The recent
Muslim protests turned violent have left the many Australians pondering the
place of immigrants within Australia. Many people are arguing for a stronger
push towards the assimilation of immigrants, ensuring that they know our
language, customs and laws to ensure a more cohesive nation.
Multiculturalism
and assimilation are often seen as opposite sides of the same coin. If we are
to be truly multicultural then we cannot have any form of assimilation as it
would detract from the original culture. While fostering multiculturalism
within schools is important, it should be put second behind teaching what it is
to be an Australian citizen. The past culture of an immigrant should not
conflict with the customs of Australia. This point was well stated by Mr Frank
Lowly, “you are welcome; you are free to worship; you are free to honour your
heritage; and, we will respect the differences between us, and in return, you
should agree to live by the standards and values of this society, the one you
have chosen to be a part of. And agree to conscientiously pass on these values
to your children and ensure that they receive a broad and balanced education,
untainted by the ideology of hate.” [2]
Julia
Gillard makes the definition of multiculturalism clear in her statement that ‘‘[multiculturalism
is] the meeting place of rights and responsibilities. Where the right to
maintain one's customs, language and religion is balanced by an equal
responsibility to learn English, find work, respect our culture and heritage,
and accept women as full equals. Where there is non-negotiable respect for our
foundational values of democracy and the rule of law, and any differences we
hold are expressed peacefully.'' [1]. She accurately states how we should act
as a multicultural nation, proud of our heritage BUT equally proud of our roles
as Australian citizens.
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[1]
[2]
The use of satire and humour allows us to respond to culturally sensitive issues society by commentating on them in such a way that we are able to step back and analyse them with a degree of circumspection. The ABC show ‘The Hamster Wheel’ ran by the Chaser boys examines the media coverage of the protests in which ‘riots’ are equated to a ‘violent uprising’. The actions of a small minority were universally condemned by community leaders. In my blog post on Islamophobia and Schools, I explore how Ho’s concept of ethno-religious racism (Ho, 2011, 611) defines the ‘other’, hindering cross cultural interaction and the process of integration advocated.
ReplyDeleteI must point out here that I fundamentally disagree with the outcomes of that protest in Sydney – apart from the horrific scenes that splashed television screens, the protest was unorganized and unapproved by local officials. My issue arises at the connection between it and the issue of Multiculturalism in Australian schools; the implication, without the careful reframing of language, suggests that all Muslims (as opposed to a minority group) drove the protests; the immediate following sentence with discussions about the assimilation of immigrants paints the perception that all Muslims are immigrants, with further hints that if they do not behave ‘as Australians’ they should not be here. Your statements that ‘the past culture of an immigrant should not conflict with the customs of Australia’ as the importance of advocating multiculturalism is secondary in comparison to ‘what it is to be an Australian citizen’. A multicultural Australia should ratify the statements of Prime Minister Gillard without imposing symbolic violence on immigrants and minorities (Wadham, Pudsey and Boyd, 2007) and suggesting that ‘Aussie’ culture is the face of multiculturalism. Rather, it should carry the ability to cater for all cultures and religions and truly give a ‘fair go’ to all citizens within the reasonable boundaries of law.
References
Ho, C. (2011). Respecting the presence of others: School micropublics and everyday multiculturalism. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32(6), 603-619.
The Hamster wheel – inside the wheel: Muslim riots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbnqBdSOzIA
Wadham, B. Pudsey, J. & Boyd, R. (2007). Culture and education. Sydney: Pearson Education. Chapter 1: What is culture?