It's a weird and disgusting thing. One could ask, where in the
world do you have race riots with girls in bikinis participating?
Here's an article form the Sydney Morning Herald which has the most
insightful commentary:
[1]http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/where-the-other-fears-to-trea
d/2005/12/12/1134235999890.html
Keep in mind that Cronulla is a well-off, upper middle class suburb
that probably votes for John Howard. But I am somewhat persuaded by
arguments that it may be more productive to understand the events
in terms of teenage gangs than in terms of race riots. There is
surely though also an element in common with the events in Paris,
the young Lebanese kids who feel excluded and resentful. And they
have been "misbehaving". :)
The next couple of days there have been "revenge riots" in the
western suburbs, with the Lebanese kids "hitting back" by bashing
perfectly innocent "Anglo Australians". I find the whole thing
incredibly depressing. Hopefully the police are now on top of it.
(Listen to me!)
On top of this, when interviewed about the Cronulla mob, the PM,
John Howard said that "people shouldn't take the law into their own
hands"!! What he is referring to is that the mobs were supposedly
retaliating against a group of Lebanese kids who bashed a group of
"life savers" (i.e, bronzed, blonded surfies from the in-crowd in
Cronulla), our esteemed Prime Minister chides the mob (his
constituents) for "taking the law into their own hands"! Evidently
it is the job of the police to bash up innocent Lebbos. He then
went on to refuse to condemn people for (literally) wrapping
themselves in the Australian flag while bashing people with beer
bottles. "People have a right to express their love for their
country through the Australian lag" he said!
:(
Andy
At 11:40 AM 13/12/2005 -0300, you wrote:
Horrible things are happening in Sydney. Is there any XMCAr there
to share
some CHAT thoughts about what's going on?
David D. Preiss Ph.D.
Andy Blunden, on behalf of the Victorian Peace Network, Phone (+61)
03-9380 9435
Alexander Surmava's Tour - September/October 2006
[2]http://ethicalpolitics.org/alexander-surmava/index.htm
References
1. http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/where-the-other-fears-to-tread/2005/12/12/1134235999890.html
2. http://ethicalpolitics.org/alexander-surmava/index.htm
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