Racism

Would the millions of Jews slaughtered by Adolf Hitler still be alive today? Would there be as many wars? My speech today is to confront the discrimination of all kinds and for the public to comprehend this growing issue. Racism and discrimination lies through all corners of the globe tearing each other apart, terrorising lives and creating pointless wars.

Racism haunts our past and defiles our strong Australian image. The problem has endured in the roots of our Aussie history where our British counterparts stole the lands from the Aborigines, out casting them because of their colour. The cruelty bestowed on the Aboriginals is unforgiveable. Yet we still celebrate Australia day, the day the whites invaded and stole the island by force.

Our invasion has brandished an everlasting wound that will never heal. We judged them only from their appearance not from their character nor their personality or heart. Instead we reigned down on them like a plague forcing them into an entirely foreign culture and religion. Not only until the 20th century we welcomed them as Australian citizens, they were given the right to vote but most importantly they were treated as equals. Yet racism still corrupts Australia today.

The stolen Generation was a dreadful historical moment; our black brothers experience abuse that would never be forgotten. At that time our community discriminated against them classifying their colour as dirty and unclean and we demanded a white Australia. The white people actually attempted to breed out the blackness in Aboriginals. In my opinion I think it is inhumane and atrocious. This lead to the creation of what we called the ‘half caste’, people who were neither white nor black making them rejected from both societies.

Statistics show that 45% of black children live below the poverty line compared with 16% of white youngsters. In a matter of fact there are more black people in jail than in college. Is this because of the countless abuse they received? In the 1800s Black people were treated as mere weeds, parasites that shunned the development of the white civilisation. Thus we must act to ensure that the blacks are realised as our neighbouring brethren and that they were the victims.

Today Aborigines are still treated as an inferior race. Black unemployment rates today are double the white unemployment rates of approximately 5%. Even more troubling is that white people who have recently been released from jail experience more job hunting success than a black person with no criminal record. This information acquaints us to the fact that there are still fickle traces of racism still in society that should be immediately resolved.

In the flourishing world of opportunity, our multicultural country presents us with infinite choices. From dining out at a Chinese Restaurant to getting take away from maccas.We benefit greatly from having a multicultural community which presents us with a wide variety of music, food, celebrations, art etc to enjoy. Martin Luther King once told us that we shall unite hand in hand, black and white, as one nation and accept each other’s origins and culture.

Discrimination scorches Australia with hostility, creating barriers between our multi racial communities. Black people especially are victims of this ordeal and have been throughout their history when the British arrived at their doorstep.  All I ask for is for us as human beings to recognise the punishment our recent predecessors of the land bravely faced and to take action. I ask that we treat them fairly and never judge them of their appearance. Because it’s as Jesus once said,’ Do unto others as would have do unto you.’