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I’m not racist, but ...

Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane, reflects on race, multiculturalism and how the law has attempted to deal with discrimination in his new book I'm Not Racist But ... 40 years of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Is Australia a racist country? During my time as Race Discrimination Commissioner, I have been posed this question constantly. Almost every time, I find the invitation to comment puzzling, albeit predictable. Australians appear alone in asking such a question about themselves; other nationalities seem not to expose themselves to such routine scrutiny. It is as though some of us hope for ready confirmation of some moral flaw in the national character, while others are only too eager to find an affirmation of our egalitarian tolerance. Perhaps because of this, my answers to the question tend to be met with an air of disappointment. Not everyone is satisfied with the thought that, while racism warrants our condemnation, we should resist defining our country by its worst aspects. For that matter, not everyone is comfortable with the proposition that racism may be more prevalent than they believe.

But if we are asked about racism and national identity so often, it is because there are so many reminders of racism's persistence. It is rare to find a week when issues surrounding race are not reported in the news. Most notably, a distinctive genre of racial controversy has emerged. For example, in July 2014, legal secretary Karen Bailey gained international notoriety when she launched into an anti-Asian tirade against another passenger on a Sydney train – an attack filmed and replayed in news bulletins around the world. That episode is one of many that have been prominently reported, usually accompanied by video footage captured by bystanders on their mobile phones. For those who have ever suffered racial abuse, the scenes are familiar. The perpetrators are loud, often threatening, always revelling in their verbal violence. There are the uncomfortable bystanders who avert their gaze and imagine they have seen nothing.

Increasingly, though, more and more are standing up for those on the receiving end. Media reports about racist incidents highlight that bystanders are fighting back on public transport. At sporting events, traditionally safe havens for anyone who wanted to vent racial prejudices, spectators are also reporting acts of racist abuse to authorities. There is no simple explanation for such developments. The attention that media are giving to racism may have something to do with it: the airing of confronting video footage of racism appears to have stiffened people's spines against bullies and bigots. The example set by public figures such as AFL footballer and 2014 Australian of the Year Adam Goodes – who took dramatic exception to being called an ape at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2013 – seems also to have empowered people to challenge abuse and insult.

It is only right that we take public acts of racism seriously, as they are deeply subversive of our values. It may be one thing to harbour some racist thoughts in one's own mind, thoughts that may never be disclosed. It is another thing to voice the sentiment in public or to someone's face. This is where the civic harm of racism lies. When unchecked, it can allow people to believe they are entitled to harass, belittle and intimidate others because of their race, ethnicity or origin. Those who suffer a racist taunt or threat can feel like a second-class citizen or less than a person. Racism is repugnant because it wounds dignity and damages equality.

***

This is an extract from the introduction to I'm Not Racist But ... 40 years of the Racial Discrimination Act by Tim Soutphommasane. Published in June 2015, the book includes contributions by Maxine Beneba Clarke, Bindi Cole Chocka, Benjamin Law, Alice Pung and Christos Tsiolkas.

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