Racist?

[NickD]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/stor ... d=10447644

Mr Howard, disgusted at the report and the Territory's response, announced on Thursday a series of steps that have shocked Australian social policy makers and attracted wider notice. Taking direct control from the Territory, he announced a six-month ban on sales of alcohol and pornography in the indigenous townships, enforced by the military if need be, and resolved to make welfare payments conditional on children attending school. The Federal Government will take control of Aboriginal land to improve property and public housing, paying compensation where necessary. It will use work-for-the-dole schemes to improve the physical state of the communities.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/sto ... d=10447909

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/sto ... d=10447801

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/stor ... d=10447666

If banning alcohol and pornography and making welfare dependant on whether your child attends school stops child abuse... why just target the aborigines? Why not enforce the rules throughout the entire country for everyone? Is this racist? Remember, this is a country where the aborigine people did not get the vote until 1967. Where, when aborigine people asked for a stand named [N word] be removed, they were met with wide spread protest.

[Lusipher]

dunno but it should be placed on all Australians not just one race that lives in the country.

[Mulu]

I know this is in response to a report of chronic child sex abuse, but widespread alcoholism and the behaviors it increases is typically a symptom of underlying problems. Social progress requires work, not bans. Improving employment opportunities would be the first step. Until the native population gets moved towards the middle class, the problems will continue despite any bans. And yes, it seems more than a little racist and paternalistic.

Besides, prohibition never really keeps anything out anyway. It just increases it's price. However, requiring school attendance and improving public works seem like obviously good ideas.

[Stormseeker]

*calls great uncle for the still plans and recipe, then makes sure dad's boat is ready for the water* Time to make some money boy's.

[Cassiel]

Total crap. It's racism against the aboriginal people that meant that they were targeted so heavily with booze and porn in the first place, and therefore it's racism to allow it to continue.

I'm a liberal. I'm all for allowing people freedom of choice - and fsck 'em if they choose badly. But around the globe the deprived are kept that way by giving them ready access to liquor, gambling, porn and guns. The solution? Take that access away and give it time.

Before you call me a dickhead for saying this, answer one question. How many white, middle-class neighbourhoods do you know with liquor stores, casinos, porn stores and/or gun shops in 'em?

[Stormseeker]

Well we got the gun and alcohol places all over northern arkansas, just dont have the other two. And by the way the fault is with the people in the first place....after all not forcing them to use any of that are they?

[Mulu]

Before you call me a dickhead for saying this, answer one question. How many white, middle-class neighbourhoods do you know with liquor stores, casinos, porn stores and/or gun shops in 'em?

Welcome to America. Be sure to patronize our casino/gun shop/porn and liquor superstores. Close to home for convenience.

[Grand Fromage]

Before you call me a dickhead for saying this, answer one question. How many white, middle-class neighbourhoods do you know with liquor stores, casinos, porn stores and/or gun shops in 'em?

The one I live in for one, except the casino--though if it were legal here I'm sure there'd be one.

[fluffmonster]

My town has two porn stores, and is pretty much full of just white people.

and yeah, Howard is a njub. racist policy definitely.

[NESchampion]

Before you call me a dickhead for saying this, answer one question. How many white, middle-class neighbourhoods do you know with liquor stores, casinos, porn stores and/or gun shops in 'em?

My town has a sex shop, gun shop, and a number of liquor stores. And it's the suburbs. Hell, the closest liquor store is closer than the closest McDonalds.

[Grand Fromage]

Having a liquor store nearby is great, especially when it's a good one like mine. They have all sorts of awesome imported beerz that I used to have to go way the hell out of my way to get.

[Joos]

As far as I've seen, the Abourigine community is not ready for full freedom in a western society. A lot of factors that I've noted in my travels and what I've read run into this pretty sweeping generalisation. It is an absolute nightmare to try to stay politicly correct about the matter. That they were regarded as Sub-human until the 1960's certainly doesn't help.

As a foreigner in these lands I reccon its good that Australia is finally taking some sort of responsibilty for their indiginous population, even though you can argue their methods.

[Drankathar]

Oh noes! Where racist now! Big deal, if this in anyway helps to curb the dozens of problems that these communitys cause (Rape, violence, robberies, vandalisum, to name a few) then good on the government.

Honnestly, if this was done to a white community no one would call it racist. There would be a big kerfuffle over it yes, but no one would call it racist.

Oh and NickD before posting on such matter perhaps you should look into the background. Theres usualy a pritty damn good reasion for such a sweeping policy to be made. Oh and maybe check out more then one source *shrugs*, just a suggestion.

[ThinkTank]

Drow are totaly racist.

[Mulu]

Do realize that the problems these communites suffer is an effect from generations of endemic racism. If all these programs do is try to solve the symptoms, without taking on the underlying causes, nothing much will change.