[Geek44]

That was said in the 1950's I believe. Just after the war, there was paranoia of all things Asian, specifically Japanese. Even when I was growing up in the seventies, all Asians were collectively referred to as 'Chinese' whether they be from China or not. Usually, they were Vietnamese but middle Australia wasn't concerned with those specifics.
Our last Prime Minister, John 'Man of Steel' Howard, defeated last November after eleven years in power played on peope's fears to win elections twice. There was what we term 'The Children Overboard' affair which occurred just before a Federal election that looked like it would be close. A leaky boat full of middle eastern (muslim) refugees appeared off the northern coast and as the boat started to sink, the Aussie navy did nothing. Rescue was left to the captain of a Norwegian container ship, the Tampa. The government refused entry to these poor folks, mostly women and children claiming that the adults were throwing their kids into the sea in order to force the navy into saving their lives. It's since been proven that this did not occur (duh!) and the guy behind the lie (Peter Reith) was rewarded with a cushy $500K a year job in London.
This same Prime Minister (still in power this time last year!) interred asylum seekers and refugees in privately run camps in the desert. Surrounded by razor wire, these people, including women and children, were kept on ice for years while their applications for asylum and/or protection were 'processed' by bureaucrats in Canberra. Truth is that 99% were dismissed as a matter of course and the applicants deported, often back to Iraq and Afghanistan (them darn muslims again). One guy, acually a 'stateless' person was deported back to Serbia despite the fact that he had NEVER lived there, didn't speak the language and knew nobody. He remained homeless in Belgrade for two years. The current government has allowed him back. Studies taken among the inmates of these detention centres showed that 95% suffered from mental illness after their first year in the camp...some even sewed their lips together in protest. There were suicides. John Howard, responsible for all this either directly or indirectly, is the second longest serving PM we've had. Immensely popular at his peak...we all knew what was happening. Some of us protested, most did nothing because he ran a good economy. Many applauded it and some said it wasn't harsh enough. I've banned people from my home because they supported it! Aussie racism is flourishing and it's a disgrace. I'm ashamed of it. The last Prime Minister has showed me that my perception of my own people has been idealistic and naive. Ignorant, uninformed, selfish and frightened. Racism is a symptom of fear and cowardice dressed up as swagger and all too often, violence. I'm with you Bill, it's a blight on the collective soul.
Peace and tolerance.