People will say that Maitland City Council’s stance against the federal government’s proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act is purely symbolic.
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They may be right.
But in the words of Edmund Burke, the late Irish politician and philosopher, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Maitland City Council has chosen not to put its position on a federal Act in the too-hard basket. Instead it has resolved to write to the Attorney-General, George Brandis, and speak out.
According to the Attorney-General, people have a right to be bigots. Mr Brandis told Senate: “In a free country, people do have rights to say things that other people find offensive, insulting or bigoted.”
Perhaps he should sit and hear the story of Ms Butheina Kuku, a Sudanese refugee living in Metford, who has experienced racial hatred so powerful she has even considered returning to her war-torn African home.
Ms Kuku spoke at last night’s council meeting and her moving story led into Cr Loretta Baker’s call for the city to take a stance on the proposed changes.
Both Ms Kuku and Cr Baker fear that, if hatred and abuse still simmers under the current Racial Discrimination Act, racists will be “given a free pass” if changes go ahead.
Cr Baker, our mayor Peter Blackmore, and members of our council should be applauded for saying, loud and clear, that the people of Maitland will not tolerate racism.
We abhor insults, humiliation or intimidation based on ethnicity or race.
Sadly, it appears we differ from those who stalk the halls of federal power.
