Racism against Aboriginal Australians

Question: Discuss about theRacism against Aboriginal Australians. Answer: Introduction: The effect of colonization on the Australian aboriginals is much similar than any other colonies. Racism on the aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander has its origin dated back to 1788 (Bolton, 2015). With the invasion of the Europeans, the Australian aboriginal people faced discrimination regarding their physical trait. However, it has not such a simple issue. As discussed by Forrest and Dunn (2013), racism arose with the capitalist economic system which concentrated the ownership of productive resources, such as land and equipment, in the hands of a minority, the capitalist class. Thus, with a discriminatory attitude the European colonizers deprived the natives of the nation from economic and social loves. Discussion: In Australia, like all other colonized countries, the Europeans made the aboriginals believe that they are inferior in every stature of life, and enforced Christianity upon them, by considering the aboriginal faith as primitive. As discussed by Cunningham and Paradies (2013), the Europeans brought into the curse of racism upon the Australians, which they are failing to deny until today. From depriving them from using their own land, denying their human rights, putting them for human researches to modern discriminatory attitude and denial of their human dignity, Australia is continuously establishing itself as a racist country. In Australia, the aboriginal people face the instructional discriminations in the workplaces and other economic rights. As opined by Kelaher, Ferdinand and Paradies (2014), in the modern Australia, the aboriginals, and the Torres Strait Islanders suffer dispossession and restriction on the land rights. It has its history dated back to the discrimination maintained by the colonisers. In the modern days, they often face racism or discriminatory attitude while entering a registered club or even an educational organization and in employability. In the workplace, they face discrimination regarding their position, salary, and even workers rights (Cunningham Paradies, 2013). Even the governmental protection policies denied many rights to the indigenous people. On the personal level, the aboriginal people often become the sufferer of psychological discrimination. According to the research of Beyondblue, almost 1,000 non-Indigenous Australians believe that the indigenous Australians are given unfair advantages by the government (Beyondblue, 2016). The same research has explored that more than a third believed they 'are sometimes a bit lazy' and many think it's acceptable to discriminate (Beyondblue, 2016). This is a frightening status for a civic society. Such a mindset automatically drives to physical aggression upon the aboriginals. On the other hand, as mentioned by Cunningham and Paradies (2013), the legal guidelines may have reduced the cases of discrimination, but the popular culture carefully maintains a legacy of racial discrimination. According to Bodkin-Andrews and Carlson (2013), racial jokes involving the aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islander are quite popular in Australia. This discriminatory attitude directs the state and the aboriginals face an alarming situation. According to Kelaher, Ferdinand and Paradies (2014), the most grave issue that the state is facing is a significantly low level of education and health status of the 2.4% of the population of the country. As mentioned by Bodkin-Andrews and Carlson (2013), the life expectancy of the Torres Strait Islanders is 59 years whereas the rest are enjoying 77 years on average. Moreover, the economic isolation for more than 220 years has led them experience devastation of their kinship, culture and even language. In addition to this, according to Forrest and Dunn (2013), indigenous people are more likely to go to the prison than the non-indigenous. The rate of suicide is also six times higher among the aboriginals compared to non-aboriginals. With the laws like Anti-Discrimination Act (1977), Equal Opportunity Act (1984), Racial and Religious Tolerance Act (2001) etc. the state and the regional governments have tried to provide protection and upliftment to the aboriginal people for denying this abhorrent impact of colonization in Australia (Bolton, 2015). However, the deep-rooted racist mentality and a legacy of colonial discrimination are hindering the way of its success. Conclusion: Hence, it can be conceded that the aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders are being the victims of racial discrimination even in this post-colonization era. The governmental and international initiatives may have reduced the number of reported cases but, the discriminatory attitude is still running through the veins if the non-aboriginals. Even being the oldest habitants, they were denied of the fundamental rights of a citizen. Today there are a number of laws protecting them from discrimination, but they are not being sufficient for protecting the rights of these people. With a history of oppression and hellish attitude towards them, the modern Australia is suffering from failure on redirecting its attitude towards equality and social justice. References: Beyondblue. (2016). Beyondblue.org.au. Retrieved 26 October 2016, from https://www.beyondblue.org.au Bodkin-Andrews, G., Carlson, B. (2013). Racism, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identities, and higher education: reviewing the burden of epistemological and other racisms. Diversity in Higher Education, 14, 29-54. Bolton, S. (2015). Fighting the new racism. Green Left Weekly, (1053), 4. Cunningham, J., Paradies, Y. C. (2013). Patterns and correlates of self-reported racial discrimination among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, 200809: analysis of national survey data. International journal for equity in health, 12(1), 1. Forrest, J., Dunn, K. (2013). Cultural diversity, racialisation and the experience of racism in rural Australia: the South Australian case. Journal of Rural Studies, 30, 1-9. Kelaher, M., Ferdinand, A., Paradies, Y. (2014). Experiencing racism in health care: the mental health impacts for Victorian Aboriginal communities.Med J Aust, 201(1), 1-4.