Several weeks ago callers on talkback radio shows on 2AD were highly critical of the Federal Government spending about $300,000 on a study to examine community views about Anzac Day, in preparation for the centenary.
Typical views on 2AD included “If those people who come to Australia don’t like what we do here, then they can go back where they came from”.
As an educated person, I find those views totally unacceptable, but they are clearly indicative of an attitude shared by many people.
Time passed and Anzac Day came. Here in Armidale there were the largest attendances anyone could remember. Central Park was almost full. But it was mostly an Anglo-Celtic show – it was not representative of the Armidale community, and thus it is unworthy of the title, a “National Day’.
Each week when we go to Coles or Woolworths for our groceries we see a proper representation of our community, but many of the people we see at the shops were not present in Central Park on Anzac Day.
Without doubt, the Autumn Festival is more representative than Anzac Day.
Callers on 2AD were vocal, but that did not seem to make their opinions logical.
Sadly, political correctness requires us to agree that all points of view are to be respected. I believe that the views of some people are limited, and their promoters are best described as “having more to learn than to contribute”.
Armidale is not a typical country town, but a university city, and there are many of us who rightly believe that our views are superior to those of less-educated people, and we use our intellect for identifying problems and finding solutions which will have positive outcomes rather than bitterness and disharmony.
Anzac Day must change from being divisive to being a day when we are all united on a special National Day. For instance, we could ensure that the International Students are invited to participate in the march, which is now an open-door event for all who want to participate.
We could have classes for our new Australian residents to learn about our customs, and equally important, we could hear their views on Anzac Day and together we could see what needs doing so that it can be a day of unity rather than division.
We’ll know when unity has been achieved when the guest speaker at Central Park on Anzac Day is a woman wearing her hijab, and opening her speech with “I am a new Australian. I came from another country where we had our customs, but now I live in Australia and I understand and share Australian customs. I walk to tell you something about how new Australians value Anzac Day”.
Meanwhile, Anzac Day will remain divisive, and something needs to be done about it, but there is no point in expecting these people to lead the way forward.
Name and address withheld
