my innermost sanctum

from the horse's gob

what my aussie work partner

has got to say about the madness in sydney. i emailed to ask after her after having read about the disturbance, so here it is - reproduced without permission.

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Re race riots
Basically more to do with being thick more than race. the direct confrontation was between Lebanese 20s plus and the beach type 20s plus in one specific area of Sydney which is quite xenophobic.

I have been hassled and received racist remarks from both groups over time. The problem is basically identity- with migrant Middle East young men growing up in Australia and in conflict with Australian values. with little or no respect for women- their own girls walking around in sheets, they come to the beach ( need to go somewhere ) Australian girls won't go out with them- they see the non-Muslim world living a very different life - free and easy- so they translate that as immoral.

I have been held up by a gang of Middle east guys while I was trying to go to tutor Korean kids next door - at about 6pm in the evening. this time the Lebanese guys were at a crowded beach - playing soccer. The Beach Lifesavers advised them not to play soccer on the beach ( plenty of space here - so they can play in the playing fields.)

Life savers here play an integral part in society- they are volunteers who risk their lives to save others. Well the Lebanese guys responded by bashing up the Lifesavers. This is their normal reaction. Well the thickest part of the Oz group responded and it escalated. but the major damage to property - like smashing windscreens of inhabitants cars in whole streets came from the Lebanese group.

They are frequently violent- have a terrible record of rapes and bashing etc, and are alienated from other migrant groups because of their lack of respect for women and propensity to violence. Well, we have over 200 languages here and we don't want any of this so everyone from every group is sitting squash on the trouble makers, in a very Australian way.

There is ultimately a lot of intermarriage across all groups here, and these marriages usually work, so that is our future. Any way I don't think the wee islet will be bothered by too many Australians in the future, so you don't have to put up with the negatives.

Its a pity that we often notice the "ÿuk"factor in other cultures.

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exactly matey. we often notice the yuck factor in folk who appear differently from us. and behave strangely to us.

and i've always believed it's mighty galling for the wee islet and its natives to loudly declare - no, boast more like it - emsleves as multi-racial [ie: chink, malay, indian and other's - whatever that means].

multi-racial, my derierre.