Firstly, I preface everything I'm about to say with the statement: I love Australia. I identify with being an Australian, and I am passionate about working toward making our society great. Relative to the rest of the world, we live in extremely fortunate circumstances, and we should embrace this.
However, I hate Australia Day.
Well, more to the point, I hate the way that it's celebrated.
Let me count the ways:
- Wearing the Australian Flag as a cape.
- Getting drunk and abusive, and then laughing it off, like the good old Aussie larrikin that you are.
- Flaunting one's white heritage as an excuse to intimidate and attack people who look "less Aussie" than you.
- Sexism. Even if yelling at sheilas to "show us yer tits" is just part of being a true-blue Aussie.
- Screaming "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, Oi, Oi!" like it means something.
I hate the fact that I can't go into town to attend Flickerfest at the BCC Cinema in Mitchell Street tomorrow evening, because the streets will be crawling with beer-fuelled racist faux-nationalistic bogans, and I simply don't feel safe.
I hate the way that many people see "Australia Day" as an excuse to be a belligerent, prejudiced morons.
Because there is so much that we should be proud of as Australians.
So, I issue the challenge out to you all. Celebrate Australia as the clever country that it is.
Fight the cultural cringe, and read some good Australian Literature. Modern Australian Literature. There's a lot of it out there, and it's brilliant, world-class writing.
Reflect on the great things that Australians have done in the field of science.
Appreciate the freedoms that we have, for living in a democratic society, led by a freely-elected government. For all its flaws, it's still pretty top-knotch, and we have the power, as citizens, to hold them accountable without fear of political persecution.
Think of those things that Australia a great place, as a country of cultural diversity and intelligent discourse. Embrace it. Celebrate it. Be proud of it.
Oh, and Gong Hei Fat Choi! :)
