From: sleejy@cc.curtin.edu.au
Subject: Re: ******* ASIANS FACE RACE BIAS -an aussie reply-
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 05:00:40 GMT

In article <detchay.6.711965270@halls1.cc.monash.edu.au>, detchay@halls1.cc.monash.edu.au (TONY CHAY) writes:
> In article <2685@ariel.its.unimelb.EDU.AU> jlam@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (James Lam) writes:
>>From: jlam@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (James Lam)
>>Subject: Re: ******* ASIANS FACE RACE BIAS --- STUDENT ********
>>Date: 10 Jul 92 11:02:53 GMT
> 
>>In article <9219220.325@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>, kaic@mamura.ee.mu.oz.au (David Chan) writes:
>>|> jlam@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (James Lam) writes:
>>|> >kaic@mamura.ee.mu.oz.au (David Chan) writes:
>>|> >
> 
>         Lets talk Tango people,  I'm an Australian, from the country.  In 
> the City I being ingnorant of public transport, etc.  have also been 
> targeted for being ignorant, It's a power game people play, when they know 
> your in a weak and vulnerable position then they'll make themselves feel 
> good by exercising their power to make you feel shit.  Don't go labelling 
> Australian's racist because you get hassled sometimes in these situations.  
> Sure some Aussies may think you're all sub-human, buy most don't.  Alot ill 
> feeling towards overseas students stems from the following:-
> 
> 	1.  Asians often stick to themselves, most don't mix with the 
> average Aussie student.  

  Well... I agreed.  However I personally don't do that.  I mix with my
Australian mates too. ;)  I guess this is personal preference when it comes
down to friends. ;)
 
> 	2.  I get ranckled when I am in an elevator and a group of Asians 
> talk in their own language.  

  Hold your horses mate!  Now... now.. I know how you feel, however be 
considerate.  People communicate better in their mother tongue or language.
In this case it felt more at home conversing in their own language.  However
its really _bad_ from your point of view not knowing what they were talking
about I guess.

  Look at it from another angle, we came here and learn your language i.e.
English.  What about you?  Did you make an effort to learn our language??
Understand our culture and customs?? ;)  Probably not, I guess!  So for
starters, please don't feel _bad_ !  Step in the right direction by learning
our language and culture and maybe then you'll understand why! ;) Then we
may all communicate better! ;)  Make a better Australia! :)
 
> 	3.  Often the only clubs they join at university are Malaysian Law 
> Students, Hong Kong students, etc ,  So further segregating themselves, don'
> t blame the Aussies for getting pissed off at your almost secretive and 
> seperatist behaviour.

  Joining a club with people from your home country is noting _wrong_ at all.
We all feel home sick from time to time, we need to talk to people from our
home country who share the feeling of home sickness.  An experience you may
not have had yet.  Try asking yourself how would you feel a few thousand miles
away from home and with no one to share your fares, your home sickness with??
;)  I bet its not all that plesant.  So try not to be more judgemental.  

  As for segregating ourselves, well.. that's another point of view.  On our
campus, a lot of the Students club also welcome anyone at all to join.  I
personally knew a few of my Australian mates who join a few of such clubs like
the Malaysian Student club, Singaporean Student club, etc.  They enjoy it
very much too cause they make a lot of new friends and when they came over to
Malaysia or Singapore.  They can call us up and we show them around our country
so they in turn enjoy more. ;)  (Its like having a free tour guide, how's that?)
;)

> 	4.  I have witnessed and been involved in many situations where 
> Asians have made it quite clear that all Australians are just Beer swilling 
> non-serious students who are basically dumb.  Here is the Yellow superiorty 
> making the Aussies angry that you come over here and knock us and our 
> culture and our differing work ethic.

  Well... I'm sorry this had happened to you.  It is definately not in my case.
I wouldn't do that.  In fact I personally admire the standard you set for 
yourself like a 40 hour week.  A union to stand behind you if things go wrong.
(Something you don't see in most developing countries).  

  As for beer drinking, that seems to be a part of the Australian scene.  I
don't mind have a beer or two however I don't agree drink till excessiveness.

  Superiorty?  I don't know, everyone is different and special in their own
ways.  So we cannot say one is more superior than another.   

>       5.  With THousands of Australian students missing places at 
> universities across australia, and maybe some here not doing the course they 
> really wanted to.  Isn't it understandable that when they see so many Asian 
> students taking up places at university ( and they dont frankly give a 
> bloody stuff about the financial aspects of O/s Students) they'll feel 
> cheated and resentful.

   Hold your flame mate!  You cannot blame the overseas students taking up
places in Universities.  We have to pay our way through every dollar of it
to get here.  Our fees are ten times higher than what you call HECS.  We
had to perform harder to make our money worth as these are our parents hard
earned money.  I do agree that there are limited places in Universities and
I do feel sorry for those who want to get in and can't.  However, you have
to understand our point of view as well.  If you want to blame someone,
blame the system.  Not an overseas student please, as they had their fair
share of problems trying to get over here and earn an education. ;)
 
> 	Please note that the above points are not exclusive to Asians 
> students nor does it apply to all asian students.  But from my 2 years at 
> Uni it seems to be a fairly widespread trend.  

  I understand how you feel, and am feeling sorry if that is the way you feel
about overseas students.
 
> 		A final word on a part of miss Mioa's article.  She talked 
> about how the lecturers treat Asians as sub-human etc, etc.   Let me just 
> say that most lecturers think of all undergraduates as not worth talking 
> too, they really don't care about us.  Asian or Aussie to the university 
> and her staff (with a few exceptions) we are all just numbers, files and 
> thats it.  It is impersonal and you will (as I have) get the brush off from 
> lecturers who view undergraduates as having nothing worthy to say to them. 
> Please don't go around sprouting shit cliches about Aussie racism, were all 
> in the same boat.  Sure you probably do get discriminated against sometimes 
> but so do women, non-private school students, etc.  Youv'e got to just say 
> to yourself "well they can all bugger off" and just get on with life, your 
> studies.  Get you degree make a packet and then screw everyone for every 
> dollar they're worth.
> 
> 		Yours Sincerely 
>                               Tony (stone the crows) Chay - note Chay is not 
> Asian in origin, it is from Some jewish people 
> in Iberia who migrated to ireland and 
> converted to catholicism etc.  

   I would suggest you get a better quote than the above one you currently have.
;)  Cheers! 

*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
*          Johnwee LEE Y.K.        Internet E-mail: SLEEJY@CC.CURTIN.EDU.AU    *
*       3rd Year I.P. NOVICE ?          School of Information System.          *
*      Curtin University of Technology, Bently Campus, Western Australia.      *
*     Address: P.O.BOX 589, Willetton, Western Australia  6155, AUSTRALIA.     *
*            Tel: 619-310-1440 (Voice)            Fax: 619-310-4986            *
*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

 
Newsgroups: aus.students.overseas