18C

 

A current hot topic in Australia is referred to as 18C, which is a section of the Racial Discrimination Act1 that does not permit a citizen of this country to insult, offend, humiliate or intimidate a person or group, based on the race, (skin) colour, national or ethnic origin.  This Act was passed in Australia in the 1975 parliament during the Labor administration of Gough Whitlam and amended a number of times since.

 

A reasonable proposition, I would have imagined, but not according to some of our parliamentary representatives and other commentators, which look at this restriction as going against freedom of expression.  There are currently two initiatives in the Australian Senate - one to reduce the protection of 18C, by removing references to humiliate or offend, and the other to remove all protections.

 

The government has also initiated an inquiry into this law.  I ask, why all this interest?  Whom are we trying to accommodate?

 

I have always learnt that when speaking, I need to show respect with those whom I'm addressing.  This does not mean not saying what I want to say, but saying it while conscious as much as possible of the sensibilities of the individual, his beliefs or those of the ethnic or cultural group he identifies with.

 

A country often includes several ethnic minority groups, when compared with the population of the predominant culture (which in Australia is not even aboriginal).  Because this situation easily lends itself to cultural misunderstandings which can in turn lead to disputes between groups, especially between members of the predominant group with the others, wise leaders in democratic countries interested in harmonious coexistence between the groups, present laws in parliament that limit freedom of expression with this aim, with limits that are felt to be reasonable.

 

The United Kingdom, for example, also has similar provisions in the 2010 Equality Act, where Article 26 prohibits someone from creating an environment which is intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive, based on a number of characteristics, which includes race but are even broader in scope2.

 

I used to think, and accept, that freedom should come with responsibility, failing which we would have anarchy.  However it seems that several influential persons in this country are of the view that these limits are not reasonable, have no place, or need to be diminished.

 

From the current members of parliament, Cory Bernardi (white, Liberal Senator) has petitioned to remove the references to offend or insult3; George Brandis (white, Liberal Senator) is known for his position that people have a right to be bigots4; and I could go on with David Leyonhjelm (white, Liberal-Democrat Senator) and others.

 

It was interesting to note that these views were being expressed mainly by white people.  I've always noted how white people, when asked, will say that they never felt some form of racism, discrimination, or even that subtle contempt in the attitude of someone from the predominant culture.  In the past I had mentioned some examples5.  It is so difficult for these people to appreciate the sense of sadness, disappointment and discouragement for those on the receiving side.

 

Pauline Hanson (forgive my observation of being white, Senator for One Nation) even implied in the Senate that it's been good that the country's immigrants to have been labelled wogs (which was a pejorative term from white Anglo-Saxons to all those that weren't, like the Maltese, Italians, Chinese, Yugoslavs etc) as this was an incentive for these groups to become part of the community and assimilate6.

 

Yes, indeed!  The Maltese should really be grateful to the residents of the country for making their lives hell as soon as these wogs arrived.  The 214 Maltese on the Gange ship were surely filled with passionate haste to become one with their new society when they weren't allowed to disembark after their long voyage at sea in 1916, and instead of making port at Melbourne had to go to shore in Noumea, New Caledonia, where they remained in exile for 3 months7.  This was done in an environment of extreme pressure by the Australian Workiers Union and the then Labor Party, about an 'invasion by the Maltese' which were coming to take the work of Australians.  Familiar?

 

Perhaps these Maltese were the first example of the turn-back-the-boats policy for asylum seekers, a policy of both the Liberal and Labor parties of today.

 

The offence caused by continuous slurs of 'wog', and the discrimination shown to him by the whites inhabiting Australia, were such that my uncle never accepted to become an Australian citizen, even when this was his right, even after having lived around 50 years in this country having come here in the 1950s.  He kept maintaining this until his death, speaking about his early years in this country with evident hurt in the tone of his voice.  He never felt accepted in this country.

 

Insults and racial slurs hurt, and have no positive effect, Mrs Hanson.  They reflect upon the incomprehension and ignorance of those who make them, not on the minority on the receiving end.  Furthermore, they might provoke a reaction, and with one word leading to another the situation may quickly deteriorate.  Do we want to live in a tolerant society, where discussions are held with respect, or a society of stigmas, shouting, insults and fights?  Isn't there enough tension already?

 

To answer my own initial question, I consider this interest in reducing protection against racial discrimination as another attempt of right wing forces in this country, to stop the haemorrhage of votes which are being attracted by the extreme right today, starting with One Nation.  The latter are clearly delighted to be observing members of established parties, supposedly centrist, adopting their extremist policies.

 

I note that the law in question already has protection, in the next section, 18D, for what is said reasonably and in good faith in works of art, in the national interest, or that scrupulously and justly reflect the facts.

 

It is therefore my view that there is no need for any substantial changes.  The fear of an increase in racial attacks (triggered with words or some image) in this country, as has happened in the United States after Donald Trump's victory there, I believe should encourage our representatives to be prudent and not fan the flames of intolerance.

I say that these changes, as proposed today, should be resisted.

 

-------------------------

 

 

Fl-Awstralja, bħalissa hawn suġġett jaħraq u topiku, irreferut bħala 18C, li hija sezzjoni tal-Att tal-Liġi fuq id-Diskriminazzjoni Razzjali1 li ma tippermettix lil ċittatidin tal-pajjiż milli jinsulenta, joffendi, jumilja jew jintimida lil persuna jew grupp, minħabba r-razza, il-kulur (tal-ġilda) jew l-oriġni nazzjonali jew etnika tiegħu jew tagħhom.  Dan l-Att kien għadda fl-Awstralja fil-parlament fl-1975 ta' żmien l-amministrazzjoni Laburista ta' Gough Whitlam u ammendat diversi drabi.  

 

Ħaġa raġjonevoli, kont nimmaġina, imma mhux skont uħud mir-rappreżentanti tagħna fil-parlament u kummentaturi oħra, li jaraw li din ir-restrizzjoni tmur kontra l-libertà tal-espressjoni.  Bħalissa hemm żewġ inizjattivi fis-Senat Awstraljan - wieħed li titnaqqas il-protezzjoni tal-18C, billi jitneħħew referenzi għal li wieħed jumilja jew joffendi, u l-inizjattiva l-oħra hi li jitneħħew il-protezzjonijiet kollha.

 

Il-gvern ukoll fetaħ inkjesta fuq din il-liġi.  Jien nistaqsi, dan l-interess kollu għaliex?  Lil min irridu naġevolaw?

 

Issa jien dejjem tgħallimt li meta nitkellem, għandi nuri rispett lejn dak li miegħu qiegħed nitkellem.  Dan ma jfissirx li dak li għandi ngħidlu ma ngħidux, imma ngħidu konxju kemm jista' jkun tas-sensibbilitajiet tal-individwu, tat-twemminiet tiegħu jew tal-grupp etniku jew kulturali li jidentifika ruħu miegħu.

 

F'pajjiż ġieli jkun hemm diversi gruppi etniċi f'minoranza żgħira, meta mqabbla mal-popolazzjoni tal-kultura predominanti (li fl-Awstralja lanqas mhi dik indiġena aboriġena).  Minħabba li f'din is-sitwazzjoni huwa faċli li inkomprensjonijiet kulturali jistgħu iwasslu għal inkwiet bejn il-gruppi, speċjalment bejn membri tal-grupp predominanti ma' dawk tal-oħrajn, mexxejja għaqlin li jinteressahom l-armonija u l-konvivenza bejn il-gruppi, f'pajjiżi demokratiċi, jressqu liġijiet fil-parlament li jillimitaw il-libertà tal-espressjoni b'dan it-tir, b'limiti li jinħassu raġjonevoli.

 

Ir-Renju Unit għandha provvenimenti simili fl-Att tal-2010 dwar l-Ugwaljanza, fejn l-Artiklu 26 jipprojbixxi li persuna tikkrea ambjent intimidanti, ostili, degradanti, umiljanti jew offensiv, abbażi ta' diversi karatteristiċi, li jinkludu r-razza imma huma anke iktar wiesgħa.2

 

Jien kont naħseb, u naċċetta, li l-libertà għandha tiġi mar-responsabbiltà, inkella dan ikun libertinaġġ.  Imma jidher li hawn diversi persuni influenti fil-pajjiż li jidhrilhom li dawn il-limiti mhumiex raġjonevoli, m'hawnx posthom, jew hemm bżonn li jitnaqqsu.

 

Mill-membri parlamentari preżenti, Cory Bernardi (abjad, Senatur Liberali) għamel petizzjoni biex jitneħħew ir-referenzi għal li wieħed ma jistax joffendi jew jinsulta;3 George Brandis (abjad, Senatur Liberali) huwa magħruf għall-posizzjoni tiegħu li n-nies għandhom id-dritt li jkunu bigotti;4 u nista' nibqa' sejjer b'David Leyonhjelm (abjad, Senatur Liberali-Demokratiku) u oħrajn.

 

Kien interessanti li ninnota li dawn il-veduti qed jiġu vventilati l-iktar minn nies ta' karnaġġjon bajda.  Jien  dejjem innutajt kif ħafna nies ta' karnaġġjon bajda, meta tistaqsihom, jgħidulek li qatt ma ħassew xi forma ta' razziżmu, jew diskriminazzjoni, jew talinqas dak id-disprezz sottili fl-atteġġjament ta' min jiġi mill-kultura predominanti.  Fil-passat jien kont semmejt xi eżempji5.  Kemm hu diffiċli li japprezzaw kemm ħaġa bħal din hija ta' dieqa, diżappunt u skuraġġiment għal min qed jaqlagħha.

 

Pauline Hanson (skużawni nosserva li wkoll bajda, Senatur ta' One Nation), saħansitra implikat fis-Senat li hu tajjeb li l-immigranti fil-pajjiż kienu jiġu mgħajra wogs, (li kienet tabella peġorattiva applikata mill-bojod Anglo-Sassoni tal-pajjiż għal dawk kollha li ma kinux, bħall-Maltin, it-Taljani, iċ-Ċiniżi, il-Jugoslavi eċċ) għax din kienet inċentiva lill-dawn il-gruppi biex isiru parti mill-komunità u jassimilaw.6

 

Iva, tabilħaqq.  Il-Maltin għandhom għalfejn jirringrazzjaw lin-nies tal-post fil-pajjiż talli għamlulhom ħajjithom infern malli waslu dawn il-wogs.  Il-214 Malti fuq il-vapur Gange aktarx imtlew bil-passjoni tal-ħeġġa li jsiru ħaġa waħda mas-soċjetà il-ġdida tagħhom meta ma tħallewx jinżlu l-Awstralja wara passaġġ twil fuq il-baħar fl-1916, u minflok f'Melbourne kellhom isalpaw f'Noumea, New Caledonia, fejn damu eżiljati tliet xhur.7  Dan sar f'ambjent ta' pressjoni kbira mill-Australian Workers Union u l-Partit Laburista ta' dakinhar, dwar 'invażjoni mill-Maltin' li ġejjin jieħdu x-xogħol tal-Awstraljani.  Familjari?

 

Forsi dawn il-Maltin kienu l-ewwel eżempju tal-politika li jiddawwar it-tmun tad-dgħajsa ta' dawk ġejjin lejn il-pajjiż biex ifittxu l-ażil, politika li l-Liberali u l-Laburisti ta' llum iħaddnu.

 

Tant kienet kbira l-offiża li ħass bit-tgħajjir kontinwu ta' wog, u bid-diskriminazzjoni li wrew miegħu il-bojod tal-post, li zijuwi qatt m'aċċetta li jsir ċittadin tal-Awstralja, anke meta kellu d-dritt għaliha, anke wara li għex madwar ħamsin sena f'dan il-pajjiż wara li kien ġie fil-ħamsinijiet wara l-gwerra.  U baqa' jsostni dan sakemm miet, jitkellem fuq il-perjodu bikri tiegħu f'dan il-pajjiż b'uġigħ evidenti fit-ton tiegħu.  Qatt ma ħass li dan il-pajjiż kien aċċettah.

 

L-insulti u t-tgħajjir razzjali jweġġgħu, u m'għandhom l-ebda effett pożittiv, Sinjura Hanson.  Jirriflettu fuq l-inkomprensjoni u l-injuranza ta' min jagħmilhom, mhux fuq il-minoranza ta' min jaqlagħhom.   Apparti hekk, jistgħu jipprovokaw reazzjoni., u kelma ġġib lil oħra s-sitwazzjoni malajr tiġġenera.  Aħna rridu ngħixu f'soċjetà ta' tolleranza, fejn isir diskussjoni bir-rispett, jew soċjetà ta' tgħajjir, għajjat, insulti u ġlied?  Mhux diġà hawn tensjoni biżżejjed?

 

Biex inwieġeb il-mistoqsija tiegħi tal-bidu, dan l-interess li jitnaqqsu l-protezzjonijiet kontra d-diskriminazzjoni razzjali narah attentat ieħor ta' elementi tal-forzi tal-lemin tal-pajjiż, sabiex titwaqqaf l-emorraġija ta' votanti li qed jiġu attirati mill-estremisti tal-lemin tal-lum, ibda minn One Nation.  Dawn tal-aħħar b'ħalqhom tiċrita waħda josservaw membri ta' partiti stabbiliti, suppost ċentristi, jħaddnu l-politika estremista tagħhom.

 

Jien ninnota li l-liġi li qed nitkellmu fuqha diġà għandha protezzjoni, fis-sezzjoni ta' wara, 18D, għal dak li jingħad raġjonevolment u b'rieda tajba f'xogħolijiet artistiċi, fl-interess nazzjonali, jew li jirrifletti b'reqqa u b'ġustizzja l-fatti.

 

Jien għalhekk naħseb li m'hemm bżonn tal-ebda bidla sostanzjali.  Il-biża' li jiżdiedu l-attakki (fil-bidu bil-kliem jew b'xi stampa) razzjali f'dan il-pajjiż, bħal ma' ġara fl-Istati Uniti wara r-rebħa ta' Donald Trump hemmhekk, naħseb għandu jħeġġeġ lir-rappreżentanti tagħna li jkunu prudenti u ma jħallux li jitrewħu l-fjammi tal-intolleranza.

 

Jien ngħid li dawn il-bidliet, kif proposti llum, jeħtieġ li jiġu reżistiti.

 

 

1Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Australian Commonwealth.

2http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/26, retrieved 28/11/2016

3http://www.corybernardi.com/18c_petition, retrieved 28/11/2016

4http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-24/brandis-defends-right-to-be-a-bigot/5341552, retrieved 28/11/2016

5Riflessjonijiet ta' Wog, Ivan Cauchi, The Voice of the Maltese, No. 103

6Australian Commonwealth Senate Hansard, 24th November 2016, p.12

7Conscription 1916: Who were the 'Maltese children of Billy Hughes'?, Barry York, The Voice of the Maltese, No. 141

1Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Australian Commonwealth.

2http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/26, retrieved 28/11/2016

3http://www.corybernardi.com/18c_petition, retrieved 28/11/2016

4http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-24/brandis-defends-right-to-be-a-bigot/5341552, retrieved 28/11/2016

5Riflessjonijiet ta' Wog, Ivan Cauchi, The Voice of the Maltese, No. 103

6Australian Commonwealth Senate Hansard, 24th November 2016, p.12

7Conscription 1916: Who were the 'Maltese children of Billy Hughes'?, Barry York, The Voice of the Maltese, No. 141