Andrew Bolt: Labelling Australia racist a black and white case of division

Hundreds of thousands of foreigners decide each year to live in Australia, so why don’t all these new Australians – almost a third of us now – shout that this country isn’t racist?

I’m amazed 72 per cent of Australians think this country is racist. Why isn’t it 100 per cent?

For instance, this same survey – for The Australian – shows nearly 40 per cent of us want a treaty with Aborigines, and nearly 40 per cent don’t.

There’s the problem. I’d say it’s racist to think Australians with some Aboriginal ancestors are so different they need different rights. But people wanting a treaty say those against are the racists. That adds up to nearly 80 per cent of us thinking the others are racists.

What’s more, for years our young have been taught Australia is so racist that we stole “generations” of children just because they were Aboriginal.

False, as I’ve shown, but facts don’t count. Our federal Indigenous Australians Minister has even claimed Aborigines like her were once treated as “fauna” under the law. Again, false.

So add all the children coached into hating us.

They’re the most sure Australia is racist. Older Australians have seen more of the world, and worked out Australia is actually among the most innocent.

Older Australians have seen more of the world, and worked out Australia is actually among the most innocent. Picture: AAP

I’ve seen China, with its Han nationalism; the US, with its racial tensions; the Middle East, with its insane Jew hatred; Malaysia, with ethnic quotas to limit Chinese influence. Add the prejudices in France, Britain, Germany, India and more, no wonder hundreds of thousands of foreigners decide each year to live in Australia instead.

So why don’t all these new Australians – almost a third of us now – shout that Australia isn’t racist? Ah, blame multiculturalism, identity politics and the new tribalism. Political and media elites have encouraged newcomers to keep their original cultures rather than assimilate.

That’s made easier by mass immigration and communication technologies that have turned immigration into colonisation. Migrants can settle in suburbs with many of their own, watch satellite TV from home, and find shops run by people speaking their language. Nearly 900,000 Australians tell the census they have poor or no English.

We see the political consequences. Ethnic and religious leaders increasingly claim to speak for “their community”. Muslim groups agitate for “their politicians”.

This new tribalism pits each “community” against the supposedly “Anglo” centre. The more they claim they’re victims of racism, the more power they get.

What’s more, the rest of us, seeing them, would agree we are racist. Look at this anti-Semitism and anti-white racism now.

So, just 72 per cent of us think Australia is racist? That few?