2. A reflection
on a current educational issue in Sydney relating to culture and identity
With the constant influx of immigrants from over seas
countries within the past century, Australia has developed into a multicultural
nation and racism has found itself creeping into schools even through apparent ‘humor’.
What constitutes racism though? Being one of few
Syrians in a school of mainly Lebanese students, I embraced being humorously
called a ‘Syrian dog’ by my peers and took no offense to the profanity and often
replied with similar remarks. This, however, is not the case for all apparently
lighthearted humorous racial exchanges happening within schools today. It begs
the question, are these types of comments acceptable, even if the person
they’re directed to does not take offense? I would say it depends on the
context and the circumstance it is being said in.
About one year ago, an innocent video by an Intensive
English class in a school in western Sydney was posted of the students
embracing their cultures and their absorption into the Australian education
system, they express their love to write and for spelling and how much they
feel like they belong in the class. Little did they know this video would
somehow go viral and spread all over neighboring schools, and be ridiculed for
their accents. The song was mockingly sung all over schools, which was only a
reflection of the excessive ridicule people face today because of their race, and
the issues of drawing the line between a lighthearted joke, and a racist joke.
The ABC program The Drum addressed this issue recently
in response to the derogatory comments made by Eddie McGuire to Adam Goodes,
where the journalist states ‘’racist jokes are crass. Vulgar.
Hurtful. With your joke, you judge me before you even know me. You make me less
than equal, less than human. You affect my employment chances, my promotion
options. You affect how shopkeepers and security guards treat me. You humiliate
me in front of colleagues, friends, family, strangers.’’ This reflects the
views of many Australian students in schools who may experience racial jokes
inflicted upon them with intent of offense.
Race within Australia has been juggled
through commentary about people’s ethnicities to the point that it is often
difficult to distinguish where the line is drawn. Where racial jokes are one of
the many ‘’discursive mechanisms that contribute to the making and positioning
of radicalized identities that sustain race-based inequities and
discrimination’’ (Vass 2012, p 2). Where the lengthily effects of lighthearted
racist jokes may contribute to creating and promoting racial stigmas and
stereotypes which ultimately leads to racism.
References
Ho,
A 2013. ABC Homepage. Available from <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-30/ho---racism/4723212>
20th September 2013.
Vass, G 2012, ‘The racialised
educational landscape in Australia: listening to the
whispering elephant’, Race Ethnicity and Education,
pp. 1-26.
Hi Christy,
ReplyDeleteYet again I found myself intrigued with your blog, understanding your reflection and agreeing that it is a major educational issue in the school system. As Australia has been classified as one of the most multicultural countries in the world, it is sad to see that there is still so much racism towards other cultures and their identity. Words are constantly being thrown around with people hiding behind their hurtful remarks, naming them ‘jokes’ to avoid any conflict. As you mentioned in school it was different, different in that we were all Arabs and when we said often-inappropriate jokes no one took it to offence. On the other hand, when a non-Arab made the same joke, lets just say the situation got out of hand in most cases. No one enjoys being put down because of their culture and identity, especially when those individuals were born and raised in the same country as those making the remarks.
Although multiculturalism is being embraced into the education system, there are always those few ‘special’ individuals who take it upon them to make the lives of others difficult. All should, have appreciated the video that you have mentioned, as it takes a lot to come out of your comfort zone and embrace a new culture and way of living. The ridicule which was shown with the release of this video going viral shows the in tolerance of the people of our country and acceptance of mistreating others due to differences in minor aspects such as accents, dress code and even customs. These racial jokes need to stop; no one deserves to feel hurt and unwanted in a place they call home. We all deserve equal treatment, wouldn’t you feel the same if this was you being humiliated on a daily basis?