Australia Day Ramble

I never feel less Australian than when I see someone with a Southern Cross tattoo.

Don't get me wrong. I love our country. I love its astonishing scenery, its peculiar wildlife. I'm grateful that we have peace and prosperity.

But you have to take the bad with the good. What ever Tony Abbot may say*, Australia has a long history of racism, from the treatment of the indigenous population, to the White Australia policy, to the attitudes towards of post-war migrants. And I've yet to see any Asian Australians with the Southern Cross etched into their neck.

I blame John Howard. He mainstreamed the sort of flag-waving jingosim Australians normally reserved for cricket matches. Now it's trendy to look like you've just come back from the Cronulla riots.

That's why I'm ambivalent about  Australia Day: any display of patriotism seems like tacit support for the thugs and bigots.

Fuck that. This is our country too. There's a lot that needs fixing, but there's a lot to celebrate. And love and pride are strong motivators.

So. Happy Australia Day. Sorry about the bad bits. We're working on them.

And in conclusion, a quote from the national anthem:

For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.

But I guess most people just mumble their way through that second verse. ;)



* "For all the misguided and sometimes cruel treatment of Aborigines, the ethnic typecasting and occasional snobbery which still exists, Australia has rarely seen domestic discrimination based on race or culture. "
Tony Abbot, Address to the Australia Day Council (Victoria) Australia Day Dinner.