Hanson’s wrong track
THE Gold Coast Commonwealth Games has definitely brought out the very best in competitive international sports.
Some athletes’ sporting prowess has resulted in Commonwealth records being broken.
Likewise the Commonwealth Games has inadvertently exposed shameful and embarrassing racial comments from an Australian senator and a former gold medallist.
As the much- loved song I Am Australian well notes: “we are one, but we are many”. One what ... skin colour? How can any fair dinkum Aussie seriously sing these words when such racial comments from supposedly upstanding Aussie citizens are most evident at “our” Commonwealth Games?
Pauline Hanson’s disgusting comment regarding the artistic performance of the First Australians dance group at the opening ceremony negatively reflects just how far we’ve come as a “lucky” country.
Her incredibly stupid comment regarding Torres Strait Islander rap singer Mau Power, whom she stated was an Aboriginal, simply shows how much she’s lacking in cultural knowledge.
I seriously wonder what Senator Hanson’s reaction was when our golden girl Aboriginal Cathy Freeman not only lit the Olympic cauldron but also won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games?
There’s absolutely no doubt that open racism towards those of a different skin colour still persists in the land down under.
How can we possibly “close the gap” in indigenous disadvantage when an elected so- called leader purposely widens the racial gap by uttering blatant racist statements on national media which was also picked up by international media?
Senator Hanson’s comment epitomises the White Australia policy.
Until we come to the realisation that white is not always right, until then, racism will thrive ... unless those with coloured skin become involuntarily whitewashed.
CORALIE CASSADY,
Heatley.