Australia Day

So yesterday was Australia Day, the 26th of January marking the date we were colonised - NOT the date we were Federated, that was the 1st of January 1901 =]. I had a few issues once this day had passed though, and I feel a great need to discuss those issues here.

There appears to be several types of Australians. The patriotic Australian, the Australian whos descent does not derive of Irish or English background and the drunk, bogan-like patriotic Australian. These are probably the three main ones I really want to discuss, but of course these types are not limited within themselves at all.

The patriotic Australian will be just happy celebrating the day for what it is, and that is of course the day we were colonised. Fantastic! No issues here. Wear an Australian flag as a cape, if you will! Show that Aussie spirit and pride we're all known for. The supporter of the underdog, the Aussie battler, the 'give-it-a-go' attitude no matter what we are faced up against. You can go anywhere in the world and be known to take any challenge, no matter what it is as an Australian citizen. It's like what one of my favourite Australian comedians says, "Wanna go backpacking in Europe? Aww, yeah!" or "Wanna go skydiving in Africa? Sure!" - His interpretation of the Australian who will most definitely give it a go. This is the kind of Australian I tolerate very well, and I think it's a great way for other countries in the world to see us. Laid back, accepting, cheerful. In my time of being on the internet and meeting people from overseas, the one thing that they have been able to say about me and other Australians that they meet is that we are incredible people.

One of my awesome friends Chris Day, who is from Lenoir, North Carolina in the USA once said to me "You know man, it's funny... You, along with every other Australian I have ever met in my life has been so laid back, so funky, and so fucking down to earth... it makes me want to be Australian too. I don't think I could envy you any more than anyone else!" (Chris' Myspace can be found here, check him out he's an awesome musician! (Excuse the shameless promotion, but he really is an awesome guy!)).

Like I said, this is the kind of Australian I honestly want to be known as.

What I have witnessed quite a lot recently as of late is the drunk, bogan-like 'patriotic' Australian, becoming violently involved with the Australian whos descent does not derive of Irish or English background.

Yes, I am speaking of the horrible, racist bullshit in which has taken place not just on Australia Day, but for a long time now. The moronic, disgusting, vulgar and violent acts and phrases of words which are chanted and exchanged through the streets of our central buisness districts, screamed across television broadcasts nationally and shown to our neighbours of the Earth through all means of media content. The gang wars, the riots, the discrimination...

"Invasion Day", they call it.

Never in my life have I been so ashamed to have been born here, and never in my life have I been so ashamed to be caucasian. To have these kinds of people running around screaming "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" in peoples faces as an insult and to see the kind of results that are produced make me cringe like nothing else. Don't get me wrong, you can chant that all you like at sporting events and things like that, but on the streets, beaches and trams? Give me a break. I don't think you could be more un-Australian if you were parading around with an American flag on your back preaching to me how much you love your gun-laws and your right to freedom of speech (and yes I know not all Americans are pro-gun laws and preach of their right to freedom of speech, yada yada yada). I love what Australia has to offer, and what it can produce. I can't be proud of the country as a whole, anymore though.

One phrase in particular that really upsets me is the "Love it, or get out!". Give me a fucking reason to love it and don't just shove your flag in my face and tell me to 'get out'. I quite honestly don't want to love a country that's made up of a culture in which consists of drunken wankers who can't accept other people for who they are; that's not the Australia I love and grew up in. It's like that phrase "We grew here, you flew here". What the hell? Australia is just over one-hundred years old, one-hundred and eight years to be exact and you're telling people that you GREW HERE? You only just got here yourself, moron. The hypocritcal remarks that come out of peoples mouths astounds me. You might have been born here but saying shit like that gives me less reasoning to believe you deserve to be here, unlike everyone else who actually does.

The Australians who aren't of Irish or English descent... I really honestly do feel for you. I hope that someday all of this racist junk does change. I myself have been victim to racism, both here in Australia and in other countries. Even so, those events will never change my outlook on other races, religions and cultures. I won't ever think that I am far superior to anyone else.

When I think of Australia Day, I think of AUSTRALIA. Australia is the most multicultural place I know of that exists, with people of all races and religions who are accepted into the country. There are so many different types of people here, and some of those people just decide to make the rules for themselves and tell everyone they don't want here to get out. It sickens me to the very core of my being.

I apologise for the angry rant, it's really something that gets on my nerves though and I hope it does change one day. I wouldn't give up my Australian citizenship for anything in this world, but I am certainly not going to follow the path of the ignorant Australian and be unaccepting of those who deserve to live here as much as we do.