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YOUR SAY: Reporting Alice's truth
ISSUE 190 - 12 Nov 2009
ISSUE 190, November 12, 2009: It has been reported in my local Alice Springs newspaper that Chris Graham (NIT editor-at-large) is going to report in the NIT that Alice Springs is one of the most racist towns in Australia.
Well it's about time someone said something more than one of our Alderman has, describing Alice as "multicultural".
It is that, but scratch the surface if you dare. I have lived here for almost 20 years and as a white man I do not get discriminated against.
However there are people in this town who do get discriminated against daily, and all because some of my community members are not white. It happens in the most direct and indirect ways you could imagine, as the "community figures" you've spoken to would have described. Go for it Mr Graham.
Our Mayor said recently that he didn't understand why people thought Alice was racist. I don't understand why he thinks it's not. I don't understand why there are some who don't see the utter cruelty racism fosters.
However, I do understand that admitting Alice has a problem might mean that some will have to look closely at themselves, but that takes guts and responsibility.
I look forward to reading your story, I hope that it will spark a debate beyond Alice being a soft, warm, fluffy ball of multiculturalism. Racism can be got rid of.
Tony Hand
via www.nit.com.au
* Chris Graham's story will appear in an upcoming issue of NIT.
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