Racism is still racism regardless of who it comes from.

In the news in the last few days there has been several racist attack, and it has taken place at Cronulla, Sydney where I used to live. I'm a bit amazed by the fact that it occurred, but at the end of the day there is two sides to every story, and what we've actually seen is racists attacking innocent people, and then other racists retaliate, followed by more retalliation ... and guess what, while the racists keep attacking and retaliating to each other, it's making the majority of people in Australia look like them. As someone who used to live at Cronulla, I can confirm the fact that certain young guys from a specific racial group did used to come down to Cornulla and harrass the users of the beach. As most of the people from that racial group don't do this sort of thing, you have to place it fairly and squarely on that group of individuals. They are the ones responsible for their actions and not the racial group that they have come from. This group of individuals used to do it when I was there twenty plus years ago, and are still doing it today. The fact that most are teenagers to young adults shows that they have a lot of growing up to do. The fact is, those groups do go there with one specific goal in mind. To harrass, annoy, irritate, cause trouble and have fights with others. They come in groups and pick on young people, in particular girls whom they tell them they will rape them and other things, just because they are wearing bikini's or simply because they happen to be there. Personally, as some one who lived there and eventually moved out of the area, I place the blame for the continued attacks squarely on the authorities, startin at the Government level. I've been there when death threats have taken place and the police, rather than taking action just order the victims to go home. It's the 'keeping the peace' police that has been adopted, rather than helping the innocent. It means people become so intimidated that rather than using the beaches and other facilities their money pays for, they become lock ups in their own homes. While no genuine attempt was used to remove the trouble makers from the area, the locals have basically turned into a mob in order to gain some sort of resolution. The correct response should have been to get themselves elected into local Govenment to stop the problem. They only needed a few of them to stand for election and they could have even done it on that one issue. They could have got in on a landslide. The other thing they could have done was keep writting to the elected members till something was actually done. By creating a mob, they have effectively condoned the actions of those they wished to condemn. After all, is it not the same thing - forma mob, harrass those you don't want using the area and beat them up and stuff. It is no wonder that in retaliation, the first group, probably joined by others who normally didn't participate, then went around damaging other peoples property and attacking new victims. Has it really helped either side? The Government and the Prime Minister have claimed it isn't a racism issue, but it has certainly turned into one. What was a 'group of individuals' who just happened to be from one racial group has turned into two polarised group of racists and one very scared group of victims who include people from all races. Thanks to typical Australian apathy, a molehill has now turned into a mountain and it's erupted onto the world stage with most nations calling us racists. Well, congratulations once again Government on sticking your friggin' heads into the sand and making out it isn't racism at the moment. Sure, it's a small group of people, but while you try to play down the issue and don't fix the problem, you will just fuel more racial tensions. Isn't this the exact same sort of head being stuck into sand that the Aussie Government condemns other nations for. Why is it that our Government is above reproach when it sits on it's hands and yet always finds a voice when it decides others are not allowed to do the same thing? I get sick of rasicst and their justifications. At the end of the day who is protecting the victims? Who is protecting the innocent people who just want to live life and get along? Apparently, the Government doesn't think it has anything to do with them. The police have a 'keep the peace' policy and so don't do anything unless you're actually bleeding. It's poor policies which have lead to this situation. The Government is blaming beer, but when groups of angry mobs meet with the specific intention of shoving their culture down other peoples throats, then you are going to have trouble whether alcohol is present or not. I'm probably babbling ... but geeees, I can only see this sliding down hill fast if the Government doesn't create a higher police presence in areas where it's going to be needed. There is talk of larger gangs of both groups getting ready to amass on certain areas, and guess what ... there will be fights, and the Government will try to down play it again and pretend it's not big deal ... and the problem will compound and compound ... and it wouldn't surprise me if someone ends up getting killed. Sorry ... rambling again!!!