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Scene in Australia last night: (Original Post) George II Jun 2020 OP
Powerful. Nt spooky3 Jun 2020 #1
Australia always has our back Skittles Jun 2020 #2
The world is watching BigMin28 Jun 2020 #3
Awesome. k&r n/t Laelth Jun 2020 #4
A big thank you to the Australian protesters! StarryNite Jun 2020 #5
As an Australian, can I criticize my own country? Aussie105 Jun 2020 #6
Are Aussie camera crews attacked by their cops on live TV? denem Jun 2020 #7
Probably. Aussie105 Jun 2020 #10
Every country does the same Leith Jun 2020 #8
I grind my teeth Aussie105 Jun 2020 #11
crickets? denem Jun 2020 #9

Aussie105

(5,215 posts)
6. As an Australian, can I criticize my own country?
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:00 AM
Jun 2020

Yeah? OK then!

Two points:

Point one:

Local media show a lot of US footage.
Not a single word about protesters being physically abused by heavy handed police. Then there's the pepper bullets, the tear gas, the baton wielding.

BUT . . . . show an Australian film crew getting the same rough treatment, being cleared out of the area Trump wants to walk in, and people suddenly take notice!
Didn't count how many times that brief shot was shown on each channel, but it was many, many times.
Shock! Horror! Complain! Ambassador to the US going to put in an official complaint! Press is sacrosanct! Aussie press especially!

Hypocritical, much?

Point 2:

Black lives matter? We have our own 'black deaths in custody' problems with police here.

More hypocritical thinking?

I'm not denigrating that tribute to George Floyd, here and around the world, but hell, let's clean up our own act first, Australians!
America isn't the only country where police see people of color as legitimate targets for the application of excessive force.

Disclosure: I am white. Old. Cashed up.



 

denem

(11,045 posts)
7. Are Aussie camera crews attacked by their cops on live TV?
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:04 AM
Jun 2020

It's a new one, yes? A dark and shiny object.

Leith

(7,802 posts)
8. Every country does the same
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:28 AM
Jun 2020

If somebody local is involved in news in another country, the local news carries that story. For example, when there's a major plane crash, American news always mentions how many Americans were involved in addition to total fatalities. It's the nature of it.

There's no problem for Australian news to inform their viewers about Australians involved in major news. Why should there be?

As for the case of some citizens not having the same rights in practice as other citizens, name one country that doesn't do that. The human species, like many species that we look down on, divides by hierarchies. Downtrodden people are targeted by sex, ethnicity, religion, color of skin, accent, and several other things I didn't think of.

Don't be so hard on yourself or your country. Yours is one of the best in the world.



Aussie105

(5,215 posts)
11. I grind my teeth
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 01:25 AM
Jun 2020

every time a TV new item says 'Thousands killed in an earthquake/Tsunami/war zone/plane crash, but it's ok, no Australians were killed.'

Not an exact quote of course, but you get the idea. Yes, US and UK news do the same. And most other countries at a guess.

Apparently the value of a human life diminishes with distance away, ethnicity, who they worship, language spoken, type of government, affluence and lack thereof, etc.
The bias and devaluation aimed towards those 'Not Like Us' is palpable.

Sometimes, I'm ashamed of being human.

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