Posted by dereklane on October 31, 2009, 8:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Australian hospitality."

Not sure, I haven't ever read Offer, but its probably true, in regard to immigration and the perception that somehow, Australia is part of the west, even though its geographically oriental and born brown-skinned (not Australia, but the combined aboriginal nations, of course). It always struck me as the height of blind ignorance or arrogance (depending on how optimistic you are when you make the classification) that [white] Australians are so intent to keep *immigrants* out. As one of those posters put it so cleverly and succinctly, 'out with immigrants! Australia for the Aborigines!' which about sizes up the hypocrisy. But yes, an overtly racist country full of open and, it seems, contagious racism (to newcomers from Britain). The worst affected are Aborigines, but past that, anyone with English as a second tongue, and past that, anyone without an Australian brogue. People quickly learn to talk 'strine' when they reach those shores, or suffer (at best) constant 'ribbing' - so many Australians are xenophobic even down to accent. What chance to refugees stand? But, on the refugees, C Island is like summer camp compared to woomera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woomera_Immigration_Reception_and_Processing_Centre which eventually was shut. Woomera had all the hallmarks of a concentration camp. Possibly the reason it was shut and 'processing' facilities shifted offshore was to stop good Australians coming to protest with high media profile. Who know what goes on in these offshore facilities? Now I think about it, it is probably worse, we just can't see anymore. cheers, Derek --Previous Message-- : It rather suggests that things haven't changed : since the early C20th as described by Avner : Offer. : : :

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