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Hello Aaron,
I am not sure whether this is an appropriate forum to reach you, but here I go anyways.
I stumbled upon your article on Australia Day this arvo and I must stay it's the best thing I've read of recent. And I'm not just talking about the flag thing either.
I grew up in the Gold Coast, moved to Sydney for uni and spent 5 years there. I tried what you did, moving back home that is, for similar reasons (to shake disillusionment & to get a grip of myself), but, well.
On the afternoon of Australia Day I took my little cousins to a public park near the beach. I wasn't all that surprised to find a mob of inebricated young anglo males, bare-chested and big Australian flags cloaked on their backs. Our silly poodle ran up to them, and they tried to give her beer. So my little cousin, a 10 year old boy, apparently ran into the middle of it to grab her. I was walking toward my car, and behind my back I suddenly heard the familar aussie chant - except that they added "Pearl harbour, pearl harbour, pearl harbour" instead of "oi oi oi".
It's understable that anything remotely historic they've ever heard of would only be a trasy hollywood blockbuster (based on a distorted version of the event too); it may also be accepted that none of them would have understood the irony of shouting "pearl harbour" to a Korean person. (After all, who ever bothered to distinguish between us?) I had to wonder, however, if requirements for the "proud Australian" aspiration included throwing away all forms of civilities so that it makes ok for them to harrass a kid with racially sensitive shouts [read: title of a bad movie]. My cousin had read books on the event of pearl harbour and he was genuinely perplexed by what happened, and I did not have the heart to explain it to him.
"Us and them" mentality existed when I was growing up, too. When I was young I used to be so sick of people commenting on my "excellent English" or asking about bicycle-riding population in China. But I never experienced racial harassment growing up, not even a single jeer. These days I frequently hear "ni-hao" or "ching chong" behind my back as I walk by, unless of course I am accompanied by a white person.
I agree that things used to be better. But then, Aaron, I think they are just flip sides of a coin called ignorance. The coin is landing more and more on its tail these days. That's how I feel it.
Keep up with the excellent writing. I thought I was the only person who had ongoing problems with this world. It's not just nationalism. Ignorance pisses me off. It's not just ignorance; it's a fatal ignorance. Thanks not only for your kind words, but for sharing your experience! Welcome aboard! Aaron
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