Riots in "The Shire"
As is usual at the Sty, the commentary about today's headline issue is about 24 hours behind everyone else's. To make matters worse, I think of an 'original' angle, only to find someone else has had the same thought and already written about it.
This time, Darp beat me to it. I was thinking about the ultra-parochial attitude of those who live in the Sutherland Shire, or "The Shire" as they call it. Those who live there talk about the district with a reverence quite unlike any other suburban group; God's own country, a place like no other that all others can only aspire to.
The Sutherland Shire is a very different part of Sydney. It's "the Shire", get your passport stamped at the Captain Cook Bridge and over you go.The Shire locals are a very protective bunch. It's their Shire, their beach and their Cronulla Sharkies.
This is not a new phenomenon, first coming to my notice over 20 years ago. I never thought, however, that this civic pride would boil over into the worst kind of violent nationalistic behaviour.
What struck me most about the mob was the use of the national flag as some sort of war dress, reminiscent of National Front rallies in the UK where the Union Jack was the dominant symbol.
The whole episode makes one nostalgic for the days when nationalism was unheard of in this country ... a time when Australia Day was just another long weekend, and suburban tribal conflicts were matters of differing lifestyles and musical tastes rather than based on ethnicity and religion.
The best thing that can happen now is to limit media exposure and let the law take its course, while hoping that this is an unfortunate 'one off' and not the beginning of ongoing racial violence.
Elsewhere: Mr Lefty beautifully sums up the contestants in this post.
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Whilst media coverage probably should be limited (due to its overwhelming nature to confuse and irritate people) I can't help but notice that the both of us have made use of the web to comment on this issue. I am pleased to notice that you, like me, have a preference for peace. I only wish more people did!
I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but I am a Canadian citizen and, while I've never been to Australia, I've travelled all over the world and spent a lot of time with Australians.
I'm very confused at what I'm seeing on the news lately, it does not seem to reflect the attitude of any Australians I've spent time with.
But what I am noticing that I find quite disturbing is a defensive tone in the Australian media. There seems to be a real ignorance to the kind of hate and hostility that some people in your country feel.
In Canada I almost feel we are too hard on ourselves when it comes to issues involving race.
Why are Australians so defensive and loathe to admit that the country has a serious problem with rascism?
I'd like to be able put my head in the sand like our beloved Prime Minister, but there's always been an undercurrent of racism in Australia. That said, there's never been the an instance like this before, where the fighting's been between two ethnic groups rather than one group and the police. Not in my memory, anyway.
According to reports this morning, there's been some agitating by groups from the Lunar Right. A very nasty development.
We'll just have to wait and see if this is a 'one off' or a disturbing trend.
Hang on Tony - what about the Lambing Flat Riots which took place near here and instigated the White Australia Policy. Very much white Australians against Chinese.
What I'm wondering is if anyone's going to have the nerve to book Alan jones under the new Sedition laws - his behavious for the past week surely qualifies. If they don't, we should all be asking them why.
However, I have heard from more than one source that small gangs of Lebanes thugs have been roaming those beaches for ages, intimidating other young people and nothing has been done to persuade them that it's not acceptable
I received a hideous email from a far right group this morning - there's some serious whipping up going on. Not Happy John.
I think Lambing Flat was a bit before my time, Sue!
Although Mr Jones is not on my list of 'must listens' I've read that he may not have helped the situation. Unfortunately, he's politically untouchable. Both sides of the parliament seem to run scared of his perceived media power.
There's certainly been reports of intimidation on the beach by ethnic groups over the past couple of years. However, I don't think that's an excuse to hold such a display of mob violence, while attempting to legitimise it by displaying the flag and misappropriating the ANZAC legend.
Agreed - there's no excuse.
Anyone in need of an emetic should have listened to David Flint defending Alan Jones on radio today - for unctious twaddle it took the cake.
Yep Lambing Flat wasn't quite on my radar either but it certainly was a race riot, motivated by jealousy, resentment and fear of the unknown