aboriginals are Australian" are new Australians who don't like being told that something they are doing is un-Australian. Admittedly, some Aussies try to take advantage of newcomers. That's their style. I wouldn't appreciate some bogan telling me I'm unwelcome, but I wouldn't react by fighting the concept of being Australian. If it's an aboriginal telling you, you're not an Aussie, phhsst... same person has a vested interest in segregating people on racial lines.

I think the whole "who owns the land" arguement to then be able to refer to the ground as theirs is a bit of a farce. Realistically anyone living in Australia or on any other part of the world are merely custodians of that patch of turf at that given moment. Capitalism has chopped it all up and turned it into a huge money maker, and rarely ever defines "ownership" through liason with traditional land owners. Just look at the Amazon dams and what they are going to do to the local indiginous tribes.

Things have changed drastically since white settlement/invasion when displaced citizens arrived in Terra Nullis (lands not belonging to anyone?) Australia. These colonies were established as either a forced labor work camp through convicts exiled from the United Kingdoms or as a free state/colony, free from religious persecution. My city, Adelaide in South Australia, was started as a colony that allowed people from all corners of the world to settle and practice whatever religion they wanted and hence we have a rich cultural presence. We had plenty of non english speaking immigrants settle here and make this state and city a great place to live in. We had Germans, Irish, Scotts, Chinese, Afghans, etc and Adelaide is known as the City of Churches due to the diversity of religions practiced.

The fact that these established states and territories were based upon religious freedom back in 1836 throws out the whole arguement that people coming here through immigration/refugee status will somehow destroy the Australian way of life. The vast majority of people trying to push through all these stupid laws banning the discussion of Christmas/Easter at schools, wearing crosses etc are stupid "Australian" lawyers just trying to make a name for themselves through stiffing the Australian Public.

I have met plenty of Australians that just don't fit the "Australian mold", meaning they aren't easy going, fun loving, back the downtrodden, friendly, loyal, welcoming people. I have also met plenty of immigrants that have been here for a few years that do fit the mold.... I'd argue that tenure in Australia does not make you Australian. I was watching a documentary on Vietnamese refugees back in the 70's and it discussed the first refugee boat that arrived in Darwin harbour. The Vietnamese lads had been at sea for a long time and quickly moored it at a free berth, approached some aussie builders on the wharf and asked nicely for a smoke. The Vietnamese guy being interviewed on the TV show got all teary and said the guys passed them a few packets of smokes and said "welcome to Australia mates". That is truely being Australian.

How can immigrants/refugees adapt to the Australian way of life without being shown it? If you live in Australia, invite the new neighbours around for a BBQ and make yourself known and give them a hand. The real reason the Australian culture is dying is due to a lack of community engagement by its inhabitants.