Are you multicultural or are you Australian?

[Donte]

I’ve been pondering for a while about the whole ‘multicultural’ notion.


We often hear ‘multicultural people’ or ‘multicultural experiences’ etc but what exactly does that mean?


I am from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, (was born and raised in a non-English speaking country), like the 46% of our population. However, I never think of my self as ‘diverse’ or ‘multicultural’. This is a term other people have created to describe me and my experiences. I am me. A human being like everyone else.


The term ‘multicultural’ often implies ‘different’ or ‘diverse’, but different from what or whom? Well, clearly, from the white-Anglo Australians.


So, my experience has been that in Australia today we have the dominant or mainstream White-Anglo culture and the ‘multicultural’ culture - anything and anyone who doesn’t fit in the white-Anglo category.


The reality of course is that the white-Anglo segment of the population is also part of the whole ‘multicultural’ society, even if it’s the dominant one.


This is never viewed in my opinion, its proper light, perhaps for political reasons and the hidden racism that still lurks in the background of today’s mainstream culture.


Interestingly enough, even non white-Anglo Australians have come to accept this white propaganda and every time I hear them refer to ‘Australians’ they connote ‘anglo’. They usually say I’m Greek or Turkish or Maltese etc. - and any reference to ‘Australians’ seems to indicate ‘the others’, ‘the whites’.


This of course has created an ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality which stems from the remnants of the ‘white australia’ policy and the ‘melting pot’ days.


So, who is really an Australian? What makes you true blue Aussie? Is the woman covered in burqa from head to toe who’s been naturalized three decades ago an Australian? And if so, equal like the fifth or sixth generation white-Anglo neighbors of hers?


Often, you’ll find that this is not the case. I propose that it’s time to scrap the labels, erase the terms and start treating all people of Australia with equity despite their looks, skin color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion etc


How does that sound?

[Doolhof]

Hi Donte And All,

Feeling excluded, that you are not good enough, being victimised or bullied is not limited to having a different accent or different colour of skin.

I am a "white" Australian. My parents were not born in the town I grew up in. I was bullied and beat up at school by other "white" kids because my Mother's ancestors 4 generations back were white Europeans and not British. My father's ancestors were British though.

Soon I am returning to that small town to visit my parents. 50 years later I still feel like I do not belong there and like it was never my home.

Five years ago my husband and I moved to this small town to live. I have been told many times we will never be locals as we were not born here. White people telling other white people they are inferior.

Someone will always think they are better than someone else or everyone else.

No one likes to feel like they don't fit in, like they are not welcome, that they are not good enough.

No matter what our nationality, our beliefs, culture and identity, we all have the right to respect and acceptance.

Donte, I am sorry that you do not feel like you are good enough or that you are not completely Australian. Who of us are really Australian? What does that even mean? For each person it can be something different?

We humans can be extremely cruel and harsh to each other, disregarding a person because we don't like the look of them or because they are different.

These issues can cause a huge impact on our lives, our self esteem, self-worth, self-belief and mental health.

I am Australian. I am white. Am I proud of it? I don't really know. I just know I am thankful for where I do live and desire to have my way of life, by beliefs, my Aussie ways, to be treated with respect, same as I desire to respect other people.

Cheers all from Dools

[Peppermintbach]

Hi everyone,

I feel (understandably) there’s a lot of emotion and different views on this thread. I don’t want to upset or anger anyone but I’m hoping, if it’s okay, for me to make a gentle suggestion?

It’s only a suggestion so of course you don’t need to take it on board if you don’t want to...

Perhaps it would be helpful if we tried to take a step back from our own emotions regarding this thread (after they’ve hopefully settled) a little and use this as a positive learning experience?

Yes, each of our respective pain is highly valid but maybe this is one of those moments where it might be helpful if we all tried to “walk a mile” in another person’s shoes (even if you don’t necessarily agree with them).

Sorry, I’m not trying to invalidate or diminish anyone’s hurt, pain or trauma but I’m suggesting perhaps more “listening” to one another so we can all move forward together positively...

For example, regardless of whether I agreed or disagreed with any one comment/perspective, I tried my best to “walk a mile” in every single poster’s shoes, and to varying extents, I feel like I get where each of you is coming from.

I tried to hear what Donte’ was saying. I tried to hear whay Nat was saying...etc, etc..

Perhaps we can use this as an empathy exercise to hear what another person is saying. But in order to do that, I feel we might need to take a step back from our own emotions a little...I did and it really helped me.

Sorry, I hope I’m not upsetting anyone...

Kind thoughts to all,

Pepper

[white knight]

Its ok pepper

I've moved on.

Tony WK

[Hayfa]

Hello everyone,

Thank you Pepper for this thoughtful and kind suggestion.
I would like to ask everyone to pause for a moment before responding to any threads and please ask yourself what are your intentions for expressing what you want to post...is it to respond constructively and thoughtfully or is it to invalidate someone else's point of view?

There has been some very thoughtful and thought provoking posts on these threads with some factual and evidenced based information holding truthful weight. Some of these being references to our First Australians, our identities of multiculturalism and Australian and how others have viewed these concepts from the perspective of history and politics in early national development.

Please ponder Donte's original post where you will find he was not suggesting a separatist movement or inciting grounds for divisiveness but rather, asking that labels be done away with and a view to 'oneness' developing.
Understandably the following posts after this one mentioned religion and so forth...There is nothing wrong with this view except that I ask that one be patient with the responses that some of these views may incite.
Please take a moment to think about what some responses may invoke in others specifically because you are posting on a site that is being read by people of multicultural backgrounds who may take offence to some views and comments.

I am not asking for this thread to be ceased, I am just asking that we consider the thread in its whole context rather than take it personally, please think about what you want to say and what it may mean to you and others reading it.
I would not want to see healthy debate stop on this forum because it is helpful to learn and engage in different topics and points of view, and as I and Donte' mentioned in earlier posts, it is beneficial to contribute so that anxieties may be alleviated.

We are here to engage, connect and support one another, there will be posts that can be heated and other times compassionate and calming.
We need to remember why we are engaging here and we need to respectfully tolerate other opinions constructively rather than emotionally.

Thank you everyone for your continued valuable contribution to which without it, this forum would not have come alive.

Hayfa

[Quercus]

Hello everyone,

Hayfa and Pepper have both made totally valid points ...

We have to try and and expect the best intentions on the forums otherwise we all just end up seeing insult where none was intended.

That's where I was going when I said I was worried about this discussion... It is a highly emotional topic that we all have strong views on. It is easy to see insult.

For example. Reading your posts Sara... I felt like an idiot. I was doing my best to be respectful and then reading her post made me realise my knowledge was lacking. Do I think you intended to make anyone feel stupid? No. Do I think you lashed out because you were upset? Yes.

Or Donte. It makes me sad that you feel shut down and like throwing the towel in. I know you try really really hard and want to encourage inclusiveness. Misunderstandings happen here but that doesn't mean noone sees the good that you do.

Do I agree with every single post here? Nope. Do some confuse me? Anger me? Upset me? Yes. But this is an important discussion to have. Some of what I have written has made me realise I am changing. The attitudes I grew up with. The way I feel. What it means to me to be Australian. These are all fluid.

I think if we don't discuss the difficult subjects nothing changes.

On that note... I'm going to plough ahead with what multiculturalism means to me.

I have avoided this because it to many will be offensive.

Writing this is important to me. When I said I felt stupid it was my own fear of being caught out. Caught out as small minded and forgetting what is polite and correct. So I'll try honesty.

Multiculturalism within Australia means to me the same as "political correctness". Everyone knows what is correct and polite to say in public. But in the privacy of your home correctness is ignored.

I am sure I am not the only Australian (and bear in mind I am only 33) who grew up knowing racism and homophobia and fear of anything different was normal.

Polite in public. Correct on paper. Say all the right things then do as you please. That is what I see as multiculturalism in Australia even now.

People pretend to be accepting and then frown if something changes their way of life. You see this all the time. Parents who are fine with homosexuality... As long as it's not their kid. Employers saying all the right things then avoiding the resumes with "foreign sounding" names. Parents who lose the plot when their son wants to marry outside his culture.

[Quercus]

And I can say this... Because I am guilty of it too. Fear is what I know from childhood and all my life.

Fear of change. Fear of the unknown. Fear of having my rights taken away from me.

As a kid I remember hearing us and them attitudes spoken quietly.

I remember living in an Aboriginal community to "help make change" but we lived behind barbed wire to keep us safe.

At school I remember "that's so gay" being an accepted insult for something silly.

At uni I remember there were rapes on campus and the nasty theory was blokes wearing head coverings.

What I'm getting at is beneath the polite words of change fear is still a very real thing.

I am married to a Polish Australian. My kids speak English and Polish and I take them to Polish school not understanding much at all. It has taken love for me to learn a multicultural Australia isn't a scary thing.

We talk about a multicultural Australia but to me I think until we can speak honestly and calmly about what we truly fear nothing will change.

With respect to you all.
Nat

[blondguy]

Hello Donte

We have spoken on other threads and this topic though very important can be seen as divisive after I pondered over your original post. Your intentions are commendable, no problem there at all as you qualified your opening post in your last paragraph...which said "it’s time to scrap the labels, erase the terms and start treating all
people of Australia with equity despite their looks, skin color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion etc"

That is a very proactive paragraph and I was happy to read it as many people would. There are people on the forums though that dont have the ability to read all the way to that positive last paragraph. It can be a huge effort when having an anxiety or depressive illness as our concentration is somewhat limited with our adrenaline gland in overdrive

Just for me the following caught my eye well before I read your last paragraph

• my experience has been that in Australia today we have the dominant or mainstream White-Anglo culture and the ‘multicultural’ culture - anything and anyone who doesn’t fit in the white-Anglo category. This can be interpreted in so many ways
• "This is never viewed in my opinion, its proper light, perhaps for political reasons and the hidden racism that still lurks in the background of today’s mainstream culture" I am unaware of any hidden racism as I have always embraced other cultures and ethnic origins...I find this comment somewhat peculiar
• " even non white-Anglo Australians have come to accept this white propaganda" ....I dont understand this
• "What makes you true blue Aussie? Is the woman covered in burqa from head to toe who’s been naturalized three decades ago an Australian"? Of course the woman wearing a burqa would be considered Australian no matter when she was naturalised. Im sorry...I dont understand your question

If I may contribute in a positive way Donte..Your post is excellent depending on the audience you are trying to talk to. I have lived with African Americans.....Indigenous Indians (USA & Canada) and have worked with Greeks Italians Iraqis Afghans Lebanese Romanians...I just dont understand the question. Maybe I am simple

I agree with you about not using labels and your strong focus to help the multicultural readers and posters on the forums. My bullet points above are only to highlight my interpretation of a few points which I have found disappointing as I fail to see any reference to mental health

My kind thoughts always

Paul

[Doolhof]

Hi Donte',

I'm wondering how you are feeling right now? I hope you are doing okay. It seems to me that a hornet's nest has been stirred up with this thread.

Hi Donte' and Everyone,

Regardless of how we all feel, we need to be aware of how this discussion is affecting the mental health of everyone reading this, regardless of ethnicity. White people feel hurt just the same as Multicultural people do. Why does there even have to be a distinction made between the two? Aren't we all Australian?

We all have a right to voice our opinions and to be heard, we all have a right to call ourselves Australian if that is what we class ourselves as.

Apart from this thread, I don't recall any discussion on this forum relating to racism.

What happens out there in the greater community, we have little control over. Yes, we can change our own individual concepts and be more aware. I don't consider myself to be a racist, I would love to have friends from other nations, they just don't live in our region! Their choice.

Many people use this forum, people of all race, colour, creed, belief, values, all should be acknowledged and respected.

More importantly, people suffering from all kinds of mental health issues use this forum. Issues that stem from a great range of situations and life experiences.

Maybe we need to consider a little peace and harmony here towards each other and respectfully accept differences. We all have the right to be heard and acknowledged. We all count as being a worthy person.

Dools

[Chris_B]

Hi everyone,

These issues are often difficult to discuss. If you're born in Australia, have parents that were born in Australia, and largely have family that were born in Australia, then it's likely you haven't ever had to think too deeply about what your cultural identity is - because it is all around you, reinforced everyday in your environment in a hundred tiny ways.

Language, beliefs, education, environment, family, history, hobbies, identity, race, religion, food and clothing, community, emotional expression, traditions... it's very all-encompassing, and these items really only scratch the surface.

It would be great if we could hear more in this thread from (as per the intent of this section) members who were born outside of Australia, or who come from families with migrant parents. How do you feel about the label of "multicultural"? Do you feel Australian? What does that mean to you?

Please also remember when engaging in this thread to come from the spirit of listening first. We are discussing experiences here, so there are no right or wrong answers. If you are going to post, especially if it is in reply to someone, write from the point of view of "yes, and" not "no, but".

[Summer Rose]

I think it's time for us to turn to each, not on each other.

I call myself a Can-Aussie. Born in Canada but also a proud Aussie. Like Donte, I struggled to feel I really belonged in Australia for a long time--probably 10 years and it was easier for me because I look like everybody else. I think this is a very personal journey but a process none-the-less.

I am sorry you don't yet feel you belong. I encourage you to look at the contribution you make to society, work, bb, family and friends. From where I sit you are "good enough" and i