Cronulla Violence.

[Big Dave]

When i was 17 the 'sharpies' used to congregate in the Southern Sydney suburb of Hurstville. 'Sharps' were a mix or eastern Europeans and Middle Eastern guys that were displaced, poor and violent.

The blue singlet boys used to catch the train in from Campbelltown just to fight them. It all took place in the car park across the road from the Civic Centre Dance where I used to go and see bands like Cold Chisel, Oils, Mi Sex, Split Enz and heaps of others - pretty much every Saturday night.

You just walked past and declined when one of them said 'he wanted to know yhou' and it was relatively cool, maybe you'd get a cigarette butt flicked at you, but although i was challenged a few times - it never bothered me - No thanks mate and walked on. I was there for the chics. Some of the best racial slurs i've ever heard were from the Cambelltown lads at full street corner volume however.

Looks to me like the Cronulla thing is a continuation of shit that's been going on for 30 years or more. Now they call 'em called 'Lebs' and it's happened in broad daylight - and it's all fed by the camcorder revolution and ensuing media scrum. I fear not for the fabric of society.

Our police uniforms have go pretty fly while i've been away.

[Motu]

Is this a caption contest?

''What do ya reckon Bruce....we got enough here for a couple of pies?''

[Big Dave]

Is this a caption contest?

''What do ya reckon Bruce....we got enough here for a couple of pies?''

Not bad.

'When i said i wanted to clean up this town....'

[StoneChucker]

But the Prime Minister John Howard said "there are no racial issues in Australia". He wouldn't lie now, would he?

That is some freaky shit. Breaking News on BBC just said there are 60 car loads of "lebs" (quote from angry aussie hoodlum) congregating at some mosque. It's heating up, and I reckon the worst is yet to come!

I reckon we made the right choice to immigrate here, rather than Aus where we once wanted to go.

[scumdog]

Heard a Lebanese guy on the radio say that this problem goes right back to Bob hawke when he desperately needed votes, Hawke made a thing of telling recent immigrants they should be proud to keep their old identity in an attempt to score votes from them.

The result is that now nobody integrates, no such thing as a "New Australian" any more.

And now these separate ethnic types seem to want to make their 'mark'.

[Big Dave]

But the Prime Minister John Howard said "there are no racial issues in Australia". He wouldn't lie now, would he?

No - he's right - there are racists and extremists on either side of the line, but in society in general I believe that the VAST majority are happily multicultural.

We'd just like the fucker to say 'SORRY' and move on from that one.

[Virago]

.....there are racists and extremists on either side of the line.....

Your white, so you can't say that - it's racist!

[Big Dave]

Your white, so you can't say that - it's racist!

What do they try and call it - 'inverse racism'.
I believe its the same horse - different colour.

[Fart]

This is getting very close to home. Just a hope over the water.

One great thing about Auckland is that we dont really have a large enough minority group to have separate ethnic group areas. All ethnic groups in Auckland mixes and we get a more harmonious society, for now.

[StoneChucker]

No - he's right - there are racists and extremists on either side of the line, but in society in general I believe that the VAST majority are happily multicultural.

We'd just like the fucker to say 'SORRY' and move on from that one.

I wholehartedly agree, I was just referring to those select few who think it good "weekend fun" to go "Leb Bashing". I think most develloped countries are multicultural, or well on their way to becoming so anyway. With each generation I believe it should get better.

What dya think?

[Big Dave]

What dya think?

I think it's a nice morning for a ride.

[Lias]

Sitting listening to a streamed police scanner in the area, and some "persons of middle eastern descent"(hereafter referred to as lebs for brevity) in balaclavas just did an armed holdup, one armed with a pistol the other a crowbar. Another report of two lebs in a red and white holden ute acting suspiciously near a ferry.

Talking to one of my maori collegaues here, and his brother was involved with the leb bashing on the weekend, cos even the maori's in sydney hate the lebs :-P

With freedom airs recent 10th birthday celebrations, we were thinking that they need a new promotion, offering a "Leb bashing getaway".. discount airfares to Sydney, Saturday night accomodation, and a free baseball bat on arrival in Sydney :-)

[judgeshock]

I think it's unacceptable behaviour and talking about discount get aways is not even funny:spudgrr:
There is always going to be minoritys in every culture of people causing trouble, that doesn't give you a right to take up arms and deal with these people yourself.

[Lou Girardin]

When you've got some highly visible ethnic groups carrying out some appalling gang rapes, random acts of retaliation for supposed insults, an attack on a Police station with semi-auto weapons, and now serious intimidation on the beach at Cronulla, what other reaction do people expect?

[judgeshock]

common sense, don't get me wrong if I was being attacked I would defend myself and my family too.
I hear that some of this violence is going on, however if the violence was really this bad i'm sure the army would have acted by now. I'm sure the police will be doing all they can to catch these bastards, if it's as lawless as it has been made out then sydney would be under a curfew and some pretty extreme conditions.
It doesn't take long before mob mentality takes over, little incidents turn into big incidents. The next thing you know is that all Lebanese for example are born rapists, not true.
Offering up comments such as cheap deals to bash Lebs only insites more hatred and discrimination.