This what anyone who is Indigenous experiences every day and they can’t climb out of their skin to stop it. There is no personal agency that they can practice can stop the weight of ignorance in our current Australian culture.
What this ad doesn’t show are the list of justifications that pour from Australians mouths….
“I’m not racist but…” (but what? you are about to say something racist that paints all people of a similar appearance, religion, class etc the same???)
“I’m not racist, I have Aboriginal friends” (Folks, it doesn’t need to be said, don’t justify your generalisations with this line. These are the people that notice my friends of mine and say to me “is she Indigenous??”. I like people but I dislike some people’s behaviour. Racism is one of those behaviours I abhore and won’t be a part of. So in response I answer “You would have to ask her, by the way, I’m friends with racists too but I’ll call you on your racist behaviour”).
“What about when they are racist to us?” (Seriously. Take a look at history and how you treat people and there is your answer. If you walk into someone’s life with prejudicial behaviour that’s what you will get. If the average mainstream Australian counted up their experiences of discrimination compared to those that are genuinely discriminated on a daily basis, many times, against their own experiences they would notice the difference is startling. That doesn’t make any discrimination right, but it should make us reflect and treat people better).
These are just two examples. Stop. Think. Respect.
Jacci Pillar 