[MD] Multiculturalism scam - australia

[Christoffer Ivarsson]

[Ian]
> As a European having spent a couple of years in Oz and three in the
> US, I would agree with your "judgements". ie it's not a matter of
> sloganizing "tolerance" but judging what you find, as your experience
> does.

> No doubt that Oz is a greater ethnic and cultural mix even that the
> US. Remembering that I was based in Perth, but spent time in
> Melbourne, Sidney (but not Brissy) and also several trips to NZ, I
> have a question. Whilst the "immigrant" community was ethnically
> diverse and seemingly integrated, I couldn't help noticing the anomaly
> that the marginalized down and outs were generally the Aboriginals,
> whereas in NZ the Maoris seemed much more integrated.
>
> Is that impression correct ? Any idea why ?

I spent 9 months in NZ a couple of years ago, never been to Australia 
though.  NZ is quite weird when it comes to the Maori I think. Maori culture 
is used as a means of boosting national pride, hakka and maori art - calling 
the place Aotearoa even though your  of European decent. And still there is 
a lot of hidden racism around. At least I thought there was.

It was pretty much like what I understand racism towards African-Americans 
is often like: when you talk to "white-people" for a while and if the 
subject touches the problems of high crime rates within the Maori-population 
(which is indeed a problem) similarly to racism in other places the 
explanation that people offer to it is not that these people often come from 
quite poor conditions and that they might have a harder time getting a job - 
instead statements like "they are lazy and violent" are thrown around. 
Quietly, when only "white people" are around. Not considering that it might 
be just that attitude that makes it so hard for the different groups of 
people to truly integrate.

And it turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy for young Maoris too.  If 
people around them expect them to be more violent than others - many of them 
will more easily turn to violent behaviour. It really is a quite old story.

Sigh

//Chris