Panel pulls no punches on prejudice
IT was always promising to be a powerful discussion about prejudice, with a panel featuring renowned Aboriginal journalist Stan Grant, Jewish and Muslim movers and shakers, a gender diversity champion and an African refugee. And it delivered on June 15 in front of 250 people at the Sydney Jewish Museum.
IT was always promising to be a powerful discussion about prejudice, with a panel featuring renowned Aboriginal journalist Stan Grant, Jewish and Muslim movers and shakers, a gender diversity champion and an African refugee.
And it delivered on June 15 in front of 250 people at the Sydney Jewish Museum, complementing the Anne Frank – History for Today exhibition.
Grant spoke of the importance of properly understanding our nation’s history because “It shapes who we are.
“There is no doubt for us [Aboriginal people] that there was an invasion,” Grant said.
“In Bathurst, where my ancestors came from – the Wiradjuri people – martial law was declared … it meant people could be, and were, shot with impunity.
“What we have not had is a proper account of it, a reconciliation – and education is a part of that.”
One of Australia’s first veiled television reporters, Widyan Fares, said the constitutional right to free speech “doesn’t mean that words don’t have casualties”.
“I feel the bigoted voices are becoming louder day by day, but ordinary Australians that embrace social inclusion and cultural diversity are also getting louder – and that gives me hope.”
Stand Up’s refugee ambassador Yarrie Bangura said every Australian has a role to play in promoting social inclusion.
“We’ve been tagged as asylum seekers, but we are just human beings,” she said.
This year’s Queensland Australian of the Year Catherine McGregor, who retired from the military as one of its highest ranked gender-transitioned members, said, “You can’t make people like you and accept you – you have to show them that you are a human being first. Far too many people overlook that, but I don’t think you can legislate it [prejudice] away.”
Secretary of the National Islamic Schools Association of Australia, Osman Karolia, spoke of the value of an ongoing educational program between Islamic and Jewish schools.
“I think we have a duty to teach social inclusion, but it cannot be just empty rhetoric,” he said.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff said while he is “not necessarily convinced” the battle against prejudice can be won, two conditions are required.
“We need to call out bigotry whenever and wherever we see it and we all need to respect the law of the land,” he said.
But he stressed that anti-discrimination laws in place for more than two decades are “totally ineffective”, noting nobody has been charged under Section 20D, let alone convicted.
“That is a problem which affects everyone in this state” he said.
SHANE DESIATNIK
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